Plato's "Sophist" Revisited

Description

This book consists of a selection of papers which throw new light on old problems in one of Plato's most difficult dialogues. The papers included fall into three broad categories: a) those dealing directly with the ostensible aim of the dialogue, the various definitions of a sophist from different perspectives (T. Robinson, F. Casadesús, J. Monserrat-P. Sandoval, A. Bernabé, M. Narcy and K. Dorter ; b) a number which tackle a specific question brought up in the dialogue, and that is, how Plato relates to Heraclitus and to Parmenides in the matter of his understanding of being and non-being (E. Hülsz, D. O'Brien, B. Bossi, P. Mesquita and N. Cordero) ; and c) those discussing various other broad issues brought to the fore in the dialogue, such as the 'greatest kinds', true and false statement, difference and mimesis (F. Fronterotta, J. de Garay, D. Ambuel and L. Palumbo).The variety of schools and backgrounds of the authors makes this book unique as a tool for the appreciation of the different approaches possible to well-known hermeneutical problems. I. Defining Sophistry Protagoras and the Definition of ‘Sophist’ in the Sophist Whyis it so Difficult to Catch a Sophist? Pl. Sph. 218d3 and 261aS Plato’s Enquiry concerning the Sophist as a Way towards ‘Defining’ Philosophy The Sixth Definition (Sophist 226a—231c): Transposition of Religious Language Remarks on the First Five Definitions of the Sophist (Soph. 221c-235a) Socrates and ‘Noble’ Sophistry (Sophist 226b—231c) The Method of Division in the Sophist: Plato’s Second Deuteros Plous II. Parricide: Threat or Reality? Plato’s Ionian Muses: Sophist 242 d—e Does Plato refute Parmenides? Back to the Point: Plato and Parmenides — Genuine Parricide? Plato’s Eleaticism in the Sophist: The Doctrine of Non-Being The relativization of “separation” (khorismos) in the Sophist III. Mimesis, Image and Logos Francesco Fronterotta Theaetetus sits — Theaetetus flies. Ontology, predication and truth in Plato’s Sophist (263a—d) Difference and Negation: Plato’s Sophist in Proclus Difference in Kind: Observations on the Distinction of the Megista Gene Mimesis in the Sophist Bibliography Index Locorum Subject Index