On the Monad
“
Furthermore, the monad produces itself and is produced from itself, since it is self-sufficient and has no power set over it and is everlasting; and it is evidently the cause of permanence, just as God is thought to be in the case of actual physical things, and to be the preserver and maintainer of natures.
— Iamblichus
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Furthermore, the monad produces itself and is produced from itself, since it is self-sufficient and has no power set over it and is everlasting; and it is evidently the cause of permanence, just as God is thought to be in the case of actual physical things, and to be the preserver and maintainer of natures." in the context of "On the Monad" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Iamblichus" (Quotes, The Theology of Arithmetic: This work is often attributed to Iamblichus, and no other, but the attribution is not considered definite. Quotes listed here are from the translation by Robin Waterfield (1988). The Theology of Arithmetic : On the Mystical, Mathematical and Cosmological Symbolism of the First Ten Numbers. Grand Rapids, MI: Phanes Press. . (Theologumena arithmeticae: ad rarissimum exemplum Parisiense emendatius descripta - 1817 Latin text online))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Iamblichus
Iamblichus of Chalcis or Iamblichus Chalcidensis (Ἰάμβλιχος; c. 245 – c. 325) was a Greek Neoplatonic philosopher from Syria who heavily influenced later Neoplatonism, and much of western pagan philosophy. He is most famous for his compendium on Pythagorean philosophy.
About Iamblichus
Iamblichus of Chalcis or Iamblichus Chalcidensis (Ἰάμβλιχος; c. 245 – c. 325) was a Greek Neoplatonic philosopher from Syria who heavily influenced later Neoplatonism, and much of western pagan philosophy. He is most famous for his compendium on Pythagorean philosophy.
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