On Plato’s artistic definition of philosophy

the Dialogues as the highest form of poetry

Authors

  • M. R. Engler Unicentro (Guarapuava)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_19_4

Keywords:

Plato, Art, Dramaturgy, Philosophy

Abstract

This article tries to show how Plato conceived of his own philosophy as the highest form of poetry. In the first section, I briefly analyze in the first section three ancient testimonies (Aristotle, Longinus and Proclus) that already interpreted the Dialogues as a kind of poetry. Moreover, I comment on other modern authors that also recognized the literary aspects of Plato’s philosophy, although for a variety of reasons they never developed methodically this reading. In the second section, I show then how Plato comprehended his philosophy in Phaedon as well as in Phaedrus from an artistic perspective. Finally, I emphasize how his thought, contrary to what is normally believed, cannot be hostile to art.

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Author Biography

M. R. Engler, Unicentro (Guarapuava)

Doutor em filosofia antiga pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Atualmente é professor colaborador da Universidade Estadual do Centro Oeste do Paraná (Unicentro). É membro da International Plato Society.

Published

2016-12-29

How to Cite

Engler, M. R. (2016). On Plato’s artistic definition of philosophy: the Dialogues as the highest form of poetry. Revista Archai, (19), 93. https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_19_4