Socrates by Gregory Vlastos

Socrates by Gregory Vlastos

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.

Vlastos, Gregory: - Gregory Vlastos (1907-1991) was Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University and at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1990, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. His other books include Socratic Studies; Studies in Greek Philosophy, Volumes I and II; and Plato's Universe.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521314503
ISBN 10	052131450X
Title	Socrates
Author	Gregory Vlastos
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	1991-04-11
Number of pages	348
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable