Towards Platonic Panpsychism: The Timaean metaphysics as a possible solution to the combination problem.

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How does mentality fit into our metaphysical story of reality? In the Timaeus, Plato systematically questions the metaphysical structure of the Cosmos, investigating the relationship between physical reality and human soul. On the other hand, in recent times, a growing number of philosophers of mind have been advocating panpsychism, the view that mentality is a ubiquitous and fundamental feature of reality. I hold these traditions to be motivated by the same urgency: developing a convincing account of mind within a unified conception of nature. In my work, I shall defend a holistic reading of the Timaean metaphysics and investigate how such a model may contribute to solving some serious problems panpsychism is facing. Specifically, I shall contend that reading the relationship between the World Soul, the individual souls and matter in the Timaeus through the lens of a non-smallist version of panpsychism is key to answer the two following questions. Can the adoption of a panpsychist approach to mind and fundamentality help to develop a non-dualistic reading of the Timaeus? Can Plato's conception of the role of soul in the natural world help the panpsychist to design a viable model for her worldview, not affected by the combination problem?