Open AccessThe Place of Plato’s Cratylus in the Curriculum of Neoplatonic Philosophy
Author(s) -
Nadezhda Volkova
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
istoriâ filosofii
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2658-7289
pISSN - 2074-5869
DOI - 10.21146/2074-5869-2021-26-2-5-12
Subject(s) - philosophy , reading (process) , epistemology , order (exchange) , set (abstract data type) , curriculum , literature , sociology , computer science , linguistics , art , pedagogy , finance , programming language , economics
“Cratylus” is one of Plato’s twelve dialogues which Iamblichus had selected for the study of Platonic philosophy (Iamblichus’ canon). The author analyzes principles of curriculum on Plato’s dialogues, as set forth in “Anonymous Prolegomena to Platonic Philosophy”, among them: a) the unity of the topic, or purpose (σκοπός), b) the choice of dialogues, c) the order of reading, etc. Next, leaning on reconstruction by Leendert Westerink of “Prolegomena”, the author of the article shows why “Cratylus” was placed after “Phaedo”, but before “Theaetetus”. And then the purpose (σκοπός) of “Cratylus” is becoming clear owing to analysis of Proclus’ Commentary on the “Cratylus”.