Plato and his Predecessors The Dramatisation of Reason [Paperback]

A consideration of how Plato represents his philosophical predecessors in a late quartet of dialogues.Plato and his Predecessors considers how Plato represents his philosophical predecessors in a late quartet of dialogues: the Theaetetus, the Sophist, the Politicus and the Philebus. These predecessors appear in imaginary conversations; and they are refuted when they fail to defend their philosophical positions in debate. Professor McCabe argues that Plato's reflections on these conversations allow him to develop a new account of the principles of reason, and forge a fresh view of the best life--the life of the philosopher.Plato and his Predecessors considers how Plato represents his philosophical predecessors in a late quartet of dialogues: the Theaetetus, the Sophist, the Politicus and the Philebus. These predecessors appear in imaginary conversations; and they are refuted when they fail to defend their philosophical positions in debate. Professor McCabe argues that Plato's reflections on these conversations allow him to develop a new account of the principles of reason, and forge a fresh view of the best life--the life of the philosopher.Plato and his Predecessors considers how Plato represents his philosophical predecessors in a late quartet of dialogues: the Theaetetus, the Sophist, the Politicus and the Philebus. These predecessors appear in imaginary conversations; and they are refuted when they fail to defend their philosophical positions in debate. Professor McCabe argues that Plato's reflections on these conversations allow him to develop a new account of the principles of reason, and forge a fresh view of the best life--the life of the philosopher.Preface; 1. Introduction; Part I. The Opponents: 2. Measuring sincerity; 3. Missing persons; 4. Can the Heraclitean live his Heracliteanism?; Part II. Teleology: 5. Myth and its end; 6. Outwitting the cunning man; Part III. Reason and the Philosopher: 7. Tracking down the philosopher; 8. The sufficiency of reasonlCÔ