Concept ΑΙΩΝ in Plato’s Cosmology
Keywords:
Plato, “Timaeus”, aion, eternity, time, fullness of being-and-timeAbstract
According to the widely spread opinion amonghistorians of philosophy, Plato makesaphilosophical conceptualization ofword αἰών,using it in the sense of “eternity” and implying infinity and timelessness. However, a careful analysis of Plato’s cosmological ideas in the context of early usage of αἰών gives a basis for rejection of this traditional point of view. The paper presents an attempt to interpret the concept relying on the most reliable meaning ofthe word — “Life”, extended to the sense of the fullness of being. Thus, our approach seems not only hermeneutically adequate, but gives a new perspective on the central questions of the Plato’s cosmology.