Plato - A Civic Life

A new reading of Plato's philosophy that reveals it as deeply shaped by his experiences in Athens.

Plato is a key figure from the beginnings of Western philosophy, yet the impact of his lived experience on his thought has rarely been explored. Born during a war that would lead to Athens' decline, Plato lived in turbulent times. Carol Atack explores how Plato's life in Athens influenced his thought, how he developed the Socratic dialogue into a powerful philosophical tool, and how he used the institutions of Athenian society to create a compelling imaginative world. Accessibly written, this book shows how Plato made Athens the place where diverse ideas were integrated into a new way of approaching the big questions about our lives, then and now.

About the author

Carol Atack teaches classical Greek and ancient philosophy at the University of Cambridge. She is the author and coauthor of two books, most recently Anachronism and Antiquity.

Summary

Chronicles Plato's thought through the lens of his turbulent life.

Product details

• Authors: Carol Atack, Atack Carol
• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 21.10.2024
• EAN: 9781789149463
• ISBN: 978-1-78914-946-3
• No. of pages: 240
• Series: Great Lives of the Ancient World
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; European History, HISTORY / Europe / General, Ancient History, Philosophy and theory of education, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy