Ascent to the Good
Book • 2018
William H. F. Altman's 'Ascent to the Good' argues that Plato composed his dialogues as a coordinated curriculum guiding students from the Symposium to the Republic.
Altman situates the Republic as the central, visionary work and reads surrounding dialogues as preparatory (proleptic) and testing (basanistic) stages in a pedagogical ascent toward the Idea of the Good.
The book challenges chronological developmental readings and emphasizes Plato's intent to form virtuous citizens through staged intellectual and ethical training.
Altman also argues that Plato (and Socrates) are not eudaimonists, and that the dialogues train students to see the Good as transcendent rather than merely advantageous.
The work is part of Altman's larger 'Plato the Teacher' series on Platonic pedagogy.
Altman situates the Republic as the central, visionary work and reads surrounding dialogues as preparatory (proleptic) and testing (basanistic) stages in a pedagogical ascent toward the Idea of the Good.
The book challenges chronological developmental readings and emphasizes Plato's intent to form virtuous citizens through staged intellectual and ethical training.
Altman also argues that Plato (and Socrates) are not eudaimonists, and that the dialogues train students to see the Good as transcendent rather than merely advantageous.
The work is part of Altman's larger 'Plato the Teacher' series on Platonic pedagogy.
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Joseph Liss
William H. F. Altman, "Ascent to the Good: The Reading Order of Plato’s Dialogues from Symposium to Republic" (Lexington, 2018)
