Necessity in the Timaeus

Introduction

Plato's Timaeus was in writing in a try to make sense of the beginnings of time, of the world, as we understand it. It is an attempt to describe how the world came into being. It is significant to note that even Plato states that this is only a “likely account” (53). Nonetheless, it is a very good abstract of Platonic philosophy and was exceedingly influential in subsequent years over the very old and mediaeval world. To the up to date book reader, such as a school student, it verifies to be rather obscure and repulsive, but interesting just the same.

Plato first argues that since the shrewd world “is that which is becoming habitually and not ever existent” (49) it must have arrive to be. Therefore, the world should have some for of cause, an origin to be. He mentions to the cause as “the maker and father of the cosmos” (51) as well as the “Mind” (109) and “God” (127) subsequent in the work. It is very common to hear Plato's god mentioned to as the Demiurge, which literally means craftsman.

Now then, since the Demiurge was depicted as good, he yearned “that, so far as likely, all things should be good and not anything bad” (55). This is where Plato starts to recount the qualities of the cosmos that the Demiurge is creating. The deductions that Plato makes involving the forming of the universe show his optimism concerning humankind. He outlooks humankind as formed for the larger good of the universe. The world created by the Demiurge is living, smart, eternal, and good, and thus it is a “blessed god” (65). It just so occurs that along with the leverage of the Demiurge there was another component at work. Plato mentions to this as “the Errant Cause” (111). It is clear-cut that this other principle could be likened to the mother of the cosmos; sense the Demiurge was the father. Plato affirms that there should be types, because brain or cause and factual conviction are distinct and thus, must have distinct objects. The things of significant importance that live according to Plato are the types, which are perceived by the mind alone. Also, shrewd objects, which are the images that the forms have created. Lastly, the receptacle, which is actually space that has no mind of its own and is apprehended “by a kind of bastard reasoning by the aid of non-sensation, scarcely an object of conviction” (123).

Theme

In the Timaeus Plato presents an elaborately wrought account of the formation of the universe. Plato is deeply impressed with the alignment and attractiveness he observes in the cosmos and his project in the dialogue is to interpret that alignment and beauty. The cosmos, he suggests, is the product of reasonable, purposive, and beneficent agency. It is the handiwork of a divine Craftsman (“Demiurge,” dêmiourgos, 28a6), who, imitating an unchanging and eternal form, enforces mathematical order on a pre-existent disorder to develop the organised universe (kosmos). The ruling explanatory principle ...