Product Description
Lampooned in 406 B.C.E. in a blistering Aristophanic satire, Socrates was tried in 399 B.C.E. on a charge of corrupting the youth, convicted by a jury of about five hundred of his peers, and condemned to death. Glimpsed today through the extant writings of his contemporaries and near-contemporaries, he remains for us as compelling, enigmatic, and elusive a figure as Jesus or Buddha. Although present-day (like ancient Greek) opinion on "the real Socrates" diverges widely, six classic texts that any informed judgment of him must take into account appear together, for the first time, in this volume. Those of Plato and Xenophon appear in new, previously unpublished translations that combine accuracy, accessibility, and readability; that of Aristophanes' Clouds offers these same qualities in an unbowdlerized translation that captures brilliantly the bite of Aristophanes' wit. An Introduction to each text and judicious footnotes provide crucial background information and important cross-references.Amazon.com Review
Socrates has puzzled thinkers and historians for 2,400 years. Loved by some, lampooned by others, both revered and reviled, as an old man he was put to death. We know little for certain about Socrates because he never wrote down his philosophy. Most of what we do know comes from his star pupil, Plato, who wrote a couple dozen dialogues about his teacher's encounters with other Athenians. With The Trials of Socrates, editor C.D.C. Reeve has broadened our view of Socrates by adding the perspectives of Aristophanes and Xenophon to some of Plato's best-known writing on the great philosopher.

In Plato's dialogues--Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, and a short excerpt of Phaedo--readers will find Socrates at his most moral, compelling, defiant, and wry. But other accounts of the famous philosopher, including Aristophanes' hit play The Clouds and Xenophon's Socrates' Defense to the Jury, cast the man in a different light. The Socrates of Aristophanes is a somewhat silly sophist (in fact, Socrates later referred to this play as his first trial in Athens). The Socrates of Xenophon, on the other hand, is practical and conservative.

By including all three authors, Reeve has done a great service for those interested in Socrates. Reeve provides short but helpful interpretive pieces that will guide the reader through the book, and the translations and explanatory footnotes are exceptional. The Trials of Socrates is an excellent volume for readers just coming to Socrates, or for those wanting to broaden their understanding of him. --Eric de Place ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A simple book that is good and inexpensive.
A few key points to make about this book, it is inexpensive, placed in a nice format and order and light weight. It is small, easily fits in my pack and there is some room at the top and bottom to write notes. Not to mention I don't feel bad about writing notes and highlighting because it is so inexpensive. It is a really simple book in terms of format and is accurate to the original texts; I'll let you decide if that is good or bad.

Book for Class
Very good book...Given the proper instructor could help one realize how much in society today reloves around the Socratic method of questioning...

The Death Of Socrates
This is an excellent idea--collect many of the key biographical works on thedeath (and life, to some extent) of Socrates in one volume.In one place you get EUTHYPHRO, APOLOGY, CRITO, PHAEDO (the death scene) as well as Aristophones' CLOUDS and Xenophon's SOCRATES' DEFENSE TO THE JURY.

I've been rereading the works of Plato after a hiatus of some years.Hackett's editions appear to be the best.They have good introductions, notes at the bottom of the page (where they are supposed to be), and are reasonably priced.My only complaint is that the margins could be a bit bigger for note taking. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is the sixth book in a series of Socratic explorations of some of the Great Books. The books in this series are intended to be short, clear, and non-technical, thus fully understandable by beginners. Through such Socratic dialogues, Peter Kreeft introduces (or reviews) the basic questions in the fundamental divisions of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, anthropology, ethics, logic, and method.

In Socrates Meets Hume, Kreeft presents a Socratic inquiry concerning human understanding in relation to the skepticism of Hume by posing questions that challenge the concepts proposed by Hume. Kreeft states that Hume is the "most formidable, serious, difficult-to-refute skeptic in the history of human thought."

Kreeft invites you to take part in the process of refuting Hume's skeptical arguments, with the aid of Socrates. Based on an imaginary dialogue between Socrates and Hume that takes place in the afterlife, this profound and witty book makes an entertaining and informative exploration of modern philosophy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

'Socrates Meets Hume', or, 'Another Fatter Scotsman Lays a Smack-down'
Easily my favorite in this incredibly clear and engaging series, with Socrates Meets Sartre coming in at #2.

Kreeft's intellect, weathered as it is by many decades of careful reading, is incredibly agile, fluent in Socratic liberal abstraction, and easily runs circles around Hume's conclusions, while casting serious doubt on Hume's major premises.Hume is exposed especially well in his circular mishaps, e.g. it is always less probable that a miracle occurred, than it is that a witness of a miracle was lying or deceived, and this is so because only what is experienced is probable, and miracles have never been experienced... this is circular. It is like saying "I don't believe you, because you must be lying. And the reason I think you're lying, is because if you were telling the truth, you wouldn't say that." It is also like saying, "Scientific countries, which are more reliable, tend to disbelieve miracles. And the reason they tend to disbelieve them, is because they are so scientific."If you spin around really fast and close your eyes, you don't get dizzy.Socrates has a way of slowing things down.Dizziness ensues.

At no point in this book did I feel Kreeft was attacking a straw-man version of Hume's arguments.Hume's emphasis on custom and his probabilism are particularly well analyzed and doubted here. (or torn to shreds, for that matter.)Chesterton, who is the other, fatter Scotsman referenced in my fanciful title for this book, gets several pages of face time in this book and his quotes are arresting, to say the least.It is precisely because sense-impressions and brute facts have no contradictories (one of Hume's fundamental points) that miracles do not violate the laws of nature, but are absorbed by those laws, as an entirely new event like a meteor is absorbed by the climate and geography of the earth.(A casual reference to C. S. Lewis's poem 'The Meteorite')It is the naturalist who is the sentimentalist, swept away and soaked by mere associations.Moreover, it is precisely because each event in nature is probabilistically distinct, like the flipping of a coin, that we cannot determine what the probability of a miracle would be. You cannot predict future uniformity by past uniformity, you can only naively expect future uniformity, and this has nothing whatever to do with whether a supernatural cause could intervene, producing a natural effect.To think otherwise is to fall prey to a version of the Gambler's fallacy, or the idea that if the coin has landed heads 10 times in a row, it is highly likely that a tail will come up next.Whereas, it's still 50/50.

And that is exactly how this excellent book ends: now matter how "swept away by associations" Hume or any other naturalist may become, it's still 50/50 with regards to probabilism itself, and Humean skepticism itself.And if that's the case, it might be totally wrong, or it might be totally right. In which case, mere probabilism hasn't advanced human understanding one bit. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book, Christopher Taylor explores the relationship between the historical Socrates and the engaging and infuriating figure who appears in Plato's dialogues, and examines the enduring image of Socrates as the ideal exemplar of the philosophic life--a thinker whose moral and intellectual integrity permeated every detail of his life, even in the face of betrayal and execution by his fellow Athenians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

the elusive philosopher
Socrates is of course one of the main figures in the history of philosophy, so much so that those that came before him are simply referred to collectively as "pre-Socratics." Yet, since the man himself didn't write anything down, it is difficult to know exactly what he thought and why. Moreover, while we have a few historical sources available, by far most of what we know about Socrates comes from the writings of his pupil, Plato, and those of course changed in content and emphasis over his lifetime, progressively getting away from Socratic thought while reflecting Plato's coming into his own as a mature philosopher. Still, C.C.W. Taylor does an admirable job at parsing the various sources, focusing on a subset of early Platonic dialogues that are most likely to reflect Socrates' teachings. Particularly interesting is the analysis of Socrates' defense at his trial, which is reported on and commented very differently by Xenophon and Plato (the latter wasn't present at Socrates' death because he was sick, but wrote the classic account of it nonetheless in the Phaedo). Socrates' life (and death), teachings, and even the fact that he didn't write anything down invite obvious comparisons with the figure of Jesus. If so, the ancient Greek wins the comparison hands down because of his much finer analysis of the human condition, and his far less annoying take on the divine.

Good Book.
Good book. Helps you understand Socrates a little better than by just reading his works.

A Comprehensive but Complex Introduction
This is book presents a comprehensive and very detailed introduction to Socrates. The book provides an overview of Socrates' life as well as an overview of the primary and secondary literature regarding Socratic scholarship. Socrates is one of most elusive philosophers of the Western tradition, given that he never wrote a single word. Primary knowledge of Socrates is derived from the Socratic dialogues of Plato and Xenophon, Aristophanes' comedy "The Clouds," and less significant references and fragments. Although I agree with other reviewers that this text is indeed too advanced for the introductory reader, it contains so much detailed information that it will prove to be a useful reference to be consulted over and over again for guidance.Taylor's navigation of Socratic literature (Ch. 3), although perhaps too ambitious for a short introduction, is impressive and shows the signs of true scholarship. As an "introduction for advanced readers," so to speak, the book is a success, given that it is saturated with detailed information regarding Socratic literature. However, for the introductory reader, such detailed information may be too overwhelming.

Very good introduction to Socrates, with qualifications.
Prof. Taylor teaches philosophy at Oxford University, and clearly knows his subject.However, his writing style leaves much to be desired.He tends to be convoluted and verbose, with too many parentheses.This is fine for an academic paper, but not for "A Very Short Introduction".He is worst in the first three chapters, in which he reviews Socrates' life and historical context.His discussion of "the Socratic problem" in chapter 3 drags at times, but if you plow through it, ends up being actually pretty good.However, it does not compare for clarity and crispness of reasoning with the discussions of the problem by Prof. Vlastos.

Taylor's style does not improve in Chapter 4, on the Socrates of Plato, but I found that in spite of his occasional incoherence there is something of value in this chapter.He does a good job of laying out Plato's approach to the problem of the nature of morality, and his ultimate failure in that project.His comments on Plato's defense of Socrates against the Sophists are quite good,although I've just started The Republic myself, so I may have to revise this opinion later.

Chapter 5, Socrates' influence on later philosophers, including the Skeptics, Cynics, and Stoics in the Hellenistic period, and then in the 19th century Hegel, Kierkegaard,and Nietzsche, was quite illuminating.All three 19th century philosophers were obsessed with Socrates, and each saw him and used him in his own unique way.He emphasizes the kinship between Socrates and Nietzsche in particular.This is clearly the area that interests Prof. Taylor most, where he put in most of his effort, with good and useful results.His style is noticeable tighter and clearer in this chapter.

Those who have no background in philosophy at all should not start with this book.Those who are in the process of learning some philosophy, perhaps at an intermediate level, should with a little patience find something of interest here.Those who wish to have a deeper understanding of Socrates life and thought should, after reading this book, by all means go on to read the two volumes of the master, Prof. Gregory Vlastos, Socrates:Ironist and Moral Philosopher, and Socratic Studies.

This Classicist Does Not "Get It."
Like so many classicists, Taylor's writing style will repel all but the most pedantic scholar.Instead of a book that engages general readers as well as scholars (it is possible to do both), this book is a dry summary. Taylor's narrow, unimaginative approach fails to capture the greatness of Socrates.The book also does not provide the historical context of ancient Athens that is important in understanding Socrates, the most inspiring philosopher in history.Interest in the classics has declined considerably in recent years.Sadly, this book will only contribute to the decline. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the 5th volume in the series of popular, small volumes by the well-known philosophy professor and prolific author, Peter Kreeft, in which the "Father of Philosophy", Socrates, cross-examines various other important philosophers and thinkers (in previous books he examined Marx, Sarte, Machiavelli, and Socrates himself.)

In this work, Kreeft states that Socrates and Descartes are perhaps the two most important philosophers who have ever lived, because they are the two who made the most difference to all philosophy after them. These two fathers of philosophy stand at the beginning of the two basic philosophical options: the classical and the modern.

Kreeft focuses on seven features that unite these two major philosophers and distinguish them from all others. So this dialog between Socrates and Descartes is a dialog between the fundamental stages in the history of philosophy, the history of consciousness, and the history of Western culture.

Like his other works in this popular series, this book is profound and witty reading that makes for an entertaining and insightful exploration of modern philosophy. It will appeal to both the common reader as well as to those more philosophically inclined. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good overview of Descartes pros and cons
This is another of Peter Kreeft's "Socrates meets" series, and it is both good and important.Descartes is the father of modern philosophy, so any one interested in the history of philosophy should find this book interesting.Although I've read Descartes' "Meditations", I was not familiar with the metaphysical flaws brought up by Kreeft in this book or the errors in Descartes' proofs of God.And, though the subject is philosophy, Kreeft's style is very easy reading, and the questions he raises are only suggestive and not bogged down with highly technical arguments.I especially recommend this book for anyone interested in "Socrates meets Kant", because several of the questions raised in this book are mentioned but not explained in that book.

Socrates Duals Descartes
One time, a young student of Socrates asked the revered sage how one becomes wise. Socrates brought the pupil to a nearby pond and the two went in the water. Then, without warning, Socrates held the student's head under the water as the frenzied young man fought wildly. Finally, Socrates freed him. The young man struggled for breath, panted, and gulped. Socrates watched coolly and said, "When you desire wisdom with the same intensity that you desired to breathe, then nothing will impede you from getting it." And in this fifth volume in the series of philosophical volumes by Peter Kreeft, the author employs Socrates to cross-examine an assortment of notable philosophers and thinkers (including Christ, Kant, Marx, Sarte, Machiavelli, and Plato) to assist the reader in gaining wisdom.

In this erudite yet accessible volume, Kreeft believes that Socrates and his interviewee Descartes are conceivably two of most significant philosophers in history inasmuch as they made a lasting impact on all the great philosophers who followed them: the ancient Greek and the one who helped birth modern philosophy.
Descartes famously said:"I think therefore I am." Nevertheless he also opined that "Everything is self-evident." Thus Socrates has many places to initiate his Socratic method in his dialogue with Descartes.

This fascinating and readable volume is reflective, insightful, and produces contemplation and enjoyment. "Socrates Meets" is a good text to help stimulate an interest in epistemology as well as general philosophy.

Descartes mused: "Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
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This book is a great read
This is written in a dialog format between Descartes and Socrates. It is a great introduction to Discourse on Method. Kreeft makes it easy for those of us who don't have much of a background in philosophy to understand what Descartes was teaching and the errors it contained. I can't wait to read Kreeft's other books in this series!

Too short to do the job
Kreeft's latest entry in his Socrates Meets ... series got my hopes up. For better or worse, the way 21st Century westerners look at the world is very much the product of Descartes' philosophy.

And that makes it unfortunate that, every time a critical topic is broached, it gets sidelined after a few paragraphs with an admonition to the interested reader to pursue it further--with no suggestions for further reading given anywhere in the book. (Sort of. Kreeft does mention Pascal's Pensées several times, including the very end of the book. The Pensées present an alternative viewpoint, but Pascal does not present counter-arguments in direct response to Descartes' claims.)

On the bright side, Kreeft is far more sympathetic to Descartes than he was to any of the other philosophers in the series (Marx, Machiavelli, Sartre), leading to a much less abrasive tone to the book. Perhaps it is this very sympathy that leads him to venture into deeper waters, only to back out just when the topic gets interesting.

I'd be very interested to see a longer treatment from Dr. Kreeft. As it is, the book isn't a waste of time, but it could have been so much more. At the very least, it cries out for a "suggestions for further reading" section. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive, historically organized introduction to philosophy communicates the richness of the discipline and provides the student with a working knowledge of the development of Western philosophy.New co-author James Fieser has brought this classic text up-to-date both chronologically and stylistically while preserving the thoughtful, conceptual characteristics that have made it so successful.The text covers all periods of philosophy, lists philosophers alphabetically and chronologically on the end-papers, and features an exceptional glossary of key concepts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

fast and in great shape thanx
I couldn't afford the bookstore prices, so I looked up amazon.com thank you. I got it in perfect condition, quickly. thanx

Excellent, makes difficult concepts lucid and understandable
Many times when reading philosophy, one comes away with the idea that either the ideas in and of themselves are extremely difficult to understand, that the terminology is opaque and extremely abstract, or that the author is incapable of elucidating the ideas involved. This book overcomes all of these pitfalls, and for that reason, it is a great place to begin the study of philosophy. It follows the chronological order of the birth of philosophy in ancient Greece, and the inestimable magnitude of this development in the history of Western culture. The author then develop the major philosophical trends, from ancient to Medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern, Enlightenment, and into the Modern periods.

Philosophy does not occur in a vacuum. It is deeply affected by the political, economic, religious, intellectual and social milieu in which it is created. This book sets these essential factors out. The authors also discuss individual philosophers in terms of the ideas that they addressed, as well as the other philosophers that influenced them. The authors discuss this action and reaction, and its effect upon the development of intellectual thought. The really great thing about the book is that it does so without being pedantic and abstruse. There is no narcissistic demonstration of the ability to use arcane language or impenetrable phraseology. Everything is clear, concise and correct. A perfect place to start the study of philosophy. If you don't want to study philosophy further, but want to learn enough to have a basic familiarity with this important aspect of our intellectual heritage, this book is also perfect. Other great books that delve into the same material in greater detail are A History of Western Philosophy: The Medieval Mind, Volume II (v. 2)A History of Western Philosophy: Kant and the Nineteenth Century, Revised, Volume IVA History of Western Philosophy: Kant and the Nineteenth Century, Revised, Volume IVA History of Western Philosophy: The Twentieth Century of Quine and Derrida, Volume VA History of Western Philosophy: The Classical Mind, Volume I

Good Book
Great book but i didnt need it as much as i though so its a solid buy if you like this stuff. But i didnt need it all that much in my class however, it was also in amazingly good condition.

A good survey of philosophy
This philosophy book by Stumpf and Fieser is a good survey of all the major topics in philosophy (from a classical Western standpoint), and includes many of the major thinkers over time, both in the narrative discussion presented by the authors, as well as in primary source readings from major philosophers themselves.

The text is divided into five major sections: I - Ancient Greek Philosophy; II - Hellenistic and Medieval Philosophy; III - Early Modern Philosophy; IV - Late Modern and 19th Century Philosophy; and V - 20th Century and Contemporary Philosophy. Section I looks at the major ancient Greek thinkers, such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, as well as lesser-known important figures and schools such as Thales, Pythagoras, the Sophists, and more. This is the time that philosophy began to be broken into certain topical areas (ethics, politics, metaphysics, logic, etc.) but also a time when the disciplines of science, mathematics and what we would call social sciences and arts and humanities were all directly and explicitly tied to the overall philosophical enterprise.

The section on Hellenistic and Medieval Philosophy looks at later Greek schools (Stocism, Skepticism, Epicureanism) as well as the advent of Christianity and Christian influence in philosophical development. Key figures here include Augustine (heavily influenced by the twin sources of Christianity and Neoplatonism), Boethius, Anselm, Aquinas (influenced greatly by the European rediscovery of Aristotle), and late medieval figures such as Scotus, Ockham and Eckhart.

Early Modern Philosophy begins at the time the various Renaissance and Reformation periods began, looking at key philosophers such as Machiavelli, Bacon, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and the British Empiricists; this was also the advent of the scientific revolution and prelude to the Enlightenment, so there were philosophies of politics, religion, science, knowledge and ethics significantly different from anything before.

Late Modern and 19th Century Philosophy looks at primary Enlightenment figures such as Kant and Hegel, with fundamentally new ideas in the areas of metaphysics and epistemology (and, accordingly, new philosophies in other areas that reflect the new developments). This is also the period that saw the advent of Utilitarianism (Bentham, Mill, and Comte), and radical thinkers such as Kierkegaard, Marx and Nietzsche, whose direct influence in areas of religion, politics, and culture are still being felt.

Key areas covered in the final chapter on Contemporary Philosophy include Pragmatism (Pierce, James, Dewey, Bergson, Whitehead), Analytic Philosophy (Russell and Wittgenstein), Phenomenology and Existentialism (Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty), and very new ideas that are only now coming to full expression (postmodernism, structuralism and post-structuralism, mind-body problems, etc.). Overall, this text includes a 500-page narrative of the principle ideas and patterns of development that have shaped the many dimensions of Western philosophy.

Sufficient for an introductory course, it should also serve to whet the appetite of readers who are seeking more in particular philosophical areas. This book would be well served paired with a collection of primary text readings (and indeed, there is such a volume available).

There is a useful glossary of key philosophical terms, a select bibliography arranged chronologically by chapter, divided into original documents and critical studies, and an index including names, terms and concepts.

Philosophy is rarely easy reading; there will be parts that appeal to a particular reader that will leave another bewildered or bored (or both!), but there tends to be in the philosophical discipline something somewhere of interest to most. This gives a good, broad layout of philosophy as done in the primary Western, academic tradition, and serves as a good text for classrooms, as well as use for a personal study.

level headed reading
This is a very even handed over view treatment of western philosophy from ancient times right on up to modern times.A great deal of the pertinent subjects in philosophy are covered by many of the main thinkers through the ages.This is probably about as good as it gets in a one volume history of philosophy book.It's a bit "thick" at times, but this should be expected from the nature of the subject.It should be noted that this work does not include eastern philosophy.Some other decent one volume works are: A Short History of Philosophy, by Kathleen Higgins ( includes some eastern philosophy );Consequences of Ideas by R.C. Sproul.Be sure not to miss this last one by Sproul.It's concise and makes some solid philosphical/theological points worth knowing.When it comes to learning about philosophy, one needs to be aware of both "spins" on philosophy- liberal and conservative, secular and religious.These types of works are good places to start serious philosophical exploration. ... Read more

Product Description
Pierre Hadot is arguably one of the most influential and wide-ranging historians of ancient philosophy writing today.As well as having an important influence on the work of Michel Foucault, Hadot's work has been pivotal in the development of contemporary French philosophy.His work is currently concerned with a redefinition of modern philosophy through a study of ancient life and ancient philosophical texts. This book presents a history of spiritual exercises from Socrates to early Christianity, an account of their decline in modern philosophy, and a discussion of the different conceptions of philosophy that have accompanied the trajectory and fate of the theory and practice of spiritual exercises.Hadot's book demonstrates the extent to which philosophy has been, and still is, above all else a way of seeing and of being in the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Philosophy as a way of life
Noted intellectual Pierre Hadot offers many thought provoking dialogues in this book. His reference for example on holiness was and is perfect. This book required some thought so for me it took a while to complete as each dialogue requires thought and quiet reflection. A book which is a joy to read and have and adds persective to my study in non dual philosophy.

Chasing after that flirt, Wisdom.
I am not sure this is the best introduction to Hadot's approach to philosophy. "What is Ancient Philosophy?" is more of one piece. Which makes sense because what we have in this book is a collection of articles, addresses and an interview that have been loosely woven together.
But this volume has some particular strengths. Arnold Davidson's introduction is brilliant. He manages to introduces the main themes of investigation throughout Hadot's life (Hadot passed away just a few months ago). Davidson also makes it clear that Hadot's insights into ancient philosophy are based on his work as a translator of works from that period.
Another strength is that many of the articles collected here show off the extraordinary cultural learning of Hadot. I remarked in my review of "What is Ancient Philosophy?" that reading Hadot is to be introduced to the work of generations of French and German scholars of whom most Americans know nothing (would someone please translate Groethuyson's "Anthropologie philosophique" for me? Please?)
But in this book, Hadot also demonstrates his remarkable grasp of such diverse thinkers as Nietzsche, Montaigne, Goethe, Wittgenstein, Merleau-Ponty and Foucault. I always walk away from reading Hadot feeling as if I am both the Nitwit of Western Culture and exhilarated by some of the connections that he has made.

Hadot is particularly famous in France for his work as a translator/commentator of Plotinus and Marcus Aurelius. Early textual work on those two and other philosophers led Hadot to the realization that many of the works of the Hellenistic period were being misunderstood because today's interpreters were not seeing these works for what they were. Today's philosophers, for the most part, write dissertations that try to lay out exactly what the author wants to say. The work is usually directed toward a professional audience or, at least, toward expert amateurs. The intent is to inform and convince.
Hadot's central insight into Hellenistic philosophy is that, for most of the writings that we have
extant, the intent is to (re)form, not to inform. In other words, this is philosophy that is meant to change the way we live. More deeply, it is meant to change the way we see the world, the way we feel about our lives and the way we treat each other.
As such, the types of writings that we have from this period have to be understood for the literary types that they are; exhortations to oneself to remember the main dicta that one has learned or rhetorical works designed to convince the uninitiated to follow the path of a particular philosophical school, etc. What is so immediately convincing about this point is that it makes sense of all the repetitions, contradictions and eclecticism which is so evident in the writings of some of the ancients. The first article in this collection explores how the failure of recent interpreters to understand this aspect of ancient philosophical literature has led to many misinterpretations (although Hadot is careful to point out that some of the misreadings have been very fruitful).
The Second Part of this book may be the best. This contains Hadot's classic article on "Spiritual Exercises".In this article, Hadot first outlined his realization that many of the writings of the Hellenistic philosophers were really meant to be read as exercises that would help instill in the philosopher the teachings of that particular school. I have become convinced from my own readings that he is absolutely right about the necessity of this approach. If you want to understand your reading of Seneca, of Marcus Aurelius, of Cicero, Epictetus and even of the earlier Greeks (like, you know- that Plato guy), you simply have to read this article.

Hadot discusses one other idea in these articles that must be mentioned and that is his idea of the topos or topics of Western culture/philosophy. These are "formulae, images, and metaphors"(p.66) that have, over time, proved indispensable to many thinkers within a tradition or our culture. Hadot spent the last part of his life tracing the cultural history of some of these topics. His last book, "The Veil of Isis", is one such investigation. Several of the later articles in this collection are others. "The View from Above"is one of them and briefly traces some of the history of the exercise of learning to look down at humanity from a cosmic viewpoint.
I would also like to recommend the short article "The Sage and the World" wherein Hadot defends the relevance of the lessons he has learned from ancient philosophy to our own lived-in world.

It's funny. There are many similarities (as well as enormous differences) between Hadot and Leo Strauss.I think they would have found much to talk about with each other. One of the things they both emphasized was the idea of the difference between the sage and the philosopher. The sage was seen in Hellenistic times as the fully realized wise man. Let us just say there are few of those. The philosopher, on the other hand, was she who chased after wisdom as something loved. I like this idea. Among other things, it brings out the theme of the erotic which is so present in ancient philosophy. Well, my friends, Pierre Hadot was a philosopher. In his books, he not only chases after wisdom, he entices us to do so as well. In doing so, he makes this reader, at least, examine my own way of being in the world. For me, reading Hadot had been to hold up a mirror to my own life and to realize the need for a spiritual exercise program. I gots some work to do.

Interesting, different, and worthwhile
This is a very interesting and good book.Because his work has generally not been translated, we do not know Hadot.His knowledge of the philosophy of anitquity is much deeper and more probing than most.Very much worth reading.

Thought Provoking, Well Researched
This is one of the best books that I have read in quite some time.Focused mostly on the Hellenistic era but also going as far back as Socrates and as far forward as Nietzsche and Foucault.

The book seeks to elucidate philo-sophy (love of wisdom) not as a rarefied field of study but as a way of life consistent with making us one with the universe.

The book, originally in French, is not a light-weight self help book as its title may imply.But is instead a deep study of the origins of "spiritual exercises" from Socrates to the Hellenists (Stoicism, Epicureanism, and neo-Platonism) and onward to the early Christians.

Hadot's main thesis is that philosophy has been gutted in the modern era to focus on rarefied discourse and study at the expense of it serving as an aid in helping us to lead better lives.Using abundant examples from the likes of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, Hadot makes a significant and resounding case for a re-emergence of philosophy from the walls of academia, where it has been penned and chained for the last 1500 years.While knowledge of ancient philosophy is not strictly required for reading this book, those with this knowledge will get the most from it.

I have studied the Stoics and Epicureans about as much as is possible for a layman, and I found this book indispensable in making clear the teachings of Epicurus and Zeno, as well as the early Christian scholars.Hadot shows clearly that the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius are grounded in philosophy going back at least as far as Socrates.

I recommend this book in the most high fashion to anyone who seeks wisdom and loves a good mental workout.

A wonderful, thought provoking book
It is very rare that a scholar of classical philosophy writes a book that is so accessible to non-philosophers. This book (as I understood it) stresses the fact that early western philosophy was all about teaching people 'how to live'. I often leaf through this book to read passages that I have underlined during previous 'reads'. A great book. (Would have given the book 4 1/2 stars if I had the option.) ... Read more

Product Description
A new introduction and sourcebook in presocratic philosophy, Philosophy Before Socrates provides a wide survey, informed by the most recent scholarship, of Greek science, metaphysics, and moral and political philosophy, from their roots in myth to the philosophers and sophists of the fifth century. A comprehensive selection of fragments and testimonia, newly translated by the author, is presented in the context of a thorough and accessible discussion. An introductory chapter deals with the sources of presocratic and sophistic texts and the special problems of interpretation they present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Introduction
Philosophy Before Socrates by Richard McKirahan overviews pre-Socratic Greek philosophers up to and including the Sophists.

McKirahan's book is crisp and comprehensive providing an accessible scholarly introduction to pre-Socratic thought.Though a survey text , the author rightly highlights the limitations that exist in studying ancient thinkers - a point sometimes overlooked in introductory works. Some readers may also find the cross referencing of documents to other well-known catalogues/indexes such as Diels and Knanz useful.

One small criticism that might be addressed in a subsequent edition is the handling of the so-called "Eleatic challenge" posed by Parmenides.Given that this challenge and its inherent ramifications are especially relevant to many subsequent thinkers it may warrant more clarification, i.e. if one accepts the notion that non-being is logically unthinkable, a plurality of substances and motion seem to be impossible.It is not a clear concept at first glance and, if not clarified, students may be perplexed about its importance.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers seeking an introduction to pre-Socratic philosophers - it is the best introduction to the subject that I have come across.Folks interested in this area may also enjoy a related free on-line ancient philosophy course offered by Howard Ruttenberg of City University of New York (just google Ruttenberg).

A tremendous introduction to the material, a great reference source, a page turner!
Here's what you get: An introduction regarding the history and or life stories of each source. 99% of the existing fragments in McKirahan's own translation. A brief but informative explanation from McKirahan's view of each Philosopher. Rinse, lather, repeat, one chapter for each Pre-Socratic.

I must disagree with the opinion that McKirahan's prose explanations of the fragments are somehow lacking or overly terse - I find he strikes just the right balance between offering theory and explanations for the fragments and going too far in pressing his view. Particularly deft is the way he frames the Milesian School, the "Eleatic Challenge," and the responses to the challenge thereafter. A very nice framework for understanding the evolution of the thought through time.

I was spellbound from start to finish. Not only is the source material interesting, engaging, perplexing, inspiring; but the scholarship offered in support of it by McKirahan is balanced, thoughtful, and never overbearing. Because of its logical layout, its brevity, and its clarity, this is the ultimate textbook for any survey of the Pre-Socratics.

Heavy Reading, Great Reference
This book is not one that I would recommend for free reading, unless you have a strange affinity for ancient presocratic philosophy. However, as a reference book, or a book for learning philosophy, the book ranks among the best. I was introduced to this book in my Philosophy course at UCLA, and this book was an excellent learning tool. The author sets out translated fragments from ancient philosophers and writers, like Parmenides, Aristotle, and Plato. Then, McKirahan does an excellent job of analyzing and explaining the fragments. The book is set up well; it is interesting and makes an EXCELLENT reference book.

Phil. Before. Soc : Critique
(1)Excellent organization of importantfragments and texts of the Pre Socratic Philosophy. Very useful indeed.(2)Keep as source book for tight analytical study of arguments. Well segmented and sub-headed. (3)Major convenient ref. book. The only one to have, I guess, in pocketbook. Well documented and quoted. No or little Greek. (Translated when necessary) (4)But author needs to write with more maturity,fluidity ( Really terse prose spoil the mood). Naturally, this can be rectified by reading large doses ofGibbon's Dec. & Fall. (with a good wine vector.) (5)The author must realize that he now has the intelligence to cast a shadow of his own.(6) A delicious book, well worth the expense. However, I recommendsupplimenting his book with a photo copy of the schematic and simplified diagram in W.T Jones's History of Phil. Buy it. Not for absolutebeginners.But this is to a philosophers advantage.

-Opinions are like noses. Everyone has got one. I use this book often, & useful when reading The Republic ( Books 4 & 5 ) ... Read more

Product Description
What Would Socrates Say? helps the armchair philosopher solve age-old quandaries and contemporary ethical dilemmas.

- If no one ever loves me during my lifetime—if I don’t have a relationship—will I have not lived a good life?
- Do the advances in the field of biotechnology threaten our moral values?
- Are there any reasons to have a child that aren’t selfish?
- Is there no such thing as bad art?
- What’s the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter?
- Am I morally bound to tell my sex partner if I fantasize about someone else while making love to him or her?

These are among the profound, paradoxical, playful, and classic questions asked and answered in this book drawn from AskPhilosophers.org, the popular website created by some of today’s most highly esteemed philosophers. Using their knowledge of the arguments laid down by the likes of Aristotle, Camus, Locke, and Socrates, and their own insightful interpretations, they break down tough issues in a digestible, personal, and even humorous style. Included are questions on today’s hot-button topics (war, euthanasia); timeless conundrums about religion and morality (how do we know God exists?); personal perplexities about adultery, child-rearing, and sex; and a few lighthearted topics like whether it’s right to let your kids believe in Santa.

Featuring real questions from real people around the world—doctors, lawyers, the uneducated, the elderly,and even young children (for example, “If everything has an opposite, like night and day, then what’s the opposite of a banana?”)—this book is for anyone seeking enlightenment on a complicated or an elusive concept relevant to the lives we lead today. Whether you agree with the answers given or not, this book reminds us of Socrates’ famous words—“a life unexamined is not worth living”—and, in doing so, encourages us to think a little more deeply, a little more critically, and, well, a little more philosophically about how we make our way in the world ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Socrates would probably not say that
A philosopher myself I bought this book to see if it would be something for a friend of mine who is slightly interested in philosophy. I was, however, a bit dissapointed.

Some of the questions are, from a philosophical point of view, quite badly answered. I know of course that it is not all that easy to answer philosophical questions with few words, but still. Having said that, some answers were quite good and to the point.

And furthermore, I am quite certain that Socrates would not have given most of the answers that appear in that book (yes, I know, it's a good title which makes people curious and all that, but still... not so much).

But if the price is right, buy it! It's still quite interesting. If not for anything else, it might make you want to argue against the answers and that is a good thing. If a book makes you think, then I'm all for it.

The Little Book With a Big Mission
What we make of questions in life that challenge our long held assumptions and beliefs constitutes the "examined life". Some embrace this intriguing experience, others find it unsettling. "What Would Socrates Say?" is a book not meant for the latter. It doesn't rehash timeworn precepts or offer spiritual comfort; in fact, it rejects pat answers out of hand.

It doesn't insult the reader's intelligence either. Alexander George assembled a group of present-day philosophers who deconstruct a host of timeless questions. Their perspectives are condensed for the sake of economy but each explanation is masterful. This book comes the closest to having a full philosophical discourse in miniature, a great and good thing.

Its small(ish) appearance notwithstanding, this handy primer paves the way for those wishing to explore its topics more deeply. Anyone with a love of contemplation will take to it over and over again. Its accessibility only lends to the book's charm; George assembled something here that's truly wonderful.

Great conversation starter!
Are you looking for a way to get family and friends away from the television or computer? Are you looking for a way to engage your family, firends, children at the dinner table - or get back to the dinner table? If your answer is yes to these questions, then this book is for you! Filled with questions relating to today's society but with suggested answers based on classic philosophy, you will enjoy many hours of stimulating thought and conversation that even a young person could be part of! I highly recommend this book!!!

I Cried Till I Laughed!
I have no idea what the title of my review means, but it sounds sufficiently philosophical to suit this book.

But, seriously folks, if you're looking for a great night table book chock-full of espresso cup-size (to blend my coffee metaphors) bits of incisive philosophical wisdom, you need look no further than "What Would Socrates Say?".

Highly recommended.

Wonderful...engaging, intelligent, and accessible
This book is a collection of some of the best questions and responses to appear on the website AskPhilosophers.org.The questions are wonderful: stimulating, fun, sometimes familiar and sometimes unexpected, ranging from age-old questions that humans have asked for centuries to questions that deal with the specific conditions of modern life.The responses are always thoughtful, mostly helpful, and often funny.It's great fun to browse through this book, but since most of the questions are really interesting (after all, they're about love, knowledge, God, the mind, war, traffic jams, sex toys, etc.--what better topics?), you might find yourself browsing for quite a long time.

The writing is neither dumbed down nor overly academic.It is intelligent and clear, and at its best moments it provides a great deal of insight into these thorny questions.A perfect gift for anyone who loved that philosophy course he or she took in college, or has wondered about philosophical questions from time to time, or really anyone at all who would enjoy reading great questions and interesting, insightful answers.It's also a rare chance to hear prominent philosophers speaking in a candid voice, approaching central philosophical issues in a non-technical, very readable way.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
The third volume of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek thought, entitled The Fifth-Century Enlightenment, deals in two parts with the Sophists and Socrates, the key figures in the dramatic and fundamental shift of philosophical interest from the physical universe to man. Each of the two parts is available as a paperback with the text, bibliography and indexes amended where necessary so that each part is self-contained. Socrates dominated the controversies of this period, as he has dominated the subsequent history of western philosophy. He was the first to identify and grapple with some of the most intractable and persistent logical and philosophical problems; but he was also and has remained a highly controversial figure because of his extraordinary personal qualities and his remarkable career. Professor Guthrie offers a balanced and comprehensive picture of the man, his life, and his thought. ... Read more

Product Description
How people around the world grapple with thegreat questions posed by Socrates.What is virtue? What is moderation? What is justice? What is courage? What is good? What is piety? Socrates thought that understanding the perspectives of others on these six great questions would help him become a more excellent human being. Following in Socrates's footsteps, Christopher Phillips—"Johnny Appleseed with a master's degree" (Utne Reader)—investigates these same questions, beginning in the marketplace of modern-day Athens. He goes on to investigate the timely responses and outlooks of people from different cultures and backgrounds around the world: from Greece and Spain to Japan and Korea, Mexico City, and Chiapas, where the region's indigenous people struggle for fundamental human rights. Phillips also traveled throughout the United States, holding dialogues in diverse communities from New York City to the Navajo Nation. Introducing us to less familiar thinkers in non-Western traditions who were kindred spirits of Socrates, Phillips enlarges our perspectives on life's fundamental questions, creating an innovative world survey of philosophy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Fascinating Read, but Neither Socratic Nor Philosophical
Christopher Phillips set out to do something really exciting.He wanted to host several Socrates Cafés across the world and in radically different cultures.The result is a fascinating insight into all kinds of cultural points of view I have never considered or been exposed to before.Phillips arranges open discussions among these various groups, gathers people of different ages and in different circumstances of life, and asks them some of the great Socratic questions.I really enjoyed listening in on the conversations including Navajo Indians, Koreans, second generation Muslims in America, and life-long prisoners.In almost every instance there was a variety of opinions among the people in the group, which of course added to the joy of the read.

One interesting exception to the variety of opinion was the Manhattan crowd - every one of them was a morally and intellectually confused relativist (in my opinion).Another exception to what was standard in the rest of the conversations was the group of Catholic Christians near the end of the book.Instead of an open dialogue where every opinion was accepted, the conversation was steered toward dislike for the established Catholic Church.

One other detail deserves mention.That these conversations pass for Socratic is telling.At almost no time (with the possible exception of the Catholic Christians) did Phillips push back on any answer anyone gave.The guiding principle of these dialogues seemed to be, "all views are equally acceptable," which is to say these dialogues were not Socratic.Socrates did not ask questions because he was simply curious about what his fellow human being believed.He was after the truth, and Socrates was not above vivisecting an interlocutor to get to it.But, it seems we would rather sit, gab, and accept and call it philosophical.

A Painful Read
I had to read this book for my English class and I was horribly disappointed.I usually have no problem reading and often enjoy my required reading, but this book was one that I had to force myself through.I would not read it expecting any kind of pleasure.It did cause many of my friends and I talk about the book, but our main topic why the book was so painful.

Interesting, but factual errors damage its credibility

This book's Socratic dialogues are moving and thought-provoking. Therefore, it is with regret that I join those reviewers who cannot recommend it because of its factual errors.

Here are a few examples:

(1) The author, who resides part of the year in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, in Chiapas, Mexico, says that the Zapatista guerillas occupied that city for 30 hours in 1994 before they "disappeared back into the surrounding Lacandon jungle" (p. 143). Actually, the Lacandon jungle lies roughly north and east of San Cristóbal, is more than an hour away by highway, and is thousands of feet lower in elevation. In no sense of the word does it "surround" that city.


(2) The author errs in saying that Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, "conveniently overlooks how ancient Athens excelled over other cities on the continent (or anywhere else) despite the fact that its real estate -which Diamond claims is THE determinant in whether a society flourisheswas a quintessential hindrance, rather than a help, in enabling it to attain excellence" (p. 295, emphasis in original). This is a serious misunderstanding of Diamond's thesis.

What Diamond attributes to geographical advantage is mainly the potential for more-rapid agricultural and technological development, an area in which ancient Athens did not excel its contemporaries. Moreover, ancient Athens was not geographically disadvantaged in the sense that Diamond means. On the contrary, it was the beneficiary of geographical advantages that the Eurasian landmass offered in comparison to places such as Australia and the Americas, which had far fewer wild plants and animals that were suitable for domestication when civilizations first arose.

Most importantly, Diamond does not claim that geography is "the" determinant in whether a society flourishes; he emphasizes other factors as well.

(3) The author makes remarkable omissions and prejudiced statements. Several examples are found in the author's comparison between the "excellent" Aztec civilization and that of the Spanish conquistadores (pp. 292ff). The author damages his own credibility by overlooking the Aztec's aggressive imperialism, and the fact that the Spanish had help in destroying the Aztec civilization: when Cortez launched his final campaign against the Aztecs, he had thousands of Indian allies from tribes seeking revenge against the Aztec overlords who had long been robbing and enslaving them.

SUMMARY
The author appears to have a gift for facilitating interesting, thought-provoking dialogues. However, his factual errors and omissions limit the value of his commentaries, and indeed are grounds for questioning whether the dialogues themselves are reported accurately. Therefore, I cannot recommend this book.

Enlightening
I had to read this book for a course at school.It was interesting, to say the least, and kept my attention throughout the book.I'm not usually one for philosophy books, yet I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good philosophy book to read.

The Socratic Dialogue Continues
Sometimes with philosophy books you don't know what you're getting. You can get either an arcane and stuffy book that boasts about its lofty wisdom, or you can get a down-to-earth book that's thought provoking for the average reader. This book falls into the latter category. The book basically centers around 6 ancient questions asked by Socrates himself. These questions are; what is virtue? what is justice? what is courage? what is good? what is piety? and what is moderation? Phillips has apparently traveled all over and held a type of Socratic dialogue with groups of people to find out answers to these questions, or at least to start to formulate an answer to them. Phillips believes along with Socrates that questioning certain beliefs, systems, or thoughts helps one arrive at better conceptions of them and one becomes more "excellent" as a human being. Excellent human beings make for more excellent societies.

Because Phillips held these dialogues with diverse groups of people you get a better perspective on how certain groups think about things. For instance, the typical American idea of virtue may be different from the Navajo idea of it. Phillips believes that philosophical answers to these questions are not set in stone. In other words, the answers are relational. For example, in some instances you must steadfastly tell the truth, but in others a white lie is more appropriate. This isn't to say that truth is relative but rather that situations differ and having a closed mind to a potential outcome doesn't help matters.

Phillips tries to provoke the kinds of questions that matter. Many societies have failed because of a willingness to ignore reality and an eager willingness to accept the current status-quo. Societies that are unwilling to look at themselves or ask themselves important questions about things such as freedom, peace, and patriotism are societies that falter.

Some people will object to this book on the grounds that Phillips tends to inject bits of his own political leanings. Even though I agree with him I can see conservatives complaining about his leftist interjections. However, you can't please everyone all the time. Nevertheless, this book is an enjoyable read that has the laudable aim of increasing wisdom and overcoming ignorance. ... Read more

Product Description
Kyoichi Katayama's Socrates in Love depicts a sweet high school romance between an average guy and a beautiful girl. Sakutaro is a dry-witted teenage boy--precocious and slightly sarcastic, he's the perfect counter-part to Aki, a popular girl-next-door type. The two meet in junior high, and puppy love slowly blooms into a more serious relationship. But tragedy ensures when Aki falls ill with leukemia, and Sakutaro proves his love to be true enough to test the bounds between life and death. Socrates in Love is a bittersweet journey of young love, enduring devotion, and heartbreaking loss. Affectionately known in Japan as Sekachu (short for Sekai no Chushin de Ai wo Sakebu), the incredible popularity of Katayama's novel developed into a social phenomenon in Japan and drove it to become one of the classic love stories of all time. Socrates in Love took the Japanese publishing industry by storm, becoming the all-time best-selling novel in Japan! Finally, U.S. readers will be able to experience the phenomenon that became the inspiration for a blockbuster movie, a hit TV show, and a popular manga. A national sensation that touched over three million readers, Kyoichi Katayama brought innocent love and romance to the forefront of Japan's ultra-hip mass market.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

This is for the manga, but the novel can't be too far off
This was Tragedy Porn.In which everything that can go wrong will.Comparing the main character to Socrates was more than just a stretch.I bought this expecting something that made me think, not something that made me think "I should give this to a middle schooler's Anime Club." Sure, there was a message but it was heavy-handed.It leads me to believe that the readership is designated to 13 year olds, who sometimes need a theme dropped on them like a ton of bricks.

In summation, I was dissatisfied.Because using a title like 'Socrates in Love' draws in an older crowd & it isn't meant for us.Unless you, too, have the mental capacity of a 13 year old.

a readable story, somewhat predictable
I never got particularly enthusiastic about this novel in the reading of it; however, the afterword by the author did cause me to consider with some renewed interest what he'd hoped to accomplish in writing the novel. Katayama's claim is that we've become somewhat self-absorbed and that the only time we break out of that self-dominated world-view is when we fall in love. The novel is an attempt to observe how, being in love, we can make the well-being and happiness of another person greater than all of our concerns.

Having read Murakami's "Norwegian Wood," it was hard to ignore the parallels between the two stories.Both deal with relationships between young men and women who are seriously ill (one mentally, the other physically), both deal with mortality and love, but Murakami finds a tenderness toward the universe that I never experience with Katayama. In "Socrates in Love," no matter how much I follow the relationship between Sakutaro and Aki, and as much as the author claims it is his theme, I never quite see that one has changed the other. It may have something to do with the translation, but I have my doubts.

It is a readable story, somewhat predictable in its unfolding, with occasions of beautiful imagery.But for me, it felt like an exercise in an idea and not an organic development of two characters whose worlds were changed because they chanced to encounter.The afterword made me reflect for a moment on people who'd made my own life richer -- and then it was on to Starbuck's and the morning coffee, like Saku-chan not much changed for having lived through the story.

Death is only another phase of love...
This novel has a philosophical way of seeing death.I recommend it to anyone who has lost a loved one. We see death as a sad thing, but it's another phase of love.

The protagonist loses the person he loves, at first, he doesn't know what to do. One thing that made an impact was something that his grandfather told him, they were talking about Heaven, that it didn't exist, and people made it up.He told the protagonist, it doesn't matter in what you believe in, it's how strong those believes are.

We need to believe that there is a place where souls go after dying, God is taking care of them for us; what a relief!

An emotional rollercoaster
SOCRATES IN LOVE is a book that I seriously took for granted. I saw it advertised everywhere and figured it was probably your average romance novel. I didn't even bother to think about ordering it in to read it for myself.

Then I stumbled upon a summary and it piqued my attention. I ordered it, finished it the day it arrived, and couldn't stop crying.

In this short story, Matsumoto Sakutaro (otherwise known as 'Saku-chan' as Aki calls him that), an average junior highschool boy falls in love with the much more popular Hirose Aki. And for some inexplicable reason, they grow closer and closer until they're together. So infatuated with eachother, they talk about marriage and having children together, while they're not even legal adults yet.

Everything seems bright and brilliant, but Aki is diagnosed with leukemia, and Sakutaro is forced to stand by and watch, his hands tied up on his back as the world reclaims the girl that he has grown to love so much.

He simply cannot comprehend what it will be like to live in a world without Aki. She was born before him; he does not know a world that doesn't have Aki in it.

Kyoichi Katayama easily beats a lot of authors of this time. His writing is consistently beautiful, whether it's writing out how Aki's illness is affecting both her and Sakutaro, or just simple landscapes. He has a way with words that pulls on your heartstrings and makes you open your eyes to reality.

Read this book. It's the most beautiful and most realistic book that you'll ever read.

Great read for those interested in Japanese Culture
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a student of Japanese language, I feel the authors were consistent in their editing. The English flows well, but the isolation and other elements that are easily conveyed in the native language carried over well in this translation. The story itself was a good read, however, maybe a bit more juvenille, rather than sophisticated. If one is interested in the Japanese popular culture, than one must read this book, since it was a record-breaking best seller. ... Read more

Product Description

There were heroic lives and deaths before and after, but none quite like Socrates'. He did not die by sword or spear, braving all to defend home and country, but as a condemned criminal, swallowing a painless dose of poison. And yet Socrates' death in 399 BCE has figured large in our world ever since, shaping how we think about heroism and celebrity, religion and family life, state control and individual freedom, the distance of intellectual life from daily activity--many of the key coordinates of Western culture. In this book Emily Wilson analyzes the enormous and enduring power the trial and death of Socrates has exerted over the Western imagination.

Beginning with the accounts of contemporaries like Aristophanes, Xenophon, and, above all, Plato, the book offers a comprehensive look at the death of Socrates as both a historical event and a controversial cultural ideal. Wilson shows how Socrates' death--more than his character, actions, or philosophical beliefs--has played an essential role in his story. She considers literary, philosophical, and artistic works--by Cicero, Erasmus, Milton, Voltaire, Hegel, and Brecht, among others--that used the death of Socrates to discuss power, politics, religion, the life of the mind, and the good life. As highly readable as it is deeply learned, her book combines vivid descriptions, critical insights, and breadth of research to explore how Socrates' death--especially his seeming ability to control it--has mattered so much, for so long, to so many different people.

Customer Reviews (6)

EXCELLENT REVIEW OF HISTORY PUNCTUATED WITH PREJUDICE
As other reviews herein have stated: MS Wilson did her homework in reviewing a multitude of documents, sources, books and others' opinions on the issues presented. Her conclusions that Socrates may have protrayed both the feminine and masculine sides of his life, that his death has been manipulated by many who followed and his impact on western civilization are masterfully done.

I deeply regret that MS Wilson used her work to proffer falsehoods about the United States and Jewish history.

It is my opinion that the following sentence was out of place and does not accurately protray reality:

"The right of prisoners to a proper hearing has been a key tenet of almost all democratric or semi-democratic governments in western history (only recently violated, in America, in the case of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners)."

Her statement is not supported by international law nor the Constitution of the United States. The prisoners in Guantanamo are not a member of the Constitutionally protected class of "We the People of the United States . . ." The Constitution applys to citizens of the United States and has not been extended to enemy combatants bent on destroying the United States and its citizens.

Next and probably unintentional misrepresentatkon is "Votaire, more unusually, dubbed Jesus 'the Socrates of Palestine'. This translation is improbable - there was no country or area of the world referred to as "Palestine" during the life of Jesus or Voltaire. The more accepted translation is "Philistines." By making this historical reference mistake the author continues to perpetuate the myth that there was a country named Palestine.

Finally the author's statement: What had begun (Christianity) as a tiny Jewish-Palestinian cult had suddenly become the world's most powerful ideology. As stated above there was no country, religion or people referred to as "Palestinians" that had any influence on the "tiny cult". What is documented and supported by most reputable historians is Jesus was a Jew and he and his followers belived that he was the Jewish Messiah. The problem created by this was there were over 200 persons making the same claim and Jews believe that the Messiah would bring peace on earth and good-will towards all men. Jesus' cult was the most effective and become Christianity - Palestinians did not exist and had nothing to do with the "tiny cult".

Notwithstanding the above complaints I did find this books well written and worth my time to read and understand. MS Wilson did so much work that one must appreciate being able to read her conclusions while relaxing and not having to read the myriad of documents she did for us.

Misses the mark...
The idea motivating this book is great: discuss the significance of Socrates (particularly his death) throughout Western history.Unfortunately, if you misunderstand the way in which Plato presents the figure of Socrates then such an endeavor risks being entirely distorted.I am sorry to say, but such is the case with this book.

The author opens the book by with the admission of being "torn between enormous admiration and an equally overwhelming sense of rage."The author goes on to explain the rage is due to four things: (1) Socrates' own beliefs are never called into question; (2) Socrates' neglect of his family; (3) The fact that Socrates "died for faith, even superstition"; (4) Socrates "always had an unstated goal - to prove the other person wrong."

A powerful case can be made that the author is simply wrong on at least three of these four accusations.A look at, for example, Plato's Crito and Phaedo easily dismisses the first count.(Though I would go even further and say that the word "belief" simply doesn't apply to Socrates, for in the entirety of the Platonic corpus Socrates never makes his own "beliefs" clear.)A careful reading of Plato's Apology easily dismisses the third point. (Though here again I would go even further and say that the author only sees the surface of Plato's teaching and fails in understanding how to approach a Platonic dialogue.)Plato's Socrates addresses the fourth point in the Republic.(Further, this accusation points to the authors misunderstanding of the so-called Socratic method, which is to say the method of dialectic.)

As a book in which one can turn to and learn about Socrates, I cannot recommend this one.Moreover, the author's misreading of Plato casts great suspicion on what is provided as interpretation for the other thinkers mentioned in this book, particularly Xenophon as I feel he is more difficult than Plato.By far, in my opinion, a much better book for one to turn to in order to gain insight into what exactly Socrates was up to is Diskin Clay's "Platonic Questions."With what Clay provides, one can then procede for oneself to examine Socrates' impact on Western civilization.

A refreshing new look at a legendary life
This witty, erudite book forces us to look again at one of the founders of Western civilisation.Going beyond hagiography, this book is highly readable and scholarly, accessible tostudents but serious and original enough for specialists.Irecommend it highly.

A history of how the death of Socrates has been depicted over the centuries.
This book is a thorough study of the whys and wherefores of a significant historical event that has resonated over the centuries in western civilization. The author explains Socrates' philosophy and the society he lived in and describes the event. Then reviews how the event had influenced not only ancient Greece but also Rome and beyond. All the way to the Enlightment and modern times citing all kinds of philosophers, writers and artists. The book has pictures of paintings that depicted the event and has an extensive bibliography for future reading. The author even interjects with her own opinions about the subject, especially about Socrates' nagging wife. I enjoyed reading it for its insights and recommend it.

Great Book
I have read several books on Socrates and found this one well written; a refreshing look at an historical figure often referred to but not well understood. ... Read more

Product Description
These new translations of the Defence of Socrates, the Euthyphro, and the Crito present Plato's remarkable dramatizations of the momentous events surrounding the trial of Socrates in 399 BC, on charges of irreligion and corrupting the young. They form a dramatic and thematic sequence, raising fundamental questions about the basis of moral, religious, legal, and political obligation. The Introduction provides a stimulating philosophical and historical analysis of these texts, complemented by useful explanatory notes and an index of names. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

perfect condition...fast shipping....very happy!!
A most excellent resource for anyone interested in not only studying rhetoric, but seeing shining examples!

Good for beginners.
For teachers looking for something between a comprehensive collection of the dialogues and a photocopied hand-out, this little edition nicely fits the bill.It's an extremely user-friendly translation with a generous introduction and copious but clear and concise endnotes.The editor admittedly errors on the side of verbosity in the introduction, going to excessive (not to mention gratuitous) lengths to argue that the "Crito" is not inconsistent with the "Apology."Also, rather than substituting "defense" for "apology" and " goodness" for "virtue," he might have accomplished the goal of a clear and accessible edition by giving the reader a bit more credit.Finally, many instructors and readers would understandably be forgiven if they shunned this edition because of its omission of the "Phaedo," the final chapter in the trial, sentencing, and punishment of Socrates. ... Read more

Product Description
Political Thinkers provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to Western political thought written by a team of internationally renowned scholars. This collection provides an overview of the canon of great theorists, from Socrates and the Sophists to contemporary thinkers such as Habermas and Foucault.

The second edition includes two new chapters on Cicero and Kant. It is also accompanied by an Online Resource Center which includes:


· Interactive timeline of thinkers


· Links to journal articles


· Web links

New to this edition:


· Part introductions pinpointing common themes between thinkers


· End-of-chapter discussion questions


· Annotated further reading ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Book
Well written book.It is very informative.Absolutely should be read by all students no matter what the major.

not that easy
very academic, hard to read, English is my se4cond language, always though i did ok but wow.do like the fact that Nietzsche has a section though ... Read more

Product Description
The Cambridge Companion to Socrates is a collection of essays providing a comprehensive guide to Socrates, the most famous Greek philosopher. Because Socrates himself wrote nothing, our evidence comes from the writings of his friends (above all Plato), his enemies, and later writers. Socrates is thus a literary figure as well as a historical person. Both aspects of Socrates' legacy are covered in this volume. Socrates' character is full of paradox, and so are his philosophical views. These paradoxes have led to deep differences in scholar's interpretation of Socrates and his thought. Mirroring this wide range of thought about Socrates, this volume's contributors are unusually diverse in their background and perspective. The essays in this volume were authored by classical philologists, philosophers, and historians from Germany, Francophone Canada, Britain, and the United States, and they represent a range of interpretive and philosophical traditions. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent MIddle School World History Resource:Greek Philosophy
"Wise Guy:The Life and Philosophy of Socrates" by M.D. Usher is an excellent resource book for middle schoolers taking a world history class.Our standards require students to describe the key figures and major beliefs of HInduism, Buddhism,Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Greek philosophy....This book simplifies the philosophy of Socrates for our 6th graders. The illustrations by William Bramhall further help the students grasp the information - especially our ELL learners who benefit from the colorful visuals that bring the child right to the agora in ancient Athens where they can see Athenians discussing life's tough topics including , justice, right and wrong, wisdom, courage, beauty, love....

"All I know is that I know nothing" - Socrates

We are big fans!
My two fellas, ages 8 and 10, absolutely love this book. It strikes a fine balance between elementary-age entertainment and providing factual information about the life & times of Socrates. The illustrations are fantastic and serve to make the facts more memorable.

Wish there was a little something like this for Plato, Hippocrates and the rest!

Good book, sticky pages
Excellent book, but came with several pages stuck together which, needless to say, ended up damaging the book as soon as I tried to separate them.Other than that, pretty good product.

estyles
Since I ordered Wise Guy for my eight-year-old grandson Sam, I asked him to review it. We home-school each other.
1. Would you give Wise Guy 5 stars because it is one of the best books you ever read, or no stars because it's one of the worst, or 1,2, 3, or 4 stars?SAM:4-1/2 stars.2. Which did you like more, the pictures or the words?SAM: The words.3. Will you tell your sisters or your friends to read it? SAM: Yes. I would like my best friend to read it. 4.Do you think you will want to read it again? SAM: Yes.5. In what way would you like to be like Socrates?SAM pointed to his brain.6. In what way would you not like to be like Socrates?SAM made a face and said hemlock.7. Did you like the way the book tells the story of Socrates' life in larger print and tells about him in smaller print? SAM:Yes.8.Did you like the pictures and descriptions of famous persons Socrates influenced, at the end of the book?SAM:Yes.9. Did the book make you think you might want to become a philosopher? SAM: Maybe.10. Would you like to read more books about philosophy and philosophers?SAM:Yes. 11. Do you have any more to say to Amazon customers about this book.SAM: Buy it.

Fundamental Socrates for Children
Excellent overview of who Socrates was, his life, and his way of thinking.I have read this to my two sons (5/9) and they both enjoyed it (text and artwork).Socrates is at the foundation of western thinking and philosophy. ... Read more

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“[Phillips takes] philosophy out of theivory tower and into thestreet.”—Los Angeles TimesChristopher Phillips goes to the heart ofphilosophy and Socratic discourseto discoverwhat we’re alllooking for: the kind of lovethat makes life worthwhile. That is, love not defined only as eros, or eroticlove, but in allits classicalvarieties. Love of neighbor, loveof country, love of God, love of life, andloveof wisdom—each isclarified and invigorated inPhillips’s Socratic dialogues with people from all walks of life and from all over the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Absolutely Amazing
I was a huge fan of Christopher Phillip's "Socrates Cafe," so when I found out about this book - I had to get it. It was even better than his first! Mr. Phillips has a way with putting things in words. It's philosophy for the average person, and yet it leaves no rocks overturned. I also loved that he incorporated more about the ideologies of Socrates and Plato in this book.

Mr. Phillips travels the world to discuss the subject of "love" with people of all different backgrounds. With every question that is brought up, you feel like you're present for the conversation. It's a beautiful insight to the similarities that we all share: the urge to love and to be loved. It's definitely a must-read.

Chicken soup for what ails humanity.
Wonderful. Informative. Reassuring. Inspiring. Chicken soup for what ails humanity. The answer is simple. Arete. Ubuntu. Compassion and the courage to express it fully. Put love at the center of life. The price to live so is high. To wit Socrates,Jesus...Not to live so, we suffer more. Here is the core of what we should be teaching our children, as we clarify our own awareness and renew our own commitment.

A Compassionate look at a world on the verge of extinction
Make no mistake about it, throughout the course of the Socrates Cafe series of encounters, Phillips has been looking, like Demosthenes for honesty. It is to be found ever and always in the manner in which those engaged in his discourses present their angular views of this life and accommodate the angular views of others. What seems on the edge now for Phillips is the conduct of the US in particular as it adopts a xenophobic self absorption that translates into intolerance, greed, hypocrisy, much as ancient Greece did after its pinnacle achievements in democracy, philosophy and the rule of law. We all know or should know that Socrates was put to death for corrupting th eyouth, i.e., inspiring them to take nothing from those in power and authority on its face value, to question, to think on their own, to accommodate dissent and to consider the world and one's duty to it in common bond.
Cheney would have had Socrates sent to Gitmo in a heartbeat. Phillips knows that and cites as the critical turning point in Greece's collapse that moment when it went from an open and engaged society to one cultivating interests instead of understanding. As Cheney noted in 2004, "We have no time for friends, only interests." Well, the death knoll is sounding and the US has swallowed its own hemlock.
This is a book about love from the view point of Socrates and Plato. Phillips covers the erotic and romantic, the civic, the familial, the xenophilic, and the conversation always comes back to the ideal Socrates and Plato stood for: that all we have is our concern and compassion for each other and the earth we live on. That is what defines us as humans. Before going on his mis-informed stereotypical rant about Heidegger (you and I need to have a conversation, Christos), he notes that Heidegger stated that the essential quality in our being is CARE. It's our karma, our darma, our alpha and omega, and extends to the earth that we live upon and depend upon and the fellow beings with whom we are engaged in the course of our existence.
There is no having one kind of love and not having the other. This is an all or nothing proposition, anything else is Ayn Rand's enlightened self interest (can you say neo-con? sure you can), which ultimately feeds on itself and swallows its own tail in time. The oil industry would say, "Yeah? So?" As such, enlightened self interest is the philosophical underpinnings of Islamic, Nazi and Industrial fascism. Any type of terror you want, especially on an anniversary like today, is fueled and driven by said self absorption. It uses fear as a bit of stick to be put about, and fear is the mother of violence (thank you, PG).
As Phillips and the folks with whom he engages note, they feel like they are in the midst of some seismic shift. So did Socrates. It is the awakening of a broader planetary view that the age of nations has passed. Sadly, those who seek to exploit both the earth and the humans living on it already disregard any rule of lw recognizing sovereignities over their interests. What is at hand as the question for our times is how the rest of those who would effect a reverence for each other accomplish a rule of law that would hold said exploiters to account and safeguard the earth, its resources, and its people for the common good. That requires Love and Compassion.
In the beginning of the book, Phillips meets an old friend in a park in NYC where there is a statue of Socrates. Right in the mouth of the beast of conspicuous consumption, Socrates stands. Read carefully the comments by Phillips' friend regarding the Greece of toady. The oracle hat Delphi has spoken. The rest is up to you.

Another Phillips Philosophical Gem
In "Socrates In Love," Phillips has stayed true to his previous books and his mission--making philosophy approachable, relevant, and action-oriented.If you liked his other books or like that approach to philosophy, you'll like "Socrates in Love."I think this approach is under-developed in today's culture and it's refreshing to see it done here in an universally relevant area: love.

Like any good philosopher, Phillips tries not to convince us of a specific point of view, but to enlighten us and allow us to explore this for ourselves.He draws from an amazingly rich array of sources, employing research and theory from disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, psychology, religion, history, science, art, and of course, philosophy.

As per his other books, Phillips interviews a wide array of "lay people" amidst his more academic research.He does a tremendous job of connecting these conversations with our beloved "first theorist of love" Socrates and with other known philosophers and theories surrounding the different types of love.He provides incredible breadth in his investigations, extending his exploration to numerous varied locations throughout the world, people of all ages and religions, varying socio-economic classes, and a motley array of professions (or lack thereof).

Of course, some of this investigation results in more questions than answers (a virtue, I believe).Is love universal?Cross-cultural?What does it mean to love "unconditionally"?What affect do taboos have on our love/sex lives?How does love change us?Is love reducible to something logical or biological?Can love be rational in the first place (and if not, is it then irrational?And if irrational, then what?)

The greatest advantage of this book is that it provides the reader with both an accessible though thorough academic approach to the topic of love (and to sex...) and a catalyst for personal growth in this area as well.(And all without being preachy or "self-helpy").

We need to TALK...about LOVE!
"Philosophy" means LOVE of Wisdom -- a form of love which this author exemplifies in his world-wide work to sparkand nurture Socratic conversations.This book vividly portrays such conversations whichrange widely and go deep -- deep into an emotion which is referred to promiscuously, but rarely understood. By anchoring the book in these conversations which any of us can imagine participating in, Phillips brings his subject alive in an amazing way.There is a notable literature on Love(Fromm's Art of Loving, Tennov's Love and Limerance), but no previous one that is as involving as this one. Just a wonderful read by a person you would love to know, and do, through this remarkable book. ... Read more

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Utilizing the dialogue format that the Greek philosopher made famous, Kreeft presents the latest in his series of small books on philosophy. In a unique and compelling take on the philosophies of the modern world, Kreeft pits the ancient Greek philosopher against the founder of Communism. Humorous, frank, and insightful, this book challenges the reader to step in and take hold of what is right and to cast away what is wrong. Topics covered include such varied subjects as private property, the individual, the “Three Philosophies of Man”, women, individualism, and more. A wonderful introduction to philosophy for the neophyte, and a joy for the experienced student. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Socretes Meets Marx
An excellent book. I have received a very good education.

Kreeft shows the absurdity of the Communistic economic system. However, he doesn't really brag all that much about the Capitalistic system either.

Excellent!
This book helped me understand Marx and how his ideas still pollute the thoughts of many in the West.

Dialectical Materialism gets schooled by the master.
As a first impression, I greatly enjoyed how Kreeft captured the reported personality of Marx - "I will destroy you!" being the 'great man's' typical response to any questioning of his all-encompasing weltanschauung .No wonder Kreeft has to place Marx in philosphical purgatory in order to truly dig down into his logical fallacies and empty rhetoric.Given the excellent and humorous setting for the Socratic belting, the "historical fact" of Dialectical Materialism is shown to be nothing more than the will of an angry, misanthropic man, unfortunately possessed with charismatic and intellectual talents, imposed upon willing positivistic 19th century materialists as inescapable, objective reality; Marx's ideas fail not only the god of history he so adored, but the basic premises of logic any system, even that of of an absolute Materialist such as Marx, must abide by in their quest to explain the world around them.

Marx's empty, personality driven tautology is exposed for what it is, and the Marxist Dialectic is given its just rewards.Living in an era where ideas are often treated as nothing more than market induced commodities (a perspective Marx would applaud), Professor Kreeft's work shows the reader where to begin searching for true wisdom, and provides the tools to break the circle of totalitarian and subjectivist ideas, which threaten our world still.

Marx Meets His Match
Peter Kreeft is professional philosopher, a prolific author, and an avid Christian apologist. He has written a number of books using the Socratic method of dialogue and questioning to stimulate thought, correct fuzzy thinking, and challenge our unexamined presuppositions.

He is now in the midst of a new series of volumes, entitled Socrates Meets.... The series is designed to help introduce the reader to the major thinkers and their writings. In this book we have Kreeft (via Socrates) analyse and dissect The Communist Manifesto.

This book, of course, belongs to that group of books which almost everyone knows about but very few people have actually read. Works by Darwin and Freud could also be mentioned (and one suspects that Kreeft has these authors in the pipeline as well).

So it is quite important that someone who actually knows these Great Books quite well can make them accessible and understandable to the average layperson. These volumes do a very good job of distilling the contents and ideas of the Great Books, making them easy to understand and digest. The format of a debate or dialogue between Socrates and his antagonist makes for enjoyable and illuminating reading.

Indeed, the format makes the book fun while helping the reader discover discerning and penetrating insights into the subject of the debate. By uniting a Christian worldview with the probing Socratic method, Kreeft is able to clarify an opponent's position, and point out the inconsistencies and fallacies therein. He is then in a position to show the superior claims of the Judeo-Christian position, over against that found in their works.

This volume applies solid logic and the timeless truths of the Judeo-Christian tradition to one of the most influential of modern thinkers. It makes for a great introduction to this thinker, as well as an incisive critique of his thoughts. One can only look forward to future volumes in this excellent series.

Karl's Glaring Mistake...
After having approached the economic arguments against socialism (and its subordinate -isms like Marx-, Commun-, Naz-, Lenin-, Mao-, etc.) from the perspectives of Adam Smith, Ludwig von Mises, Thomas Sowell, and most especially Friedrich Hayek, it didn't take much to be convinced that Marx was, well, just plain wrong.We have the empirical evidence of something like 80 years of actual practice to point to, to assess, and from which to draw conclusions.

Not until I read Prof. Kreeft's work did I come to comprehend the more important question: *why Marx was wrong*.Socialism was not just hampered by a flawed execution ("everyone" says that Russia should not have been the first nation to try socialism), but fundamentally crippled by a flawed premise.And thereby fated to fail.

I won't give the lesson away - you'll enjoy getting there yourself.I will say, though, that if Marx had been right, our world would be a much more horrifying place than any Matrix-like "Dis-topia" that Hollywood could contrive. ... Read more

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From the celebrated British author and historian: a dazzling new book in which she combines historical inquiry and storytelling élan to give us a brilliantly vivid portrait of Socrates and of the Golden Age of Athens.

Socrates’ life spanned “seventy of the busiest, most wonderful and tragic years in Athenian history,” and Bettany Hughes re-creates this fifth-century B.C. city, drawing on the latest sources—archaeological, topographical, and textual—to illuminate the streets where Socrates walked, to place him there, to show us his life as he lived and experienced it. She takes us through the teeming Agora where Socrates often spoke, and where he was condemned to death. We visit the red-light district, the gymnasia, the shrines he frequented, and the battlefields where he fought. We meet the men, and the few women, who were central to his life. And we come to see the profound influences of time and place in the evolution of his eternally provocative philosophy.

Deeply informed and vibrantly written, The Hemlock Cup gives us the most substantial and fascinating depiction we have ever had of one of the most influential thinkers of all time. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (23)

Review of Levinson's 'Plot to Save Socrates'
Classics and science fictions aren't generally bedfellows. However, Levinson takes this unique union to place a variety of classical characters is a new light. The 'Plot' is a fun, fast re-imagination of the trial of Socrates, Hellenistic Alexandria, and Victorian English. The author also offers a vision of the future. The story is fun, yet also thoughtful. Many of the most important conflicts in the story reflect classical research.

Time travel, adventure, mystery.A great read.
I love a good time traveling story, and this one has the added bonus of being a mystery, an adventure, and a Platonic dialogue all wrapped in one. My only complaint would be that some characters' motivations are unclear; the book seems to beg a sequel to explain these loose ends. Or maybe I just couldn't wrap my head around it. At any rate, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in time travel or philosophy. I also recommend reading it in one sitting (quite possible), to have the best chance of keeping the characters, times, and plots in good order in your own mind.

Fun Concept, Flat Characters, Flat Plot
The concept has the potential for a lot of fun, drama, etc.Name your hook.Instead, you get characters which turn out to be faceless and featureless manequins who are thrust through time at points which are key to the story.There is very little drawn out of any of the characters which would cause a reader to empathize with them or care about what happens to them in the end.

Without giving it away, the "plot" is so fragmented by the end one just wants to see the end and move on.The plot of both the title and the novel fail to impress.Finally, the cop-out twist at the end is a crutch that has made an appearance in many works of fiction, and rarely adds to the story.

DELIGHTFULLY THOUGHT-PROVOKING!
THE PLOT TO SAVE SOCRATES

There's an old saying, "If you love Greek history and you're fascinated by time travel, you'll love Paul Levinson's The Plot To Save Socrates. If you're reading this in 2009, you'll likely disagree that it's an old saying, but if you time travel to 2061, you'll find that it's true.

Paul Levinson's delightful sci-fi book opens in New York in 2042. Sierra Waters, a student of the classics who is working on her dissertation, comes across a newly discovered dialog of Socrates. In it, an unidentified time traveler tries to convince Socrates to escape his death sentence by letting a cloned double drink hemlock while Socrates travels to the future.

As the characters time travel to different periods in the past and the future, the reader cannot help but be absorbed in not only the engaging plot, but also by the myriad questions that time travel raises. I think we all can relate to even the smallest incidents in our own lives that have profoundly changed the course of our personal history. In that sense, The Plot To Save Socrates really challenges our minds as we're led to contemplate how even the smallest adjustments in history could literally change its course.

Though written in a lighthearted style, the depth of research and thought that Paul Levinson put into the writing is clear and the result is truly a thought-provoking, breathtaking, and highly entertaining novel.

A great book
One of the finest books I have ever read. Full of history and adventure, the plot never lets up. It catapults one into how the past may have been, and how the future may be one day, the lives and possible personalities of Ancient
Greeks, and takes you into the world of modern literary societies around which the cunning plot develops through the development of time travel. Highly intelligent, very creatively written in a rich style. ... Read more