The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers

Plato famously argues in the Republic that philosophers should be kings, ruling for the good of all. How does Plato’s conception of the ideal state compare to that of some of the other thinkers featured in The Story of Philosophy?

Analyze the legacy of Plato and Aristotle upon later Western philosophy. What are some of the major contributions of each Greek thinker? Which later thinkers in The Story of Philosophy do you think belong to the Aristotelian tradition or the Platonic one? Why?

Evaluate Durant’s claim that philosophy essentially disappeared between Aristotle and Francis Bacon. Do you agree, and if not, who deserves to be included between those two?