Why was the universe created? Timaeus seeks the origin of this in the goodness of the creator. Because good beings do not envy, and they desire that everything become as good as possible, resembling themselves.

The creator guides what was moving chaotically from disorder to order. And believing that intelligence cannot exist without a soul, the creator assembles intelligence within the soul and a soul within the body. In this way, the world is established as a single living being with both a soul and intelligence.

Dialogue Text

Timaios (Continued): Now, let us speak of why creation occurred, and why the being who assembled this entire universe assembled it. He was a good being. And for beings that are good, envy never arises in anything. Those without envy desire everything to be as much like themselves as possible.

Timaios (Continued) If thoughtful people accept this as the most correct beginning of creation and the universe, they will be accepting it in the truest sense. The divine being desired that everything should be good, and that nothing at all should be bad. Therefore, he took over everything that existed. It was not static, but rather chaotic and disordered. The divine being guided it from disorder to order, considering that order is superior to disorder in every way.

Timaios (Continued) Moreover, the best person is not allowed to do anything other than what is best, and it is not permissible for them to do so.

Timaios (Continued). Therefore, the god reasoned that within things visible in nature, it is impossible for the totality of beings lacking intelligence to be more beautiful than the totality of beings possessing intelligence. Furthermore, it is also impossible for something to possess intelligence without a soul. Following this reasoning, the god assembled intelligence within the soul and then assembled the soul within the body, creating the whole. In this way, he created what would naturally be the most beautiful and excellent creation.

Timaios (Continued). Therefore, if we follow the discourse appropriate to a likeness, we must say that this world truly exists as it does, with souls and intelligent beings, through divine providence.