Plato's Philebus: A Philosophical Discussion

The Philebus is an extraordinarily creative and profound examination of what makes for a good human life, containing some of Plato’s most sophisticated discussions of moral psychology (especially of pleasure), knowledge, metaphysics, and philosophical methodology. This volume brings together leading scholars of ancient philosophy to take a fresh and comprehensive look at this important work. The essays comprising this volume are each focused on a relatively brief section of the Philebus and are arranged in the order of the passages they discuss. They originated in a week-long seminar, the first of the Plato Dialogue Project, in which the contributors were asked to offer an overview of the argument of their passage, focusing on issues of philosophical significance as they saw fit. The conversation continued over subsequent months, as the contributors and editors exchanged written comments on each other’s papers. The result is not and is not intended to be a commentary, nor does it aim to present a unified interpretation. It is instead a series of close, original philosophical examinations, often in conversation with each other, which together provide continuous coverage of the Philebus.