Iamblichus

Iamblichus ( 250-330 CE) was the founder of the Neoplatonist school of philosophy in Syria. He reworked the doctrines of Plotinus and Porphyry, thereby creating a unique branch of Neoplatonism. He was known as "the Divine" or "the Inspired" because he believed more in magical practices than preceeding or existing philosophers. Thinking that the virtues of theurgy were more valuable than those of the intellect, Iamblichus transformed Plotinus' Neoplatonism into a pagan religious philosophy by replacing Plotinus' spiritual and intellectual mysticism with the religious rites, rituals and myths of paganism. In addition, he divided Plotinus' second Hypostasis (the Intellegence) into two realms, the Intelligence in so far as it was intelligible (as object of thought or being), and the Intelligence in so far as it was intellectual (the act of thought or intelligence). Iamblichus also believed that beyond Plotinus' One there was a greater, higher One which existed beyond any possible human knowledge.

Marda Kaiser