Plato's Cratylus : Proceedings from the Eleventh Symposium Platonicum Pragense /
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The present volume offers a collection of papers on one of Plato's most intriguing dialogues. Although not a running commentary, the book covers the majority of difficult questions raised by the dialogue in which the subjects of language and ontology are tied closely together. It shows why Plato's Cratylus has been highly regarded among readers interested in ancient philosophy and those concerned with modern semantics and theory of language. This collection also presents original views on the position of the dialogue in the whole Plato's œuvre and in the context of Plato's contemporaries and successors.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004473027
9789004473010
The Cratylus : Plato's critique of naming /
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The Cratylus has puzzled many readers with its lengthy discussion of the 'true meanings' of more than a hundred Greek names. This book aims to give a coherent interpretation of the whole dialogue, paying particular attention to these etymologies. The book discusses the rival theories of naming offered by Cratylus, Hermogenes, and Socrates, arguing that Socrates presents a prescriptive theory, laying down what names should be, rather than describing what they are. This distinction between prescriptive and descriptive theories is elaborated and used to illuminate the etymologies themselves. After discussing possible sources for the etymologies, the author argues that the etymological section amounts to a Platonic critique of the muddled attitude of Greek poets and thinkers towards names.
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1 online resource (viii, 203 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 188-193) and indexes. :
9789004320796 :
0079-1687 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Proclus' Commentary on the Cratylus in context : ancient theories of language and naming /
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The Cratylus contains Plato's important, yet ambiguous discussion of language. By studying the reception of this text in antiquity, this book explores the various ideas on language and its relation to philosophy in the Platonic tradition. This discussion provides the backdrop for a detailed analysis of the commentary on the dialogue by Proclus. His, often original, views on language are, it appears, the product of a critical reevaluation of those of his predecessors, whereas his interpretation of the Cratylus throws new light on that dialogue. This book will thus be of interest both to students of Plato and the Platonic tradition, as well as to those working on ancient theories of language.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [219]-228) and indexes. :
9789047423720 :
0079-1687 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.