Review of Mary Margaret McCabe, "Plato's individuals

This book is an exploration of themes in Plato's metaphysics and epistemology from the Meno through his latest works. McCabe argues that Plato was interested, with increasing explicitness over his lifetime, in questions concerning what it is to be an individual. This interest led him, she maintains, to develop notions of unity and individuality that contrast with Aristotle's. On the whole McCabe finds the position that she ascribes to Plato congenial, and wishes through her exegesis to encourage a sympathetic hearing for it. The contrast that she draws between Plato and Aristotle's views is not unfamiliar, but McCabe elaborates it through detailed discussions of Platonic passages. If she exaggerates the intensity of Plato's focus on issues concerning individuality (and I think she does), nonetheless that exaggeration itself encourages us all to think worthwhile thoughts about both the issues themselves and Plato's views on them.