Aristophanes, a person who wrote brilliant satirical comedies, wrote about him in play called the clouds. An enigmatic figure, he made no writings, and is known chiefly through the accounts of classical writers writing after his. Mar 16, 2017 socrates was an ancient greek philosopher who became very influential in the development of greek philosophy and, thus, western philosophy in general. The book informs the reader on the greek city states of the time, some philosophers of the time, the appliance of democracy in athens, socrates ideas, some of aristotles ideas, events surrounding the life of socrates and his relations to them and finally the trial of socrates. The information we have about socrates was largely written by plato who was a contemporary of socrates. Another of socrates figures, the allegory of the cave, awaits the philosophic pilgrim who has come this far like the gaping mouth of the cave itself.
All our information about him is secondhand and most of it vigorously disputed. Sep 09, 2019 socrates was an ancient greek philosopher considered to be the main source of western thought. Nowadays, we look to a series of dialogues written by plato as a chief source of insight into socrates. The apology of socrates seems to have been written shortly after socratess death. He is, in fact, credited with be ing the originator of dialectic, a method of learni ng that depends partly upon dialogue with thesis and antithesis, that.
Here, the eminent scholar m m mccabe recommends the best books to read to understand socrates. The first two chapters of book i of this work are especially important, because they explicitly undertake a refutation of the charges made against socrates at his trial. Plato books biography and list of works author of the. This metaphor is meant to illustrate the effects of education on the human soul. Stone brings to light the most important issue in a true democracy, the liberated mind and speech of citizens. The internet classics archive the republic by plato.
His philosophy came to us through the books written. It attempts to unravel some of the mysteries behind the case in which socrates, aged. Real knowledge, socrates said, can only be gathered via dialog. The books protagonists, alexias and lysis, study under him in athens. Popular socrates books meet your next favorite book. Navia, professor of philosophy and chair of the social sciences department at new york institute of technology, is the author of many books on ancient.
Offers a highly original study of socrates and his thought, accessible to contemporary readers. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Books by socrates the ecclesiastical history of socrates, surnamed scholasticus, or the advocate. Socrates presents a compelling case for some lifechanging conclusions that follow from a close reading of socrates arguments. Just to be clear, there is no single best book on socrates. Together with the apology of socrates, and more on. And we must not forget that this is the society that executed the man, socrates, on what we might regard today as specious charges. The philosopher socrates remains, as he was in his lifetime 469399 b. About the publisher forgotten books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Buy a cheap copy of the trial of socrates book by i. His father sophroniscus was a stonemason and his mother, phaenarete, was a midwife. Comprising a history of the church in seven books, from the accession of constantine, a. It differs from physics which is concerned with the natural world. I have personally read only one book of plato and that is, the republic.
There have been two books of the many i have read that have been the most pivotal for me in advancing my understanding of history. See all books authored by socrates, including the ecclesiastical history of socrates, surnamed scholasticus, or the advocate. Plato claims that this meant that writing could not be adopted as a memory bank since individuals who study a written document would only develop a partial knowledge of authors implication 28. They are not written records, but artistic recreation of socrates in action. In book vii, socrates presents the most beautiful and famous metaphor in western philosophy. Written by an outstanding international team of scholars, this companion explores the profound influence of socrates on the history of western philosophy discusses the life of socrates and key philosophical doctrines associated with him.
Plato lectured extensively at the academy, and wrote on many philosophical issues. The first was julian jaynes masterwork, the origin of consciousness in the breakdown of the bicameral mind, and the second is navias socrates. Socrates and plato 17 time line for socrates 470 bc is born in athens, greece, the son of sophroniscus, a stonemason, and phaenarete, a midwife. The book s protagonists, alexias and lysis, study under him in athens. The republic by plato, the trial and death of socrates euthyphro, apology, crito, phaedo. What is socrates argument against writing in the book of. The best book for you will depend on your preferred learning style and the amount of time that you want to spend reading about socrates.
Res publica is a socratic dialogue, written by plato around 375 bc, concerning justice. At the time in which the republic was written, athens was a democratic state, a state which showed that it had no use for men like the man socrates or his younger fellows men including plato. It is his most elaborate figure yet and, assuredly, his most important. The best books on socrates five books expert recommendations. Socrates was an ancient greek philosopher considered to be the main source of western thought. It is platos bestknown work, and has proven to be one of the worlds most influential works of philosophy and political theory, both intellectually. Plato has socrates use the method of elenchus in an attempt.
In this way plato lets us know that he was an eyewitness of the trial and therefore in the best possible position to write about it. Does that represent the same socrates that we saw in platos apology. Aristophanes, a playwright, is the main contemporary author to have written plays mentioning socrates during socrates lifetime, though a fragment of ion of chios travel journal provides important information about socrates youth. An investigation into the trial of the greek philosopher socrates 469399 bc. Written by a leading historian of greek thought, it argues for a socrates who, though long overshadowed by his successors plato and aristotle. Socrates was an ancient greek philosopher who became very influential in the development of greek philosophy and, thus, western philosophy in general. Rudebuschs advocacy of socrates as a thinker who has much to tell us about the good human life is carried off with passion and grace, as well as an enviable succinctness and clarity.
Plato, student of socrates and teacher of aristotle, shared perspective on his teacher in several works, including the four dialogues of the trial and death of socrates. Socrates presents a compelling case for some lifechanging. Our main source of what we know about socrates is from the writings of his student, plato. He had a certain aura on the football pitch and thats what made me a fan of his. Although in none of platos dialogues is plato himself a conversational partner or even a witness to a conversation, in the apology socrates says that plato is one of several friends in the audience. The most extensive knowledge we have of him comes from platos many dialogues, but there is a little information about him in the historian xenophons memorabilia, apology and symposium, and in. In book iv of the republic, written by plato, socrates makes an argument for why an individual should strive to be just, or more importantly, why being just is more profitable than being unjust to the individual. Aristotles metaphysics was the first major study of the subject of metaphysics in other words, an inquiry into first philosophy, or wisdom. Exceptionally relevant today as it was 2500 years ago in athens. It is known as a socratic dialogue and is perhaps one of platos best known works.
His philosophy came to us through the books written by his. I first saw socrates on tv watching the 82 world cup in spain and was mesmerized by his skill and talent. Apr 16, 2019 the apology of socrates seems to have been written shortly after socrates s death. Stone, 1989, anchor books edition, in english 1st anchor books ed. Socrates is a major character in mary renaults historical novel the last of the wine. Western philosophy without ever having written a word. The lives and times of socrates, plato and aristotle is a look into what it might have been like for socrates, plato, and aristotle to live in athens in the fourth and fifth centuries bce. A humorous version of the deceased socrates appears in john kendrick bangss comic novel a houseboat on the styx and its sequels. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. What are the best books written by plato aristotle and socrates. Another of socrates students, xenophon also wrote about socrates. The book is on the discussion among socrates and other philosophers. In metaphysics, the study falls on being qua being being insofar as it is being.
A brilliant book written by a life long journalist who returned to a love of philosophy in retirement. The republic book vii summary and analysis gradesaver. Socrates on life and death plato, apology 40c541c7. Discusses the life of socrates and key philosophical doctrines associated with him. But with a book, that cannot be done unless one has access to the author. See all books authored by socrates, including platos divine dialogues. Other texts in this time period include protagoras, euthyphro, hippias major and minor and ion. And it just so happens that there are only two authors who have written anything on socrates and his philosophy that knew him okay, theres aristophanes, but im. Like jesus, his teachi ngs were all oral and person to person. Project gutenberg offers 61,909 free ebooks to download.
Some of platos dialogues, such as the crito and the phaedo, are loosely based on fact. Socrates simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Education moves the philosopher through the stages on the divided line, and ultimately brings him to the form of. In book two, socrates, thrasymachus and adeimantus decide to focus on a.
Some speculate that it originally stood on its own as a dialogue dating from the early period in which case it would have been called thrasymachus. This book is an engaging, wittily written analysis of the conversations between alcibiades and socrates. Res publica is a socratic dialogue, authored by plato around 375 bc, concerning justice. True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us. Brand new platform download all of my affirmations here. Jan 01, 2005 written by an outstanding international team of scholars, this companion explores the profound influence of socrates on the history of western philosophy. The argument of the republic is the search after justice, the nature of which is first hinted at by cephalus, the just and blameless old manthen discussed on the basis of proverbial morality by socrates and polemarchusthen caricatured by thrasymachus and partially explained by socratesreduced to an abstraction by glaucon and adeimantus. Also check out our list of stoic quotes that will strengthen your perspective on life. Youve chosen another book by plato, the theaetetus. Books by plato sorted by popularity project gutenberg. May 15, 2019 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. A legendary figure even in his own time, he was admired by his followers for his integrity, his selfmastery, his profound philosophical insight, and his great argumentative skill. Book i adhers to the structure of a typical early dialogue. May 18, 2011 real knowledge, socrates said, can only be gathered via dialog.
The socrates of the republic is in control, and takes the main role in the. It is platos bestknown work, and has proven to be one of the worlds most influential works of philosophy. All of what we know about socrates is from what other people wrote about him. The most important writings of plato are his dialogues. He was condemned to death for his socratic method of questioning. He believed that the revolution of the written speech at that time writting was considered a revolution, remember that homer iliad and. The most extensive knowledge we have of him comes from platos many dialogues, but there is a little information about him in the historian xenophons memorabilia, apology and symposium, and in aristophanes the clouds and the wasps. Socrates was an ancient greek philosopher, one of the three greatest figures of the ancient period of western philosophy the others were plato and aristotle, who lived in athens in the 5th century bce. An 800page scholarly overview is unlikely to be best for someone looking for a short beginnerfriendly introduction. In book vii socrates continues work toward a more complete representation of the good. William hackett has written a very good book explaining about the famous greek socratesreading this made me understand the socrates theories a littler better. Ariel helfer captures well the challenges and difficulties of a socratic education, and in the process, he also brings out important questions about the desire to do good, political power, dependence on the divine, and the meaning of fame. Socrates was a classical greek athenian philosopher credited as one of the founders of western philosophy, and as being the first moral philosopher of the western ethical tradition of thought. I loved that book because it made me realize that these philosophers had amazing argumentative skills.
Socrates books list of books by author socrates thriftbooks. Socrates was born and lived nearly his entire life in athens. In the book of phaedrus, it is revealed that socrates did not like writing claiming that writing did not represent a complete knowledge. There are no known books written by socrates, an ancient greek philosopher. Plato was able to create a socrates of his own design, according to. The socrates of the theaetetus looks more like the socrates of the apology than the socrates of the republic, which many think was written between the apology and the theaetetus. He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature. His defence, his apologia or the apol ogy as it is generally called, is the subject of the little book which here follows. The republic by plato, the trial and death of socrates euthyphro, apology, crito, phaedo by plato, the symposium by plato, ap. Socrates glaucon of he many excellences which i perceive in the order of our state, there is none which upon reflection pleases me better than the rule about poetry. Sep 10, 2009 the experience of this book will be joyous for many readers, as it was for me. As in the phaedo, it is his impending death that prompts socrates to speculate about the nature of the afterlife.