MACMILLAN Socrates in the Cave: On the Philosopher’s Motive in Plato (Recovering Political Philosophy)

This book addresses the problem of fully explaining Socrates’ motives for philosophic interlocution in Plato’s dialogues. Why, for instance, does Socrates talk to many philosophically immature and seemingly incapable interlocutors? Are his motives in these cases moral, prudential, erotic, pedagogic, or intellectual? In any one case, can Socrates’ reasons for engaging an unlikely interlocutor be explained fully on the grounds of intellectual self-interest (i.e., the promise of advancing his own wisdom)? Or does his activity, including his self-presentation and staging of his death, require additional motives for adequate explanation? Finally, how, if at all, does our conception of Socrates’ motives help illuminate our understanding of the life of reason as Plato presents it? By inviting a multitude of authors to contribute their thoughts on these question―all of whom share a commitment to close reading, but by no means agree on the meaning of Plato’s dialogues―this book provides the reader with an excellent map of the terrain of these problems and aims to help the student of Plato clarify the tensions involved, showing especially how each major stance on Socrates entails problematic assumptions that prompt further critical reflection. Review “This volume will be of interest to the many scholars and advanced students of Plato, be they in departments of classics, philosophy, political science, or the liberal arts.”(Robert Bartlett, Behrakis Professor of Hellenic Political Studies, Boston College, USA) “The essays… will be consulted by serious scholars of Plato for a long time to come… an important resource.”(Dustin Sebell, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Michigan State University, USA) From the Back Cover This book addresses the problem of fully explaining Socrates’ motives for philosophic interlocution in Plato’s dialogues. Why, for instance, does Socrates talk to many philosophically immature and seemingly incapable interlocutors? Are his motives in these cases moral, prudential, erotic, pedagogic, or intellectual? In any one case, can Socrates’ reasons for engaging an unlikely interlocutor be explained fully on the grounds of intellectual self-interest (i.e., the promise of advancing his own wisdom)? Or does his activity, including his self-presentation and staging of his death, require additional motives for adequate explanation? Finally, how, if at all, does our conception of Socrates’ motives help illuminate our understanding of the life of reason as Plato presents it? By inviting a multitude of authors to contribute their thoughts on these question―all of whom share a commitment to close reading, but by no means agree on the meaning of Plato’s dialogues―this book provides the reader with an excellent map of the terrain of these problems and aims to help the student of Plato clarify the tensions involved, showing especially how each major stance on Socrates entails problematic assumptions that prompt further critical reflection. About the Author Paul J. Diduch is an Instructor in the Herbst Program of Humanities for Engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA. He has published articles and reviews on Plato and Thucydides and is currently working on Socrates’ critique of pre-Socratic science and the problems of virtue and knowledge in Plato’s thought. Michael P. Harding is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Political Science at Montgomery College, USA. He earned his doctorate from the Institute of Philosophic Studies at the University of Dallas, USA.