Plato and the foundations of metaphysics : a work on the theory of the principles and unwritten doctrines of Plato with a collection of the fundamental documents

This is a book about the relationship of the two traditions of Platonic interpretation—the indirect and the direct traditions, the written dialogues and the unwritten doctrines. Krämer, who is the foremost proponent of the Tübingen School of interpretation, presents the unwritten doctrines as the crown of Plato’s system and the key revealing it. Krämer unfolds the philosophical significance of the unwritten doctrines in their fullness. He demonstrates the hermeneutic fruitfulness of the unwritten doctrines when applied to the dialogues. He shows that the doctrines are a revival of the presocratic theory renovated and brought to a new plane through Socrates. In this way, Plato emerges as the creator of classical metaphysics. In the Third Part, Krämer compares the structure of Platonism, as construed by the Tübingen School, with current philosophical structures such as analytic philosophy, Hegel, phenomenology, and Heidegger. Of the five appendices, the most important presents English translations of the ancient testimonies on the unwritten doctrines. These include the “self-testimonies of Plato.” There is also a bibliography on the problem of the unwritten doctrines. Hans Joachim Kramer is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tübingen. Co-founder, with Conrad Gaiser, and Director of the Platon-Archiv of the Philological Institute of the University of Tübingen, he has been actively publishing in the field of Platonic research for over 30 years. John R. Catan is Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York, College at Brockport. Cover Half title Imprint Contents Preface to the American Edition Preface to the Italian Edition Introduction: The “Italian Plato” of Hans Krämer Note by the Translator of the American Edition Abbreviations Part One: The Loss and Recovery of the Indirect Platonic Tradition: The Position of Schleiermacher and Its Consequences 1 The Arguments of Schleiermacher in the Introductions to the Translation of Plato 2 Schleiermacher's Premises Inspired by the Idealistic Philosophy of Identity 3 The Ascent and Crisis of Schleiermacherianism 4 On the Methodology and the Standards of Argument of Modern Schleiermacherianism 5 Conclusion: The Relation between the Direct and Indirect Platonic Tradition and the Significance of the Platonic Dialogues Part Two The Philosophical Structure of the Platonic Theory of the Principles, Its Content, and Its Historical Significance 6 The Unified Structure of Platonic Philosophy 7 The Relation of the Unwritten Doctrines to the Dialogues 8 The Place of the Theory of the Principles in the History of Ancient Philosophy Part Three: The Philosophical Implications of the Platonic Theory of the Principles and Viewpoints for Its Interpretation 9 The Theory of the Principles in the Light of Analytic Philosophy 10 The Theory of the Principles in the Light of Transcendental Philosophy 11 The Theory of the Principles in the Light of Hegelianism 12 The Theory of the Principles in the Light of Phenomenology and the Philosophy of Heidegger Part Four Conclusions: Illusion of Plato or Agony of Schleiermacherianism? 13 On the Problem of the Theoretical Evaluation of the Unwritten Doctrines Appendices 1. The “Self-Testimonies” of Plato 2. The References of the Platonic Writings to Selected Unwritten Doctrines 3. The Chief Reports of the Unwritten Doctrines (Testimonia Platonica) Notes Select Bibliography on the Problematic of the Unwritten Doctrines of Plato Indices Names of the Ancient Authors Cited Names of Modern Authors Cited Index of Agreements between the Testimonia Platonica of Gaiser and Krämer This is a book about the relationship of the two traditions of Platonic interpretation -- the indirect and the direct traditions, the written dialogues and the unwritten doctrines. Kramer, who is the foremost proponent of the Tubingen School of interpretation, presents the unwritten doctrines as the crown of Plato's system and the key revealing it. Kramer unfolds the philosophical significance of the unwritten doctrines in their fullness. He demonstrates the hermeneutic fruitfulness of the unwritten doctrines when applied to the dialogues. He shows that the doctrines are a revival of the presocratic theory renovated and brought to a new plane through Socrates. In this way, Plato emerges as the creator of classical metaphysics. In the Third Part, Kramer compares the structure of Platonism, as construed by the Tubingen School, with current philosophical structures such as analytic philosophy, Hegel, phenomenology, and Heidegger. Of the five appendices, the most important presents English translations of the ancient testimonies on the unwritten doctrines. These include the "self-testimonies of Plato." There is also a bibliography on the problem of the unwritten doctrines. Hans Joachim Krämer ; Edited And Translated By John R. Catan. Translation Of: Platone E I Fondamente Della Metafisica, A Translation Of The Original Unpublished German Manuscript. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 287-300) And Indexes.