Knowledge and Politics in Plato's Theaetetus

Bibliographic Data

ID6568558
AuthorsPaul Stern
Year2008
Pages328
Publication date2008-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueKnowledge and Politics in Plato's Theaetetus (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherCambridge University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1017/cbo9780511551246
ISBN9780511551246
Open LibraryOL10438452M
LanguageEN
Citations received12

"The Theaetetus is one of the most widely studied Platonic dialogues because its dominant theme concerns the significant philosophical question, what is knowledge? In a new interpretation of this dialogue, Paul Stern provides the first full-length treatment of its political content, particularly its relationship with the epistemological theme. Stern argues that this approach sheds significant light on the distinctiveness of the Socratic way of life, with respect to its initial justification and its ultimate character. More specifically, he argues that Socrates' revolutionary decision to subject political life to philosophic reflection, the decision that leads directly to his trial and execution, is his awareness of the elusiveness of comprehensive knowledge and the implications of that elusiveness for the validity of philosophic inquiry. This view of Socrates' rationale has important consequences for our understanding of political philosophy and of the desirability of the life of reason."--Jacket.

Ancient Greek & Roman philosophy · General · Knowledge · Political science · ancient · Philosophy · Plato · Theory of knowledge