author
John Burnet
1863–1928
A leading Scottish classicist, he helped shape how generations of readers approached Plato and the earliest Greek philosophers. His books brought dense ancient thought into clear, lasting focus.
1 Audiobook
Early Greek philosophy
by John Burnet
About the author
Born in Edinburgh on December 9, 1863, John Burnet was a Scottish classicist and a Fellow of the British Academy. He studied at the Royal High School in Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh, and Balliol College, Oxford, before building a distinguished academic career.
Burnet is best remembered for his work on ancient Greek philosophy. He produced influential editions of Plato and wrote books including Early Greek Philosophy and Greek Philosophy: Thales to Plato, works that helped make early Greek thought more accessible to students and general readers.
He spent much of his career at the University of St Andrews, where he served as Professor of Greek. He died in St Andrews on May 26, 1928, leaving behind scholarship that continued to be widely used long after his lifetime.