An historian and philosopher of science at the University of Manchester, after a five-year study, has apparently uncovered some hidden symbolism in Plato. The essence of the message, according to Gawker, is that Plato believed that the universe was essentially mathematical. But Gawker demurs:
But millions of people have "cracked the code" of Plato, already, by reading Plato and thinking about what the words might mean. It isn’t that hard, and you don’t need some kind of absurd pretend "secret" message to have an opinion about Plato or his ideas. . . . All this does is warp everyone’s sense of how to engage with philosophy, or literature, or art, and produce shoddy Dan Brown ripoffs.
Indeed.
