The Dialectic of Essence
A Study of Plato's Metaphysics
Published on 8. December 2002
Book
Hardback
408 pages
978-0-691-09178-5 (ISBN)
Description
"The Dialectic of Essence" offers a systematic new account of Plato's metaphysics. Allan Silverman argues that the best way to make sense of the metaphysics as a whole is to examine carefully what Plato says about ousia (essence) from the Meno through the middle period dialogues, the Phaedo and the Republic, and into several late dialogues including the Parmenides, the Sophist, the Philebus, and the Timaeus. This book focuses on three fundamental facets of the metaphysics: the theory of Forms; the nature of particulars; and Plato's understanding of the nature of metaphysical inquiry. Silverman seeks to show how Plato conceives of "Being" as a unique way in which an essence is related to a Form. Conversely, partaking ("having") is the way in which a material particular is related to its properties: particulars, thus, in an important sense lack essence. Additionally, the author closely analyzes Plato's idea that the relation between Forms and particulars is mediated by form-copies. Even when some late dialogues provide a richer account of particulars, Silverman maintains that particulars are still denied essence.
Indeed, with the Timaeus's introduction of the receptacle, there are no particulars of the traditional variety. This book cogently demonstrates that when we understand that Plato's concern with essence lies at the root of his metaphysics, we are better equipped to find our way through the labyrinth of his dialogues and to better appreciate how they form a coherent theory.
Indeed, with the Timaeus's introduction of the receptacle, there are no particulars of the traditional variety. This book cogently demonstrates that when we understand that Plato's concern with essence lies at the root of his metaphysics, we are better equipped to find our way through the labyrinth of his dialogues and to better appreciate how they form a coherent theory.
Reviews / Votes
A significant, substantial and original addition to Platonic scholarship... [It] provides a coherent and approachable explanation of the development of Plato's metaphysical system. -- S.A. Burgess Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New Jersey
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
709 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-691-09178-5 (9780691091785)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2009
1st Edition
Princeton University Press
€233.95
Available for download
Person
Allan Silverman is Professor of Philosophy at The Ohio State University.
Content
Preface ix Abbreviations xi INTRODUCTION 1 The Dialectic of Essence 4 Precis of the Chapters 9 CHAPTER ONE AN OVERVIEW OF LATONIC METAPHYSICS 13 The Philosophical Background 13 Forms 14 Particulars 17 Metaphysics and Epistemology 22 CHAPTER TWO SOCRATIC METAPHYSICS? 28 Socrates 28 The Craft Analogy 30 Socratic Properties 32 Metaphysical Conjectures 36 The Meno 41 CHAPTER THREE THE EMERGENCE OF FORMS 49 Section One 49 The Phaedo 50 The Final Argument 57 Section Two 65 The Republic 65 Book VII 70 Section Three 78 Being and Participation 78 CHAPTER FOUR REFINING THE THEORY OF FORMS 104 Section One 104 Overview 104 The Parmenides 105 The First Part 108 The First Two Hypotheses 112 Section Two 121 Separation 121 CHAPTER FIVE FORMS AND LANGUAGE 137 Overview 137 Background to the Argument of the Sophist 145 The Sophist 148 The Interweaving of Forms 162 CHAPTER SIX NOT-BEINGS 182 Overview 182 Not-Being in the Sophist: The Background to 255e 184 Sophist 255e8-257a7 187 Sophist 257a8-259b5 189 Sophist 263a-263d4 201 Collection and Division 207 CHAPTER SEVEN THE NATURE OF MATERIAL ARTICULARS 218 Section One 218 Overview 218 The Philebus 221 The Mixed Life 228 The Fourfold Ontology (23c-27c) 230 The End of the Philebus 240 Section Two 246 The Timaeus 246 Talk of Phenomena in Flux 257 Necessity and Matter 265 The Two Theories 273 Conclusion 282 Conclusion 285 Appendix 299 Notes 311 Bibliography 367 Index Locorum 379 General Index 387