author
John Burnet
1863–1928
A Scottish classicist and historian of ancient philosophy, he helped shape how generations of readers approached Plato and the early Greek thinkers. His books are known for making difficult ideas feel orderly, serious, and surprisingly readable.
1 Audiobook
Early Greek philosophy
by John Burnet
About the author
Born in Edinburgh on 9 December 1863, he was educated at the Royal High School, the University of Edinburgh, and Balliol College, Oxford. He went on to become one of the best-known British scholars of Greek philosophy and classical literature, and later spent much of his career at the University of St Andrews.
He is especially remembered for his work on Plato and on the Presocratic philosophers. Books such as Early Greek Philosophy and Greek Philosophy: Thales to Plato made him an influential guide to the beginnings of Western philosophy, while his scholarly editions of Plato helped set a high standard for classical study.
Elected a Fellow of the British Academy, he earned a reputation for careful, exact scholarship and a deep knowledge of ancient texts. He died in St Andrews on 26 May 1928, but his writings remain valuable for readers who want a clear path into the world of ancient Greek thought.