Being and Logos: Reading the Platonic Dialogues

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By: John Sallis
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EDITORIAL REVIEW



"Being and Logos" is... a philosophical adventure of rare inspiration.... Its power to illuminate the text..., its ecumenicity of inspiration, its methodological rigor, its originality, and its philosophical profundity -- all together make it one of the few philosophical interpretations that the philosopher will want to re-read along with the dialogues themselves. A superadded gift is the author's prose, which is a model of lucidity and grace." -- International Philosophical Quarterly



"Being and Logos is highly recommended for those who wish to learn how a thoughtful scholar approaches Platonic dialogues as well as for those who wish to consider a serious discussion of some basic themes in the dialogues." -- The Academic Reviewer

PRODUCT DETAILS

Publisher: Indiana University Press
Pub. Date: 1st June 1996
Catalog: Book
Media: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 564
Ean: 9780253210715
Isbn: 0253210712

ABOUT THIS BOOK

USER REVIEWS

Absolutely essential
~ Written on May 18, 2001. 18 out of 23 users found this review helpful.

This book is as fresh today as it was 25 years ago when it was originally published. John Sallis continues to be one of the most interesting voices in philosophy in the U.S. In this magnificent work Sallis explores several of the most important dialogues in the platonic corpus by concentrating upon the interaction between logos--speech or writing--and "being" within those works. What we get is an impressive set of interpretations upon old favorites: Meno, Apology, Republic, Sophist, Phaedrus, Cratylus. Since Sallis has been heavily influenced by Heidegger and Derrida he pays particular attention to the form of the dialogues and their slippery language. Rather than the tired old cliches about Plato's "theory of ideas" or "theory of hedonism" we get compelling, insightful interpretations about the twists-and-turns in the dialogues and the interplay between interlocutors. This book so rich as to defy the conventional, short review.

It is works like this which remind us that Plato is every bit as radical and profound today as he was 2,500 years ago. Put down those dreadful books by Vlastos and Nehemas; pick this one up! You will not be sorry.

Interpretive essays that really get you into the dialogues
~ Written on Nov 26, 1999. 8 out of 15 users found this review helpful.

The problem with Plato's dialogues is that they were written over 2,500 yeqrs ago. That's not Plato's problem, it's ours. The whole cultural milieu, on which the dialogue draw heavily, no longer exists. What's a Mother to do? Well if you get Doctor Sallis' marvelous little book you will be given guided tours of several important dialogues: Meno, Phaedrus, Republic and others. Of course, it doesn't replace actually reading the dialogues, and his language is a tad Heideggerian (but not offensively so). All in all a good read.

A very well written and engaging study of Plato's dialogues
~ Written on Aug 13, 1999. 5 out of 9 users found this review helpful.

I wholeheartedly recommend this work; Written by a well respected continental philosopher, it is perhaps the finest introduction (in english) to the many dimensions of the platonic dialogues.

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