Myth and Philosophy in Plato's Phaedrus

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Ancient, Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book Myth and Philosophy in Plato's Phaedrus by Daniel S. Werner, Cambridge University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Daniel S. Werner ISBN: 9781139540131
Publisher: Cambridge University Press Publication: July 9, 2012
Imprint: Cambridge University Press Language: English
Author: Daniel S. Werner
ISBN: 9781139540131
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication: July 9, 2012
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Language: English

Plato's dialogues frequently criticize traditional Greek myth, yet Plato also integrates myth with his writing. Daniel S. Werner confronts this paradox through an in-depth analysis of the Phaedrus, Plato's most mythical dialogue. Werner argues that the myths of the Phaedrus serve several complex functions: they bring nonphilosophers into the philosophical life; they offer a starting point for philosophical inquiry; they unify the dialogue as a literary and dramatic whole; they draw attention to the limits of language and the limits of knowledge; and they allow Plato to co-opt cultural authority as a way of defining and legitimating the practice of philosophy. Platonic myth, as a species of traditional tale, is thus both distinct from philosophical dialectic and similar to it. Ultimately, the most powerful effect of Platonic myth is the way in which it leads readers to participate in Plato's dialogues and to engage in a process of self-examination.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Plato's dialogues frequently criticize traditional Greek myth, yet Plato also integrates myth with his writing. Daniel S. Werner confronts this paradox through an in-depth analysis of the Phaedrus, Plato's most mythical dialogue. Werner argues that the myths of the Phaedrus serve several complex functions: they bring nonphilosophers into the philosophical life; they offer a starting point for philosophical inquiry; they unify the dialogue as a literary and dramatic whole; they draw attention to the limits of language and the limits of knowledge; and they allow Plato to co-opt cultural authority as a way of defining and legitimating the practice of philosophy. Platonic myth, as a species of traditional tale, is thus both distinct from philosophical dialectic and similar to it. Ultimately, the most powerful effect of Platonic myth is the way in which it leads readers to participate in Plato's dialogues and to engage in a process of self-examination.

More books from Cambridge University Press

Cover of the book Global Shell Games by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Hadrons at Finite Temperature by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book The Urbanisation of Rome and Latium Vetus by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book The River, the Plain, and the State by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Law and Literature by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book The Neurology of Olfaction by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Seismic Amplitude by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book The Prevention Principle in International Environmental Law by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Cosmic Magnetic Fields by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Epicureans and Atheists in France, 1650–1729 by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Introducing Phonetic Science by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book Foundations of Psychiatric Sleep Medicine by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book China, India and the International Economic Order by Daniel S. Werner
Cover of the book The Philosophical Writings of Descartes: Volume 3, The Correspondence by Daniel S. Werner
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy