Publisher's Synopsis
Philebus is a philosophical dialogue written by Plato, one of the most influential philosophers in Western philosophy. The dialogue explores the question of what constitutes the good life and the nature of pleasure and knowledge. The main characters, Socrates and Philebus, engage in a debate about the relative values of pleasure and knowledge, with Socrates arguing that knowledge is the highest good and Philebus arguing that pleasure is the ultimate goal of life.Throughout the dialogue, Socrates challenges Philebus' views and presents his own arguments, drawing on his extensive knowledge of philosophy and logic. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including the role of reason in human life, the relationship between pleasure and pain, and the nature of reality.The dialogue concludes with Socrates proposing a synthesis of the two opposing views, suggesting that the good life consists of a balance between pleasure and knowledge. He argues that true pleasure can only be experienced when it is accompanied by knowledge and that knowledge is only valuable to the extent that it leads to a more pleasurable life.Overall, Philebus is a thought-provoking exploration of some of the most fundamental questions of human existence, and it continues to be studied and debated by philosophers today.SOCRATES: Philebus was saying that enjoyment and pleasure and delight, and the class of feelings akin to them, are a good to every living being, whereas I contend, that not these, but wisdom and intelligence and memory, and their kindred, right opinion and true reasoning, are better and more desirable than pleasure for all who are able to partake of them, and that to all such who are or ever will be they are the most advantageous of all things.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
