PHIL 311: Plato's Theaetetus (HC): Getting Ready

M. J. Levett's elegant translation of Plato's Theaetetus , first published in 1928, is here revised by Myles Burnyeat to reflect contemporary standards of accuracy while retaining the style, imagery, and idiomatic speech for which the Levett translation is unparalleled. Bernard William's concise introduction, aimed at undergraduate students, illuminates the powerful argument of this complex dialogue, and illustrates its connections to contemporary metaphysical and epistemological concerns.

Theaetetus records the first critical attempt to come to grips with certain intricate and vexing problems of human knowledge. What is required in the interest of philosophy is a theory of knowledge. The historical importance of the Theaetetus is that the chief problems in this field were first raised and discussed in it.

This book is excellent for advice on thinking up a topic and developing a philosophical argument.

This book is useful as a tool for writing in the field of philosophy. See chapter 6 for information on your argument, clarity, and reasoning.