Protagoras and the Challenge of Relativism: Plato's Subtlest Enemy (Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Philosophy)

Protagoras was an important Greek thinker of the fifth century BC, the most famous of the so called Sophists, though most of what we know of him and his thought comes to us mainly through the dialogues of his strenuous opponent Plato. In this book, Ugo Zilioli offers a sustained and philosophically sophisticated examination of what is, in philosophical terms, the most interesting feature of Protagoras' thought for modern readers: his role as the first Western thinker to argue for relativism. Zilioli relates Protagoras' relativism with modern forms of relativism, in particular the 'robust relativism' of Joseph Margolis, gives an integrated account both of the perceptual relativism examined in Plato's "Theatetus" and the ethical or social relativism presented in the first part of Plato's "Protagoras" and offers an integrated and positive analysis of Protagoras' thought, rather than focusing on ancient criticisms and responses to his thought. This is a deeply scholarly work which brings much argument to bear to the claim that Protagoras was and remains Plato's subtlest philosophical enemy. Protagoras Was An Important Greek Thinker Of The Fifth Century Bc, The Most Famous Of The So Called Sophists, Though Most Of What We Know Of Him And His Thought Comesto Us Mainly Through The Dialogues Of His Strenuous Opponent Plato. In This Book, Ugo Zilioli Offers A Sustained And Philosophically Sophisticated Examination Of What Is, In Philosophical Terms, The Most Interesting Feature Of Protagoras' Thought For Modern Readers: His Role As The First Western Thinker To Argue For Relativism. Zilioli Relates Protagoras' Relativism With Modern Forms Of Relativism, In Particular The 'robust Relativism' Of Joseph Margolis, Gives An Integrated Account Both Of The Perceptual Relativism Examined In Plato's Theaetetus And The Ethical Or Social Relativism Presented In The First Part Of Plato's Protagoras And Offers An Integrated And Positive Analysis Of Protagoras' Thought, Rather Than Focusing On Ancient Criticisms And Responses To His Thought. This Is A Deeply Scholarly Work Which Brings Much Argument To Bear To The Claim That Protagoras Was And Remains Plato's Subtlest Philosophical Enemy.--book Jacket. Introduction : Protagoras, Plato And Relativism -- Topic And Aims -- Relativism -- Approaches To Plato -- Structure -- Perceptions And Indeterminacy -- The Historical Protagoras -- Sophistic Training And Philosophical Education -- The Digression -- Reading The Theaetetus -- Ontological Relativism -- Ontological Indeterminacy -- Historical Plausibility Explained Further -- Differing Dispositions -- Wisdom And Incommensurability -- Protagoras In The Cratylus -- The Defence -- Two Fragments -- Incommensurability -- The 'objective Standard' Objection -- The (possible) Answer -- The Scope Of Protagoras' Relativism -- Ethics And Forms Of Life -- Ethical Relativism -- The Myth -- Virtue And Technique -- Subjectivism And Emotivism -- Forms Of Life -- Radical Use -- Inconsistency, Self-refutation And The Heart Of The Matter -- Plato's Objections -- Protagoras And Inconsistency -- Saying And Showing -- Health -- Advantage -- Democratic Knowledge -- Illusory Wisdom -- The Self-refutation Argument -- Conclusions : The Tools Of Relativism. Ugo Zilioli. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [147]-156) And Index. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Contents 6 List of Figures 8 Preface and Acknowledgements 10 List of Abbreviations 12 Introduction: Protagoras, Plato and Relativism 14 Topic and Aims 14 Relativism 21 Approaches to Plato 25 Structure 28 1 Perceptions and Indeterminacy 32 The Historical Protagoras 32 Sophistic Training and Philosophical Education 35 The Digression 38 Reading the Theaetetus 42 Ontological Relativism 44 Ontological Indeterminacy 51 Historical Plausibility Explained Further 55 Differing Dispositions 57 2 Wisdom and Incommensurability 68 Protagoras in the Cratylus 68 The Defence 72 Two Fragments 79 Incommensurability 82 The ‘Objective Standard’ Objection 87 The (Possible) Answer 90 The Scope of Protagoras’ Relativism 95 3 Ethics and Forms of Life 102 Ethical Relativism 102 The Myth 106 Virtue and Technique 111 Subjectivism and Emotivism 116 Forms of Life 118 Radical Use 122 4 Inconsistency, Self-Refutation and the Heart of the Matter 126 Plato’s Objections 126 Protagoras and Inconsistency 128 Saying and Showing 129 Health 131 Advantage 137 Democratic Knowledge 142 Illusory Wisdom 144 The Self-Refutation Argument 147 Conclusions: The Tools of Relativism 154 Bibliography 160 Index 170 A 170 B 170 C 170 D 170 E 170 F 170 G 171 H 171 I 171 J 171 K 171 L 171 M 171 N 172 O 172 P 172 R 172 S 173 T 173 U 173 V 173 W 173 Z 173 Protagoras was an important Greek thinker of the fifth century BC, the most famous of the so called Sophists, though most of what we know of him and his thought comes to us mainly through the dialogues of his strenuous opponent Plato. In this book, Ugo Zilioli offers a sustained and philosophically sophisticated examination of what is, in philosophical terms, the most interesting feature of Protagoras' thought for modern readers: his role as the first Western thinker to argue for relativism. Zilioli relates Protagoras' relativism with modern forms of relativism, in particular the 'robust relativism' of Joseph Margolis, gives an integrated account both of the perceptual relativism examined in Plato's Theaetetus and the ethical or social relativism presented in the first part of Plato's Protagoras and offers an integrated and positive analysis of Protagoras' thought, rather than focusing on ancient criticisms and responses to his thought. This is a deeply scholarly work which brings much argument to bear to the claim that Protagoras was and remains Plato's subtlest philosophical enemy. Protagoras, Plato and relativism Topic and aims Relativism Approaches to Plato Structure perceptions and indeterminacy The historical Protagoras Sophistic training versus philosophical education The digression Reading the theaetetus Ontological relativism Ontological indeterminacy Historical plausibility explained further Differing dispositions Wisdom and incommensurability The cratylus The defence Two fragments Incommensurability The objective standard objection The (possible) answer The scope of Protagoras relativism Ethics and forms of life Ethical relativism The myth Virtue and technique Subjectivism and emotivism Forms of life Radical use Inconsistency, self-refutation, and the heart of the matter Plato's objections Protagoras and inconsistency Saying and showing Health Advantage Democratic knowledge Illusory wisdom The self-refutation argument Conclusions: The tools of relativism. In this book, Zilioli relates Protagoras' relativism with modern forms of relativism, in particular the 'robust relativism' of Joseph Margolis. He also gives an integrated account both of the perceptual relativism examined in Plato's Theatetus and the ethical or social relativism presented in the first part of Plato's Protagoras and offers an integrated and positive analysis of Protagoras' thought, rather than focusing on ancient criticisms and responses to his thought. This is a deeply scholarly work which brings much argument to bear to the claim that Protagoras was and remains Plato's subtl