Formula: Υ = υ(d/dt(material))

The study of matter is the derivative of material substance with respect to time, indicating its transformation and impermanence.

In "Timaeus," Plato delves into the nature of physical reality, proposing that the material world is a copy of a perfect, immutable world of forms. The derivative υ(d/dt(material)) reflects this philosophy, with υ (ypsilon) representing the constant flux of the material world, and (d/dt) denoting the derivative with respect to time. This formula encapsulates the idea that material things are not static; they are constantly changing and only intelligible by observing their behavior over time, just as the philosopher seeks to understand the eternal forms through the study of their imperfect copies.