Timaeus

Plato, 427？ BCE-347？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.6

Word count: 180K words
Chapters: 18

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Timaeus by PlatoAuthor: Plato, 427? BCE-347? BCE,Language: English, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Dec 1, 1998

Editor's review

Timaeus is a weighty late dialogue of Plato, in which Timaeus sets out a cosmogony: from the Demiurge's work of creation to the mathematical construction of the world soul, and on to accounts of the generation of the elements, time, and the human body, covering nearly all the core questions of ancient Greek natural philosophy. Its value lies not in conclusions that can be directly verified, but in displaying a grand attempt to encompass all things through rational deduction; its discussions of order, proportion, and teleology have had a profound influence on later philosophy, theology, and even scientific thought. In reading, note the dialogue's layered structure: after Socrates' brief opening, the main body is a long monologue, densely argued and abstract in terminology, requiring patience in following its chain of logic. This edition is a public-domain English ebook from Project Gutenberg, suitable as a base text for introductory and seminar study of Western philosophical classics, and for readers interested in classical cosmology or the overall structure of Plato's thought to read alongside a history of Greek philosophy.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Philosophy students and researchers who wish to study Plato's late dialogues in the original
Readers interested in ancient Greek cosmology, natural philosophy, and creation narratives
Those who need a public-domain English text for translation practice or bilingual reading
Teachers of Western philosophy history looking for primary materials

Not a good fit for

General readers expecting light, story-driven reading and lacking patience for philosophical texts
Beginners who need modern Chinese translation, annotation, and detailed exposition to get started
Those who want only conclusion-style key points and are unwilling to follow long arguments

Reading tips

First read the brief introduction at the start of the dialogue to clarify the characters and the occasion of the discussion, then enter Timaeus' long exposition.
Take notes according to three sections—cosmogony, elements, and the human body—marking the turning points of key arguments, and avoid getting lost in details at the expense of the main thread.
Read in parallel with chapters on Plato's late thought in a history of Greek philosophy to help situate the conceptual background.
The English original is dense; after each section, summarize the gist of the argument in two or three sentences to check whether you have followed the logic.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?

This Project Gutenberg edition is an English ebook; the main text is an English translation and contains no Chinese translation or notes. If you need Chinese for comparison, prepare a Chinese translation separately for reference.

Can I understand it without a philosophy background?

It is somewhat difficult. The dialogue involves much abstract reasoning and concepts from ancient Greek natural philosophy, and without background one can easily get lost. It is advisable to read a relevant chapter of a history of Western philosophy before entering the original.

Is it suitable for academic citation?

As a public-domain English electronic text, it can be used for general reading and course discussion, but academic writing should cite authoritative critical editions or standard translations and note the specific edition information.

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About the author

Plato, 427？ BCE-347？ BCE Author

Plato (c. 427–347 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher. Reliable details of his life are limited in public sources, and his thought and writings are generally known through later accounts. The library holds 65 of his works, including the multi-volume Republic (Πολιτεία), the Symposium, and the Phaedo. These works are mostly dialogues with Socrates as the central figure, unfolding through question and answer around justice, the governance of the city, love, the soul, and knowledge, combining philosophical inquiry with dramatic literary form. The Republic, which discusses the ideal city and justice, is especially influential. Plato's style is marked by analogy, argument, and open-ended conclusions, and he has had a lasting influence on later Western philosophy and political thought.