#92 - Dr Peter Larsen - How Plato Explained the Universe: A Deep Dive into the Timaeus

Dr Peter Larsen is a lecturer in Philosophy at Dublin City University, specialising in ancient philosophy and particularly the cognitive psychology of Plato and Aristotle.

In this conversation, we discusses Plato's Timaeus, exploring its themes of cosmology, the nature of the cosmos, and the relationship between natural science and ethics. We emphasizes the importance of understanding both divine and necessary causes, the role of the forms, and the overarching concept of the good in Plato's philosophy. We delve into the intersections of philosophy, science, and causation, exploring the contemplative tradition, the limitations of physicalism, and the role of teleology in understanding reality. They discuss the aims of science, the insights of Plato and Berkeley, and the implications of causation on free will and determinism, ultimately questioning the completeness of scientific explanations in light of philosophical inquiries.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Plato and the Timaeus

06:11 Exploring the Nature of the Cosmos

12:53 Divine and Necessary Causes in Natural Science

20:11 The Forms and Their Relation to Physical Reality

30:34 The Good and Its Role in Understanding Reality

35:36 Exploring the Contemplative Tradition

36:22 The Aim of Science: Beyond Physicalism

39:43 The Limits of Physicalist Natural Science

41:49 The Role of Regularities in Understanding Reality

42:19 Berkeley's Insights on Causation

45:10 Causal Hierarchies and the Divided Line

48:29 Constraints and Causality in Science

50:11 Teleology and Causation: A Philosophical Inquiry

53:11 Revisiting Plato's Causation in Modern Contexts

57:41 Understanding Causation: Necessary vs. Divine

01:01:30 The Debate on Determinism and Free Will

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Best,

Mahon.