Plato is perhaps the most significant philosopher who has ever lived and The Republic, composed in Athens in about 375 BC, is widely regarded as his most famous dialogue. Its discussion of the perfect city (and the perfect mind) laid the foundations for Western culture and, for over two thousand years, has been the cornerstone of Western philosophy. Blackburn points out, it has probably sustained more commentary, and been subject to more radical and...

Blackburn is an eminent thinker who is able to explain philosophy to the general reader. Now he offers an exploration of what he calls "the most exciting and engaging issue in the whole of philosophy"--The age-old war over truth. The front lines are well defined: on one side are those who believe in plain facts, rock-solid truths that can be found through reason and objectivity--that science leads to truth, for instance. Their opponents see the dark...