Cover of Sophist

Sophist

by Plato

First published
1967
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"Sophist" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written around 360 BC. Led by the mysterious Eleatic Stranger, the dialogue pursues a challenging question: what distinguishes a sophist from a philosopher? Through an intricate method of collection and division, the interlocutors systematically classify forms of knowledge and expertise, building elaborate taxonomies to corner their elusive quarry. The dialogue explores deep questions about language, reality, and definition while Socrates—unusually—remains silent in the background.

  • Classical literature
  • Logic, Ancient
  • Ontology
  • Sophists (Greek philosophy)
  • Methodology
  • Meaning (Philosophy)

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1735. Sophist on Wikipedia.

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