The Dialogues, Volume 4

Dialogues of Plato (Vol. 4) is a collection of philosophical works by Plato, translated into English by Benjamin Jowett and first published in 1892. This volume gathers some of Plato’s most demanding and intellectually mature dialogues, where earlier ethical questioning gives way to rigorous analysis of knowledge, being, definition, and the nature of the good. Jowett’s careful translation presents these complex arguments in measured, lucid English, making them approachable without sacrificing philosophical depth.

Parmenides is one of Plato’s most challenging works, subjecting the Theory of Forms to searching criticism. Through a sequence of paradoxes and hypotheses, the dialogue tests assumptions about unity, plurality, change, and permanence, offering a profound exercise in dialectical reasoning rather than a set of settled conclusions. Theaetetus turns to the problem of knowledge itself, examining and ultimately rejecting definitions of knowledge as perception, true belief, or true belief with an account, and laying foundations for later epistemology.

In Sophist, Plato distinguishes the genuine philosopher from the sophist, analysing falsehood, being, and non-being in order to explain how error and deception are possible. Statesman continues this analytical approach, seeking to define true political expertise and contrasting principled rule guided by knowledge with mere power or tradition. Together, these dialogues refine Plato’s method of precise definition and classification, marking a shift toward more systematic philosophical inquiry.

Philebus explores the nature of the good life, weighing pleasure against reason and arguing for a balanced life governed by measure, intelligence, and order. The dialogue revisits ethical questions from a more developed metaphysical standpoint, linking value, harmony, and rational structure.

Taken as a whole, Vol. 4 represents Plato at his most technical and reflective, addressing fundamental issues of knowledge, reality, politics, and ethics. It is an essential volume for readers seeking a deeper engagement with classical philosophy and the later development of Platonic thought.