Books by Benjamin Jowett

The Republic is a Socratic dialogue, written by Plato around 380 BC, concerning justice, the order and character of the just city-state, and the just man. It is Plato's best-known work, and has proven to be one of the world's most influential works of philosophy and political theory, both intellectually and historically. In the book's dialogue, Socrates discusses with various Athenians and foreigners about the meaning of justice and whether the just man is happier than the unjust man. They consider the natures of existing regimes and then propose a series of different, hypothetical cities in comparison, culminating in Kallipolis, a hypothetical city-state ruled by a philosopher king. They also discuss the theory of forms, the immortality of the soul, and the role of the philosopher and of poetry in society.

Plato's dialogue Theaetetus asks the question of what knowledge is, how human beings acquire it, and how knowledge relates to both perception and judgement.This dialogue is told as a frame story, whereby Euclid and a friend are read a dialogue from the time Theaetetus was a young man. In it Theaetetus, a teacher of geometry, is talking with Socrates. At first they discuss the students, but soon move on to the core subject of knowledge and what it is to know things. It is in this dialogue that Socrates famously compares himself to a midwife, which was his mother's profession. Whereas she showed expertise in bringing a newborn child into the world, Socrates' rather is skilled at bringing new knowledge forth from the minds of those on the cusp of birthing such thoughts. A classic Platonic dialogue, this edition of Theaetetus is the translation of renowned classical scholar Benjamin Jowett.

Plato's dialogue Theaetetus asks the question of what knowledge is, how human beings acquire it, and how knowledge relates to both perception and judgement.This dialogue is told as a frame story, whereby Euclid and a friend are read a dialogue from the time Theaetetus was a young man. In it Theaetetus, a teacher of geometry, is talking with Socrates. At first they discuss the students, but soon move on to the core subject of knowledge and what it is to know things. It is in this dialogue that Socrates famously compares himself to a midwife, which was his mother's profession. Whereas she showed expertise in bringing a newborn child into the world, Socrates' rather is skilled at bringing new knowledge forth from the minds of those on the cusp of birthing such thoughts. A classic Platonic dialogue, this edition of Theaetetus is the translation of renowned classical scholar Benjamin Jowett.

The Republic by Plato is a landmark achievement in Ancient Greek philosophy - this edition contains every book, complete in a superb translation by Benjamin Jowett, in hardcover.The Republic is part conversation between friends active in the Athens intellectual community, and part monologue from various participants in the discussion. The narrator and lead character is Socrates, Plato's mentor, who appears in most Platonic dialogues and acts as surrogate to Plato's ideas. Throughout the text the 'Socratic method', whereby Socrates feigns ignorance and questions an adversary to receive insight on a given subject, is amply demonstrated. The discussion begins with an attempt to find a definition for justice, wherein a disagreement between Thrasymachus - who believes justice is what is good for who is strongest at a given place and time - and Socrates, who believes that all members of society should, for the highest benefit of all, conform to just action.