Book contents
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Emergence of the Concept in Early Greek Philosophy
- Chapter 2 The Place of Concepts in Socratic Inquiry
- Chapter 3 Early Learning in Plato, Republic 7
- Chapter 4 Are Platonic Forms Concepts?
- Chapter 5 Do Forms Play the Role of Concepts in Late Plato?
- Chapter 6 Concepts and Concept Formation in Aristotle’s Logical Works
- Chapter 7 Concepts and Universals in Aristotle’s Metaphysical Thought
- Chapter 8 Aristotle on the Stages of Cognitive Development
- Chapter 9 Epicureans on Preconceptions and Other Concepts
- Chapter 10 The Stoics on Conceptions and Concepts
- Chapter 11 Doing Things with Concepts in Sextus Empiricus
- Chapter 12 Relative Concepts
- Chapter 13 Concepts in Greek Mathematics
- Chapter 14 Platonist Notions and Forms
- Chapter 15 Contested Concepts
- Chapter 16 Alexander of Aphrodisias on Concepts
- Chapter 17 Plotinus on Concepts
- Chapter 18 Concepts in the Neoplatonist Tradition
- Chapter 19 Early Christian Philosophers on Concepts
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 5 - Do Forms Play the Role of Concepts in Late Plato?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 April 2024
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Emergence of the Concept in Early Greek Philosophy
- Chapter 2 The Place of Concepts in Socratic Inquiry
- Chapter 3 Early Learning in Plato, Republic 7
- Chapter 4 Are Platonic Forms Concepts?
- Chapter 5 Do Forms Play the Role of Concepts in Late Plato?
- Chapter 6 Concepts and Concept Formation in Aristotle’s Logical Works
- Chapter 7 Concepts and Universals in Aristotle’s Metaphysical Thought
- Chapter 8 Aristotle on the Stages of Cognitive Development
- Chapter 9 Epicureans on Preconceptions and Other Concepts
- Chapter 10 The Stoics on Conceptions and Concepts
- Chapter 11 Doing Things with Concepts in Sextus Empiricus
- Chapter 12 Relative Concepts
- Chapter 13 Concepts in Greek Mathematics
- Chapter 14 Platonist Notions and Forms
- Chapter 15 Contested Concepts
- Chapter 16 Alexander of Aphrodisias on Concepts
- Chapter 17 Plotinus on Concepts
- Chapter 18 Concepts in the Neoplatonist Tradition
- Chapter 19 Early Christian Philosophers on Concepts
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Lesley Brown’s chapter ‘Do Forms Play the Role of Concepts in Late Plato?’ starts by noting a major issue of controversy concerning the Forms in the Middle Dialogues, namely whether Forms are explanatory properties whose role is to account for why things are the way they are and are therefore the objects of philosophical inquiry and knowledge, or whether Forms are concepts whose role is to explain everyday thinking and discourse. On the assumption that the former option best captures the role of Forms in Plato’s so-called Middle Dialogues, Brown addresses the question whether Plato’s later dialogues manifest a shift in emphasis such that the latter interpretation gains greater prominence. In her view, even though Plato’s later dialogues show increasing interest in matters of language and meaning, and hence may perhaps be taken to show a somewhat greater interest in the role Forms or Kinds play in our everyday thinking and discourse, nonetheless the prominence of the method of division in these works underscores that the Forms are primarily properties discoverable by philosophical inquiry, not everyday concepts or meanings.
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- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy , pp. 96 - 118Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024