Ian Crombie’s impressive volumes provide a comprehensive interpretation of Plato’s doctrines. Volume 2 deals with more technical philosophical topics, including the theory of knowledge, philosophy of nature, and the methodology of science and philosophy. Each volume is self-contained.

Reviews

‘The work as a whole will be an excellent guide for students of general philosophy but also an indispensable textbook for specialist students of Greek philosophy’ The Times Literary Supplement

Contents

Preface. Glossary. Part 1: Theory of Knowledge 1. Aisthesis 2. Doxa & Episteme 3. Doctrine of Anamnesis. Part 2: Cosmology and Theory of Nature 1. Three Presuppositions 2. The Phaedo 3. The Republic 4. The Timaeus V Cosmological Material in Other post-Republic Dialogues 6. Conclusions. Part 3: Metaphysical Analysis 1. The ‘Theory of Forms’ 2. Plato on the Theory of Forms – the Parmenides 3. The Range of Forms 4. Relations between Universals 5. The Sophist 6. The Philebus 7. The Unwritten Doctrines 8. Conclusion. Part 4: Logic and Language 1. Formal and Informal Logic 2. The Cratylus on Language 3. The Paradox of False Belief 4. Some Further Problems Arising out of the Sophist – the Copulas and Existence, etc. Part 5: Plato’s Conception of Philosophical Method 1. General Considerations 2. Hypotheses and Dialect 3. The Concept of Dialectic 4. Conclusion. Index