Wkc guthrie biography of christopher

Os Filósofos Gregos: De Tales a Aristóteles

June 19, 2023

With the progress of science, technology, medicine, and general understanding of the the vast universe and cosmos in the last 2000 years, it is easy overlook the philosophies of the ancient Greeks or even designate them as outdated and useless. And, in any practical sense, to further expand our current understanding of science, technology, medicine I would agree; it's not like the leading scientific minds or doctors must have full knowledge of Greek philosophy to discover new technologies/medicines. But besides the practical reasons there is a "human" reason why those scientists and doctors should have some knowledge of Greek philosophy. What is the point of technology if people can't benefit from it? What are medicines/treatments if people can't or refuse to take it? It is important to understand the "human" side of things since these advancements are for people and the best way is to learn and understand the different perspectives of different types of people, morality, beliefs. Greek Philosophy is a perspective, a set of beliefs, a set of beliefs on morality. The Greek Philosophers: from Thales to Aristotle gives a brief, and yes super brief, overview of the history and views of certain philosophers including Heraclitus, Parmenides, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and a few others.

Guthrie starts with explaining that some words and what they meant to the ancient Greeks were different than how we perceive them today. For example the word "god" to the Greeks did not mean a white male with a beard and robe living in the clouds (IDK I'm not Christian don't flame me), it meant more of a primal force that has existed and will exists and non changing. He also explains that it is important to take the philosophy in context with that time. So obviously if some rando comes up to you claims that everything on earth and earth itself is made of water and the our planet is surrounded by rings of fire and smoke with hole

Christopher Cornford writes to

After the death of Frances in

In this extensively revised

Letters from Frances and her sons Hugh and Christopher Cornford to W. K. C. Guthrie , 1911-1964

File

Reference Code: GBR/3437/FMCD/2/3

Scope and Contents

This correspondence all orientates around the person of Guthrie, to whom Frances initially wrote to a close family friend, mutually affected by the loss of Francis, and then in Guthrie's role as literary executor of FMC's published and unpublished works. After the death of Frances in 1960, Guthrie continued in his role as literary executor to both FMC and FCC. In this capacity the Cornford's eldest surviving son Christopher also corresponded with Guthrie, as did briefly the youngest Cornford son, Hugh.

The final letter in the file, from Jocelyn Brooke to Frances, written in the 1930s, is an anomaly, found amongst FMC's lecture notes. It is a witty and charming thank you note to his hostess, and has no connection to Guthrie or to FMC's literary estate.

Dates

Creator

Extent

26 item(s) : paper

Cite Item

Letters from Frances and her sons Hugh and Christopher Cornford to W. K. C. Guthrie , 1911-1964, GBR/3437/FMCD/2/3. Cornford: Papers of Francis Macdonald Cornford (1874-1943), classical philosopher, GBR/3437/FMCD. University of Cambridge: Faculty of Classics Archives.

Cite Item Description

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Plato's Crito and Phaedo, his accounts of the last days of Socrates in prison in 399 BC as he waited to be executed by drinking hemlock. Both works show Socrates preparing to die in the way he had lived: doing philosophy. In the Crito, Plato shows Socrates arguing that he is duty bound not to escape from prison even though a bribe would open the door, while in the Phaedo his argument is for the immortality of the soul which, at the point of death, might leave uncorrupted from the 'prison' of his body, the one escape that truly mattered to Socrates. His example in his last days has proved an inspiration to thinkers over the centuries and in no small way has helped ensure the strength of his reputation.

With

Angie Hobbs Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield

Fiona Leigh Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at University College London

And

James Warren Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Reading list:

David Ebrey, Plato’s Phaedo: Forms, Death and the Philosophical Life (Cambridge University Press, 2023)

Dorothea Frede, ‘The Final Proof of the Immortality of the Soul in Plato’s Phaedo 102a-107a’ (Phronesis 23, 1978)

W. K. C. Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, vol. 4, Plato: The Man and his Dialogues, Earlier Period (Cambridge University Press, 2008) Verity Harte, ‘Conflicting Values in Plato’s Crito’ (Archiv. für Geschichte der Philosophie 81, 1999)

Angie Hobbs, Why Plato Matters Now (Bloomsbury, forthcoming 2025), especially chapter 5

Rachana Kamtekar (ed.), Plato’s Euthyphro, Apology and Crito: Critical Essays (Rowman and Littlefield, 2004)

Richard Kraut, Socrates and the State (Princeton University Press, 1984)

Melissa Lane, ‘Argument and Agreement in Plato’s Crito’ (History of Political Thought 19, 1998)

Plato (trans. Chris Emlyn-Jones and William Pred

Professor Guthrie offers a balanced