Knowledge and Ignorance of Self in Platonic Philosophy

The only available volume of essays from scholars of every interpretative viewpoint on self-knowledge and self-ignorance in Plato's thought.

James M. Ambury (Edited by), Andy German (Edited by)

9781316635728, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 21 January 2021

284 pages, 1 table
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.387 kg

Knowledge and Ignorance of Self in Platonic Philosophy is the first volume of essays dedicated to the whole question of self-knowledge and its role in Platonic philosophy. It brings together established and rising scholars from every interpretative school of Plato studies, and a variety of texts from across Plato's corpus - including the classic discussions of self-knowledge in the Charmides and Alcibiades I, and dialogues such as the Republic, Theaetetus, and Theages, which are not often enough mined for insights about this crucial philosophical topic. The rich variety of readings and hermeneutical methods (as well as the comprehensive research bibliography included in the volume) allows for an encompassing view of the relevant scholarly debates. The volume is intended to serve as a standard resource for further research on Plato's treatment of self-knowledge, and will highlight the relevance of Plato's thought to contemporary debates on selfhood, self-reflection and subjectivity.

Introduction: self-knowledge as thematic intersection Andy German and James M. Ambury
1. Self-knowledge and the good Lloyd P. Gerson
2. Two faces of platonic self-knowledge: Alcibiades I and Charmides Thomas Tuozzo
3. Socratic self-knowledge and the limits of Epist?m? Drew A. Hyland
4. Socratic wisdom and platonic knowledge in the dialogues of Plato Sara Ahbel Rappe
5. Between ascent and descent: self-knowledge and Plato's allegory of the cave James M. Ambury
6. Self-knowledge and the use of the self in the Platonic Theages Brian Marrin
7. Between biography and biology: bios and self-knowledge in Plato's Phaedrus Sara Brill
8. A toil-loving soul Jeremy Bell
9. Mathematical self-ignorance and sophistry: Theodorus and Protagoras Andy German
10. Why is knowledge of ignorance good? Marina McCoy
11. Self-knowledge in Plato's Symposium Eric Sanday
12. Double ignorance and the perversion of self-knowledge Danielle A. Layne
13. Philebus, Laws and self-ignorance Harold Tarrant.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA]