Book description
Socrates, the largely enigmatic Greek thinker, is universally
considered to have laid the foundations of western philosophy. His
philosophy, available to us through the early dialogues of Plato and the
writings of his contemporaries, has had a remarkably enduring influence
on virtually every area of philosophical enterprise .
This comprehensive and accessible guide to Socrates life and death,
character and philosophical concerns, features thirteen specially
commissioned sections, written by a team of leading experts in the field
of ancient philosophy, covering every aspect of Socratic thought. The
Companion presents a comprehensive overview of the various features,
themes and topics apparent in Socrates' thought, including Socratic
irony, metaphysics, epistemology, happiness, virtue, moral psychology,
philosophy of love, political philosophy, and religious belief. It
concludes with a thoroughly comprehensive bibliography of primary and
secondary sources. This is an essential reference tool for anyone
working in the field of ancient philosophy. John Bussanich is
Professor of Philosophy at the University of New Mexico, USA. He is the
author of The One and its Relation to Intellect in Plotinus
(Brill, 1988) and co-editor of the journal Ancient Philosophy
.
Nicholas D. Smith is Professor of Philosophy at Lewis and Clark College,
USA. His many publications include Ancient Philosophy: Essential
Readings with Commentary
(with F. Allhof and A. Vaidya, Blackwell, 2008), Routledge
Philosophy Guidebook to Plato and the Trial of Socrates
(with T. Brickhouse, Routledge, 2004), The Trial and Execution of Socrates
(edited and translated with T. Brickhouse, OUP, 2002) and Reason and
Religion in Socratic Philosophy
(with P. Woodruff, OUP, 2000).
