Immensely erudite, while startlingly original—Altman’s claim that Plato intended a univocal reading order for his dialogues opens interpretive vistas on every aspect of Plato’s thinking. Altman takes Plato’s own theories of pedagogy as exegetically foundational, and thereby transforms these dialogues into complex tests designed to reinforce the reader’s mastery of Platonism through the negotiation of an impressive regimen of challenge and misdirection. In The Guardians on Trial, we rediscover what philosophy is for Plato, and how instilling Platonism itself constituted Plato’s deepest commitment.
