Plato's Essentialism
Author | : Vasilis Politis |
Publisher | : Cambridge University Press |
Total Pages | : 263 |
Release | : 2021-07-08 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781108988537 |
ISBN-13 | : 1108988539 |
Rating | : 4/5 (539 Downloads) |
Download or read book Plato's Essentialism written by Vasilis Politis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-07-08 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, Vasilis Politis argues that Plato's Forms are essences, not merely things that have an essence. Politis shows that understanding Plato's theory of Forms as a theory of essence presents a serious challenge to contemporary philosophers who regard essentialism as little more than an optional item on the philosophical menu. This approach, he suggests, also constitutes a sharp critique of those who view Aristotelian essentialism as the only sensible position: Plato's essentialism, Politis demonstrates, is a well-argued, rigorous, and coherent theory, and a viable competitor to that of Aristotle. This book will appeal to students and scholars with an interest in the intersection between philosophy and the history of philosophy.