© 1996, 1997 Bernard SUZANNE (bfsuzan@ibm.net)  Last updated November 29, 1997 

Plato's Tetralogies
 
Overview 
of tetralogies
a i t i a 
(cause) 
epithumiai (desires) 
phusis (nature) 
thumos (will) 
krisis (judgment) 
logos (reason) 
kosmos (order) 
Tetralogy 1 : 
The start of the quest 
what is man ? 
ALCIBIADES  
man 
  
LYSIS  
friendship 
(philo-) 
LACHES  
manhood 
(andreia) 
CHARMIDES  
wisdom 
(-sophos) 
Tetralogy 2 : 
The sophists  
eikasia (conjecture) 
  PROTAGORAS  
relativism 
  
  HIPPIAS Major  
illusion of 
beauty 
GORGIAS  
illusion of 
justice 
  HIPPIAS Minor  
illusion of 
science 
Tetralogy 3 : 
Socrates' trial  
  
pistis (true belief) 
MENO  
pragmatism 
  
 
EUTHYPHRO  

letter of the 
law 

THE APOLOGY  
OF SOCRATES 
law 
in action 
CRITO  

spirit of the 
law 

Tetralogy 4 : 
The soul  
  
psuche 
 THE SYMPOSIUM  
the driving 
force : 
eros 
PHÆDRUS  
nature of 
the soul : 
eros<=>logos 
 THE REPUBLIC  
behaviour of 
the soul : 
justice 
PHÆDO  
destiny of 
the soul : 
being 
Tetralogy 5 : 
Speech (logos) 
dianoia (knowledge) 
CRATYLUS  
the words of 
speech 
ION  
logos of the 
poet 
  EUTHYDEMUS  
logos of the 
sophist 
MENEXENUS  
logos of the 
politician 
Tetralogy 6 : 
Dialectic 
episteme (science) 
PARMENIDES  
the traps of 
reason 
THEÆTETUS  
the limits of 
reason 
THE SOPHIST  
the laws of 
reason 
  THE STATESMAN  
the goals of 
reason 
Tetralogy 7 : 
Man in the world  
kosmos (order) 
PHILEBUS  
the good of 
man 
TIMÆUS  
contemplating 
(theoria) 
CRITIAS  
deciding 
(krisis) 
THE LAWS  
acting 
(erga) 

First published May 16, 1996 - Last updated November 29, 1997
© 1996, 1997 Bernard SUZANNE (bfsuzan@ibm.net) (click on name to send your comments via e-mail)
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