Parmenides

by Plato

Overview

The Cratylus has always been a source of perplexity to the student of Plato. While in fancy and humour, and perfection of style and metaphysical originality, this dialogue may be ranked with the best of the Platonic writings, there has been an uncertainty about the motive of the piece, which interpreters have hitherto not succeeded in dispelling. We need not suppose that Plato used words in order to conceal his thoughts, or that he would have been unintelligible to an educated contemporary. In the Phaedrus and Euthydemus we also find a difficulty in determining the precise aim of the author. Plato wrote satires in the form of dialogues, and his meaning, like that of other satirical writers, has often slept in the ear of posterity. Two causes may be assigned for this obscurity: 1st, the subtlety and allusiveness of this species of composition; 2nd, the difficulty of reproducing a state of life and literature which has passed away. A satire is unmeaning unless we can place ourselves back among the persons and thoughts of the age in which it was written.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781604503111
Publisher:	Arc Manor
Publication date:	09/08/2008
Pages:	116
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.28(d)

About the Author

Plato (428/427 or 424/423 - 348/347 BC) was an Athenian philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient Greece, founder of the Platonist school of thought, and the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is widely considered the pivotal figure in the history of Ancient Greek and Western philosophy, along with his teacher, Socrates, and his most famous student, Aristotle.[a] Plato has also often been cited as one of the founders of Western religion and spirituality.[4] The so-called Neoplatonism of philosophers like Plotinus and Porphyry influenced Saint Augustine and thus Christianity. Alfred North Whitehead once noted: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."[5] Plato was the innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms in philosophy. Plato is also considered the founder of Western political philosophy. His most famous contribution is the theory of Forms known by pure reason, in which Plato presents a solution to the problem of universals known as Platonism (also ambiguously called either Platonic realism or Platonic idealism). He is also the namesake of Platonic love and the Platonic solids. His own most decisive philosophical influences are usually thought to have been along with Socrates, the pre-Socratics Pythagoras, Heraclitus and Parmenides, although few of his predecessors' works remain extant and much of what we know about these figures today derives from Plato himself.[b] Unlike the work of nearly all of his contemporaries, Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years.[7] Although their popularity has fluctuated over the years, the works of Plato have never been without readers since the time they were written

Editorial Reviews

A collection of 15 essays written by librarians for librarians relating problems and successes in managing library automation. The contributors illustrate the key elements of forecasting, planning, implementing, and monitoring necessary for successful public, academic or specialized libraries. They specifically point to topics in local area networks, CD-ROM evolution, using technologies for cataloging, system migrating, and "how to survive without enough" time or money. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Keith Whitaker's insightful introduction to this notoriously daunting text is valuable for its clarity and sobriety. The lucid interpretation will be of interest to those versed in the text and will be of great help to any who encounter the dialogue for the first time. The engaging translation humanizes the discourse without compromising its precision - a notable achievement that will earn the gratitude of readers.

—Joseph Cropsey, University of Chicago

From the Publisher