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[Alexandr Korol]

Timaeus describes the act of creation of all things and living beings by God the Demiurge. Plato defines the Demiurge as Mind, which, looking upon the eternal intelligible archetype-paradigm, creates the world by means of ordering chaotically moving matter. At the same time neither the ideal archetype itself nor matter depend on the Demiurge, he merely unites them together — in this consists his essential distinction from the God of the theistic religions, creating the world out of nothing. Moreover, the Demiurge is not omnipotent: being good, he wishes as much as possible to liken the world to its idea, yet the cosmic coexistent matter, opposing him in the form of natural necessity, hinders him from fully accomplishing his intention.

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (384 — 322 BC) used the word Demiurge in the traditional sense — “craftsman, master.” The Greek Neoplatonic philosopher Plotinus (204 — 270) understood under the Demiurge the world Spirit, while the Soul of the world, according to Plotinus, arises thanks to the influence from the side of the active divine Mind.”