Abstract
A brief overview of Kenneth Sayre’s paper, “Dialectic in Plato’s Late Dialogues,” followed by critical discussion. I invite Sayre to clarify his views on the nature of the method of hypothesis in Plato, and on its relationships to Socratic dialectic and to the method of collection and division. I then ask whether we should think of Plato as aware, at the time of writing his dialogues, of weaknesses in the various methods of conducting philosophical inquiry he has his characters employ. Finally, I ask whether the method of reading Plato Sayre recommends at the end of his paper, to the extent it is novel, is likely to prove fruitful.
Highlights
In his paper, Sayre discusses no less than eight different Platonic dialogues: the Meno, Phaedo, Republic, Theaetetus, Phaedrus, Sophist, Statesman and Parmenides
I invite Sayre to clarify his views on the nature of the method of hypothesis in Plato, and on its relationships to Socratic dialectic and to the method of collection and division
There is the method of hypothesis, which features in the Meno, Phaedo, Republic and Theaetetus
Summary
Sayre discusses no less than eight different Platonic dialogues: the Meno, Phaedo, Republic, Theaetetus, Phaedrus, Sophist, Statesman and Parmenides. In his wide-ranging and interesting paper, Ken Sayre advances claims both about Plato’s views on philosophical method and about the proper method of reading Plato.
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