Rate this book

Plato At The Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away (2014)

by Rebecca Goldstein(Favorite Author)

3.77 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0307378195 (ISBN13: 9780307378194)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Pantheon

review 1: Honestly, before I read this book I could tell you more about Plato, the Army private in the Beetle Bailey comic strip, than the seminal Greek philosopher. I knew he was the middle link in the chain from Socrates to Aristotle and that's about it.So, this book is a great introduction to Plato's philosophical views and his impact on the world over the past 2000 years. It's set up as a series of modern-day vignettes in which Plato interacts and discusses with PR agents, tech geeks, advice columnists, psychologists, tiger moms, and cable news blowhards, interspersed with chapters that provide more insight into particular background material (like why exactly Socrates was so revolutionary and what it meant for two Greek men to "love" each other).At times, the Plato dialogues ... moreget a bit repetitive. I would have preferred different philosophers for each dialogue, but there was probably enough to unpack just in Plato's mind.
review 2: I really enjoy Rebecca Goldstein's writing...I'm not sure she made her case, however. Trying to show that philosophy is an active growing body of knowledge by showing the relevance of Plato seems self defeating. I agree that the constant questioning of hidden assumptions and biases that Plato advocated is crucial for any organized inquiry (e.g., science), however, it wasn't clear to me that philosophy was able to get us to any clear answers to the endless questions independent of data. Which brings philosophy into the realm of the sciences again...or maybe the other way 'round...I don't know. So...I'm not a philosophy dismisser...I suppose I never was...but I'm not quite convinced what the ongoing enterprise of philosophy is contributing... less

Download links for: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Advertising