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From Pandeism to Ismaili Muslim Neoplatonism ~ Book Chapter in Pandeism: An Anthology

From Pandeism to Ismaili Muslim Neoplatonism ~ Book Chapter in Pandeism: An Anthology

Profile image of Ismaili GnosisIsmaili Gnosis

Pandeism: An Anthology

We offer a constructive critique of pandeism on philosophical grounds and propose that a Muslim Neoplatonic metaphysics (common to Shia-Ismaili, Sunni-Sufi, and several other schools of Islamic philosophy) best accounts for and explains the existence of the Universe as human beings experience it. We first argue, in partial agreement with the pandeist, that there exists a Creator of the physical Universe, who is above space and time, powerful, intelligent, and rational. We also affirm that this Creator creates the Universe for a rational end or purpose. Our critique then proceeds on two points: first, we argue that the notion of the Creator actually becoming the Universe is logically and metaphysically impossible. This is because the Creator of the Universe must necessarily be an immaterial, personal and rational Soul (or Universal Soul) that continuously creates and sustains the Universe and while also being manifest or immanent within it. Secondly, we argue that the existence of the Universe and its Creator (Universal Soul) can only be explained by a Universal Intellect as the locus of eternal truth, whose existence in turn depends upon an absolutely simple and transcendent God. According to our proposed Muslim Neoplatonic metaphysics, all existents (whether physical or metaphysical) are originated by and continuously dependent upon one single absolutely Unconditioned Reality (the God of classical theism) by the mediation of the Universal Intellect, the grounding source of all truth, intelligibility and essences (Forms), and the Universal Soul, the Creator of the Cosmos and the source of all rational and goal directed activities including humanity.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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