The present volume is the PhD thesis of Samuel Scolnicov, co-founder of the International Plato Society, published posthumously to illustrate the foundation of his interest in the 'core Plato'. The issues raised in this thesis are now of wider interest than they were then and many of his theses have found wider acceptance. The book is edited by Harold Tarrant, long-time colleague and friend of Samuel Scolnicov and preceded by a foreword not only by the editor, but also the authorís niece, Hanna Scolnicov, giving a more personal and detailed introduction to the author behind the thesis and putting his achievements into a broader perspective.
Euthydemus has long been overlooked, often dismissed as a mere collection of sophistic fallacies. This book argues for its serious consideration, revealing it as a significant expression of Plato's philosophy, highlighting the dialogical essence of his thought, his innovative views on language and education, and the foundational importance of ethics. The Lectures focus on the dialogue not merely as literature but as essential for interpreting its themes. They explore Plato's concept of dialogue alongside his beliefs about language, both written and spoken, which he views as fundamentally non-communicative, contrasting with the sophistic art of correct speech. The sophistic claim regarding the impossibility of contradiction must be challenged for both logical and ethical reasons, with the soul, as the site of contradiction, emerging as crucial in Plato's ethics, philosophy of education, and language. The final Lecture illuminates the distinction between the Socratic method and sophistic eristic, a nuance missed by the dialogue's anonymous listener and many modern scholars. Scolnicov's insights reflect extensive engagement with Plato, free from the limitations of a single intellectual tradition, and encompass a keen interest in both philosophy and education. For those seeking a deeper understanding, the original dialogue remains essential reading.
The articles in this volume are a selection of the papers presented at the Sixth Symposium Platonicum of the International Plato Society in Jerusalem. They reflect the breadth of topics and the range of problems present in Plato's Laws: Problems of editing and literary form, rhetoric and style, Homeric quotations; the Socratic influence; soul and motion; pleasure, virtue and happiness, ethics and education, gender; public offices, economics, and philosophy of history; political philosophy and religion. Addressed are also the historical and literary contexts of the Laws, and its later repercussions. The volume includes a unified Bibliography, an Index locorum and a Subject Index.
