Plato

[JordanW]

I decided to order, "The Republic" and "The 5 Dialogues" I was just wondering if anyone can give me an opinion on these, and possibly recommend me some more philosophical books? Thanks.

 

[silverseason]

Does the Five Dialogues book include The Symposium? That is a dialog I have enjoyed going back to. It is about the nature of love. (Tip: look for the appearance of Alcibiades.) Socrates "proves" that the best function of love is to lead us to love of something higher, beauty, I think.

I never cared for The Republic which I had to read in school.

 

[arnuld]

Does the Five Dialogues book include The Symposium? That is a dialog I have enjoyed going back to. It is about the nature of love. (Tip: look for the appearance of Alcibiades.) Socrates "proves" that the best function of love is to lead us to love of something higher, beauty, I think.

so you have some book recommendations that have Symposium ?

I never cared for The Republic which I had to read in school.

Is it that bad ?

 

[silverseason]

so you have some book recommendations that have Symposium ?

Is it that bad ?

The Symposium can be found in paperback and is often included in various collections of Plato's dialogs.

In the dialogs Socrates engages in discussion with one or more disciples. The disciples raise various points and occasionally object, but always end by agreeing with Socrates. You can play disciple yourself and try to find the flaws in the arguments. There are some (flaws), and the mental engagement is really worth while.

As to The Republic, I was probably too young when I read it and had a negative reaction to his various prescriptions for an orderly society. I was feeling rather disorderly at the time and did not want to be told what to do. Still, however, a stimulating book for his take on the nature of reality.

 

[LoeMa]

I found The Republic quite interesting. I read it during my study when I occupied with Utopian ideas. A lot of Plato's thoughts can be found in later books like More's Utopia and of course in totalitarian systems.
And I like his allegory of the cave.

One of my favorites is also The Symposium, but I also like Phaidon (about Socrates' death) and Phaidros.

Regards

 

[Libra]

I bought this booklet: Plato-with complete translations of Euthyphro,Apology,Crito,Phaedo and Allegory of the Cave.

I have never read anything like this before so any enlightment will be apreciated.

 

[silverseason]

I bought this booklet: Plato-with complete translations of Euthyphro,Apology,Crito,Phaedo and Allegory of the Cave.

In dialogs by Plato, the leader of the discussion is Socrates. Socrates wrote nothing, we only know him through the works of others, principally Plato. I suggest you read the Wikipedia entry
Trial of Socrates - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some quick background. Most of the material in the book you bought does deal with Socrates trial and death.

I very much enjoyed I.F. Stone's book (described in the Wikipedia article) on the fairness or not of Socrates trial and execution.

The allegory of the cave is one portion of the longer The Republic.

 

[Libra]

In dialogs by Plato, the leader of the discussion is Socrates. Socrates wrote nothing, we only know him through the works of others, principally Plato. I suggest you read the Wikipedia entry
Trial of Socrates - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some quick background. Most of the material in the book you bought does deal with Socrates trial and death.

I very much enjoyed I.F. Stone's book (described in the Wikipedia article) on the fairness or not of Socrates trial and execution.

The allegory of the cave is one portion of the longer The Republic.

Thank you silverseason. I am going to be studying this weekend.

 

[Blindsided]

The Apology and Euthyphro are pretty good.

 

[Libra]

I got tired of Socrates babbling and am taking a break from it.