The Religion of Socrates [Paperback]

Mark L. McPherran (Author), Mark L. McPherran (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0271018291 | ISBN-13: 978-0271018294 | Publication Date: December 1, 1999

This study argues that to understand Socrates we must uncover and analyze his religious views, since his philosophical and religious views are part of one seamless whole. Mark McPherran provides a close analysis of the relevant Socratic texts, an analysis that yields a comprehensive and original account of Socrates' commitments to religion (e.g., the nature of the gods, the immortality of the soul).McPherran finds that Socrates was not only a rational philosopher of the first rank, but a figure with a profoundly religious nature as well, believing in the existence of gods vastly superior to ourselves in power and wisdom and sharing other traditional religious commitments with his contemporaries. However, Socrates was just as much a sensitive critic and rational reformer of both the religious tradition he inherited and the new cultic incursions he encountered. McPherran contends that Socrates saw his religious commitments as integral to his philosophical mission of moral examination and, in turn, used the rationally derived convictions underlying that mission to reshape the religious conventions of his time. As a result, Socrates made important contributions to the rational reformation of Greek religion, contributions that incited and informed the theology of his brilliant pupil, Plato.

Editorial Reviews

Review

McPherran has no illusions that he will carry everyone with him in his conclusions. He is, of course, thoroughly abreast of this scholarly literature, and gives excellent annotations of alternative views, which enable one to disagree with him if one wishes. All he wants to do is to reassert the essential religiosity of this extraordinary and complex figure, and I think that he has done that with admirable thoroughness. --John Dillion

This well-produced book is the fullest and in some ways the best discussion of its topic available. --International Studies in Philosophy

This book is by far the most comprehensive and searching study of Socrates's religious commitments and their impact on his philosophy. McPherran painstakingly sorts through the testimonies of the relevant ancient sources and provides important and often controversial new interpretations of them. --Nicholas D. Smith, Michigan State University

About the Author

Mark L. McPherran is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State Univ Pr (Trd) (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0271018291
• ISBN-13: 978-0271018294
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars He's my prof. so I suppose I'm bais, but . . ., February 22, 2001

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"theonlynamenottaken" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Religion of Socrates (Paperback)

From the prospective of an undergrad this is definitely a new way of looking a Socrates. I'm not sure I agree or am qualified to disagree with a lot of what is said but it is very different from my preconceptions on the subject. Contra the party line about Socrates and what he stood for, McPherran presents evidence for an extra-rational Socrates. Understandably this tweaks those who hold S to be the champion of reason and self doubt in the face of mysticism (me, before this book). What was of most value to me was that McPherran shows how this is not really an either or proposition. The Socrates of this book cannot be simply placed on one side or the other of the religion v. reason debate. Good reading for anyone that is interested in the life of Socrates.