Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.5. Pushback: The SophistAbout the same time that Isocrates published his pamphlet Against the Sophists, another pamphlet appeared — also an advertisement for an…6h ago6h ago
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.4 Pushback: The EducatorIn the intellectual world of Athens, too, things were looking up. Since the death of Socrates in 399 BC, the Socratics had been flooding…3d ago3d ago
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First Philosophers10.3 Isolating SpartaMeanwhile in Greece, the Pax Spartica was falling apart. At the end of the Peloponnesian War, the Peloponnesian League was victorious…Aug 12Aug 12
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.2 To the Victor the SpoilsAs one might expect, at the end of the Peloponnesian War, the victorious Spartans imposed their own regimes on subject states, usually with…Aug 9Aug 9
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 10.1 Cyrus’ ExpeditionAt the beginning of the fourth century BC, Sparta was the dominant city of Greece. As the leader of the Peloponnesian League, she had…Aug 7Aug 7
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.7 Socrates’ Philosophical LegacyPlato sees himself as a product of Socrates’ education. Socrates claimed not to be a teacher or to have students. But he certainly had…Aug 5Aug 5
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.6 Plato’s Re-Creation of SocratesIt is an important historical and biographical fact that Plato started out writing his dialogues as part of a movement by the followers of…Aug 2Aug 2
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.5 Plato’s Portrayals of SocratesNow instead of meeting one Socrates, we are in danger of meeting many. This work, however, is a study of Plato, not of his fellow…Jul 31Jul 31
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.4.4 Socrates as a Moral PhilosopherPlato’s Socrates (as the student portrays his master in his early or Socratic dialogues) is an ambiguous figure. He seeks tirelessly to…Jul 29Jul 29
Daniel W. Graham, PhDinThe First PhilosophersPlato 9.4.3 Socrates as a Perpetual SeekerOne important and viable interpretation of the historical Socrates is as a perennial seeker of wisdom, particularly an adequate…Jul 262Jul 262