Plato's Phaedo: Forms, Death, and the Philosophical Life

In his book "Plato's Phaedo: A Comprehensive Interpretation," David Ebrey argues that the dialogue's central ideas and arguments can only be understood in light of its overall structure. He offers new interpretations of key ideas such as the nature of Platonic forms, the soul's existence after death, the method of hypothesis, and the contemplative ethical ideal. Ebrey also shows how the characters play an integral role in the Phaedo's development and how its literary structure complements Socrates' views while making its own distinctive contribution to the dialogue's drama and ideas.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Plato's Phaedo is a literary masterpiece that explores numerous profound ideas. In his meticulous reinterpretation, David Ebrey contends that the numerous debates surrounding the dialogue cannot be settled unless we examine its passages in relative isolation from one another, disconnected from their intellectual context. Ebrey's book delves into how Plato responds to the literary, religious, scientific, and philosophical milieu of his time, and he argues that a comprehensive understanding of the dialogue's central ideas and arguments requires considering its overall structure. This approach yields fresh interpretations of the dialogue's key concepts, including the nature and existence of Platonic forms, the soul's existence after death, the method of hypothesis, and the contemplative ethical ideal. Furthermore, this holistic approach demonstrates how the characters play a vital role in the Phaedo's development and how the dialogue's literary structure complements Socrates' views while making its own distinctive contribution to the drama and ideas of the dialogue.

ISBN-13: 9781108479943