Ep. 264: Plato's "Timaeus" on Cosmology (Part One)

<p>On the later Platonic dialogue from around 360 BCE.</p> <p>How is nature put together? Plato speaks through the fictional Timaeus (not Socrates) to give a "likely story" about the universe, physics, and biology involving a Craftsman (Demi-Urge) who created everything based on a pre-existing perfect model (the Forms!).</p> <p>Timaeus derives his whole story from the principle that the world is good, and so the Craftsman must necessarily optimize creation, with any imperfections being introduced only by the necessity involved when a perfect blueprint gets embodied to create ever-shifting, impermanent matter.</p> <p>Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at <a href="partiallyexaminedlife.com/support">partiallyexaminedlife.com/support</a>. <a href="https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/02/28/ep-264-2-plato-timaeus-citizen/">Get it now</a> or <a href="https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/preview-ep264-2-timaeus/">listen to a preview</a>.</p> <p>Sponsors: Get $200 off a mattress and two free pillows at <a href="https://helixsleep.com/PEL">HelixSleep.com/PEL</a>. Get 50% off The New Yorker and a free tote bag at <a href="http://newyorker.com/PEL">NewYorker.com/PEL</a>. Get $35 off meal delivery at <a href="https://sunbasket.com/PEL">SunBasket.com/PEL</a>, code PEL. Visit <a href="http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL">TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/PEL</a> for a free 14-day trial of unlimited access to The Great Courses Plus Video Learning Service. Learn about St. John's College at <a href="https://www.sjc.edu/">SJC.edu</a>.</p>