"[The book] is comprehensive, full of useful advice for anyone teaching Plato at any level. Press gives us the information we need to have at our fingertips, but his suggestions only increase the excitement of reading the dialogues themselves." - Debra Nails, Professor of Philosophy, Michigan State University, USA

"It appears that things have changed in Plato scholarship during the quarter century that has elapsed since I was trained as an undergraduate in philosophy and classical languages and, consequently, a book that I cannot recommend enough is Gerald A. Press, Plato: A Guide for the Perplexed." - Peter Wright, Teaching for Inclusion: Difficult Dialogues (Blog), July 25, 2008

- Peter Wright,

"a book such as Press's is very timely. It works out in detail the implications of Plato's use of the dialogue as a literary form, and suggests ways of reading the dialogues in the light of this, recognising such things as the mixture of truth and fiction, the use of irony and the use of myth" The international journal of the platonic tradition, 2009

- A. H. Lesser,

It is widely agreed that Plato laid the foundations for the whole history of western thought and, well over 2000 years later, his work is still studied by every student of philosophy. Yet his thought and writings continue to evoke perplexity in readers; and perplexity ( aporia) is itself a characteristic of many of his writings, a recurrent motif of his thought, and apparently an important stage one must pass through along the path to wisdom that Plato presents. Plato: A Guide for the Perplexed is a clear and thorough account of Plato's philosophy, his major works and ideas, providing an ideal guide to the important and complex thought of this key philosopher. The book offers a detailed review of all the major dialogues and explores the particular perplexities of the dialogue form. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Plato's thought, the book also provides a cogent and reliable survey of the whole history of Platonic interpretation and his far-reaching influence. This is the ideal companion to the study of this most influential and challenging of philosophers.
Read more
It is widely agreed that Plato laid the foundations for the whole history of western thought and, well over 2000 years later, his work is still studied by every student of philosophy. This title provides an account of Plato's philosophy, his major works and ideas, providing a guide to the important thought of this key philosopher.
Read more
Introduction; Part I. Backgrounds; 1. Plato's Life and Works; 2. The Contexts for Interpreting Plato's Dialogues; Part II. Sources of Perplexity: Change; 3. A Brief History of Platonism and Plato Interpretation; 4. Dialogue Form; 5. Arguments and Ideas, Vision and Doctrines; 6. Fables, Myths, and Stories; 7. Irony and other forms of humor; 8. Play and seriousness; 9. Paradox; Part III. Plato's Philosophy: Permanence; 10. Platonic Anonymity and the Nature of Plato's Philosophy; 11. Persistent Themes and Plato's Vision; 12. The Platonic Path to Wisdom; Part IV: Help in Reading and Understanding Plato's Dialogues and His Philosophy; 13. How to Read a Platonic Dialogue; 14. Summaries of the Dialogues; Glossary of Greek Terms; Bibliography.
Read more
A student guide to the philosophy of Plato, one of the most widely-studied yet notoriously challenging thinkers. Covers the full range of Plato's works and ideas, providing a detailed examination of all the key Platonic dialogues.
Read more
Strongly branded and heavily promoted series; student-friendly presentation and price.
Bloomsbury's Guides for the Perplexed are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging - or indeed downright bewildering. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to grasp, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material.
Read more

Product details

ISBN
9780826491763
Published
2007-10-24
Publisher
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight
326 gr
Height
214 mm
Width
138 mm
Thickness
14 mm
Age
UU, UP, 05
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Number of pages
250

Biographical note

Gerald A. Press is Professor of Philosophy at CUNY, USA and has published widely on Plato.