314: Atlantis: The Legend (Part 1)

This book is a Socratic dialogue in two parts. *Timaeus* provides a theoretical exposition of the cosmos, describing the creation of the universe from its beginning to the coming of man. It introduces the idea of a creator God and speculates on the structure and composition of the physical world, including the four classical elements and their geometric representations. *Critias*, the second part, tells the story of the rise and fall of Atlantis, an ancient, mighty, and prosperous empire that ultimately sank into the sea. The dialogue is unfinished and includes discussions on the creation of the human body, senses, and the concept of reincarnation, all grounded in Plato's philosophical ideas about the World of Forms and the nature of reality.

In 'Magicians of the Gods', Graham Hancock builds on the premise introduced in his earlier work 'Fingerprints of the Gods'. He argues that a highly advanced civilization existed in prehistory but was destroyed around 10,800 BC by the fragments of a large comet, an event known as the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis. This catastrophe caused widespread destruction, climate change, and sea-level rise, leading to the end of this civilization. However, survivors, referred to as the 'Magicians of the Gods', dispersed across the world to pass on their knowledge, contributing to the construction of ancient monuments such as Göbekli Tepe, Baalbek, the Great Sphinx, and the Pyramids of Giza. Hancock links these sites to the survivors of the prehistoric civilization, suggesting they were built much earlier than mainstream archaeologists have determined.

Plato's "Laws" is a significant work in his later years, offering a more practical approach to ideal governance compared to "The Republic. " It presents a detailed legal framework for an ideal state, focusing on laws and their implementation. Unlike the earlier dialogues, it's presented as a more structured legal code rather than a series of discussions. The work explores various aspects of law, including criminal justice and education. It provides a contrasting perspective on achieving a just society.