Jiří Stránský
SUMMARY
The Problem of Cosmogony in Plato’s Timaeus
The aim
of this paper is to clarify some of the key problems of Plato’s Timaeus. After
the short introduction the question whether the cosmos, according to Timaeus,
once came into being or whether it never did but is still coming into being is
being discussed. In order to answer this question a careful analysis of the
prooemium to the Timaeus’ speech (Tim.
27c1–29d3) is made and a distinction between so-called real and metaphorical
interpretation is developed. Timaeus’ speech itself is introduced by a phrase
εἰκὼς μῦθος („a likely story“ – Tim. 29d2) which qualifies
it essentially, and the following section is, therefore, dedicated to an
interpretation of the meaning of this phrase and generally to the topic of
speech which can be delivered about cosmos. The last and longest part of the
text builds on the results of preceding enquiry and answers the question how
exactly should be the coming into being of cosmos understood. Theses of several
renowned researchers are critically assessed and in the last section an
interpretation which tries to combine both traditional approaches in an
original way is presented.