Timaeus and Critias
Timaeus and Critias by Plato, published by Penguin in 1971, presents a thought-provoking exploration of the cosmos through dialogues among Socrates, Timaeus, Critias, and Hermocrates. This reprint edition spans 167 pages and is written in English. In Timaeus, Plato offers a comprehensive account of the universe, detailing its composition from the four elements—earth, air, fire, and water—and delving into the origins of life and humanity. The work not only addresses physical laws but also touches on metaphysical and religious principles, establishing a framework that influenced scientific thought for centuries.
Readers will encounter a rich discussion that includes the first literary account of Atlantis, framed within the context of Timaeus. The unfinished Critias complements this narrative with a captivating depiction of the ideal society of the lost continent, attributed to the divine offspring of Poseidon. This edition invites readers to engage with foundational philosophical concepts and historical inquiries, making it a significant contribution to the study of ancient and classical philosophy.
Official synopsis Publisher
Taking the form of dialogues between Socrates, Timaeus, Critias and Hermocrates, these two works are among Plato’s final writings. In Timaeus, he gives a thorough account of the world in which we live, describing a cosmos composed of four elements – earth, air, fire and water – which combine to give existence to all things. An exploration of the origins of the universe, life and humanity, which outlines not just physical laws but also metaphysical and religious principles, it remained a paradigm of science for two thousand years. The mysterious preamble to Timaeus contains the first account in literature of Atlantis, while the fragmentary Critias, unfinished by its author, provides a spellbinding description of the lost continent’s ideal society, which Critias asserts was created by the god-like children of Poseidon himself.
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