Plato: Complete Works

by Plato

Plato was a philosopher in Ancient Greece. He was an essential figure in the development of philosophy, especially the Western tradition, and he founded the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Plato's dialogues have been used to teach a range of subjects, including philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric, religion and mathematics. His lasting themes include Platonic love, the theory of forms, the five regimes, innate knowledge, among others. His theory of forms launched a unique perspective on abstract objects, and led to a school of thought called Platonism. This collection contains the following works by Early Works •Apology •Charmides, or Temperance •Crito •Euthyphro •Gorgias •Hippias, Lesser •Hippias, Greater •Ion •Laches •Lysis •Protagoras Transitional Works •Cratylus •Euthydemus •Meno •Parmenides •Phaedo •Phaedrus •Symposium •The Republic Middle Works •Theaetetus Late Works •Critias •Laws •Philebus •Sophist •Statesman •Timaeus

Genres: Classics, Philosophy, Nonfiction, History

1827 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2017

About the author

Plato (Greek: Πλάτων), born Aristocles (c. 427 – 348 BC), was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms. He raised problems for what became all the major areas of both theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy, and was the founder of the Platonic Academy, a philosophical school in Athens where Plato taught the doctrines that would later become known as Platonism.
Plato's most famous contribution is the theory of forms (or ideas), which has been interpreted as advancing a solution to what is now known as the problem of universals. He was decisively influenced by the pre-Socratic thinkers Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, although much of what is known about them is derived from Plato himself.
Along with his teacher Socrates, and Aristotle, his student, Plato is a central figure in the history of philosophy. Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years—unlike that of nearly all of his contemporaries. Although their popularity has fluctuated, they have consistently been read and studied through the ages. Through Neoplatonism, he also greatly influenced both Christian and Islamic philosophy. In modern times, Alfred North Whitehead famously said: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."

Reviews

[Devan Jones]

A hefty book indeed. Perfect text for reference and collation of one of the greatest minds of all time.

[Chad]

START HERE AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT ARGUING POINTS UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT SOCRATES IS DOING AND HOW AND WHY.