A New Translation of Plato's Most Controversial Dialogue
Edited by Paul Chan, Richard Fletcher, Karen Marta. Introduction by Paul Chan. Foreword by Dakis Joannou. Translated by Sarah Ruden. Text by Richard Fletcher.
A provocative dialogue about art as a form of wrongdoing
One of Plato's most controversial dialogues, Hippias Minor details Socrates' claims that there is no difference between a person who tells the truth and one who lies, and that the good man is the one who willingly makes mistakes and does wrong. But what if Socrates wasn't merely championing the act of lying--as the dialogue has been traditionally interpreted--but, rather, advocating the power of the creative act? In this new translation by Sarah Ruden, Hippias Minor is rendered anew as a provocative dialogue about how art is a form of wrongdoing. The accompanying introduction by artist Paul Chan and essay by classicist Richard Fletcher argue that an understanding of the dialogue makes life more ethical by paradoxically teaching one to be more cunning.
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
The International Journal of the Platonic Tradition
Roslyn Weiss
Refreshing to see an artist’s original take on this dialogue; the translation is lively and agile; and the concluding essay is rich in insights about art and life.
University of Bristol
Dr. Kurt Lampe
Sarah Ruden’s lively translation of Plato’s Hippias Minor sits provocatively alongside Paul Chan’s essay and material from his installation inspired by the dialogue. Richard Fletcher’s article is also helpful for understanding where this sits in both Chan’s oeuvre and mainstream scholarship on Plato. The collision between Chan and ancient philosophy produces various electrical effects.
FORMAT: Pbk, 6 x 9 in. / 144 pgs / 13 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $16.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $24 ISBN: 9781936440894 PUBLISHER: Badlands Unlimited/DESTE AVAILABLE: 7/11/2015 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA LA ASIA AU/NZ AFR ME
Hippias Minor or The Art of Cunning A New Translation of Plato's Most Controversial Dialogue
Published by Badlands Unlimited/DESTE. Edited by Paul Chan, Richard Fletcher, Karen Marta. Introduction by Paul Chan. Foreword by Dakis Joannou. Translated by Sarah Ruden. Text by Richard Fletcher.
A provocative dialogue about art as a form of wrongdoing
One of Plato's most controversial dialogues, Hippias Minor details Socrates' claims that there is no difference between a person who tells the truth and one who lies, and that the good man is the one who willingly makes mistakes and does wrong. But what if Socrates wasn't merely championing the act of lying--as the dialogue has been traditionally interpreted--but, rather, advocating the power of the creative act?
In this new translation by Sarah Ruden, Hippias Minor is rendered anew as a provocative dialogue about how art is a form of wrongdoing. The accompanying introduction by artist Paul Chan and essay by classicist Richard Fletcher argue that an understanding of the dialogue makes life more ethical by paradoxically teaching one to be more cunning.
