😱 Are there any Neoplatonists in here, and do any of y’all intend on creating a community related to Neoplatonism? Also, would any of y’all consider joining a Neoplatonist community? 😱🕺🏿🤔

First off, “who is a Neoplatonist?”

The answer will always be controversial. So, before I provide my answer, let me give an example that’d allow you to find agreeable my answer.

Let’s take those who are identified and considered to be “Mathematical Platonists”. A Mathematical Platonist is an individual who is of the perspective that Mathematical Platonism is a real thing. What is Mathematical Platonism? Mathematical Platonism is the perspective that Mathematical Objects, and/or Structures, and the structures they may exist within, are actual! They exist! They are non-material, and they exist! And these Mathematical things that exist are not dependent on our conceptions of them. So, these Mathematical things that exist are also independent. Now, many things may participate and communicate these Mathematical things. And thus, Mathematical Platonists are of the perspective that Mathematical things exist, they are non-material & abstract, and they are independent. Why are they considered Platonists? There’s no mention of Plato in their whole perspective? It’s because Plato is the first person in our known history to explicitly state that there exists a World of Being that our World of Becoming participates and communicates. The World of Being is that of things that exist, are abstract, and are independent. Basically, it’s Plato’s Theory of Forms/Archetypes. So, these individuals who are of a particular perspective about Mathematics’ Metaphysics/Nature are Platonists; because they are of the perspective of what Plato explicated and institutionalized! It’s not that this perspective did not exist before Plato. It’s just that Plato is the dude in known history that explicated it and institutionalized it. These Mathematical Platonists need not have read Plato’s Dialogues and Letters. They need not concern themselves or believe in Plato’s Mythology. So long as they are of the aforementioned perspective about Mathematics’s nature, they are Mathematical Platonists! On a side note, if you find yourself asking: “why on earth should one concern oneself with such a perspective in Mathematics?” I will answer why! It’s because when addressing the objectivity of Mathematics (proving that Mathematics is not some subjectivity), one is compelled to take on a Mathematical Platonism. I myself am of Kurt Gödel’s Mathematical Platonist perspective.

So, the aforementioned being the case, a Neoplatonist is an individual who is of the Metaphysical Perspective of either Plotinus, Iamblicus, Proclus, or Damascius. They need not have read the aforementioned people’s works. If they are of their Metaphysical Perspective, and the consequences that follow as a matter of lifestyle (spirituality), then they are necessarily Neoplatonists. Neoplatonism was a term given to the aforementioned individuals by historians. The aforementioned individuals considered themselves to be Platonists. What is this Metaphysical Perspective that makes one a Neoplatonist? This description is way too long already. Please forgive me for not explicating the matter. Do a Google search. Google A.I. will do a much better job at explicating the Neoplatonist Metaphysical Perspective succinctly. All I will say is this: The Neoplatonists agree on a core Metaphysical Perspective, and then each one diverges on a particular metaphysical matter. What is referred to by the concepts The One, Intellect, and Soul are agreed by all Neoplatonists. Plotinus is the dude that institutionalized it. But from there, there is the perspective of “theurgy” that is introduced, then there is the perspective of “the henads” that is introduced, and then there is the “non-discursive nature and mystery of conversation about The One” that is introduced. They are introduced by Iamblicus, Proclus, and Damascius, respectively. Basically, there is much disagreement on Metaphysical Perspective, and the lifestyle that proceeds from such perspective among Neoplatonists; even though there is agreement on the core Metaphysical Perspective. I myself am a Plotinian Platonist.

Yeah. So, if you’re a Neoplatonist: do you intend on creating a Neoplatonist community? Or even perhaps joining one? And if you’re not a Neoplatonist (knowing what you now know from my description, and the further research you may have done), would you be interested in joining a Neoplatonist community for philosophical discourse?

Also, FYI: much of the intellectual & spiritual traditions of the Abrahamic Traditions have been “Neoplatonist”. Will knowing about such things, and discussing such things incentivize y’all to join a Neoplatonist community?

Finally, forgive me for my description. I know it’s a wall of text, and I know some of y’all may rage “TL;DR”. That’s cool. I understand. I apologize. But please do empathize that I am trying to introduce everyone to what I am talking about so that everyone may be in the know about the matter; and thus be able to say something about the matter.

Woah! Hold up! Wait a minute! I am allowed to write twice as much as I already have to make post! Damn! That’s hardcore! Okay. Then, I might as well explicate what the Plotinian Platonist Perspective is, and what consequently makes one a Plotinian Platonist!

You may read this if you like to verify my claims.

To allow easy comprehension of the perspective imagine this: there is a dot. The dot is our universe. Around the dot is drawn a circle. The dot is the center of the circle. Now. The dot is our universe. Our universe is a World of Becoming. The space between the dot, and the circle drawn is the World of Being. It’s the Mathematical Platonism I was talking about. The circle drawn; the line: that’s The Being. The Being is the existence that exists that defines the particular World of Being that our particular World of Becoming participates & communicates. All this exists within The Being; The World of Being & Becoming exist within The Being. And then you have the space that exceeds the circle drawn. That space is the Necessary Being. Basically, nothing cannot exist. So that existence that is, was, and always will be is the Necessary Being. All that exists from The Being, The World of Being, and The World of Becoming exists within the Necessary Being. Okay. The Necessary Being is what is understood in Plotinian Platonism as The One. The Intellect & The Form are what The Being & The World of Being is. Then, we have The Soul & The Hyle. The Soul is the principle of desiring for what one does not have. The desire one has that is one’s being is one’s soul. And The Hyle is the World of Becoming. It’s pure potentiality. There is no actuality. Only The Necessary Being (The One) is the actual. All that exists participates & communicates something of The One; if it did not it would not exist. Because The One alone is actual. It is the principle of actuality, and individuation. So, there you have it! If you are of the Perspective that The One, The Intellect & The Forms, and The Soul & The Hyle exist; and that they are ontological realities & explanatory principles. The latter meaning that they have an actuality, and are the reason why existence is the way it is; then, my dudes, you are a Plotinian Platonist. You are a Neoplatonist.

The Abrahamic Tradition consider The One & Intellect to be one being, and consider it “God”. God’s Essence is The One, and God’s Consciousness is The Intellect. And that’s how particular intellectual & spiritual traditions of the Abrahamic Traditions find themselves being “Neoplatonist”. To allow better comprehension of how so: “In the beginning was The Word (The Intellect), the Word was with God (The One), and The Word was God (The One & Intellect).”

My approach is Avicennan Rationalist, and I am of a Plotinian Platonist Metaphysical Perspective. I am not here to promote, nor undermine anyone of the Abrahamic Traditions; or to promote, or undermine any the World’s Religions for that matter. I’m here for entertainment, and “coffee talk”. I only stated the aforementioned to better allow individuals, and individuals of different traditions, to comprehend the perspective explicated.

So, anyways, that said: would any of you cool cats, and naughty kittens be interested in a Neoplatonist community existing? Would you join it, and participate in making posts & having conversation in it? I’m asking for a friend.