Brickhouse - Böcker

Socrates, as he is portrayed in Plato's early dialogues, remains one of the most controversial figures in the history of philosophy. This book concerns six of the most vexing and often discussed features of Plato's portrayal: Socrates' methodology, epistemology, psychology, ethics, politics, and religion. Brickhouse and Smith cast new light on Plato's early dialogues by providing novel analyses of many of the doctrines and practices for which Socrates is best known. Included are discussions of Socrates' moral method, his profession of ignorance, his denial of akrasia, as well as his views about the relationship between virtue and happiness, the authority of the State, and the epistemic status of his daimonion. By revealing the many interconnections among Socrates' views on a wide variety of topics, this book demonstrates both the richness and the remarkable coherence of the philosophy of Plato's Socrates.

This is the first work to collect in one place all the ancient sources on Socrates' death as well as recent scholarly views. Outside of the Republic, the most widely read of Plato's dialogues are the three that cover the trial of Socrates: the Euthyphro, the Apology, and the Crito. This collection includes these three dialogues, the death scenes from the Phaedo, and all the other major ancient sources that shed light on Socrates' trial and execution. The editors have also included the best recent scholarship on this philosophically and historically momentous event.