Plato: A Very Short Introduction

Julia Annas

Jun 2021 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Julia Whelan

About this audiobook

This lively and accessible introduction to Plato focuses on the philosophy and argument of his writings, drawing the listener into Plato's way of doing philosophy, and the general themes of his thinking. It looks at Plato as a thinker grappling with philosophical problems in a variety of ways, rather than a philosopher with a fully worked-out system. It includes a brief account of Plato's life and the various interpretations that have been drawn from the sparse remains of information. It stresses the importance of the founding of the Academy and the conception of philosophy as a subject. Julia Annas discusses Plato's style of writing: his use of the dialogue form, his use of what we today call fiction, and his philosophical transformation of myths. She also looks at his discussions of love and philosophy, his attitude to women, and to homosexual love, explores Plato's claim that virtue is sufficient for happiness, and touches on his arguments for the immortality of the soul and his ideas about the nature of the universe.

Ratings and reviews

明晰に聞こえない。

About the author

Julia Annas is Regents Professor of Philosophy Emerita at the University of Arizona. Annas has written a number of books and articles over a wide range of ancient philosophy, from Plato to the Hellenistic period, including An Introduction to Plato's Republic, The Morality of Happiness, and Platonic Ethics Old and New.