James Patterson’s Reviews > Plato: Complete Works > Status Update
James Patterson
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Phaedo - the philosophically least robust so far, but literary quality is phenomenal. A great read. Some strange jokes, expressions and allusions, moreso than the preceding three. Starting to see what Socrates does when he puts forward a philosophical position, unlike Euthyphro, which is moreso just socratic questioning. Some arguments emerge here which have better expression in Republic etc. Suprisingly moving.
— Jun 25, 2026 12:09AM
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James’s Previous Updates
James Patterson
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Crito - very easily misunderstood, and hard to read outside the shadow of Hobbes etc. I think this is one of those dialogues that is greatly benefitted by historical knowledge of Athenian custom (of which I only have enough to know that I am lacking in it). Much less compelling argumentation from Socrates compared to the Apology.
— Jun 25, 2026 12:06AM
James Patterson
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Apology - I remember there being more of a direct rebuttal of the accusations than there actually is. Socrates skips over the charges of making the weaker argument the stronger, and corruptign the youth. Maybe I was confusing the content of this dialogue with Gorgias. Anyhow, just another great exemplar of his method and character. A must.
— Jun 25, 2026 12:04AM
James Patterson
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Euthyphro - Just a classic. I think Derrida makes far too much of a fuss about this, its interesting that piety itself comes up again in the Phaedo as something eternal and taken for granted; while here, it's questioned. Possibly the clearest example of the socratic method, especially nice since someone else is making a lot of the substantial claims.
— Jun 25, 2026 12:02AM
