PlatoPlato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (Hackett Classics)

An excellent introduction to Plato's philosophy. If you're interested in the historical figure of Socrates, these dialogues are most are most concerned with his life.Philosophically, these "Five Dialogues"--Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo--along with Phaedrus, Symposium and the Republic form the bulk of Plato's thought on Forms and the soul. This is a great place to start. The Euthyphro is a typical early dialogue and sets the stage for the charges that face later Socrates in the Apology. Both are very readable. Crito and Phaedo show Socrates in prison accepting his fate with poise and refusing to escape. They are also the most vivid explanation of the immortality of the soul. Meno is a middle dialogue that poses important problems of knowledge and learning resolved by the theory of Forms and Recollection. It's also the most difficult and rewarding of the bunch.This Hackett edition is nice but not great. The dialogues are the Grube translation, edited by Cooper. The introduction by Grube is rather short and just explains the logic behind the grouping of the five dialogues, which is disappointing compared to other Hackett's. However, the translation is good, if a bit literal. There are explanatory footnotes for all of Socrates' idioms and historical references.The margins and book design are nice and readable for such a compact book. The main advantage this little 8x5 paperback has is that it's cheap, easy to carry, and perfect for writing in. I feel the same way about the other excellent Hackett editions of "Symposium", "Phaedrus", and "Laches and Charmides". Now that my interest in Plato has solidified, I will likely invest in the Hardcover collection "Plato: Complete Works". However, you will miss out on the introductions found in the individual Hackett's, in particular Symposium's and Phaedrus which are fantastic.

I give the five dialogues to people regularly trying to get them into Plato, and this is an edition I've used (and taught from). Usually I've gone with the paperback, which is fine, but recently I wanted to give a nicer copy to a friend: the red-covered hardback is actually quite a pleasing little volume, and once inscribed made a nice gift.

Take your time to read it. It’s a short book but to truly appreciate it, you have to read it at a slow pace if you will.

Perfect for school

I don’t understand alot about philosophy however reading this book for my philosophy class made me fall in love with the idea of philosophy.

I purchased this volume of 5 Dialogues on my journey through the great works of western civilization. This title was not originally on my list, but an impulse buy on my order of Aristotle. I thoroughly enjoyed the Grube/Reeve translation of Republic and was delighted to recognize Grube's prose. This is a great edition if you are on a similar journey, or if you want to sample the writings of Plato without committing to a larger work (if that's you, Apology and Crito are 'must-reads' in terms of their clarity, short length, and drama).Each of the work adds extra flavor to the writing of Plato. Four of the dialogues tell the story of Socrates' trial, awaiting execution, and his final day and death; one dialogue (Meno) occurs before the trial, but transitions beautifully into the final piece (Phaedo). The nature of the dialogues aids tremendously in their readability, especially with repetition of the main points and conclusions.

If you dare to examine and become a critical thinker, you must read “Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology,...”. Plato, a student of the great philosopher Socrates, gives us a look at how to challenge our beliefs and assumptions. Furthermore, we see through Plato’s Dialogues Socrates as he seeks to be both ethical and moral, even when so doing leads to his death.While ancient arguments, they shine upon our modern day thinking. Are there good reasons for what we believe or do? Should we obey rules and laws set upon us? Is an examined life dangerous and worthy to pursue? Plato’s Dialogues starts us on that thought journey. But warning, once you start reading Plato there’s no turning back to your shadowy cave of existence! Enjoy!

This is a great book to start with if you're interested in Plato. I've just started using it with my class, and I love the IN TEXT notes about the historical context. His introductions set clear expectations for content without devolving into interpretation. Very nice small volume.