Papers by jackie catterwell
The Euthyudemus begins the third/last subgroup of Plato's Early dialogues. It connects with the ... more The Euthyudemus begins the third/last subgroup of Plato's Early dialogues. It connects with the first Early subgroup and follows on from the second, Alc.I and II. It images the bad conditions of soul of two victory-seeking teachers of argument and quietly contrasts them with the good conditions of soul and arguments of their young pupils and Socrates.
An outline of my holistic understanding of Plato's dialogues. Some chapters from the late group ... more An outline of my holistic understanding of Plato's dialogues. Some chapters from the late group have already been published on Academia.Edu
This is the first chapter of the first section of my unpublished 1980s PhD thesis. It outlines t... more This is the first chapter of the first section of my unpublished 1980s PhD thesis. It outlines the textual evidence for a new framework for understanding Plato's dialogues. The second chapter, to follow, examines what the dialogues say about the education and learning of soul, as it is this that they image.
This continues S.I.1. It primarily examines the Republic and Meno's teachings on the nature and ... more This continues S.I.1. It primarily examines the Republic and Meno's teachings on the nature and types of soul and how it is best taught and learns and initially applies its findings to Plato's three major groups of dialogue. Its purpose is lay a foundation for my detailed interpretation and ordering of all his dialogues.
This is the introductory chapter to my Section on Plato’s Early group of dialogues. It builds on... more This is the introductory chapter to my Section on Plato’s Early group of dialogues. It builds on Section I’s keys to understanding his dialogues and begins to evidence my holistic understanding and ordering of all the dialogues (viz. that they compose a whole of three parts, each divided into three parts), which is itself based on the programme of teaching and learning they themselves teach. To this end, S.II.1 first outlines my general approach to Plato’s dialogues. It then introduces the Early group, its members, method, common pattern and features, and three methods of teaching its three groups of character (its three subgroups). The next chapters to be posted in this Section will then examine each dialogue in each of the three Early dialogue subgroups.
Following my sections on understanding Plato’s dialogues as a whole (S.I), and on the Early group... more Following my sections on understanding Plato’s dialogues as a whole (S.I), and on the Early group as a whole (S.II.1), this chapter (S.II.2) examines the Early first subgroup. In it, Socrates examines and begins to improve the conditions of soul of a young rhapsode (the Ion), two generals consulted about the care of two young boys (the Laches), and a young boy and a young man (the Charmides), in the fields of poetic knowledge, courage, and temperance respectively. The Lysis, which examines a young boy’s knowledge of love/friendship, is included in this group but, as a test case, is examined in the light of the Timaeus in S.V.4.
INTRODUCTION Alcibiades I and II examine a young man's thoughts about human soul's fourth and fif... more INTRODUCTION Alcibiades I and II examine a young man's thoughts about human soul's fourth and fifth virtues, justice and piety respectively. In so doing, and through their older character, they complete the first Early subgroup's treatment of uneducated young boys' different conditions of soul and thought about the first three virtues, wisdom, courage, and temperance. Since the 19 th century, and mainly for stylistic reasons, however, some have doubted their authorship. They lack the general humour, teasing, and warmth of many of Plato's other works, and, although they use question and answer, Alc.I in particular gives straightforward, and some say too advanced, answers to these questions. It is not the only dialogue to do so, however. The Gorgias' early Socrates is often direct, explicit, admonitory, and hectoring, and the tone of the Late group works is unremittingly serious and instructive. Alc.I's so-called 'advanced' doctrines, are also compatible with the thesis that Plato's dialogues image a long and carefully worked-out ascent from human ignorance to divine-related knowledge. In addition, through their character, a promising but wealthy and corruptible young man with political ambitions, they nicely fill the generational gap between S.II.2's questioning of innocent young boys and S.II.4's questioning of ignorant and corrupt teachers and leaders of young men such as Alcibiades.
In my work on the reading order of Plato's dialogues based on the programme of teaching and learn... more In my work on the reading order of Plato's dialogues based on the programme of teaching and learning they teach, I place the Meno second in the middle group. I show that and how its young protagonist - and the dialogues before it - are brought to a condition of weak true belief, pistis on the Republic's divided line.
An understanding of the Phaedo as preparing the way for the third subgroup of Plato's middle grou... more An understanding of the Phaedo as preparing the way for the third subgroup of Plato's middle group dialogues and the three subgroups of the late group dialogues already posted on my Profile
This gives a quick overview of the whole of my section on Plato's late group dialogues, some of ... more This gives a quick overview of the whole of my section on Plato's late group dialogues, some of which have already been posted on Academia.Edu. The Sophist, Politicus, and Philebus have been written but not yet posted. A chapter on philosophical dialectic will follow. My work as a whole interprets each and al lof Plato's dialogues in order of of reading based on the programme of teaching and learning described in them.
This is the second chapter of my section on Plato's late dialogues. It gathers into a whole what... more This is the second chapter of my section on Plato's late dialogues. It gathers into a whole what they say about the teaching and right use of dialectic. Apart from the Sophist and the Politicus, supporting chapters from the late group appear on my Profile. Chapters on late and middle group dialogues and their order of reading have not yet been posted but are available on request.
CHAPER 3-THE PHAEDRUS: ITS PLACE AND FUNCTION. This chapter from my complete work argues that th... more CHAPER 3-THE PHAEDRUS: ITS PLACE AND FUNCTION. This chapter from my complete work argues that the Phaedrus introduces Plato's late/third group of dialogues on knowledge and occupies the L2/L1 transition point on the Republic's divided line
In my unpublished work on Plato's dialogues as imaging a well-ordered ascent from ignorance to k... more In my unpublished work on Plato's dialogues as imaging a well-ordered ascent from ignorance to knowledge, the Theaetetus is a member of the late group's first subgroup, consisting of the Phaedrus, Theaetetus, Parmenides; This chapter shows the purpose of the Theaetetus is not to define knowledge but to begin to turn its noble young mathematicians towards the method (philosophical dialectic) and opposite first, second, and intermediate kinds they will need to know in order to attain knowledge about the nature of all things for themselves.
This is chapter 5 from my section on Plato's late group of dialogues. It follows my posted chapt... more This is chapter 5 from my section on Plato's late group of dialogues. It follows my posted chapters on the Phaedrus and Theatetus. I have completed but not yet posted my work on the early and middle groups. This chapter sees the Parmenides as advancing middle group ideas into their final stage of teaching and learning about first causes and philosophical method.
Plato's Dialogues, 2006
This interpretation of the Sophist is based on my understanding of Plato’s dialogues as imaging a... more This interpretation of the Sophist is based on my understanding of Plato’s dialogues as imaging an ascending and interconnected whole of three major parts, each divisible into three minor parts. The Sophist is at the level of knowledge, building on and advancing the Theaetetus and the Parmenides by providing a non-visual model of the participation of visible human kinds in intelligible divine kinds, tying Plato’s false philosopher, the sophist, to his metaphysical first kind, and clearing and preparing the way for accounts of the knowledge of the good human ruler, the good human philosopher, and the god-loving philosopher-ruler.
This chapter's main aim is to understand the allegorical dimensions of the Statesman's puzzling d... more This chapter's main aim is to understand the allegorical dimensions of the Statesman's puzzling dialectical divisions and pattern of weaving. It shows that it builds on the Sophist and paves the way for the Timaeus by founding the good but second-best human statesman's knowledge and skills on the knowledge and skills of a divine craftsman. The good human statesman can do what he does because his soul is like the heavenly pattern. He sits at the top of the human sections of the Republic's and Sophist's divided lines of education and production respectively.
Suitable both for those new to Plato and for scholars familiar with the text, this completes my u... more Suitable both for those new to Plato and for scholars familiar with the text, this completes my understanding of Plato's third stage in the education of soul imaged in his late group of dialogues, all posted here.
Unpublished work from 1980s, now completed.
Plato's Philosopher, 2020
Plato intended to write a trilogy on the sophist, statesman, and philosopher (Soph.216-218, Pol.2... more Plato intended to write a trilogy on the sophist, statesman, and philosopher (Soph.216-218, Pol.257), but although we have dialogues on the first two the third seems to be missing. The Philebus meets many of its expectations. It immediately follows the Sophist and the Politicus. It reinstates Plato's philosopher, Socrates, as discussion leader, and for the first time portrays him as an experienced philosopher-dialectician able to separate pleasure from knowledge and good from bad in human life and to rank soul's most valuable possessions. This Socrates also provides a last lesson in philosophical dialectic by dividing everything in the universe into four well-named kinds and tracing their evolution into different types, thus meeting the Sophist's description of the philosopher's ability to do exactly this (Soph.253cd, Phil.23cd,). He also applies the Politicus' teaching about due measure, making good its claim that this will be needed in a future demonstration of true accuracy in dialectic (Pol.284d, Phil.64). And in dialectically seeking, and at last finding, the good in human life and soul he comes very close to the nature of the good itself (ib.61), the end of the philosopher's education in the Republic. Nevertheless, although this Socrates has the character, skills, powers, and types of knowledge expected of Plato's good philosopher, we are told that his account is not complete (ib.67b) and he will not be allowed to leave until it has reached a satisfactory end (ib.19de, 23b). In a later discussion of pleasures and pains, he also announces that he will give a full account of the rest "tomorrow": "I fancy I shall secure your consent to release me if I just add this: that I will gladly give you a full account of the rest tomorrow but for the present I want to address myself to the matters still outstanding if we are to settle the problem set us by Philebus" (ib.50de). It is clear from the dialogue that its most vital missing part is its fourth kind, the one to which human reason and intelligence belong: the cause/maker of everything that comes to be and is made, the king of heaven and earth, divine reason; the perfect and self-sufficient good itself 1 (ib.20de, 22cd, 26e-28e). The Timaeus' account of coming into being, however, begins from this kind: a form-knowing, intelligent and good craftsman-god, maker of the fairest, most perfect, and self-sufficient combined kind, the living cosmos itself, a likeness of its maker (Tim.27d-33d). Pious Timaeus alone gazes upon the intelligent and intelligible cause(s) of cosmic measure, beauty, intelligence, and goodness set aside in the Philebus. He completes the Philebus' account of the causes of pleasures and pains in the light of this knowledge (ib.64a ff.). And he can do all this because he is the Republic's fully educated philosopher-ruler. The Timaeus' prologue (ib.17-21) sets the scene for all that follows. Its first words, spoken by Socrates, are: "One, two, three. . but where, dear Timaeus, is the fourth of those who were my guests yesterday and are to be my entertainers today"(ib.17a). 1 The Philebus Socrates signals that this kind is not yet fully visible by associating his teachings on the four kinds and the good to divine stories, dreams, and memories (e.g. ib.16c, 18b, 20). In like manner, the Politicus uses a myth to introduce its divine maker.
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Papers by jackie catterwell