The significance of Plato's literary style to the content of his ideas is perhaps one of the
central problems in the study of Plato and Ancient Philosophy as a whole. As Samuel Scolnicov
points out in this collection many other philosophers have employed literary techniques to
express their ideas just as many literary authors have exemplified philosophical ideas in
their narratives but for no other philosopher does the mode of expression play such a vital
role in their thought as it does for Plato. And yet even after two thousand years there is
still no consensus about why Plato expresses his ideas in this distinctive style. Selected from
the first Latin American Area meeting of the International Plato Society (www.platosociety.org)
in Brazil in 2012 the following collection of essays presents some of the most recent
scholarship from around the world on the wide range of issues related to Plato's dialogue form.
The essays can be divided into three categories. The first addresses general questions
concerning Plato's literary style. The second concerns the relation of his style to other
genres and traditions in Ancient Greece. And the third examines Plato's characters and his
purpose in using them.
