The Bloomsbury Handbook of Plato - (Bloomsbury Handbooks) by Gerald A Press & Mateo Duque (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This essential reference text on the life, thought and writings of Plato uses over 160 short, accessible articles to cover a complete range of topics for both the first-time student and seasoned scholar of Plato and ancient philosophy.

It is organized into five parts illuminating Plato's life, the whole of the Dialogues attributed to him, the Dialogues' literary features, the concepts and themes explored within them and Plato's reception via his influence on subsequent philosophers and the various interpretations of his work. This fully updated 2nd edition includes 19 newly commissioned entries on topics ranging across comedy, tragedy, Xenophon, metatheatre, gender, musical theory, animals, Orphism, political theory, religion, time, Hellenistic philosophy and post-Platonic ancient commentaries. It also features revisions to the majority of articles from the 1st edition, including 8 which have been completely re-written, and 12 which have had the references substantially revised.

Reflecting the growing diversity of Plato scholarship across the world, this edition includes contributions from a wide range of scholars who enrich the field and provide students and scholars with a vital resource for study and reference.

Review Quotes

This handbook concisely introduces critical interpretations from antiquity to the present day, provides the background that sets the dialogues in context, and above all, reveals the depth and breadth of Plato's philosophical legacy. The highly readable entries are expertly informed and refreshingly non-dogmatic, and the companion summarizes the dialogues, letters and spuria to leave the reader in a better position to interpret Plato. Highly recommended for Plato readers both novice and experienced.
Sara Ahbel-Rappe, Professor of Classics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

This second edition of The Bloomsbury Handbook of Plato is most welcome. Some entries have been rewritten or updated, and some new well-informed entries added to offer a coherent introduction to even more aspects of Plato and his philosophy. This collection will be most helpful for beginners, but also will serve senior scholars. It is a treasure for anyone who is interested in the field of ancient philosophy.
Michael Erler, Professor Emeritus of Classic Philology, University of Würzburg, Germany

This well conceived and thoughtfully organized collection brings together scores of lucid and authoritative essays by many of the leading Plato scholars in the world. In this revised and updated second edition, it remains a reliable and congenial guide to the perplexities of Plato's philosophy.
Glenn W. Most, Professor of Greek Philology (retired), Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy

About the Author

Gerald A. Press was Professor of Philosophy at Hunter College and CUNY Graduate Center, USA.
Mateo Duque is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Binghamton University, USA.