Description
Book SynopsisThis book connects the accounts in Plato's dialogue the Timaeus-Critias, that of Atlantis' defeat by ancient Athens and that of the divine creation of the cosmos, through the unifying theme of teleology and shows the dialogue to be an important development in the Aristotelian tradition of natural philosophy.
Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'If I were going to recommend to someone who had just read Timaeus one philosophical monograph on this work I cannot think of a better choice than Johansen's … Traditional in its exegetical approach, yet properly critical of giants of the past like Taylor and Cornford, Plato's Natural Philosophy is a solid contribution to what is evidently a renaissance of interest in what is surely one of Plato's major works.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Review of the hardback: 'Johansen's book is a remarkable achievement. The presentation of the arguments is consistently clear and crisp, and interim conclusions make the work user-friendly. The result is a philosophically inspired and engaging book suitable equally for those who are struggling their way through the Timaeus for the first time and for those who are already saturated with the ever-growing scholarly literature.' Rhizai
Review of the hardback: 'This valuable work of scholarship, brimming with careful textual exegesis and original philosophical interpretation … succeeds admirably … infused by the spirit of the dialogue it explores.' The Classical Review
Review of the hardback: 'Johansen's book sets out many independently stimulating problems and individually motivated answers. However, as Johansen argues for both the dialogue and the cosmos he discusses, it is best appreciated when viewed as a finely constructed whole.' Journal of Hellenic Studies
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction: Plato's tales of teleology; 1. What is the Timaeus-Critias about?; 2. The status of the Atlantis story; 3. The status of Timaeus' account; 4. Teleology and craftsmanship; 5. Necessity and teleology; 6. Space and motion; 7. Body, soul and tripartition; 8. Perception and cosmology; 9. Dialogue and dialectic; Epilogue; Bibliography; General index; Index locorum.
