Plato: A Civic Life

Now in paperback, a new reading of Plato’s philosophy that reveals it as deeply shaped by his experiences in Athens.

Plato is a key figure from the beginnings of Western philosophy, yet the impact of his lived experience on his thought has rarely been explored. Born during a war that would lead to Athens’ decline, Plato lived in turbulent times. Carol Atack explores how Plato’s life in Athens influenced his thought, how he developed the Socratic dialogue into a powerful philosophical tool, and how he used the institutions of Athenian society to create a compelling imaginative world. Accessibly written, this book shows how Plato made Athens the place where diverse ideas were integrated into a new way of approaching the big questions about our lives, then and now.

Author: Carol Atack
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Published: 06/05/2026
Series: Great Lives of the Ancient World
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.69lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.51w x 0.73d
ISBN: 9781836392057
Language: English