Dialogues of Plato

A. Early Socratic Dialogues Protagoras- primarily about sophists and main topic is about the virtue in teaching Ion- primarily talks about skills of which is it gained or by the virtue of the divine Apology- about the trial of Socrates. Famous quotation “ an unexamined life is

not worth living” Crito- it is about Socrates in prison cell and Crito persuading him to escape. “one

must not even do wrong when one is wronged, which most people regard as the natural course."

Euthyphro- it is about the search of the definition of Piety Charmides – it is about the search of the meaning of temperances Laches – it is about education in military training and about bravery Republic book I- a dialogue with Cephalus about the meaning of Justice Hippias I&II – it is about the search about the meaning of Beauty

B. Socratic Dialogues Gorgias- it is about the search about the meaning of true rhetoric Meno- it is tries to define the true meaning of virtue in general Menexenus- it is about funeral oration Euthydemus- it is about education and sophistic method of teaching Phaedo-it discusses about the afterlife (the world of forms) Symposium- It concerns itself at one level with the genesis, purpose and nature

of love. It is where the term platonic love originated. Phaedrus- about the topic of love and how it is used in rhetoric. Republic books II-X – series of dialogues which primarily tackles the meaning of

justice Cratylus- it is about the nature and use of language whether it is a system of

arbritrary signs or has intrinsic relation.C. Later Dialouges

1. First group Parmenides Theaetetus- it is about the search of the meaning knowledge Sophists- it is about how sophists contaminates the mind of young people

with wrong knowldeges Statesman- it is about the use of knowledge to be a good rules. Its purpose

it is to have a philosopher king2. Second group

Timaeus- a monologue which talks about the speculation of the nature of the physical world

Critias- an unfinished sequel to the laws Philebus- it is about ethics concerning pleasure Laws- about ethics and laws in a government Epinomis- an appendix to the Laws

A.H. Armstrong , An Introduction to Ancient Philosophy. (USA, 1947)p. 35-36Sparksnotes.comStanford.eduWikipedia.com