Product Description
The authors of this book consult fifteen thinkers, from various fields, who have a profound understanding of the important role that education plays in our world. Each chapter opens with an Introduction and concludes with a discussion and questions. Contents: Introduction; "Plato", Plato's Cave: On Breaking the Chains of Ignorance; "Confucius", Confucius, The Master Teacher; "John Locke", Locke On Developing Good Habits; "Jean Jacques Rousseau", Rousseau On Keeping Education Natural; "Johann Frederich Herbart", Herbart On the Education of Moral Character; "Horace Mann", Mann's Purposes of Education; "William James", James On the Laws of Habit; "Booker T. Washington", Washington On Achieving Social Equality; "John Dewey", Dewey On Society and Education; "Maria Montessori", Montessori: My System of Education; "Carl Rogers", Rogers On Becoming a Person; "B.F. Skinner", Skinner On Contingency Management in the Classroom; "Shinichi Suzuki", Suzuki On the Intellectual Development of the Child; Conclusion; Bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good, Short and Sweet!
I bought this book for my class and it was awesome. It had concise, helpful information on many educational theorists. For the most part it was easy reading and it really helped in my presentations. If you need concise information on educational theorist this is the book for you. If you need deep, highly detailed background on the lives of the theorist, this would probably be of help, but not the all and be all. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first edition of Plato's Republic to be based on examination of all the evidence. Many new readings have been introduced in the Greek text. A critical apparatus gives details for all relevant textual evidence. All scholars and students of Plato and ancient philosophy in general will welcome this valuable new resource. ... Read more

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English translation with introduction and glossary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Battle of Gods and Giants
For many, this dialogue represents the culmination of Platonic thought. Theatetus and the Eleatic stranger announce a program of determination of the function and essence of the Sophist. They proceed by way of dialectical bifurcation; in a way this text is about the process of bifurcation itself. We are left with little to think about the Sophist in positive terms. Rather, we are left with the essence of sophistry as a kind of semblance-the sophist creates the impression of true knowledge. However, at the heart of this text is a metaphysical questioning of the meaning of being itself: "Then clarify this for us, since we're confused by it. What do you want to signify when you say being? Obviously you've known for a long time. We thought we did, but now we're confused about it." This brief problematic would of course find itself as the opening quotation of Heidegger's Being and Time. The Sophist remains one of the most crucial and mysterious of all metaphysical texts.

Plato's The Sophist
Recommended for anyone who wants to study philosophy. The introduction is just wonderful.It facilitates the undertanding of the text.It is worth buying,

Good translation
This is a very good translation for people reading the Sophist for the first time.The language is accessible (as much as it can be considering that this is one of the most difficult dialogues).Other translations of the dialogue are either written in archaic English or have other purposes.Benardete's is excellent, but it is for studying, not reading.

The introduction also gives a very nice outline of the dialogue. ... Read more

Product Description
Among the most important and influential philosophical works in Western thought: Euthyphro, exploring the concepts and aims of piety and religion; Apology, a defense of the integrity of Socrates’ teachings; Crito, exploring Socrates’ refusal to flee his death sentence; and Phaedo, in which Socrates embraces death and discusses the immortality of the soul. Translations by the distinguished classical scholar, Benjamin Jowett.
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Customer Reviews (13)

nice work
the book was in the condition that was stated, but took a little longer to arrive then i expected. in this day and age i have come to expect things to arrive instantly, sometimes unfairly. They did a good job overall.

One of the Greatest Books of All-Time
This magnificent compilation has four Plato writings:"Euthyphro," "Apology," "Crito," and "Phaedo." Though apparently early works and not as complex or philosophically influential as later ones, they are immensely important in portraying Socrates' trial and death. They are our clearest picture of the historical Socrates and would be invaluable for this alone. Indeed, I have read hundreds - perhaps thousands - of books, and this is one of my ten or so favorites, mostly because of how moving the depiction of the great man's last days is. The story of Socrates' Apology and last moments is part of world literature's very fabric, an immortal part of Western cultural heritage. Anyone who wants to learn about Socrates should start here. However, the works have great value even aside from this; a few have indeed questioned their historical veracity. This does not affect their philosophical, literary, and political worth, which is of the highest, making the book doubly essential.

"Euthyphro" is the least important work philosophically and probably not meant as historical, but it is still worthwhile. It examines the important "What is piety?" question and, like many Platonic dialogues, does not have anything like a definite conclusion. Some find this aspect frustrating, and it is certainly beguiling, but those who have experience with it come to love it. Like Socrates, Plato is after all too intelligent to give hard and fast answers; in all likelihood, he knows there are not any. What he does is far more important - lead us to think for ourselves and come to our own conclusions if we can. "Euthyphro" is a good, if relatively minor, example. It also introduces what philosophers call the Euthyphro Problem; here it is "Are good things good because they are loved by the gods, or are they loved by the gods because they are good?," but it has been restated in innumerable forms. This is in some ways an unrepresentative dialogue and thus an unfortunate one to begin the book, because it seems to prove the stereotype that philosophy obsesses over inane, probably unanswerable questions of no practical use. The Euthyphro Problem seems truly asinine as given - or, in our post-postmodern world, simply irrelevant. However, we can begin to see its importance when we replace "good" and "loved by the gods" with whatever seems most pressing. Such is after all the kind of thing Plato wanted; we are not supposed to read in narrow literal terms but use him as a starting point for our path to wisdom. This is an instructive example of how Plato has been immensely influential far beyond his apparent significance.

"Apology" is Plato's least philosophical and most unrepresentative work but arguably his most important and is among many readers' favorites, including mine. The book's title is misleading in that this is prose rather than dialogue; it purports to be Socrates' self-defense at his trial. It is historically priceless if so, as it gives his last public statements and some background about his life and the lead up to the trial. Even if not, it is of immense worth as a passionate, sound defense of individualism and free speech; its timeless evocation of these all-important concepts is forever associated with Socrates and the main reason he has been immortalized. The work also piercingly examines the often vast law/conscience gap and is thus an early higher law document. Finally, it is a sort of mini-dialogue in itself touching on and in several ways tying up classic Socrates/Plato themes like the nature of piety and goodness, responsibility toward the gods and the state, interpersonal relations, and life vs. death issues. It sums up Socrates and perhaps Plato better than any other work.

"Crito" is a possibly partly historical account of the title character visiting Socrates in jail to inform him that he is able to escape via bribe; Socrates famously says that he accepts his sentence and argues down contrary pleas. This gives incredible potential insight into Socrates, in many ways telling us more about his character and thought than a full biography ever could. Again, though, it transcends this philosophically and otherwise and is particularly relevant politically. It also examines the law/conscience gap and gives further background on Socrates but is notable above all as a very early example of the social contract theory of government. This is an astonishing example of how advanced Plato was, as the theory is generally considered to have been founded by Thomas Hobbes nearly a millennium later. Even more amazingly, it is put forth more clearly and persuasively here than perhaps anywhere else, making the dialogue essential for anyone interested in political theory.

"Phaedo" ostensibly details Socrates' last moments, including his last look at his wife and child, his last dialogue, his last words to friends, and his actual death. A large part of Socrates' image comes from this, and its potential historical value is inconceivable, though its historicity can easily be doubted since the work itself strongly suggests that Plato was not there. Even so, it is likely accurate in regard to the things that really matter and certainly a fine account of how it very well could have been. It is extremely moving; shot through with pathos, it is one of the most affecting things I have ever read. One can surely not read it without being overcome by emotion; I can hardly even think of it without misty eyes. Anyone who respects and admires this central Western civilization figure will be profoundly touched; his famous last words seem comic out of context but are very much otherwise here, telling us much about Socrates and moving us yet further. This would be one of the greatest works of all-time if it had no other aspect, but it is also a fine dialogue appropriately dealing mostly with death. Plato examines perennial questions like the soul's immortality and metempsychosis very thoroughly and thought-provokingly, and the conclusion - unsurprisingly, given the circumstances - has uncharacteristic certainty. It may not convince our cynical, empiricist, science-loving, twentieth century-surviving age, but the argument is certainly well-made and in many ways admirable. The dialogue touches on other important subjects also and is generally seen as the culmination of Plato's early, Socrates-centered thought.

It is important to realize that these four works were not originally published together, but the trial and death connection means they are often collected. There are many such editions, but this is the least expensive and probably the most widely available, making it ideal for most; it also has extra value in that many versions lack "Euthyphro." However, all should know that, like other Dover Thrift Editions, this is bare bones, having only a short headnote besides the text. Anyone wanting supplemental material will need to look elsewhere; such things are very important in regard to texts of this age and importance, and most general readers will probably need them for comprehension. It is thus tempting to recommend the book mostly for those with some knowledge of Plato and/or Socrates, and it will be helpful to have read Plato previously. That said, these are Plato's most accessible writings and largely speak for themselves, arguably making this an ideal introduction, especially considering the price.

The ever-important translation issue must also be kept in mind. It goes without saying that anyone who cares about intellectual issues, especially applied ones, must know Plato, as should anyone who wants to be even basically well-read. However, this is far easier said than done for most; he is so different from what now passes for literature, to say nothing of pop culture, that he is virtually inaccessible to general readers. Yet the importance of persevering cannot be overemphasized; the payoff is well worth the effort. As nearly always in such cases, reading him becomes far easier after the initial difficulty; no attentive reader will ever think Plato easy reading, but he is utterly absorbing once we get used to his style. He has a near-poetic beauty that all agree has never even been remotely approached in philosophy, and such mesmerizing prose is rare in any genre. His dialogues are an incredible form at once intellectually and aesthetically pleasing - an inspired combination that has perhaps never been bettered; many have appropriated it, but none have matched it. All this means that picking the right translation is probably more important with Plato than any other writer. This Benjamin Jowett translation is now quite old but still very accessible; it will work quite well for most, but anyone struggling should try a more recent version. For the average reader, the more recent, the better is generally true. The important thing is to read Plato in some form, and those who happen on a translation that does not work for them should keep trying until their mind opens in a truly new way - and once done, it will never close again.

All told, though this edition is not the best for all, anyone wanting an inexpensive Plato/Socrates primer could hardly do better.

Book
Never read the book needed it for class but it arrived quickly and in great condition.

true to the socrates' principles
Excellent book highlighting the need and importance of logical reasoning for a better understanding of everything one encounters

All you need to know on how to live a good life
is in this book.Socrates was proclaimed (by the Oracle at Delphi, the voice of Apollo) to be the wisest man in Athens.After the Democracy had come back after the defeat in the Peloponnesian Wars, the mob needed someone to take the blame, and Socrates was the designated victim.He continues on his path happily, knowing that he has served Athens in the best way that he could.You can't beat the price for this copy of the four dialogues that make up his trial and death, and you can't ask for a better role model than Socrates!

Highest rating! ... Read more

Product Description

Plato, the great philosopher of Athens, was born in 427 BCE. In early manhood an admirer of Socrates, he later founded the famous school of philosophy in the grove Academus. Much else recorded of his life is uncertain; that he left Athens for a time after Socrates' execution is probable; that later he went to Cyrene, Egypt, and Sicily is possible; that he was wealthy is likely; that he was critical of 'advanced' democracy is obvious. He lived to be 80 years old. Linguistic tests including those of computer science still try to establish the order of his extant philosophical dialogues, written in splendid prose and revealing Socrates' mind fused with Plato's thought.

In Laches, Charmides, and Lysis, Socrates and others discuss separate ethical conceptions. Protagoras, Ion, and Meno discuss whether righteousness can be taught. In Gorgias, Socrates is estranged from his city's thought, and his fate is impending. The Apology (not a dialogue), Crito, Euthyphro, and the unforgettable Phaedo relate the trial and death of Socrates and propound the immortality of the soul. In the famous Symposium and Phaedrus, written when Socrates was still alive, we find the origin and meaning of love. Cratylus discusses the nature of language. The great masterpiece in ten books, the Republic, concerns righteousness (and involves education, equality of the sexes, the structure of society, and abolition of slavery). Of the six so-called dialectical dialogues Euthydemus deals with philosophy; metaphysical Parmenides is about general concepts and absolute being; Theaetetus reasons about the theory of knowledge. Of its sequels, Sophist deals with not-being; Politicus with good and bad statesmanship and governments; Philebus with what is good. The Timaeus seeks the origin of the visible universe out of abstract geometrical elements. The unfinished Critias treats of lost Atlantis. Unfinished also is Plato's last work of the twelve books of Laws (Socrates is absent from it), a critical discussion of principles of law which Plato thought the Greeks might accept.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Plato is in twelve volumes.

Customer Reviews (2)

The classical Greek search for the virtue of courage
I read this book for a graduate philosophy class.The classical Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were the midwives of Western civilization's "birth" of philosophy.Prior to the fifth century BCE classical Greek period, Greek citizens learned about virtuous actions including courage through their mythical religious beliefs, and epic poetry; such as, Homer's Iliad and The Odyssey.Thus, not until Socrates asks the question of what does the "good life" consists of do people ponder with reason and logic as their guide what constitutes virtues and how to practice them.Plato, like Socrates before him and Aristotle after him, believes in a virtue-based code of ethics where the end goal is to attain "happiness" which is understood by the classical Greeks as a flourishing" and is obtained only by performing virtuous acts.

Plato's short dialogue Laches is his literary vehicle to show Socrates exploring the virtue of courage.Socrates questions two famous Greek generals, Nicias and Laches, who participated in the Peloponnesian War, as did Socrates, in order to get at a definition of courage.The virtue of courage figures prominently in the second half of Plato's dialogue when Socrates asks both generals to define courage.It is important to note that though Socrates is the first philosopher to embark upon a search for a definition of virtue, he did not write his philosophy down.All of what we know of Socrates' teachings comes from the pen of Plato, one of his most devoted students.Laches first defines courage for Socrates by providing him three components of courage.A courageous person is "willing," "stands their ground in the face of the enemy," and "does not run."Laches' three components of courage are really just examples of the time-honored duty of Greek patriotism, which is derived out of a feeling or emotional attachment to one's country.In essence, the Greek citizen is "willing" to act out of a sense of duty to their city; "standing their ground" to protect their city from enemy attack.The citizen "does not run" in fear for their lives risking the safety of their city.Essentially, Plato's summation of these three components as spoken by Laches, is that courage comes from an "endurance of the soul."(p 34, (192c).Up to this point in the dialogue, Plato's definition of courage does not differ from the standard Homeric definition.However, when Socrates continues his questioning of Laches, he expands the scope of courageous actions to encompass perils of illness, sea travel and even into the political realm in hopes of better defining courage.Thus, Plato recognizes that there is a host of situations that requires a person to use courage to surmount whatever dangerous predicament they face.By posing the question this way, Plato through Socrates assumes that there is something else that people rely on to make them courageous.This is the real crux of the dialogue; to find out what else there is in the human condition that instills one with courage.

To accomplish this task, Plato introduces Nicias into the dialogue, who introduces the idea that it takes an amalgamation of emotions and wisdom for courage to be a universal virtue.With the introduction of wisdom into the mix, courage takes its "first step" forward from the heroic Homeric notion.For example, in the Homeric epics only aristocrats are depicted as acting courageously.It is important to recognize that by introducing these other hardships not related to war fighting, Plato is moving away from the ancient Greek Homeric model that so dominated the culture of his day.Nicias answers Laches, "Therefore, if a man is really courageous, it is clear that he is wise."(p, 38, (194d).However, when Socrates presses Nicias to explain what type of wisdom makes a person wise enough to be courageous he answers, "...it is the knowledge of the fearful and the hopeful in war and every other situation."(p, 39, (195a).Socrates is incredulous that Nicias argues that only people who can foretell future goods and evils will be able to act courageously, and for this reason, Socrates rejects Nicias' definition of courage.Socrates ends the dialogue abruptly because he sees that he is only getting examples of acts of courage in his questioning.His goal is to get to a definition, and to understand the essence of courage.With a definition, he can compare all examples of courage to it and then decide if the examples are truly acts of courage or not.In most of Plato's dialogues involving Socrates, his quest for a definition of a particular virtue ends in the same manner.At this point as in so many of Plato's dialogues, he ends his search for a definition of courage, but he takes it up again several years later in his Republic where he will introduce the element of education into the mix.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in virtue ethics, Greek philosophy, and military history.

Another useful volume in an excellent series
Like most volumes in the Loeb series, the emphasis is not on word-for-word precision in the translation, but on acheiving greater readability in broader terms. Since the original text in ancient Greek is provided on the facing page, the editors assume that anyone with a little knowledge of Greek can supplement the looseness of the translation by referring to the original. And in general, the compromises made in this way are good ones throughout the series. In this case, Lamb's translation remains sufficiently faithful to the original, especially in his Protagoras and Meno, to allow this volume to be used by the serious scholar. ... Read more

Product Description
These four dialogues cover time surrounding the execution of Socrates. As he was charged, tried, and condemned to death, the four dialogues stand as final testaments to his credo of virtue. These are texts that have shaped thousands of years of thought on the meaning of life and personal conduct. ... Read more

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Witty, sexy and radiantly beautiful, the Shelley translation of Plato's great Dialogue on Love, The Banquet (or The Symposium) is by far the best in the English language. It has been described as conveying much of the vivid life, the grace of movement, and the luminous beauty of Plato -- the poetry of a philosopher rendered by the prose of a poet.Although a masterpiece in its own right, the translation was suppressed and then bowdlerized for well over a century. In 19th century Britain, male loveat the heart of the dialogue was unmentionable. The Banquet and Shelley's accompanying essay, ADiscourse on the Manners of the Antient Greeks, were not published in theirentirety until 1931,and then in an edition of 100 copies intended for private circulation only.For many years, the Shelley translation has been unobtainable, new or used. Pagan Press now offers a new edition, which is complete andauthentic. In terms of both typography and editing, it is the mostreadable edition ever published. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The five stars are for Shelley
This book contains three things.Shelley's translation of Plato's dialogue _The Banquet_ (or _Symposium_), the first and still the greatest English version; Shelley's courageously anti-homophobic essay _A Discourse on the Manners of the Ancient Athenians Relative to the Subject of Love_; and an introduction by editor John Lauritsen. The five stars are for Shelley.

The _Symposium_ presents a group of Athenian aristocrats who share privilege, contempt for democracy and the leisure needed for philosophy. After one banquet, the slaves gone, they compete to make the best speech in praise of love. The most memorable speeches are by Aristophanes, Socrates and Alcibiades.

Aristophanes creates a comic myth in which men and women were once joined, sharing a body and a soul (and, each androgynous creature having four legs and four arms, getting about by tumbling). The gods became jealous of these creatures' happiness and split them up, creating the two sexes we know today. But men and women stayed together, each with the partner with whom they had shared a soul. So Zeus scattered them, forcing the male and female soulmates apart. And still men and women search amongst each other, looking for that one perfect soulmate.

Socrates' speech concerns love between men and boys, arguing that in their highest forms these loves have no sexual element.Alcibiades arrives late and drunk, and refuses to speak in praise of anything but Socrates himself. The party then breaks up.

The _Symposium_ is Plato's most theatrical dialogue, with vivid characterisation, deft comic touches and soaring poetic language. Shelley was also fascinated by Alcibiades' anecdote about Socrates standing lost in thought, oblivious to sun, cold, thirst or pain, motionless for three days. Shelley's translation is literally accurate (despite some minor errors) but also accurate in the higher sense of being a brilliantly poetic rendering of a brilliantly poetic work. Shelley called Plato's original "radiant", lamenting that his own words were a "gray veil" over the brightness of the original. But his modesty was unwarranted: his is one of the great English prose translations: fresh, clear and indeed radiant.

Shelley's _Ancient Athenians_ essay is just as remarkable. It attempts to explain how [some] ancient Athenians could have thought love between men, including sexual love, was "higher" than heterosexual love. In doing so he presented a pioneering case against homophobia. The courage of Shelley's stance in his 1818 essay, as in so many things, is simply astonishing.

Shelley's argument was that homosexuality flourished in
ancient Athens, and was considered nobler than heterosexual relations,because of the suppression of women. Athenian society didn't educate girls or women, and excluded them from the city's intellectual, artistic and political life. Therefore, Shelley argued, it was harder for male-female relationships to be equal partnerships, or to include the life of the mind, or indeed much beyond the housekeeping mundane or the purely sexual. Though he argued against condemning homosexuality he was also, as a proto-feminist, arguing that the social conditions that (he thought) foster homosexuality are unjust and undesirable.

Lauritsen's introduction misreads both texts in claiming them as gay classics. Plato's text has Socrates promote intergenerational same-sex relationships, though ideally without sexual practice or the body. Alcibiades' speech is homoerotic in its praise of Socrates, but crucial to that praise is that Socrates is celibate, even when tempted by the beautiful Alcibiades himself. Later, Plato will withdraw this limited tolerance, banning homosexuals from his "ideal" republic. As Karl Popper observed, Plato was a sign on the road that led to Fascism, Nazism, Communism. The _Symposium_ is a treasure of world literature, but too problematic a text simply to be celebrated as a gay classic.

Shelley's essay is also classic but not "gay". (Setting aside the fact that "gay" places someone within a culture that didn't exist in Shelley's lifetime.) Shelley argued that homosexual relationships can be loving and noble, and should not be condemned unless there is brutality or other things that would be equally undesirable in a heterosexual relationship. But he argues as a sympathetic outsider (with bisexual male friends), who also wrote essays defending the political rights of Ireland, deists and Catholics, without being Irish, or a deist or Catholic.

Lauritsen arguments for claiming Shelley as "gay" are astonishingly shonky. One, amazingly, is that Shelley was good-looking. But ... what about good-looking heterosexuals? Or Shelley's facial boils? More Lauritsen "evidence" is that Shelley stood naked when Trelawney first met him. But in public school culture then as now it was "manly"; not to fuss about being naked in front of other men; also, Shelley had been bathing, and he'd expected to pass women on the beach but didn't know Trelawney was there. Lauritsen mentions missing diary pages to suggest a cover-up. But he should know that the diary in question is Claire Claremont's and surrounding evidence indicates that the missing pages concern a pregnancy, an entirely heterosexual scandal. And Lauritsen says, meaningfully, that Shelley kissed friends at school, but should surely know that in that less emotionally constrained age men kissed to indicate friendship, not trouser turbulence. And so on.

Instead, Shelley was something more radical. Fascinated by androgyny, he asserted the right to enact masculinity as it suited him; ridin', shootin' and boatin' with Byron and Trelawney, and gentle and "womanly" with women and some male friends. Shelley unhitched the link, as Lauritsen does not, between gender performance and sexual orientation, in that sense being an ancestor of more fluid current thinking on sexuality. The idea that a man who is prepared to drop the male "armour" is necessarily homosexual is a 19th century conservative idea: it's ironic that some gay activists later took it up.

But despite reservations on Lauritsen's claims, he deserves our thanks for making Shelley's two magnificent tests available again. Shelley might be bemused to find himself claimed as gay, but he'd be pleased to find his works still enlisted in the struggle against bigotry and in the cause of love.

Cheers!

Laon ... Read more

Product Description
This innovative study sees the relationship between Athens and Jerusalem through the lens of the Platonic dialogues and the Talmud. Howland argues that these texts are animated by comparable conceptions of the proper roles of inquiry and reasoned debate in religious life, and by a profound awareness of the limits of our understanding of things divine. Insightful readings of Plato's Apology, Euthyphro, and chapter three of tractate Ta'anit explore the relationship of prophets and philosophers, fathers and sons, and gods and men (among other themes), bringing to light the tension between rational inquiry and faith that is essential to the speeches and deeds of both Socrates and the Talmudic sages. In reflecting on the pedagogy of these texts, Howland shows in detail how Talmudic aggadah and Platonic drama and narrative speak to different sorts of readers in seeking mimetically to convey the living ethos of rabbinic Judaism and Socratic philosophizing. ... Read more

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This outstanding work by a renowned Plato scholar presents the thought of the great Greek philosopher with historical accuracy and objective analysis. A brief introductory chapter about the philosopher's life is followed by an in-depth examination of his voluminous writings, particularly the dialogues. A substantial appendix explores works often attributed to Plato and presents cogent reasons for their acceptance or rejection as such. Preface. Notes. Addenda. Chronological Table. Appendix. Indexes.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Informative But Not A Biography
This book is 550 pages plus many footnotes which adds the equivalent of 20 or 30 more pages.It is not light reading lets put it that way.But if you can persevere and get through it you will learn a lot about Plato.

The emphasis is on 'the work' rather than 'the man'.Taylor recommended biographies by Grote, E. Meyer, and his hero Professor Burnet if you want those biographical details.

I read this book over an extended period of time while finishing quite a few other books in between.Having to read this book quickly like for a college class would in my opinion be a form of mental torture.There's too much information.

I had already read some of Plato's dialogues plus the Timaeus and Critias, The Republic, and The Laws.Taylor's book is a good review and overview of those plus many others although The Republic is only talked about at a high level.

Taylor saw three main phases of Plato's life:

1) early writings which include the Socratic dialogues and some other books
2) Academy period where writing slowed down a lot
3) later writings which include The Laws

The Socratic dialogues were apparently written to preserve information about Socrates and may have been based on actual conversations with Soc.

I still do not understand what the motivations were for executing Socrates.It sounds like he was feared by the authorities for some reason.This strange man chose to accept his execution rather than deny his principles even though he could have probably avoided it.

Taylor says that Plato viewed the doctrine of the forms as his unique contribution to philosophy.I did not gain an understanding of the forms from this book but it sounds like Aristotle's Metaphysics may provide this.

I'm most interested in the more mysterious and esoteric aspects of Plato's life and writings.However those are the very things that were never well known about Plato even during his lifetime.

According to the legends Plato traveled to Egypt and experienced the Egyptian initiation process at some level as had Pythagoras.During those experiences the initiates came into direct contact with the mythological gods.

I have read also that Plato was criticized by the other initiates for allowing some of what he heard in Egypt to make it into his writings.The initiates were sworn to secrecy and this type of information could become dangerous in the wrong hands.Perhaps The Parmenides contains some of those metaphysical secrets.

Taylor provides one of the stupider interpretations of Plato's misunderstood and often contradicted Atlantis story.Taylor says Plato used the story to talk about events that happened during his own lifetime and Plato was telling history in reverse.This is an example of how someone like Taylor will try to answer mysterious questions by referring to main stream, orthodox academic sources.

Even so it's hard to imagine how many books someone like Taylor must have read in his life.

Taylor held Plato in very high esteem and considered Plato to be a literary genius but I'm not sure exactly why.

Jeff Marzano

The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Reader's Edition)

Edgar Cayce's Story of the Old Testament From the Birth of Souls to the Death of Moses

Fingerprints of the Gods

Atlantis

Initiation

Initiation in the Great Pyramid (Astara's Library of Mystical Classics)

Fulcanelli: Master Alchemist: Le Mystere des Cathedrales, Esoteric Intrepretation of the Hermetic Symbols of The Great Work (Le Mystere Des Cathedrales ... of the Hermetic Symbols of Great Work)

The Giza Death Star Destroyed: The Ancient War For Future Science (Giza Death Star Trilogy)

Mythic Troy: The Complete Story Legend Archeology and Intuition

Occult Ether Physics: Tesla's Hidden Space Propulsion System and the Conspiracy to Conceal It (2nd Revised Edition)

Classic Commentary on Plato
In order to read Plato with some facility it is almost imperative to read a commentary a long with the Dialogues. A.E. Taylor is a true guide to what Plato actually says and provides useful classical context that will keep out the most egregious error. This is an essential volume in any philosopher's library.
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. ... Read more

Product Description
A compilation of the essential works of Plato in  one paperback volume: The Republic, The  Symposium, Parmenides, Euthyphro, Apology,  Crito, and Phaedo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Bible
Here is an essential compilation of works from the philosopher Emerson hailed as the "Euclid of holiness".Along with the full 'Death of Socrates' tetralogy (including the "Euthyphro", whose argument on the nature of piety gets to the heart of why Christianity is not, as Nietzsche suggests, 'Platonism for the masses') this Doubleday edition also includes the esoteric late-phase "Parmenides" and of course the "Symposium" and "Republic", all in Jowett's long-standard translations.Reading the "Republic" in full, one can savor the loftiness of Plato's vision of human nobility, a merging of aesthetic and ethical criteria which still accounts, more than anything else, for our conception of the transcendent quality of ancient Athens(again, contra Nietzsche and "The Birth of Tragedy").While the communitarian (and perhaps totalitarian) aspects of Plato's political vision may or may not be ironic, the deepest wellspring of Plato's utopia can best be found in the formula"beautiful minds in beautiful bodies" which he has bequeathed to us as a supreme ideal in love and education.Throughout, it is Plato's obsessive consideration of ethical ideals-- and the rationalist metaphysics in which he grounds ethical imperatives-- that galvanizes the reader to ponder the reconstruction of self and society in the light of higher truths.And his (deliberately undwelt-upon, if we can accept Letter VII) hints of the mystical, which have haunted the Western imagination ever since, make Platonism perhaps the most essential, most truly global, spiritual tradition in history.It is one which encompasses the sensual as well as the intellectual, the worldly and the other-worldly, and it accepts and encourages the freeplay of skepticism; as one can see in reading these works, Plato is usually his own best critic.

A Somewhat Flawed Edition
I feel that the Jowett translation is superior to others (especially for students) because of its easy-reading quality. As anyone who has read the Platonic dialogues is sure to know, they are often somewhat dry, with keypoints strewn amongst seemingly endless dialogues. This makes the fact thatthe Jowett translation is written in layman's terms that much moreappreciated. For this, the translation earns its three stars. Otherwise, ithas a horrific layout, with no numbering for reference to lines (making ithard to use for writing papers and difficult for reference in a class thatuses a different translation because the page numbers most likely will notcoincide). Besides this, there is no reference at the top of each page todenote who the speakers are, which is often helpful because it is easy toforget who is speaking due to the work's length and number of characters.The Bloom edition has these notes but I would not recommend this eitherbecause it is a more difficult read and has a commentary essay includedthat is half the length of the Republic itself. So, unless you don't mindthe extra bulk when it comes to carrying it around, don't take the mentionof the Bloom edition as a recommendation. ... Read more

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It is often said that to understand Plato we must understand his times. Many readers who might accept without question this saying of historical criticism may still wonder why we should think it necessary to begin our enquiry as far back as Homer and beyond. In the case of Plato there is an even greater need to pursue the argument back to the very beginnings of the historical period in which he lived and worked.

It is quite impossible to understand the genesis of Plato’s ideas without understanding the profound change that Greek society underwent in the post-Homeric period that preceded him. This change in social structure created a mercantile, progressive Greek society, one which laid the foundations for all the subsequent history of Europe and the West. The Genesis of Plato’s Thought is particularly highly regarded because it departs vigorously from the traditional abstract, static view of Plato’s thought.

Winspear’s volume on Plato’s thought traces, in a realistic fashion, the deep-reaching social and economic roots of Plato’s concept of the state and society. Winspear believes that nowhere can the social roots of philosophy be more sharply seen and more firmly apprehended than when one is dealing with the origins of Western philosophy among the Greeks. His book contains the body of information which any reader should have if they wish to approach Plato as a historical figure. To make the book useful to a wide circle of readers, brief biographical identifications for the various important figures of Greek life are introduced in the text.

Alban Dewes Winspear was professor of philosophy at North Shore College in North Vancouver, Canada. He is the author of Lucretius and Scientific Thought, Augustus and the Reconstruction of Roman Government and Society, and Who Was Socrates?

Tony Preus is professor of philosophy at Binghamton University. His areas of research include ancient Greek philosophy and medical ethics. He is the author of numerous book chapters and scholarly articles.

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Eryxias. please visit www.valdebooks.com for a full list of titles ... Read more

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This interpretive introduction provides unique insight into Plato's Republic. Stressing Plato's desire to stimulate philosophical thinking in his readers, Julia Annas here demonstrates the coherence of his main moral argument on the nature of justice, and expounds related concepts of education, human motivation, knowledge and understanding. In a clear systematic fashion, this book shows that modern moral philosophy still has much to learn from Plato's attempt to move the focus from questions of what acts the just person ought to perform to the more profound questions of what sort of person the just person ought to be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Better look elsewhere!
This book grew out of Annas' experience of teaching Plato's Republic to students in a course that's all about evaluating Plato's arguments for their philosophical merit. She aims for this goal so single-mindedly as to deprive herself from providing to her audience any further profits a book on Plato's Republic may provide - profits such as, fuel the reader's sheer enjoyment of reading Plato, or learn at a more accurate level what Plato's views were.

For instance, this book makes a case for Plato being a mysogynist (women-hater) and favoring dictatorship of the (almost) worst kind. Unless you happen to favor those views yourself, this won't add much to making Plato an enjoyable read for you. What's worse, however, is that the book doesn't actually spend sufficient time arguing for those interpretations, let alone addressing countervailing ones. And on that level it achieves the very opposite of what it set out to do, namely make people engage critically with a set text.

You see, the idea might have been to make people read Annas so as to engage with Plato critically. The problem however is that people who aren't critically minded to begin with won't start to become so simply by being told - a point Plato's Socrates was fully aware of but this book (apparently) isn't. Rather, what I repeatedly find in student essays on the Republic is that they swallow Annas's claims, enjoy the short lived pleasure of scoring cheap points in the game called "acing your exam essay", without ever engaging critically with either Annas or (for that matter) Plato.

To see what a vast difference an author can make to encourage readers to engage with his book critically, have a look at Burnyeat's "Theaetetus", a fine work on many levels, and an outstanding example of what writing on Plato can be without being mindless praise.

Personally I'm glad there are more rewarding books to recommend to students of Plato's Republic these days, and if you're interested at all, I suggest you have a look at the multi-authored "Cambridge Companion to Plato's Republic" (2007) and "Blackwell Guide to Plato's Republic" (2006).

A wonderful study of the Republic
What is wonderful about this study by Julia Annas is the personal tone of her writing; her profound knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy and Plato is constantly confronted with her own views as a modern philosopher of our times, at times she admires Plato and at others she is shocked by his extremism. The only other study written this clearly is Nicholas Whites' "A Companion to Plato's Repbulic."
The only thing I miss is a discussion of the literary, theatrical aspect of the text, the question being: are all of Socrates' views in the Republic really Plato's own? Is not Socrates a mask, an actor for Plato? Julia Annas automatically ascribes Socrates' views to Plato in her study. But this is of course an option that is possible, although not shared by all scholars.

A Misguided Mish-Mash of Academic Conceit.
This book is profoundly flawed. The author is oblivious to the implications of her admitted license. For instance, she uses the term 'moral' while admitting that it comes from a tradition post-dating Plato('Introduction' p.11) and uses it to smear across distictions Plato himselffound necessary. Professor Annas refuses to deal with the core concepts, ascore concepts specific to Plato's time and place, and substitutes themplayfully with her own modern day conceits. I quote: "I shall use'morality' for the area of practical reasoning carried on by an agent whichis concerned with the best way for a person to live." Why does sheneed to do this? If one was to say 'the best way to live' as Plato himselfdoes, is that not sufficent? Does the reader/student really need aprofessor to explain that Plato really means 'morality'?. Baffling is whyso much time is spent on non-Platonic terminology. To continually butcher'The Republic' with these artificial terms, such as 'moral', 'values','society', and 'state' isto assume 'we' know more than 'they' did. Thisis a historical prejudice ,and it does an injustice to the unsuspectingreader/student. Moreover, Professor Annas seems to be obtuse to thedramatic quality of the dialogue. An educated reader of this book cannothelp but think this when the author stumbles across (454d-e) of 'TheRepublic'- quoting Socrates "the male begets, the female givesbirth." Professor Annas then evaluates the statement, "This is anadmirable argument as far as it goes; for Plato has removed any possibilityof treating women as inferior as a class...but the argument suffers frombeing too generally stated" ( 'Plato's State', ch.7,p. 182 bottom).The author goes on to give her opinion on why it is too general- i.e: herconsidered views on the merits of a gender equality argument- which is fineand worth reading on it's own terms, if it was offered as such, but it isnot offered as such. This is suppost to be a book on 'Plato's Republic',thus the title. Ask yourself- is that true? Is the only difference betweenmen and women that men mount, or begat, and women bear, or give birth? Thatis what Plato and Socrates are asking? If the author of a commentary on'The Republic' does not take that question seriously, and goes on to sum upher interpretation on the dramatic episode as: "Plato isconfused." (p. 184), how can a reader take it seriously?

an excellent book on the Republic..
The Republic covers many subjects and it's not possible for someone to write a comprensive book on the Republic. Most of the book written on theRepublic usually focus on few particular subjects (the most notable one is justice). An Introduction to Plato's Republic is one of the few exception.Julia Annas doesn't interpreted the Republic from one point of view. She presented the Republic as Plato intended.. In the others words, the Republic is not the book about Politic only; it is also the book of metaphysics, educations, morality. Every chapters are very thorough and extensive but simple enough to read.. ... Read more

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The earliest philosopher whose work has survived extensively, Plato remains the starting-point in the study of logic, metaphysics, and moral and political philosophy. R.M. Hare provides a concise, well-connected introduction to Plato's dialogues, focusing on the central problems which led Plato to become a philosopher.He describes these problems and Plato's solutions with great clarity, and sets them in the context of Plato's life and times, and his place in the history of philosophy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A good introduction
This is a good introduction. It has chapters on Plato's 'Life and times, on 'His forbearers, a chapter on' How Plato became a philosopher' one on ' Understanding Plato'one on 'Knowing Things' on 'Definition, dialectic and the good,' on 'Education and the Good Life'on' The Divided Mind'on 'The Authoritarian State' on 'Plato's achievement'. Hare apologizes for not having had the space to really consider Plato's views on Art, and on Love.
I found especially interesting his background description of the Greek world of Plato's time, and their attitude toward 'power' and 'violence'. This background really helps the reader understand Plato's search for a kind of ideal social order. And this when his absolutist solution is of course strongly rejected by the Western liberal democratic political tradition.
Many of us first learned our Plato with Whitehead's famous remark that all Western philosophy is a footnote to him. Hare does do a bit toward showing how Plato is at the foundation of many philosophical dilemnas , metaphysical , ethical and political which still concern us today.
He also provides a brief description andperiodization of the Dialogues.
What is missing from the work is the feeling of the Platonic dialogues themselves. They have a dramatic and aesthetic power that is unique in the philosophical literature.
I would just add to this review one point Hare makes not especially related to Plato which seemed especially interesting and important .He writes," Originality in philosophy often consists not in having new thoughts, but in making clear what was not clear before" It seems to me that it also consists in what Hare does indicate Plato often does , raising questions of such great significance that coming generations take them up again and again.

Well written!
I'd read summaries of Plato's philosophy before in other books: "The Story of Philosophy" by Durant has 40 pp. on Plato and "From Socrates to Sartre: the Philosophical Quest" by Lavine has 59 pp. on Plato. Richard Hare gives a much fuller introduction with just a few more pages (75 pp.). I learned so much more about Plato from this book, I was amazed at what I was missing from other introductions.Concise and well written.A pleasure to read.

excellent, understandable introduction
Everyone who thinks that philosophy in general and Plato in particular is dry and cryptic should try this book. In only about 80 pages, R.M.Hare, a distinguished philosopher himself, manages to give an account of the entire scope of Plato's work without relying on the sophisticated apparatus of modern philosophical terminology. This not only makes the book accessible for a wider audience but also provides a better understanding of some of Plato's philosophical problems, since he did not have that apparatus at hand either.The book gives biographical information on Plato, outlines his views on epistemology, ethics and the state and finally looks at the influence of Platonist philosophy, which can be found throughout the history of human thought. The main feature, in my view, of the work is the explanation of Plato's Theory of Ideas in terms of logic rather than esoteric. This interpretation has long been known among experts but here it is laid out for a more general public. One should also take a close look at the examination of Plato's "Republic" and find out that it is not an early version of "1984"."Plato" by R.M.Hare will thus be an excellent choice for anyone interested in the foundations of western thought or the history of ideas and also for experts as a concise summary. ... Read more

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This book offers a rich and highly original treatment of Plato's views in the areas of epistemology, ontology, and ethics. Moravcsik rightly encourages us to be open to the idea that the study of Plato is valuable not only for historical reasons, but also based on what it can offer to us in our continuing reflections on pivotal topics such as the nature of human flourishing. Moravcsik's book is essential reading not only for those working in Greek philosophy, but also for anyone who is interested in exploring key approaches to enduring philosophical and human concerns. Susan B. Levin, Smith College. Plato and Platonism reviews the nature and limits of Platonic interpretation. The book begins with a discussion of Plato's conception of what a genuine rational discipline (a 'techne') should be. The author shows how the recollection theory of understanding, the Forms as ultimate explanatory factors, and Plato's ethics of the right human ideal, all grow out of conditions that are essential to the genuine 'technai'. Moravcsik goes on to demonstrate how questions about the explanatory power of the Theory of Forms, mainly emerging not from naturalistic or empiricist qualms but from deep reflections on Eleatic doctrines, led to elaboration and modifications in Plato's ontology. The author reveals that the clearest echoes of the basic Platonic explanatory pattern linking elements of reality may be seen in some of the work on the foundations of mathematics and the related concern with the Eleatic challenge, rather than the 'realism' of general analytic philosophy. The author also shows how different Plato's basic ethical questions are from those preoccupying modern philosophy, and what Platonistic ethics might look like today.Students, academics and researchers will find that Moravcsik's careful and rigorous analysis offers an understanding of what Platonism in our times would have been like. The book leads us to an appreciation of genuine Platonism, rarely discussed today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Do you want to know what Plato is really saying?
If you want to know exactly what Plato meant this book is for you!This book is for those who want to know what Plato said and not what people like to interpret him as saying.This scholarly work dives deep into the Platonic soul and truly grasps what Plato was thinking and why he was thinking it!Highly recommended for those doing any papers or disertations on Plato's conceptions. ... Read more

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Plato's Allegory of the Cave is one of the most famous pieces of philosophical literature. This edition was translated by Benjamin Jowett and has been completely revised and updated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nice short story
Plato expounds on a thought peeling it off in very thin layers.Makes you pause and rethink your approach to mundane daily reality.

Plato Follower
Nice to see The Allegory of the Cave available without purchasing the compete works in Plato's Republic.

Just what I needed
I only needed to read the Allegory of the Cave, Book VII of The Republic, for my philosophy class and this was just what I was looking for. I didn't have to buy the whole "Republic" and was happy to find a translation that was easily readable. Thanks again! ... Read more