Before we start talking about the best plato books. Reading the best philosophy books gives us the opportunity to look into those hidden depths and understand our own thinking and behavior at a deeper level, helping us eliminate behavior we dont like. The exact relationship of such a government to the lofty philosophy presented in the book has been debated. Including quick summaries for beginners of modern philosophy books, eastern philosophy, western philosophy and more. His most famous contribution bears his name, platonism also ambiguously called either platonic realism or platonic idealism, the doctrine of the forms known by pure reason. This is also home to the worlds first true and probably greatest philosopher. List of books and articles about philosophy of education. But i find that with plato its more than just a read and it takes some time to finish a passagepagewhatever, and usually i have to reread it, or rereread it. 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. The first edition of the novel was published in 385, and was written by plato. The republic is a socratic dialogue, authored by plato around 375 bc, concerning justice, the order and character of the just citystate, and the just man. I will admit, the book is not an easy task, so take it slow, and digest the material.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 1 pages and is available in paperback format. The man and his work dover books on western philosophy a. Plato s student wrote two books of ethics which are still clear guides on how to lead a good life 5 rene descartes, meditations on first philosophy tried to. Too often, textbooks turn the noteworthy theories, principles, and figures of philosophy into tedious discourse that even plato would reject. It is, therefore, good for anyone who is looking for analyses of some of the dialogues that are not treated as often in the secondary literature. Which are the works by plato that you consider most. Ambrose believed that plato met jeremiah in egypt and was influenced by his ideas. The best philosophy books of all time updated for 2020.
This student edition, first published in 1957, contains a substantial introduction including sections on historical background, socrates, plato and the republic. Even if you are not a true philosophy at heart, the shear talent of socrates twisting his opponents gives enough warrant to read. Shop with confidence knowing that you can return your purchase within 30 days if it is not as described on our web site. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the republic and what it means. Plato books biography and list of works author of the. The first pro of this book is that it is one of the only books that deals with every single platonic dialogue i know catherine zuckerts book platos philosophers. The man and his work dover books on western philosophy. An 800page scholarly overview is unlikely to be best for someone looking for a short.
I am kind of a noob to philosophy, i am used to reading but normally i would read novels even more difficult ones. The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy organizes scholars from around the world in philosophy and related disciplines to create and maintain an uptodate reference work. Its equally all right if the first book of philosophy you encountered was epictetus enchiridion. The organization allows for casual browsing as well as focused research. An athenian citizen of high status, he displays in his works his absorption in the political events and intellectual movements of. Ancient philosophy five books expert recommendations. Hello, i wanted to ask, i would like to in the summer start to read into philosophy, in particular plato the republic. In the dialogue, socrates talks with various athenians and foreigners about the meaning of justice and. The best book for you will depend on your preferred learning style and the amount of time that you want to spend reading about political philosophy.
Plato also appears to have been the founder of western political philosophy. Greek philosophers plato, socrates and aristotle are among the major figures who laid the foundations of educational philosophy. Mar 31, 2020 in recent centuries there have been some changes in the purpose and style of english translations of ancient philosophy. Platos impact on philosophy and the nature of humans has had a lasting impact far beyond his homeland of greece. Platos metaphysics, and particularly its dualism between the intelligible and the perceptual, would inspire later neoplatonic thinkers, such as plotinus and. Plato was born in athens in 427 bc to a well established aristocratic family. Although now somewhat dated, several articles in this collection continue to be widely cited and studied. A beginners guide to the philosophy of plato michael s. Plato is one of the great theorists of relationships. Edith hall discusses how aristotle helped her to develop a workable morality after losing her christian faith as a teenager. His father, ariston, could trace his lineage back to the old kings of athens.
One needs to read the books and thinkers in order thats one common. Plato promotes philosophy classes for all k12 students, including those in classrooms least likely to have access to academic enrichment programs. Born into a prominent and wealthy family in the city, plato devoted his life to. This guide includes the best philosophy books from throughout history. Complete works of plato download the free pdf ebook here. Just to be clear, there is no single best book on political philosophy. Pdf the symposium book by plato free download 1 pages. The two books ive read that helped me get a very broad overview of the major topics in philosophy are. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Jan 28, 2016 platonic philosophy of idealism for valencia humanities class dr. Plato was a wrestler, and dicaearchus went so far as to say that plato wrestled at the isthmian games. Buy products such as the republic 100 copy collectors edition hardcover, the republic hardcover at walmart and save. Other interviewees point to the enduring appeal of ancient philosophy in finding a way to live. Collection of plato quotes the republic, pictures and biography of the ancient greek philosopher.
Plato was born in 428427 or 424423 bc in athens, greece. It tells the story of a dinner party given by agathon, a handsome poet, who invites a group of his friends around to eat, drink and talk about love. The same applies to the seder at passover, which is obviously modeled on the platonic symposium. Plato has also often been cited as one of the founders of western religion and spirituality. May 11, 2018 what is often lurking behind this question is a concern about getting it right when it comes to studying philosophy. The symposium and the phaedrus will also help you understand his view on the nature of philosophy and the search for truth, and his method, from another angle. Plato 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.
Philosophers on plato lists translated primary works that are important for understanding his political thought. Philosophy 101 cuts out the boring details and exhausting philosophical methodology, and. The vast literature on plato forces us to list only secondary works that have been written in english. The republic by plato, meditations by marcus aurelius, thus spoke zarathustra by friedrich nietzsche, beyond good and evil b. Plato was a superb writer, and his works are part of the worlds great literature. A collection of papers by various authors on socrates and platos early dialogues.
Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. They debated on different subjects in the past that are important for philosophy of education even now. Sep 07, 2001 plato s student wrote two books of ethics which are still clear guides on how to lead a good life 5 rene descartes, meditations on first philosophy tried to prove that mind and body were distinct. The republic is a socratic dialogue by plato, written c. As plato repeatedly wrote, the essence of philosophy came down to the command to.
The coherence of the dialogues does as well but i have not read it yet. Which are the works by plato that you consider most important. See the additional sources and recommended reading list below, or check the philosophy books page for a full list. Five dialogues of plato the safest general characterization of the european philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to plato by alfred north whitehead. The site thus covers the main philosophical traditions, from the presocratic to the contemporary philosophers, while trying to bring a philosophical reading to the cultural field in general, such as cinema, literature, politics or music. He came from a political family, but become a philosopher. See all books authored by plato, including the republic, and euthyphro, apology, crito, meno, phaedo, and more on.
Ursula coope is professor of ancient philosophy at university of oxford, keble college. Free download or read online the symposium pdf epub book. The most fundamental distinction in platos philosophy is between the. The great plato translation by benjamin jowett 181793, for example, was not intended as a tool of scholarship. These dialogues of plato encompass the early beginings of philosophy from arguements of love to arguements of justice and education. See all books authored by plato, including the republic, and euthyphro, apology, crito, meno, phaedo, and. Plato books list of books by author plato thriftbooks.
Philosophy draws indiscriminately from all fields knowledge, in a never ending questioning. The best books on plato five books expert recommendations. Bringing together the education and philosophy communities, plato celebrates diversity within the philosophy classroom and endorses a wide variety of philosophical approaches and methods. Platos republic best philosophical work ever uk news. Plato 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. This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy and argument of platos writings, drawing the reader into. It is perfectly fine to read aristotle before reading plato. Footnotes on doing philosophy with young people author. The ten best introductory political philosophy books the. The only list of best philosophy books you will ever need.
This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy and argument of plato s writings, drawing the reader into plato s way of doing philosophy and the general themes of his thinking. As i have already shared here and here, it is the first properly philosophical book that i read, and i find that it has determined the d. His work covered a broad spectrum of interests and ideas. The 10 best philosophy books for beginners gregory sadler.
The best plato books choosen by plato expert, professor melissa lane. Below are some of the best philosophy books of all time, that have shaped human society and the course of history. Discover the worlds greatest thinkers and their groundbreaking notions. He was a student of socrates and he is regarded as a founding figure in western philosophy. The eight best introductory books on philosophy the daily idea.
E it is one of the most influential works of philosophy and political theory, and platos best known. On truth from reality a discussion of the philosophy metaphysics of plato and the importance of philosophy to humanity. Plato was an athenian philosopher during the classical period in ancient greece, founder of. Some of the dialogues and many of the epistles attributed to him are known to be spurious, while others are doubtful. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. His book, the symposium, is an attempt to explain what love really is. The symposium and the phaedrus will also help you understand his view on the nature of philosophy and.
The parmenides is useful to understand what plato project was, and his theory of ideas. The man and his work dover books on western philosophy taylor, a. He was of aristocratic descent, especially on his mothers side. The republic contains a great variety of plato s theories and themes. Book x of plato s reputblic deals with aesthetic theory, the immortality of the soul, and the destiny of man. The main characters of this philosophy, classics story are socrates. The book presents comprehensible explanations of metaphysical ideas and provides brief biographies of philosophers such as plato, socrates, aristotle, st. Who was plato plato was an athenian who lived in the late fifth and into the fourth century bce. His extant work is in the form of dialogues and epistles. This page contains a list of the best introductory books on political philosophy.
While teaching socrates engaged the others in dialogue. The major books on platos political philosophy offer comprehensive accounts that. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. He dedicated his life to learning and teaching and is hailed as one of the founders of western philosophy. Plato expert professor melissa lane chooses the best plato books to help us. Lucretius didactic poem is a literary masterpiece, which includes such riveting passages as an ode to venus and a desc. The complete works 31 books kindle edition by plato, jowett, benjamin, burges, george. I do not think most people would give this answer but there is a special place in my heart for the symposium. Apr 16, 2019 plato had enormous impact on the development of western thought, and on our understanding of nature and the impact of knowledge. Whenever possible, i linked to books with my amazon affiliate code, and as an amazon associate i earn from qualifying purchases. It is platos bestknown work, and has proven to be one of the worlds most influential works of philosophy and political theory, both intellectually and historically.