Northwestern University Press, 2015 Paper: 978-0-8101-3485-0 | eISBN: 978-0-8101-6791-9 | Cloth: 978-0-8101-3007-4 Library of Congress Classification B378.S25 2015 Dewey Decimal Classification 184
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
In this book, Eric Sanday boldly demonstrates that Plato’s “theory of forms” is true, easy to understand, and relatively intuitive. Sanday argues that our chief obstacle to understanding the theory of forms is the distorting effect of the tacit metaphysical privileging of individual things in our everyday understanding. For Plato, this privileging of things that we can own, produce, exchange, and through which we gain mastery of our surroundings is a significant obstacle to philosophical education. The dialogue’s chief philosophical work, then, is to destabilize this false privileging and, in Parmenides, to provide the initial framework for a newly oriented account of participation. Once we do this, Sanday argues, we more easily can grasp and see the truth of the theory of forms.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Eric Sandayis an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Kentucky.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: DIALECTIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL METHOD
1. The Platonic Context
2. Commentary on Method
Outline of the Chapters
PART I: SCIENTIFIC PHILOSOPHY
Chapter 1: Zenonian Method
1. Reception
2. Participation
3. The Conversation Between Zeno and Socrates
Rhetoric, Eristic, and Scientific Philosophy
4. Parmenidean Intervention [130a3 – 130e3]
Maturing into Scientific Philosophy
Conclusion of First Chapter
CHAPTER 2 – PUTTING PARTICIPATION TO THE TEST
1. One in Quantity: Part/Whole Complexity
2. One of Many: Individuality
Review: “One” as Aggregate and Individual
3. One in Quality: Likeness and Multiplicity
Metaphysical Asymmetry
4. The Skeptical Objection
Answering the Skeptic
5. Dialectic in the Republic and Parmenides
Conclusion of First Part
PART 2: EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION
CHAPTER 3: FIRST HYPOTHESIS (H1)
Preparatory Discussion of the “One”
1. The One in the First Hypothesis
2. Complexity
2a. Part/Whole Complexity
A Note on Dialectic and the “Secondary Aim” of H1
2b. Spatiality
2c. Motion and Rest
3. Same and Other
4. Like and Unlike
5. Measure
6. Temporality
Lessons and Questions
CHAPTER 4: THE ONE-THAT-IS: SECOND HYPOTHESIS (H2)
Summary of the Chapter
1. The Abstract Intelligibility of Spatially Determinate Individuals
1a. One Consisting of Many: the first argument (142c-143a)
1b. Many Ones: the second argument (143a-144e5)
Conclusion of the Two Derivations (144d3-145a4)
2. Spatial Limit
2a. Spatiality
2b. Motion and Rest
3. Qualitative Relation
3a. Same and Other
3a.i the one is the same as itself
3a.ii the one is different from itself
3a.iii the one is different than the others
3a.iv the one is the same as the [things] not-one
3b. Like/Unlike
4. Quantitative Relation
4a. Contact: coordinating complexity and individuality
4b. Continuous Magnitude: Greater/Smaller/Equal
4c. Discrete Magnitude: Measure
5. Temporality
5a. The Temporality of the One, Relative to Itself
5b. The Temporality of the One, Relative to Others
Conclusion of H2
CHAPTER 5: TRANSFORMED PERSPECTIVE
1. H2a – The Instant
2. H3-H4 – Limit and the Unlimited
2a. H4
3. H5-H6 – Veridical Predication
3a. The One-that-is-not Partakes of Many Things
3b. The Bonds of Being and Not Being
3c. Motion and Rest
3d. H6
4. H7-H8 – Appearance
4a. H8
CONCLUSION
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Northwestern University Press, 2015 Paper: 978-0-8101-3485-0 eISBN: 978-0-8101-6791-9 Cloth: 978-0-8101-3007-4
In this book, Eric Sanday boldly demonstrates that Plato’s “theory of forms” is true, easy to understand, and relatively intuitive. Sanday argues that our chief obstacle to understanding the theory of forms is the distorting effect of the tacit metaphysical privileging of individual things in our everyday understanding. For Plato, this privileging of things that we can own, produce, exchange, and through which we gain mastery of our surroundings is a significant obstacle to philosophical education. The dialogue’s chief philosophical work, then, is to destabilize this false privileging and, in Parmenides, to provide the initial framework for a newly oriented account of participation. Once we do this, Sanday argues, we more easily can grasp and see the truth of the theory of forms.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Eric Sandayis an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Kentucky.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: DIALECTIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL METHOD
1. The Platonic Context
2. Commentary on Method
Outline of the Chapters
PART I: SCIENTIFIC PHILOSOPHY
Chapter 1: Zenonian Method
1. Reception
2. Participation
3. The Conversation Between Zeno and Socrates
Rhetoric, Eristic, and Scientific Philosophy
4. Parmenidean Intervention [130a3 – 130e3]
Maturing into Scientific Philosophy
Conclusion of First Chapter
CHAPTER 2 – PUTTING PARTICIPATION TO THE TEST
1. One in Quantity: Part/Whole Complexity
2. One of Many: Individuality
Review: “One” as Aggregate and Individual
3. One in Quality: Likeness and Multiplicity
Metaphysical Asymmetry
4. The Skeptical Objection
Answering the Skeptic
5. Dialectic in the Republic and Parmenides
Conclusion of First Part
PART 2: EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION
CHAPTER 3: FIRST HYPOTHESIS (H1)
Preparatory Discussion of the “One”
1. The One in the First Hypothesis
2. Complexity
2a. Part/Whole Complexity
A Note on Dialectic and the “Secondary Aim” of H1
2b. Spatiality
2c. Motion and Rest
3. Same and Other
4. Like and Unlike
5. Measure
6. Temporality
Lessons and Questions
CHAPTER 4: THE ONE-THAT-IS: SECOND HYPOTHESIS (H2)
Summary of the Chapter
1. The Abstract Intelligibility of Spatially Determinate Individuals
1a. One Consisting of Many: the first argument (142c-143a)
1b. Many Ones: the second argument (143a-144e5)
Conclusion of the Two Derivations (144d3-145a4)
2. Spatial Limit
2a. Spatiality
2b. Motion and Rest
3. Qualitative Relation
3a. Same and Other
3a.i the one is the same as itself
3a.ii the one is different from itself
3a.iii the one is different than the others
3a.iv the one is the same as the [things] not-one
3b. Like/Unlike
4. Quantitative Relation
4a. Contact: coordinating complexity and individuality
4b. Continuous Magnitude: Greater/Smaller/Equal
4c. Discrete Magnitude: Measure
5. Temporality
5a. The Temporality of the One, Relative to Itself
5b. The Temporality of the One, Relative to Others
Conclusion of H2
CHAPTER 5: TRANSFORMED PERSPECTIVE
1. H2a – The Instant
2. H3-H4 – Limit and the Unlimited
2a. H4
3. H5-H6 – Veridical Predication
3a. The One-that-is-not Partakes of Many Things
3b. The Bonds of Being and Not Being
3c. Motion and Rest
3d. H6
4. H7-H8 – Appearance
4a. H8
CONCLUSION
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE