Plato

Provides a commentary on the Greek text of this important work and full assistance with literary, linguistic and philosophical questions.

Provides a commentary on the Greek text of this important work and full assistance with literary, linguistic and philosophical questions.

One of the greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Plato instigated groundbreaking inquiries into morality, ethics, and the quest for happiness that continue to inform and influence philosophical discussion today. In this outstanding work of scholarship, a renowned expert on Plato presents a scrupulously accurate historical view of the great philosopher's life and works. Distinguished by its dispassionate scholarly analysis, Professor Taylor's discourse is refreshingly free of the biases that have frequently tainted other studies. A brief introductory chapter acquaints readers with the known events of Plato's life. The author then proceeds to an illuminating examination of the philosopher's voluminous writings, including the minor Socratic dialogues, as well as such major works as Phaedo, Symposium, Protagoras, Republic, Phaedrus, Timaeus, Laws, and other influential dialogues. The final chapter, "Plato in the Academy," attempts to pin down -- with the help of some of Plato's former students, such as Aristotle -- the philosopher's beliefs about numbers. In a substantial appendix, "The Platonic Apocrypha," Professor Taylor examines writings that have sometimes been attributed to Plato, including several letters, and offers cogent reasons for accepting or rejecting them as Plato's work. Praised by Dean William R. Inge of Theology as "a great book, an honour to ... British scholarship," this volume is an invaluable guide for students, teachers, and other readers interested in philosophy.

One of the greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Plato instigated groundbreaking inquiries into morality, ethics, and the quest for happiness that continue to inform and influence philosophical discussion today. In this outstanding work of scholarship, a renowned expert on Plato presents a scrupulously accurate historical view of the great philosopher's life and works. Distinguished by its dispassionate scholarly analysis, Professor Taylor's discourse is refreshingly free of the biases that have frequently tainted other studies. A brief introductory chapter acquaints readers with the known events of Plato's life. The author then proceeds to an illuminating examination of the philosopher's voluminous writings, including the minor Socratic dialogues, as well as such major works as Phaedo, Symposium, Protagoras, Republic, Phaedrus, Timaeus, Laws, and other influential dialogues. The final chapter, "Plato in the Academy," attempts to pin down -- with the help of some of Plato's former students, such as Aristotle -- the philosopher's beliefs about numbers. In a substantial appendix, "The Platonic Apocrypha," Professor Taylor examines writings that have sometimes been attributed to Plato, including several letters, and offers cogent reasons for accepting or rejecting them as Plato's work. Praised by Dean William R. Inge of Theology as "a great book, an honour to ... British scholarship," this volume is an invaluable guide for students, teachers, and other readers interested in philosophy.

In this engaging introduction, Constance Meinwald shows how Plato has shaped the landscape of Western philosophy. She provides much-needed historical context, and helps readers grapple with Plato’s distinctive use of highly crafted literary masterpieces for philosophical purposes. Meinwald examines some of Plato’s most famous discussions of human questions, concerning erōs , the capacities and immortality of our psyche, human excellence and the good life, and Plato’s controversial ideas about culture, society, and political organization. She shows how Plato makes a sketch of his theory of Forms foundational in this work, and she offers illuminating readings of texts concerned with the development of the theory and its relationship to Greek science and mathematics. Throughout, Meinwald draws expertly on Plato’s dialogues to present a lively and accessible picture of his philosophy. Including a chronology, glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading, Plato is an ideal introduction to arguably the greatest of all Western philosophers, and is essential reading for students of ancient philosophy and classics.

In this engaging introduction, Constance Meinwald shows how Plato has shaped the landscape of Western philosophy. She provides much-needed historical context, and helps readers grapple with Plato’s distinctive use of highly crafted literary masterpieces for philosophical purposes. Meinwald examines some of Plato’s most famous discussions of human questions, concerning erōs , the capacities and immortality of our psyche, human excellence and the good life, and Plato’s controversial ideas about culture, society, and political organization. She shows how Plato makes a sketch of his theory of Forms foundational in this work, and she offers illuminating readings of texts concerned with the development of the theory and its relationship to Greek science and mathematics. Throughout, Meinwald draws expertly on Plato’s dialogues to present a lively and accessible picture of his philosophy. Including a chronology, glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading, Plato is an ideal introduction to arguably the greatest of all Western philosophers, and is essential reading for students of ancient philosophy and classics.

Euthyphro is a Socratic dialogue whose events occur in the weeks before the trial of Socrates, between Socrates and Euthyphro. The dialogue covers subjects such as the meaning of piety and justice. Apology is the Socratic dialogue that presents the speech of legal self-defense, which Socrates presented at his trial for impiety and corruption, in 399 bc. The dialogue is a defence against the charges of "corrupting the youth" and not believing in the gods in whom the city believes. Crito depicts a conversation between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito regarding justice, injustice, and the appropriate response to injustice. Socrates thinks that injustice may not be answered with injustice, and refuses Crito's offer to finance his escape from prison. Meno introduces Socrates' positive ideas: the immortality of the soul, the theory of knowledge as recollection, the method of hypothesis, and, in the final lines, the distinction between knowledge and true belief. Phaedo is one of Plato's best-known dialogues. The philosophical subject of the dialogue is the immortality of the soul. It is set in the last hours prior to the death of Socrates.

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The highest digital standards have been used to develop and format this special collection of Plato's complete writings.In Classical Greece, Plato was a philosopher who lived from 428-347 BC. He was also a mathematician, a disciple of Socrates, a philosopher, and the founder of the Academy at Athens, the first higher education institution in the Western world. He also wrote philosophical dialogues. The roots of Western philosophy and science were laid by Plato, his teacher Socrates, and their pupil Aristotle.

The highest digital standards have been used to develop and format this special collection of Plato's complete writings.In Classical Greece, Plato was a philosopher who lived from 428-347 BC. He was also a mathematician, a disciple of Socrates, a philosopher, and the founder of the Academy at Athens, the first higher education institution in the Western world. He also wrote philosophical dialogues. The roots of Western philosophy and science were laid by Plato, his teacher Socrates, and their pupil Aristotle.

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