"[Timaeus](http://wikipedia.org/en/Timaeus)" is one of Plato's dialogues, written around 360 B.C., and remains one of the most influential works in the history of Western philosophy and science. It is notable for being one of the few works by Plato that was available to intellectuals throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, influencing medieval and early modern philosophical, scientific, and cosmological thought. ### Overview of the Dialogue In "Timaeus," Plato explores themes of cosmology, the nature of the physical world, and metaphysics. The dialogue is set on the day after Socrates has described his ideal state in "[[The Republic]]," and it involves Socrates, Critias, Timaeus, and Hermocrates discussing the nature of the universe, the soul, and the creation of the world. ### Key Points and Concepts 1. **Structure and Participants**: - **Socrates**: He mostly listens, having set the stage with his previous discussions in "The Republic." - **Timaeus**: A Pythagorean astronomer and philosopher, he presents a detailed account of the creation of the universe by the Demiurge. - **Critias**: He is tasked with recounting the story of ancient Athens and Atlantis (though this is more fully covered in the unfinished dialogue, "Critias"). - **Hermocrates**: He is expected to contribute a dialogue which is never actually realized in any surviving work. 2. **Cosmology and the Demiurge**: - Timaeus describes the cosmos as being created by a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who imposes order on a pre-existing chaos. The Demiurge is good and desires that everything in the cosmos be as good as possible. Thus, he creates the world as a living creature with a soul, making the world a single living being that encompasses all living beings within it. - The world is created as a model of the Forms, the eternal and unchangeable ideas that exist in a realm beyond physical reality. The Forms are perfect and unchangeable, and the physical world strives to imitate these eternal forms as closely as possible. 3. **The World Soul**: - The Demiurge creates the World Soul before the physical world, imbuing it with life and intellect. The World Soul is composed of a mixture of the same elements as the physical world (the Same, the Different, and Being), but in a purer form. This soul is meant to mediate between the ideal Forms and the physical reality, governing the motions and order of the heavens. 4. **Creation of Matter**: - The universe is described as being made from a mixture of the Same and the Different, spread out by the Demiurge across the form of the heavens. Timaeus also discusses the creation of the four classical elements (fire, air, water, earth), which are constructed from geometric shapes (the Platonic solids). 5. **Human Nature and Mortality**: - Humans are created as images of the gods, meant to maintain order and balance in the world. The soul is portrayed as immortal and preexistent, being temporarily united with a mortal body. The dialogue delves into how the soul influences moral behavior and intellectual activities. 6. **Philosophical and Scientific Impact**: - "Timaeus" has profoundly influenced Western thoughts on nature, the cosmos, and science. Its mixture of rational inquiry and mythological elements provided a framework for many later philosophical and theological developments, including works by [[Aristotle]], [[Plotinus]], and many medieval Christian and Islamic philosophers. "Timaeus" remains a foundational text in the Platonic tradition, offering deep insights into Plato’s views on the cosmos, divinity, and the nature of reality. Its influence is evident in the fields of metaphysics, cosmology, and the philosophy of science, continuing to be a subject of study and discussion among scholars today. # References ```dataview Table title as Title, authors as Authors where contains(subject, "Timaeus") or contains(subject, "Plato") sort title, authors, modified ```