Neoplatonism

The great syncretic system. Plotinus (204–270) fused Plato's Forms with a mystical metaphysics of emanation: the One → Nous (Intellect) → Soul → Matter. Porphyry, Iamblichus, and Proclus elaborated the system. Neoplatonism became the hidden operating system of Christian theology (via Augustine, Pseudo-Dionysius), Islamic philosophy (via the Theology of Aristotle — actually Plotinus misattributed!), and Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah). It was the single most influential philosophical framework for over 1000 years.

· 200– · dormant · influence 9/10