Protagoras by Plato (PDF)

Description

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐As described

⭐This audiobook can be found on librivox.

⭐Needed this for a class. Bound well, essential Plato.

⭐This is a pretty mundane and selective translation from the Greek text. There are far better (and more accurate) translations of this work by Plato.

⭐Pretty Interesting. I guess arguing was a form of entertainment back then .

⭐I didn’t get to use it as I had planned. But I know this series is good.

⭐much ado about nothing……

⭐The Protagoras is a must read for understanding Plato’s great esteem for Socrates as well as being a cornerstone of the Platonic ideological project. Both points need to be understood to grasp all that is in this dialogue.Socrates, as much as one can tell from a 2,500 year vantage point, was committed to grounding ethical human conduct in rational discourse. His method was to challenge the leading men of Athens to provide a consistent account of the better known virtues such as courage, temperance or justice. Without exception, these men would pronounce something inconsistent and end up in befuddlement much to the amusement of young Athenians.Because of this, Socrates was criminally charged with corrupting the young and executed. His martyrdom changed the course of Western civilization.For Plato did not merely repeat Socrates but extended his mission. Here, in one of his early dialogues, Plato distinguishes Socrates from another body of controversial men known as the Sophists. Also interested in the education of the young, they received money for training the youth in, among other things, oratory. Because the Sophists were also blamed for corrupting the young, Plato is here trying to show the essential difference between Socrates and Protagoras, one of the Sophists. While the Sophists could teach the young how to be successful in the society of ancient Athens, Socrates was only interested in the young grounding their ethical life on reason—to Plato the farthest thing from corruption.This leads to the second point, which is what might be called the Platonic project. In dialogues leading up to the Republic, Plato both tries to exonerate Socrates of the charges against him and show that Athenian society should itself be grounded in Socrates’ method and assumptions. In the Protagoras the argument hinges on whether the good man is taught virtue by all the citizens of Athens or if virtue is unteachable. Of course, the tacit answer is that the young should be taught virtue by following the method and example of Socrates. This grounding culminates in the Republic where Socrates sees the Good in itself and is thus transformed and ready to lead society.The early dialogues are always delightful for their wordplay and witticism and the Protagoras is no exception. It is very fun to read and is an excellent choice for the new student of Plato. It is well, though, if he or she would keep in mind that this is one work in an organized corpus and that it has a meaning far beyond the purported topic of in what sense do the different virtues resemble each other. It touches upon the meaning of Socrates, the organization of society and the way of life which should be led by us all.

⭐Decent

⭐difficult read

⭐Arriving to an argument by socratic means. Perfect example of philosophical debate. Socrates meats Protagoras in a set of Questions that lead us to the conclusion: virtue is knowledge.

⭐For a student this book is almost useless. It’s fine if you can read Plato pretty much at sight, but even then, the notes are nugatory and rarely enlightening. We need a decent modern commentary.

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