Plato's Symposium: A Critical Guide (Cambridge Critical Guides) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1107525691 ISBN 13: 9781107525696

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2019

Synopsis

Plato's Symposium is an exceptionally multi-layered dialogue. At once a historical document, a philosophical drama that enacts abstract ideas in an often light-hearted way, and a literary masterpiece, it has exerted an influence that goes well beyond the confines of philosophy. The essays in this volume, by leading scholars, offer detailed analyses of all parts of the work, focusing on the central and much-debated theme of erōs or 'human desire' - which can refer both to physical desire or desire for happiness. They reveal thematic continuities between the prologue and the various speeches as well as between the speeches themselves, and present a rich collection of contrasting yet complementary readings of Diotima's speech. The volume will be invaluable for classicists and philosophers alike, and for all who are interested in one of Plato's most fascinating and challenging dialogues.

About this title

Book Description:

This book presents new readings of all parts of Plato's Symposium and offers fresh perspectives on topics including beauty, desire, and immortality. Students and scholars in philosophy and classics will benefit from this insightful and critical examination of a complex and influential dialogue of philosophical, historical, and literary interest.

About the Author:

Pierre Destrée is Associate Research Professor in Philosophy at Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. He has co-edited several volumes on ancient ethics, politics, and aesthetics, including The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle's Politics (Cambridge, 2013).

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1107525691
• ISBN 13: 9781107525696
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 280
• Editor: Destrée Pierre, Giannopoulou Zina