samuelchadhardy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
bentoth1's review against another edition
4.0
A very nice thematically-linked string of dialogues that detail the final few conversations of Socrates. Riddled with clever thoughts, human misunderstandings, blunt humor, and expertly characterization. Plato is a master writer.
"I don't know what effect my accusers have had on you, men of Athens, but I can tell you they almost made even me forget where I was, so convincingly did they speak. But when it comes to the truth, they've said virtually nothing."
"I don't know what effect my accusers have had on you, men of Athens, but I can tell you they almost made even me forget where I was, so convincingly did they speak. But when it comes to the truth, they've said virtually nothing."
connorreid's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
sharpenanother's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to read this after reading about how Ben Franklin admired Socrates and used his questioning methods with success. These four dialogues were very readable. I'm very glad everything came out in conversations instead of being set down in blocks of prose. Difficult questions were broken down into multiple, simpler questions that helped provide answers. Justice and death were major themes. Socrates maintains that he's only wise because he knows that he knows nothing. He trips up other people who act like they know something by asking careful questions that lead them into contradicting what they previously asserted. Socrates usually got pretty sarcastic at that point, which was funny.
smalius's review against another edition
4.0
What is there to say about these dialogues that hasn't been repeated ad nauseum for millenia? Plato's ability to weave compelling dramatic tension with fascinating philosophical inquiry is obviously unmatched, particularly in The Apology and Phaedo. Time and time again he will present you with so audacious a metaphysical concept that you feel almost inclined to reject it out of hand, and yet by the end of the text you'll find yourself absolutely whisked away by the argumentation with far fewer reservations than you might have expected.
Even when his reasoning doesn't quite come together in a convincing manner, such as in the Crito, you still come away swamped in a deep contemplation on subjects and perspectives previously all but completely unconsidered. Thats the genius of Plato (or at least one aspect of it) - in the socratic spirit, it is absolutely impossible to come away from reading his work without intellectually probing aspects of the human experience, whether intentionally or not.
Even when his reasoning doesn't quite come together in a convincing manner, such as in the Crito, you still come away swamped in a deep contemplation on subjects and perspectives previously all but completely unconsidered. Thats the genius of Plato (or at least one aspect of it) - in the socratic spirit, it is absolutely impossible to come away from reading his work without intellectually probing aspects of the human experience, whether intentionally or not.
estanis's review against another edition
Technically I only read The Apology but I'm counting this as read ;)
snowbenton's review against another edition
1.0
Because I am some sort of horrible book-pack-rat, I actually had two different editions of this book on my shelf. The other gave me the impression that Socrates was irritating with good intentions. This one had the full Phaedo, which leaves me, a modern human and atheist, thoroughly over Socrates. He spends a ridiculous amount of time concocting inane arguments for the existence and immortality of the soul and then goes on to describe what earth really looks like and what the afterlife really is. Exhausting.