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target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="#ulink_5d2cddf5-ac61-5ef4-b646-0a2ce8d90c38">79. LSJ, 467; Wheeler, Latin, 527.

80. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 86.

81. McKirahan, Philosophy, 210.

82. Curd, “Presocratic Philosophy.”

83. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 26.

84. McKirahan, Philosophy, 219–220.

85. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 8–9, 29.

86. Wikipedia: Idealism.

87. Gerson, Aristotle, 33.

88. Northbourne, Progress, 94.

89. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 78–79.

90. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 78, 87.

91. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 91.

92. McKirahan, Philosophy, 221.

93. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 30.

94. Schuon, Unity, xxix–xxx; Taylor, Introduction, 104, 108.

95. McKirahan, Philosophy, 220.

96. Geldard, Anaxagoras, 17, 88.

97. McKirahan, Philosophy, 346.

98. Dreyer, Wysbegeerte, 135.

99. Dreyer, Wysbegeerte, 136.

100. Martijn, Review of Physics, 44.

101. Schuon, Divine, 64.

102. Guénon, Reign of Quantity, 35, 40, 192, 193.

103. Black, Secret History, 29, 32, 34.

104. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/02/980227055013.htm

105. Black, Secret History, 37, 39.

106. Flannery, Intelligent Evolution, 16–17.

      Intellect and Necessity

In the Neoplatonic understanding, Intellect (or Mind, the Greek nous) is the second of the divine hypostases, obtaining its reality from the One. However, since the One is a hyper-cosmic reality, it could be stated that Intellect is the first principle of all things that exist. In other words, Intellect is the ontological storehouse of all potential beings (Enneads, V.2.1, V.9.5). To be more precise, Intellect contains all of the eternal and immutable Ideas, or Forms, through which the physical world comes into being. Plotinus employs the Stoic term logoi spermatikoi, or seminal reasons, to indicate the productive ‘seeds’ that become actualized as distinct from Intellect (Enneads, V.9.6-7). These ‘rational seeds’ contain the potentialities of all beings.107 This reasoning implies that without Intellect, or the universal Mind of Anaxagoras, there would be no beings in existence.

In his brilliant study of the interaction between Neoplatonic philosophy and Christian theology, as represented by Plotinus and St Augustine respectively, the French philosopher Albert Camus sketches the intermediary role played by the Intellect as follows: “This Being that lies at the bottom of all things, that gives to the world its existence and its true meaning, draws all of its unity from its origin. And scattered in its intelligibles [i.e., the Forms] though being known as Intelligence, it is the ideal intermediary between the indefinable Good that we hope for and the Soul that breathes behind sensible appearances.”108 As intermediary between the One and Soul, Intellect receives its reality from the One and in turn bestows reality upon Soul, thereby becoming the foundation of all beings.

      The creation of the cosmos is described in considerable detail by Plato in his late dialogue Timaeus, where Intellect is personified and called the Father, or more often the Demiurge (ho demiourgos, which has the meaning of a divine Craftsman). As Porphyry explains, with reference to Plotinus’ teaching that the essence of the Godhead extends over three hypostases: “The highest god is the Good [i.e., the One], and after him and second there is the Demiurge, and third is the Soul of the Universe; for the divine realm proceeds as far as Soul” (History of Philosophy, Book 4). This reasoning confirms that Plato’s Demiurge is a personification of the divine Intellect.

The concept of a creative Demiurge was not limited to Hellenism. The Greek Christian theologian Basil of Caesarea, although highly critical of Hellenic natural philosophy, referred to “the Creator and Demiurge of the universe” (Hex I.5). It has also been remarked that Plato’s Demiurge is comparable to the Egyptian god Ptah, the divine intermediary between the creative idea and the physical product, and to Jesus Christ as the Logos through whom all things are created (as taught in Christian theology).109

      Thesis: The Creation of the World by Intellect

Plato commences his account of cosmic creation by arguing that something which is visible and tangible, like our universe, had to have an origin instead of having always existed. The Athenian philosopher adds that to find the maker and father of this universe (Greek, to pan, literally ‘the whole’; Latin, omnis, ‘every or all’)110 is hard enough, and to declare him to everyone is impossible. At any rate, this world of ours was fashioned after an eternal model and is grasped by a rational account, i.e., by wisdom (Tim, 28b–29a). Interestingly, Plato’s apophatic theology (of which more in a later chapter) was admired by the Greek Christian theologian Clement of Alexandria, who described Plato as a sincere friend of the truth, for recognizing that the mystery of the divine being cannot be expressed in words.111

      In the Platonic understanding, goodness is an essential attribute of the divinity. The goodness of the Demiurge is moreover

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