Plato

Meno

David Sedley

Plato's Meno and Phaedo are two of the most important works of ancient western philosophy and continue to be studied around the world. The Meno is a seminal work of epistemology. The Phaedo is a key source for Platonic metaphysics and for Plato's conception of the human soul. Together they illustrate the birth of Platonic philosophy from Plato's reflections on Socrates' life and doctrines. This edition offers new and accessible translations of both works, together with a thorough introduction that explains the arguments of the two dialogues and their place in Plato's thought.

Plato: Meno and Phaedo

lily_z_z_z

All the rivers flow together into this chasm and flow out of it again. And each river comes to be like the kind of earth through which it flows. The cause of all the streams flowing out from here, and flowing inside, is that this liquid has no base and no foundation. So it oscillates and surges back and forth, and the air and the wind around the liquid do the same. For they follow along with the liquid, both when it rushes towards the other side of the earth and when it rushes towards our side. 

Donald

I read this after listening to a lecture by Leo Strauss about it. The beautiful and brief dialogue about geometry is one of my favorite things written by Plato.

(Question - the word virtue comes from the Latin virtus. What word is used in the original Greek? Arete?)

Meno

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