Plutarch Against Colotes

Abstract

Abstract Plutarch's philosophical work remained largely in the shadow of his celebrated Lives, partly because it was often dubbed ‘popular philosophy’, and partly because it was thought to be lacking in originality. This book contributes to the ‘rehabilitation’ of Plutarch as a serious philosopher by discussing his work as a teacher, interpreter, and, eventually, historian of philosophy. It offers a critical analysis of Plutarch's anti-Epicurean treatise Against Colotes — a unique text that is rich in philosophical material and has been widely used as a source for ancient Greek philosophy but has not been studied in its own right so far. Combining a historical approach with structural analysis and close reading of selected sections of the text, the book demonstrates that Plutarch engaged with the philosophy of his past in a creative way. By refuting Colotes' Epicurean arguments against the main Greek philosophers up to the Hellenistic era, Plutarch gives an insightful critical assessment of the philosophy of his past and teaches his readers how to go about doing and reading philosophy. The book concludes that Plutarch emerges as a respected critic whose ‘reviews’ of the past philosophical theories are an essential companion when trying to piece together the puzzle of ancient Greek philosophy.

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