Method of Hypothesis and the Nature of Soul in Plato''s Phaedo

This study of Plato's Phaedo promotes better understanding of its arguments for the soul's immortality by showing how Plato intended them, not as proofs, but as properly dialectical arguments functioning in accordance with the method of hypothesis.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. The inconclusive character of the Phaedo's arguments; 3. The dialectical function of the method of hypothesis; 4. Dialectical progression in the discussion of suicide; 5. The dialectical function of the cyclical arguments; 6. The recollection argument's introduction of the Forms hypothesis; 7. The turn to the nature of soul in the affinity argument; 8. Soul as substance in Socrates' response to Simmias; 9. Toward the nature of soul in the final argument; 10. Justified belief on the way to first principles; 11. Mythologia and the Philosophic Life.

Summary

This study of Plato's Phaedo promotes better understanding of its arguments for the soul's immortality by showing how Plato intended them, not as proofs, but as properly dialectical arguments functioning in accordance with the method of hypothesis.

Product details

• Authors: John Palmer, John (University of Florida) Palmer
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.02.2021
• EAN: 9781108930871
• ISBN: 978-1-108-93087-1
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in Ancient Philosophy
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, Ancient History, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Philosophy: logic, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500, Plato; Phaedo; soul; immortality; dialectic