Comparison Genesis and Timaeus

The existence of different creation stories is either related or not related at all. The Genesis story of creation is biblical and is believed by Christians to be a true account. However, Plato coined Timaeus in a bid to explain the mystery of creation. One key difference between the two is that Timaeus by Plato sees the origin of the creation of god while Genesis account sees the origin as God. The two can only be contrasted because while according to Genesis story, the cause of the creator is divine and holy and that the created world is good, the Plato account does not consider the cause of creation, god, as divine and holy.

According to Genesis account, God who created the world is holy and deserves to be worshipped (Plato & Lee, 2008). Being more elusive, the Genesis account is identified on the Elohist, Yahwist and Priestly strains which were inscribed at different times and then combined to make one work. The Genesis creation story provides God as the author of the universe and who created everything that exists through the word of mouth. Contrary to the Genesis story of creation, Timaeus account believes the author and cause of the universe are Demiurge who instilled order in creation from chaos by imposing mathematical constraints such as the golden ratio. Not seeing the creation originating from a divine creator, he concludes that universe is a product of rational, purposive and beneficent agency (Plato & Lee, 2008). Creation is, therefore, the work that arose from metaphysical and epistemological principles which clearly contrast with the Genesis story that is purely divine and created from word of mouth. In the view of everything was created from something, Timaeus posit that creation can be considered as a whole with intelligence and soul. Additionally, the particular creator is a god with intelligence and soul.

To be precise Timaeus utilized golden ration, while describing the universe stated that there is no kind of loveliness that does not hold a steady quantity. All that is deemed as good holds beauty in it and thus, beauty does not exist without any kind of association or regular proportions. In addition, he added that the quantity and percentage have the capability of generating beauty as well as excellence everywhere. The prime objective of traditional conventional art is to gain the capability of duplicating nature. However, nature appears to be orderly, beautiful as well as harmonious in general and thus it is not possible to attain attractiveness without the presence of any proportion (Plato & Lee 2008). In this context, the subject of the ration is of primary concern in his reflection of the universe.

Timaeus refers to symmetry as a proportion that has a specified meaning in regard to the general creation of the universe. The Golden ratio is utilized to refer to the major rationales for the means of creation and ends which is directly in proportions. The golden ratio is, therefore, a proposed measure or proportion. Factually, this is an irrational numeric and its numeric value is usually created in renaissance which is in reference to 1.61803388749 and is continuous. The ration is presented in geometric figures and differing nature’s beings. To him, the universe did not derive from divine creation rather it was purposely constructed and designed to fit into the general anticipated beauty (Plato & Lee 2008). The creation, therefore, originated from mathematical proportions and the divine creator applied all the proposed measure in the creation of the universe beauty through the utilization of intelligence as the major construction tool.

One common theme that is evident in both creation accounts by Genesis and Plato is the order with which the world was created. In his creation, God did everything orderly each in its own day and with a lot of decorum. On the other hand, Plato saw that whatever existed in the world was orderly and its beauty was awesome (Plato & Lee 2008). He was therefore impressed and as a result, his dialogue is a description of the order and beauty that he saw in the universe. According to Plato, the orderliness is a manifestation of intellect and a model of rational souls. The intellect is the work of the Creator who made everything from an initial disordered substance to an orderly creation.

Although both creation accounts have order the explanation in the way it is evident is quite different. In the Genesis Story, the order is seen in the way God created each and every creation in its own days distributed from day 1 to day 7. He was able to accomplish whatever had been planned for each day and rest waiting the following day for yet another beautiful and orderly creation. According to Timaeus what was created originated from disordered substance to an orderly creation evident in the world (Plato & Lee 2008). 

Additionally, the theme of goodness is evident in both account stories. Both accounts see what was created as good and resembling the creator who is all good. A good creator cannot create what is not good since he is himself good. As a result, since what was created was found to be good and beautiful, then even the creator is good.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Plato, & Lee, H. D. P. (2008). Timaeus and Critias. London: Penguin.