It was characterised by a Christian world-view, closely linked to Eastern Orthodox theology, but drawing ideas directly from the Greek texts of Plato, Aristotle, and the Neoplatonists.
In the 7th century, John of Damascus produced a three-part encyclopedia containing in its third part a systematic exposition of Christian theology.
The last great philosopher of Byzantium was Gemistus Pletho who felt that a restored Platonism could reverse the decline of the Empire.
[3] The original school was founded in 425 by Emperor Theodosius II with 31 chairs for Law, Philosophy, Medicine, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, Music, Rhetoric and other subjects, 15 to Latin and 16 to Greek.
The period of decline begun with the Latin conquest of 1204 although the university survived as a non-secular institution under Church management until the Fall of Constantinople.
Soul is body plus spirit, and directly connects with the intellect to enable the achievement of happiness by means of the freedom of decision.
The nous as mind in Byzantine philosophy is given the central role of understanding only when it is placed or reconciled with the heart or soul of the person.
Instead, God created the material cosmos, and initiated history, for the purpose of guiding the wayward souls back to contemplation of His infinite mind, which is, according to Origen, the perfect state.