Plato

Plato is one of the 16 books that is part of the SSRC Philosophers Series called “Free Thinkers.” The series is an attempt to present the teachings of many of the great philosophers throughout history in a way that average readers without academic backgrounds can easily understand. Plato (424-347 BCE) was a student of Socrates and a brilliant writer. More than anyone else he captured the essence of Socrates’ teachings. Plato sought to understand what it means to be a good human being. He presented a ‘way of life’ that emphasized clear thinking and good character. Plato conveyed his vision dramatically through narratives of Socrates conducting his dialogues, thereby depicting philosophy as a process, a dialectic, rather than a conclusion. He portrays Socrates as posing questions to others such as what is virtue, what is friendship, and what is knowledge. He put himself on the same level as the persons he draws into the dialectic, as not himself knowing the answer, but as entering on a joint adventure. In this way, Plato shows that the love of wisdom and philosophy are open to everyone, and that inquiry into what makes a truly good human requires no specialized, technical language or skill. It is a need and a purpose common to all humanity. Through the dialogue, the participants come to realize their false assumptions and slowly learn something new about themselves.