Parmenides

Here is Plato's Parmenides—the dialogue that pushes philosophy to its limits and asks what it means to think about being itself. In this faithful modern-English edition, the founding questions of metaphysics are laid bare: How can we speak of a world of Forms that is separate from the world of change? What happens to the very idea of unity when we truly examine it? With a clear, accessible translation that preserves the argument's rigor, this edition invites the curious reader into a dramatic encounter between a young Socrates and the formidable philosopher Parmenides. You will follow the famous critique of the theory of Forms, including the enduring “Third Man” argument, and then enter a dazzling series of suppositions about the One. Whether you are new to ancient philosophy or returning to this masterpiece, the Parmenides will stretch your mind and reward your attention. Part of The Modern Wisdom Library.