Kleins approach to Plato is to examine the literary form in relation to the meaning imparted by the dialogue. Very often, the meaning of the dialogue is not made explicit by the content of the discussion between the principal characters. Most Platonic scholars, sadly enough, chalk this up to a deficiency in Plato rather than a deficiency in their own grasp of Platos literary technique. So they claim that certain of Platos dialogues are merely logical exercises with no outcome. Plato is far more subtle than that, and his greatness is bound up just as much with his mastery of the dialogue as with his philosophical insights. I have found what I have learned from Klein to be applicable to many of Platos other works, and it has improved my understanding greatly. I recommend this work as a first rate introduction to reading Plato.
