Plato by Jackson, Roy -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Dedication Contents Praise for Plato: a complete introduction About the Author Reference convention How to use this book 1 The Presocratics and the beginning of philosophy

The birth of Western philosophy The time of myth Hesiod and Homer The Materialists The Milesians The polis Thales The ontological superiority of ‘Being’ Anaximander and Anaximenes

2 Who was Socrates?

Socrates the man The teachings of Socrates Concern for ethical issues The Sophists The Socratic method The scapegoat

3 Who was Plato?

Plato’s world Plato: a life Plato’s works

4 The Forms

The Analogy of the Cave The path to enlightenment The Realm of the Forms Criticisms of the Forms

5 Knowledge, opinion and ignorance

Protagoras and relativism Heraclitus and change The philosopher defined The roots of knowledge What does it mean to know? The role of reason The soul The Cosmic Soul

6 How are we to live?

Justice Glaucon and the Myth of Gyges The soul of the state The ideal state The ‘City of Pigs’ The ‘Noble Lie’ The just state and the just individual The healthy soul

7 The Philosopher-King

The three polis The critique of democracy The true philosopher Education The four imperfect societies The root of all evil

8 Love and friendship

Pederasty Lysis Phaedrus

9 In praise of love: Symposium

The setting The first three speeches The speech of Aristophanes Agathon’s praise of love Socrates’ speech Alcibiades barges in

10 Gorgias

Gorgias The setting

11 Timaeus

The setting Timaeus and organicism The Demiurge The universe and its natural state The cosmos as animate The Great Chain of Being Being ethical

12 The war between philosophy and poetry and the Myth of Er

Republic Book III Republic Book X The Myth of Er

13 Plato’s legacy

Aristotle The city of Alexandria Neoplatonism Muslim philosophers Christian philosophers Modern contributors

Plato’s writings Answers Copyright