Dr. Michael Griffin

Dr. Griffin studies the philosophers of the ancient Graeco-Roman world, especially the vibrant intellectual traditions that emerged around Plato and Aristotle during their lives and later, during the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. He is particularly interested in the practice of philosophical education (paideia) in late antiquity, including the introduction of philosophy of language and logic in the first century BCE, and the role of philosophy in society. His recent books study the ancient reception of two classic “first books” in philosophy, Aristotle’s Categories and Plato’s Alcibiades, which respectively trained students in the rudiments of logic and virtue. His current projects include the Ancient Commentators series of translations, which he co-edits with Richard Sorabji, and a cross-disciplinary study of the cognitive and psychological effects of education in philosophy and the liberal arts.

Research Interests

Philosophers of the Graeco-Roman world; philosophical education in late antiquity; the cognitive and psychological effects of education in philosophy and the liberal arts.