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Routledge History of Philosophy Volume I Volume I of the Routledge History of Philosophy covers one of the most remarkable periods in human thought. In the space of two and a half centuries, philosophy developed from quasi-mythological speculation to a state in which many of the most fundamental questions about the universe, the mind and human conduct had been vigorously pursued and some of the most enduring masterworks of Western thought had been written. The essays present the fundamental approaches and thinkers of Greek philosophy in chronological order. Each is written by a recognized authority in the particular field, and takes account of the large amount of high-quality work done in the last few decades on Platonic and pre-Platonic philosophy. All write in an accessible style, meeting the needs of the non-specialist without loss of scholarly precision. Topics covered range from early Greek speculative thought and its cultural and social setting, to the Sophists and Socrates, culminating in three chapters on Plato’s lasting contribution to all central areas of philosophy. Supplemented with a chronology, a glossary of technical terms and an extensive bibliography, this volume will prove an invaluable and comprehensive guide to the beginnings of philosophy. C.C.W.Taylor is Reader in Philosophy in the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College. He is the author of Plato, Protagoras (1976) and co-editor of Human Agency: Philosophical Essays in Honor of J.O.Urmson (1988). Currently, he is the editor of Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy. Routledge History of Philosophy General Editors—G.H.R.Parkinson and S.G.Shanker The Routledge History of Philosophy provides a chronological survey of the history of Western philosophy, from its beginnings in the sixth century BC to the present time. It discusses all major philosophical developments in depth. Most space is allo