A Summer with Socrates

A Summer with Socrates

Author: Parker Lloyd

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2008-05

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 0595486517

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Some people have no place to call home; others discover home is not a safe place. Christine Covington and the old man she meets in Reno-who calls himself Socrates-have both learned these lessons the hard way. Socrates, a homeless wanderer, has evaded the law for twenty years and has created a mythical place called Athens, Nevada. Christine, a young woman, has escaped the oppression of a family member. As they endeavor to stay beneath society's radar, Christine (in disguise) and Socrates spend the summer together bicycling through the mountains of California and the old gold-rush towns of Nevada, panning for gold. Along their journey, Socrates shares his wealth of wisdom, teaching Christine a new way of thinking. As suspense builds, Christine and Socrates eventually discover they can't escape their pasts forever. With the FBI pursuing Socrates and police authorities searching for Christine, the pair manages to evade their pursuers, but only for so long. Finally captured, Socrates is subjected to a modern trial just as the real Socrates was in 399 B.C. Through it all, the friendship between Socrates and Christine deepens as they learn how to better handle their problems. A Summer with Socrates will delight you with its twists, turns, and surprises, keeping you reading and learning from the opening pages to its eloquent ending.


Book Synopsis A Summer with Socrates by : Parker Lloyd

Download or read book A Summer with Socrates written by Parker Lloyd and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2008-05 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some people have no place to call home; others discover home is not a safe place. Christine Covington and the old man she meets in Reno-who calls himself Socrates-have both learned these lessons the hard way. Socrates, a homeless wanderer, has evaded the law for twenty years and has created a mythical place called Athens, Nevada. Christine, a young woman, has escaped the oppression of a family member. As they endeavor to stay beneath society's radar, Christine (in disguise) and Socrates spend the summer together bicycling through the mountains of California and the old gold-rush towns of Nevada, panning for gold. Along their journey, Socrates shares his wealth of wisdom, teaching Christine a new way of thinking. As suspense builds, Christine and Socrates eventually discover they can't escape their pasts forever. With the FBI pursuing Socrates and police authorities searching for Christine, the pair manages to evade their pursuers, but only for so long. Finally captured, Socrates is subjected to a modern trial just as the real Socrates was in 399 B.C. Through it all, the friendship between Socrates and Christine deepens as they learn how to better handle their problems. A Summer with Socrates will delight you with its twists, turns, and surprises, keeping you reading and learning from the opening pages to its eloquent ending.


Socrates

Socrates

Author: Ann Ward

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2009-03-26

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 1443808709

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Socrates is widely regarded as the first philosopher to investigate not simply the natural world but to make human and political questions concerning justice, virtue and the good life central to rational inquiry. Thus, Socratic philosophy is often viewed as taking a rationalist approach to human narratives and becomes a narrative itself. After Socrates the prevailing view of what defines the Greeks and those commonly regarded as their descendents, the Europeans, is their civilizational foundation in philosophic rationalism. The Socratic conception of Greek and European identity has not gone unchallenged however. In antiquity the comic poet Aristophanes lampooned Socrates as impious and unjust and cast doubt on whether the Socratic way of life was an appropriate basis for politics. Examples from more recent times include the ambiguous place that Socratic philosophizing holds in the philosophies of Hegel, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. The re-assessment of Socratic rationalism in the 19th century has led a to a “post-modern” suspicion of “grand narratives.” The radical critique of Socrates as the remote but powerful source of the priority assigned to reason in the 17th and 18th century Enlightenment(s) has shaken European faith in scientific, social and political progress. The European mind is left longing for a unifying narrative that crystallizes the European identity. Can Socratic philosophy survive the powerful challenges made in the name of history, faith and art? Does Socratic philosophizing adequately sustain political life in the face of such challenges, and does it prioritize reason over other human ways of knowing and representing their world? Alternatively, do the positions of later thinkers offer superior ways to understand the human person and develop political communities? This volume addresses these and related questions as it seeks to recover and revise our understanding of Socratic philosophy as an appropriate paradigm for European identity. It takes an interdisciplinary and international approach with contributions from scholars in the fields of philosophy, classics, religion, English and political science. The contributors teach and research in Europe, Canada, the United States and Iran.


Book Synopsis Socrates by : Ann Ward

Download or read book Socrates written by Ann Ward and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2009-03-26 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Socrates is widely regarded as the first philosopher to investigate not simply the natural world but to make human and political questions concerning justice, virtue and the good life central to rational inquiry. Thus, Socratic philosophy is often viewed as taking a rationalist approach to human narratives and becomes a narrative itself. After Socrates the prevailing view of what defines the Greeks and those commonly regarded as their descendents, the Europeans, is their civilizational foundation in philosophic rationalism. The Socratic conception of Greek and European identity has not gone unchallenged however. In antiquity the comic poet Aristophanes lampooned Socrates as impious and unjust and cast doubt on whether the Socratic way of life was an appropriate basis for politics. Examples from more recent times include the ambiguous place that Socratic philosophizing holds in the philosophies of Hegel, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. The re-assessment of Socratic rationalism in the 19th century has led a to a “post-modern” suspicion of “grand narratives.” The radical critique of Socrates as the remote but powerful source of the priority assigned to reason in the 17th and 18th century Enlightenment(s) has shaken European faith in scientific, social and political progress. The European mind is left longing for a unifying narrative that crystallizes the European identity. Can Socratic philosophy survive the powerful challenges made in the name of history, faith and art? Does Socratic philosophizing adequately sustain political life in the face of such challenges, and does it prioritize reason over other human ways of knowing and representing their world? Alternatively, do the positions of later thinkers offer superior ways to understand the human person and develop political communities? This volume addresses these and related questions as it seeks to recover and revise our understanding of Socratic philosophy as an appropriate paradigm for European identity. It takes an interdisciplinary and international approach with contributions from scholars in the fields of philosophy, classics, religion, English and political science. The contributors teach and research in Europe, Canada, the United States and Iran.


Socrates

Socrates

Author: Gregory Vlastos

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1991-04-11

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 1139935739

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This long-awaited study of the most enigmatic figure of Greek philosophy reclaims Socrates' ground-breaking originality. Written by a leading historian of Greek thought, it argues for a Socrates who, though long overshadowed by his successors Plato and Aristotle, marked the true turning point in Greek philosophy, religion and ethics. The quest for the historical figure focuses on the Socrates of Plato's earlier dialogues, setting him in sharp contrast to that other Socrates of later dialogues, where he is used as a mouthpiece for Plato's often anti-Socratic doctrine. At the heart of the book is the paradoxical nature of Socratic thought. But the paradoxes are explained, not explained away. The book highlights the tensions in the Socratic search for the answer to the question 'How should we live?' Conceived as a divine mandate, the search is carried out through elenctic argument, and dominated by an uncompromising rationalism. The magnetic quality of Socrates' personality is allowed to emerge throughout the book. Clearly and forcefully written, philosophically sophisticated but entirely accessible to non-specialists, this book will be of major importance and interest to all those studying ancient philosophy and the history of Western thought.


Book Synopsis Socrates by : Gregory Vlastos

Download or read book Socrates written by Gregory Vlastos and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1991-04-11 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This long-awaited study of the most enigmatic figure of Greek philosophy reclaims Socrates' ground-breaking originality. Written by a leading historian of Greek thought, it argues for a Socrates who, though long overshadowed by his successors Plato and Aristotle, marked the true turning point in Greek philosophy, religion and ethics. The quest for the historical figure focuses on the Socrates of Plato's earlier dialogues, setting him in sharp contrast to that other Socrates of later dialogues, where he is used as a mouthpiece for Plato's often anti-Socratic doctrine. At the heart of the book is the paradoxical nature of Socratic thought. But the paradoxes are explained, not explained away. The book highlights the tensions in the Socratic search for the answer to the question 'How should we live?' Conceived as a divine mandate, the search is carried out through elenctic argument, and dominated by an uncompromising rationalism. The magnetic quality of Socrates' personality is allowed to emerge throughout the book. Clearly and forcefully written, philosophically sophisticated but entirely accessible to non-specialists, this book will be of major importance and interest to all those studying ancient philosophy and the history of Western thought.


Galen's Epistemology

Galen's Epistemology

Author: R. J. Hankinson

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2022-05-12

Total Pages: 335

ISBN-13: 1009075497

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Determining what has gone wrong in a malfunctioning body and proposing an effective treatment requires expertise. Since antiquity, philosophers and doctors have wondered what sort of knowledge this expertise involves, and whether and how it can warrant its conclusions. Few people were as qualified to deal with these questions as Galen of Pergamum (129–ca. 216). A practising doctor with a keen interest in logic and natural science, he devoted much of his enormous literary output to the task of putting medicine on firm methodological grounds. At the same time he reflected on philosophical issues entailed by this project, such as the nature of experience, its relation to reason, the criteria of truth, and the methods of justification. This volume explores Galen's contributions to (mainly scientific) epistemology, as they arise in the specific inquiries and polemics of his works, as well as their legacy in the Islamic world.


Book Synopsis Galen's Epistemology by : R. J. Hankinson

Download or read book Galen's Epistemology written by R. J. Hankinson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2022-05-12 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Determining what has gone wrong in a malfunctioning body and proposing an effective treatment requires expertise. Since antiquity, philosophers and doctors have wondered what sort of knowledge this expertise involves, and whether and how it can warrant its conclusions. Few people were as qualified to deal with these questions as Galen of Pergamum (129–ca. 216). A practising doctor with a keen interest in logic and natural science, he devoted much of his enormous literary output to the task of putting medicine on firm methodological grounds. At the same time he reflected on philosophical issues entailed by this project, such as the nature of experience, its relation to reason, the criteria of truth, and the methods of justification. This volume explores Galen's contributions to (mainly scientific) epistemology, as they arise in the specific inquiries and polemics of his works, as well as their legacy in the Islamic world.


Why Socrates Died

Why Socrates Died

Author: Robin Waterfield

Publisher: Emblem Editions

Published: 2010-05-04

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0771088639

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A revisionist account of the most famous trial and execution in Western civilization — one with great resonance for modern society In the spring of 399 BCE, the elderly philosopher Socrates stood trial in his native Athens. The court was packed, and after being found guilty by his peers, Socrates died by drinking a cup of poison hemlock, his execution a defining moment in ancient civilization. Yet time has transmuted the facts into a fable. Aware of these myths, Robin Waterfield has examined the actual Greek sources, presenting a new Socrates, not an atheist or guru of a weird sect, but a deeply moral thinker, whose convictions stood in stark relief to those of his former disciple, Alcibiades, the hawkish and self-serving military leader. Refusing to surrender his beliefs even in the face of death, Socrates, as Waterfield reveals, was determined to save a morally decayed country that was tearing itself apart. Why Socrates Died is then not only a powerful revisionist book, but a work whose insights translate clearly from ancient Athens to the present day.


Book Synopsis Why Socrates Died by : Robin Waterfield

Download or read book Why Socrates Died written by Robin Waterfield and published by Emblem Editions. This book was released on 2010-05-04 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revisionist account of the most famous trial and execution in Western civilization — one with great resonance for modern society In the spring of 399 BCE, the elderly philosopher Socrates stood trial in his native Athens. The court was packed, and after being found guilty by his peers, Socrates died by drinking a cup of poison hemlock, his execution a defining moment in ancient civilization. Yet time has transmuted the facts into a fable. Aware of these myths, Robin Waterfield has examined the actual Greek sources, presenting a new Socrates, not an atheist or guru of a weird sect, but a deeply moral thinker, whose convictions stood in stark relief to those of his former disciple, Alcibiades, the hawkish and self-serving military leader. Refusing to surrender his beliefs even in the face of death, Socrates, as Waterfield reveals, was determined to save a morally decayed country that was tearing itself apart. Why Socrates Died is then not only a powerful revisionist book, but a work whose insights translate clearly from ancient Athens to the present day.


Best Works of Plato: [Phaedrus by Plato/ Phaedo by Plato/ Gorgias by Plato]

Best Works of Plato: [Phaedrus by Plato/ Phaedo by Plato/ Gorgias by Plato]

Author: Plato

Publisher: Prabhat Prakashan

Published: 2024-06-24

Total Pages: 387

ISBN-13:

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Dialogue 1: Engage in the philosophical discourse of love and rhetoric with “Phaedrus by Plato.” In this dialogue, Socrates and Phaedrus explore the nature of love, the soul, and the power of rhetoric. Plato weaves a rich tapestry of ideas that delves into the complexities of human relationships and the pursuit of wisdom. Dialogue 2: Contemplate the immortality of the soul in “Phaedo by Plato.” This dialogue unfolds as Socrates faces his impending death and engages in a discussion on the nature of the afterlife. Plato's exploration of the soul's journey beyond the physical realm provides a profound meditation on life, death, and the pursuit of knowledge. Dialogue 3: Delve into the nature of rhetoric and the morality of persuasion with “Gorgias by Plato.” In this dialogue, Socrates engages with Gorgias, a famous rhetorician, and explores the distinctions between true knowledge and the art of persuasive speech. Plato's examination of rhetoric and virtue invites readers to reflect on the ethical implications of persuasive communication.


Book Synopsis Best Works of Plato: [Phaedrus by Plato/ Phaedo by Plato/ Gorgias by Plato] by : Plato

Download or read book Best Works of Plato: [Phaedrus by Plato/ Phaedo by Plato/ Gorgias by Plato] written by Plato and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 2024-06-24 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dialogue 1: Engage in the philosophical discourse of love and rhetoric with “Phaedrus by Plato.” In this dialogue, Socrates and Phaedrus explore the nature of love, the soul, and the power of rhetoric. Plato weaves a rich tapestry of ideas that delves into the complexities of human relationships and the pursuit of wisdom. Dialogue 2: Contemplate the immortality of the soul in “Phaedo by Plato.” This dialogue unfolds as Socrates faces his impending death and engages in a discussion on the nature of the afterlife. Plato's exploration of the soul's journey beyond the physical realm provides a profound meditation on life, death, and the pursuit of knowledge. Dialogue 3: Delve into the nature of rhetoric and the morality of persuasion with “Gorgias by Plato.” In this dialogue, Socrates engages with Gorgias, a famous rhetorician, and explores the distinctions between true knowledge and the art of persuasive speech. Plato's examination of rhetoric and virtue invites readers to reflect on the ethical implications of persuasive communication.


Socrates from Antiquity to the Enlightenment

Socrates from Antiquity to the Enlightenment

Author: Michael Trapp

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2017-03-02

Total Pages: 339

ISBN-13: 1351899120

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Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, of Alopece is arguably the most richly and diversely commemorated - and appropriated - of all ancient thinkers. Already in Antiquity, vigorous controversy over his significance and value ensured a wide range of conflicting representations. He then became available to the medieval, renaissance and modern worlds in a provocative variety of roles: as paradigmatic philosopher and representative (for good or ill) of ancient philosophical culture in general; as practitioner of a distinctive philosophical method, and a distinctive philosophical lifestyle; as the ostensible originator of startling doctrines about politics and sex; as martyr (the victim of the most extreme of all miscarriages of justice); as possessor of an extraordinary, and extraordinarily significant physical appearance; and as the archetype of the hen-pecked intellectual. To this day, he continues to be the most readily recognized of ancient philosophers, as much in popular as in academic culture. This volume, along with its companion, Socrates in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, aims to do full justice to the source material (philosophical, literary, artistic, political), and to the range of interpretative issues it raises. It opens with an Introduction surveying ancient accounts of Socrates, and discussing the origins and current state of the 'Socratic question'. This is followed by three sections, covering the Socrates of Antiquity, with perspectives forward to later developments (especially in drama and the visual arts); Socrates from Late Antiquity to medieval times; and Socrates in the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Among topics singled out for special attention are medieval Arabic and Jewish interest in Socrates, and his role in the European Enlightenment as an emblem of moral courage and as the clinching proof of the follies of democracy.


Book Synopsis Socrates from Antiquity to the Enlightenment by : Michael Trapp

Download or read book Socrates from Antiquity to the Enlightenment written by Michael Trapp and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-03-02 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, of Alopece is arguably the most richly and diversely commemorated - and appropriated - of all ancient thinkers. Already in Antiquity, vigorous controversy over his significance and value ensured a wide range of conflicting representations. He then became available to the medieval, renaissance and modern worlds in a provocative variety of roles: as paradigmatic philosopher and representative (for good or ill) of ancient philosophical culture in general; as practitioner of a distinctive philosophical method, and a distinctive philosophical lifestyle; as the ostensible originator of startling doctrines about politics and sex; as martyr (the victim of the most extreme of all miscarriages of justice); as possessor of an extraordinary, and extraordinarily significant physical appearance; and as the archetype of the hen-pecked intellectual. To this day, he continues to be the most readily recognized of ancient philosophers, as much in popular as in academic culture. This volume, along with its companion, Socrates in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, aims to do full justice to the source material (philosophical, literary, artistic, political), and to the range of interpretative issues it raises. It opens with an Introduction surveying ancient accounts of Socrates, and discussing the origins and current state of the 'Socratic question'. This is followed by three sections, covering the Socrates of Antiquity, with perspectives forward to later developments (especially in drama and the visual arts); Socrates from Late Antiquity to medieval times; and Socrates in the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Among topics singled out for special attention are medieval Arabic and Jewish interest in Socrates, and his role in the European Enlightenment as an emblem of moral courage and as the clinching proof of the follies of democracy.


The Anabasis Or Expedition of Cyrus and the Memorabilla of Socrates

The Anabasis Or Expedition of Cyrus and the Memorabilla of Socrates

Author: Xenofont

Publisher:

Published: 1859

Total Pages: 552

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis The Anabasis Or Expedition of Cyrus and the Memorabilla of Socrates by : Xenofont

Download or read book The Anabasis Or Expedition of Cyrus and the Memorabilla of Socrates written by Xenofont and published by . This book was released on 1859 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


The Cave and the Light

The Cave and the Light

Author: Arthur Herman

Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published: 2014-06-03

Total Pages: 705

ISBN-13: 0553385666

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The definitive sequel to New York Times bestseller How the Scots Invented the Modern World is a magisterial account of how the two greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Plato and Aristotle, laid the foundations of Western culture—and how their rivalry shaped the essential features of our culture down to the present day. Plato came from a wealthy, connected Athenian family and lived a comfortable upper-class lifestyle until he met an odd little man named Socrates, who showed him a new world of ideas and ideals. Socrates taught Plato that a man must use reason to attain wisdom, and that the life of a lover of wisdom, a philosopher, was the pinnacle of achievement. Plato dedicated himself to living that ideal and went on to create a school, his famed Academy, to teach others the path to enlightenment through contemplation. However, the same Academy that spread Plato’s teachings also fostered his greatest rival. Born to a family of Greek physicians, Aristotle had learned early on the value of observation and hands-on experience. Rather than rely on pure contemplation, he insisted that the truest path to knowledge is through empirical discovery and exploration of the world around us. Aristotle, Plato’s most brilliant pupil, thus settled on a philosophy very different from his instructor’s and launched a rivalry with profound effects on Western culture. The two men disagreed on the fundamental purpose of the philosophy. For Plato, the image of the cave summed up man’s destined path, emerging from the darkness of material existence to the light of a higher and more spiritual truth. Aristotle thought otherwise. Instead of rising above mundane reality, he insisted, the philosopher’s job is to explain how the real world works, and how we can find our place in it. Aristotle set up a school in Athens to rival Plato’s Academy: the Lyceum. The competition that ensued between the two schools, and between Plato and Aristotle, set the world on an intellectual adventure that lasted through the Middle Ages and Renaissance and that still continues today. From Martin Luther (who named Aristotle the third great enemy of true religion, after the devil and the Pope) to Karl Marx (whose utopian views rival Plato’s), heroes and villains of history have been inspired and incensed by these two master philosophers—but never outside their influence. Accessible, riveting, and eloquently written, The Cave and the Light provides a stunning new perspective on the Western world, certain to open eyes and stir debate. Praise for The Cave and the Light “A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research.”—Kirkus Reviews “Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world.”—Publishers Weekly “A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book.”—Library Journal “Entertaining and often illuminating.”—The Wall Street Journal


Book Synopsis The Cave and the Light by : Arthur Herman

Download or read book The Cave and the Light written by Arthur Herman and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2014-06-03 with total page 705 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The definitive sequel to New York Times bestseller How the Scots Invented the Modern World is a magisterial account of how the two greatest thinkers of the ancient world, Plato and Aristotle, laid the foundations of Western culture—and how their rivalry shaped the essential features of our culture down to the present day. Plato came from a wealthy, connected Athenian family and lived a comfortable upper-class lifestyle until he met an odd little man named Socrates, who showed him a new world of ideas and ideals. Socrates taught Plato that a man must use reason to attain wisdom, and that the life of a lover of wisdom, a philosopher, was the pinnacle of achievement. Plato dedicated himself to living that ideal and went on to create a school, his famed Academy, to teach others the path to enlightenment through contemplation. However, the same Academy that spread Plato’s teachings also fostered his greatest rival. Born to a family of Greek physicians, Aristotle had learned early on the value of observation and hands-on experience. Rather than rely on pure contemplation, he insisted that the truest path to knowledge is through empirical discovery and exploration of the world around us. Aristotle, Plato’s most brilliant pupil, thus settled on a philosophy very different from his instructor’s and launched a rivalry with profound effects on Western culture. The two men disagreed on the fundamental purpose of the philosophy. For Plato, the image of the cave summed up man’s destined path, emerging from the darkness of material existence to the light of a higher and more spiritual truth. Aristotle thought otherwise. Instead of rising above mundane reality, he insisted, the philosopher’s job is to explain how the real world works, and how we can find our place in it. Aristotle set up a school in Athens to rival Plato’s Academy: the Lyceum. The competition that ensued between the two schools, and between Plato and Aristotle, set the world on an intellectual adventure that lasted through the Middle Ages and Renaissance and that still continues today. From Martin Luther (who named Aristotle the third great enemy of true religion, after the devil and the Pope) to Karl Marx (whose utopian views rival Plato’s), heroes and villains of history have been inspired and incensed by these two master philosophers—but never outside their influence. Accessible, riveting, and eloquently written, The Cave and the Light provides a stunning new perspective on the Western world, certain to open eyes and stir debate. Praise for The Cave and the Light “A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses . . . breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research.”—Kirkus Reviews “Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world.”—Publishers Weekly “A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book.”—Library Journal “Entertaining and often illuminating.”—The Wall Street Journal


Plato

Plato

Author: Constance Meinwald

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-05-05

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 1136184422

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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.


Book Synopsis Plato by : Constance Meinwald

Download or read book Plato written by Constance Meinwald and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-05 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.