The eminent philosopher and classical scholar Alexander Nehamas
presents here a collection of his most important essays on Plato
and Socrates. The papers are unified in theme by the idea that
Plato's central philosophical concern in metaphysics, ethics, and
aesthetics was to distinguish the authentic from the fake, the
original from its imitations. In approach, the collection displays
Nehamas's characteristic combination of analytical rigor and
sensitivity to the literary form and dramatic effect of Plato's
work. Together, the papers represent Nehamas's distinct and
original contributions to scholarship on Plato and Socrates and
serve as a comprehensive introduction to the thought of these two
philosophers.
In the book's opening section, Nehamas discusses Plato's
representation of Socrates as a model of authentic human goodness,
showing that Plato's Socrates is a more skeptical, troubling, and
individualistic thinker than is usually supposed. The papers in the
second section form a sustained defense of a new and important
understanding of Plato's theory of the forms and the evolution of
that theory in Plato's later writings. The third section examines
Plato's contention that popular entertainment--by which he meant
Greek epic and tragic poetry--misleads its audience into a debased
life, an argument Nehamas relates to modern anxieties about
television and other forms of popular culture. The collection also
includes a discussion of Plato's use of the dialogue form in his
representation of Socrates and carefully examines the combination
of literary and philosophical elements in his work.
Nehamas argues in the book that Plato's specific judgments of
what is authentic are often flawed, but that his idea of
authenticity as the mark of truth, beauty, and goodness is stronger
than many modern scholars have assumed. In drawing together
Nehamas's many influential ideas about Plato and Socrates, "Virtues
of Authenticity" is a major contribution to the study of ancient
Greek philosophy.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
