Philebus

by Plato

Overview

The Philebus is a Socratic dialogue written in the 4th century BC by Plato. Besides Socrates (the main speaker) the other interlocutors are Philebus and Protarchus. Philebus, who advocates the life of physical pleasure (hedonism), hardly participates, and his position is instead defended by Protarchus, who learnt argumentation from Sophists. Socrates proposes there are higher pleasures (such as those of the mind) as well as lower ones, and asks if the best life isn't one that optimally mixes both. Manuscripts of the work give it the subtitle "peri hēdonēs, ēthikos" ("ethics/moral concerning pleasure") implying that its topic is "concerning pleasure" and it is a work on ethics - that is, the question of what way of life is best. However "there are large parts in the dialogue that deal with dialectics and ontology but have nothing to do with pleasure and ethics, or if so, only indirectly"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781006313431
Publisher:	Blurb
Publication date:	07/02/2024
Pages:	132
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.28(d)

About the Author

James L. Wood is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Xavier University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Plato, Socrates, and Their Time: A Brief Chronology
A Note on the Text

Philebus

Appendix A: Plato on the Good as Pleasure or Wisdom

1. Republic 505a–505d

Appendix B: Plato on the Forms and the Good

1. Republic 475e–476d
2. Timaeus 27d–28a
3. Symposium 210e–211b
4. Parmenides 130a–135c
5. Republic 505d–509b

Appendix C: Plato on Dialectic

1. Republic 531e–534d
2. Sophist 253a–254b, 259d–e

Appendix D: Plato on Four Kinds, Elements, Divine Intellect

1. Timaeus 29d–30c, 46c–e, 47e–52d
2. Phaedo 97b–99c

Appendix E: Plato on Kinds of Pleasure, False and Impure Pleasures

1. Republic 580d–587a
2. Republic 558d–559c
3. Protagoras 351b–358a
4. Gorgias 491d–495b

Appendix F: Aristotle on Pleasure

1. Nicomachean Ethics X.2–5

Appendix G: Aristotle on Metaphysics

1. Metaphysics I.6

Appendix H: Epicurus on Pleasure

1. From Diogenes Laertius, “Letter to Menoeceus,” Lives of Eminent Philosophers, X.121–132

Appendix I: The Stoics on Physics and Metaphysics

1. From Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, VII.134–156

Works Cited and Select Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

James L. Wood has devoted himself to understanding and explaining the Philebus. The result is this accomplished translation, together with plentiful explanatory notes about Plato’s language and argument, and a series of appendices containing long quotes from Plato and Aristotle on topics related to those covered in this dialogue. The translation has an engaging near-literal quality that can give surprisingly transparent glimpses into Plato’s Greek, in a way reminiscent of Allan Bloom’s Republic. A lot of people will want to have this book, both newcomers to Plato and his long-time readers.” — Nickolas Pappas, Executive Officer, Philosophy, CUNY Graduate Center

“James Wood’s translation of, and commentary on, Plato’s Philebus is a valuable resource for anyone who has the intellectual stamina to tackle one of the more difficult works in the history of Greek Philosophy. His introduction is lucid and engaging, and his translation succeeds in achieving his goal of striking ‘a balance between faithfulness and readability, with an emphasis on the former.’ His series of appendices provides companion texts, not only from Plato, but also from Aristotle, Epicurus and the Stoics. These help the reader to see the issues addressed in the Philebus—the good life, pleasure, knowledge and the metaphysical framework that holds them all together—in a broader context. In sum, Wood’s book is a fine piece of work.” — David Roochnik, Maria Stata Professor of Classical Greek Studies, Boston University

From the Publisher