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Plato's enigmatic lecture 'On the Good'

Plato's enigmatic lecture 'On the Good' 5 Plato's enigmatic lecture 'On the Good' KONRAD GAISER Aristotle, we learn from his pupil Aristoxenus, used to tell the story of a lecture by Plato "On the Good". Most members of the audience, according to the story, were thoroughly disappointed by the lecture because Plato treated the Good in terms of mathematics, which they did not understand. Recently, much has been thought and written about this lecture by Plato,' but Aristoxenus' account remains a puzzle. The time, place, form and content of Plato's lecture have been variously conjectured by the commentators. The real puzzle, however, lies in the fact that no-one can explain why Plato presented such difficult and demanding ideas to an obviously unsuitable and unprepared audience. The passage, which comes in Aristoxenus' work on harmonics (Elementa harmonica II 30-31 ), may be translated as follows: It is surely better to begin by stating the nature of the inquiry, and what it involves, so that with this foreknowledge we may proceed more easily on our chosen way, and recognize what stage we have reached and not unwittingly deceive ourselves about the matter. As Aristotle was wont to narrate (&El 6LqyEiTo), this was what happened to the http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Phronesis Brill

Plato's enigmatic lecture 'On the Good'

Gaiser, Konrad
Phronesis , Volume 25 (1-2): 5 – Jan 1, 1980
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References (8)

Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1980 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0031-8868
eISSN
1568-5284
DOI
10.1163/156852880X00025
Publisher site
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Abstract

5 Plato's enigmatic lecture 'On the Good' KONRAD GAISER Aristotle, we learn from his pupil Aristoxenus, used to tell the story of a lecture by Plato "On the Good". Most members of the audience, according to the story, were thoroughly disappointed by the lecture because Plato treated the Good in terms of mathematics, which they did not understand. Recently, much has been thought and written about this lecture by Plato,' but Aristoxenus' account remains a puzzle. The time, place, form and content of Plato's lecture have been variously conjectured by the commentators. The real puzzle, however, lies in the fact that no-one can explain why Plato presented such difficult and demanding ideas to an obviously unsuitable and unprepared audience. The passage, which comes in Aristoxenus' work on harmonics (Elementa harmonica II 30-31 ), may be translated as follows: It is surely better to begin by stating the nature of the inquiry, and what it involves, so that with this foreknowledge we may proceed more easily on our chosen way, and recognize what stage we have reached and not unwittingly deceive ourselves about the matter. As Aristotle was wont to narrate (&El 6LqyEiTo), this was what happened to the

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Phronesis – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 1980

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