Rebecca Newberger Goldstein brings to Plato’s dialogues both the rigor of a philosopher and the narrative sensibility of a novelist. Trained in philosophy and having spent much of her career teaching it, Goldstein has published both nonfiction and fiction that explores philosophical questions. Her book Plato at the Googleplex reimagines the ancient philosopher in contemporary settings—from Google headquarters to cable news shows—revealing his continued relevance to modern debates about ethics, politics, and the pursuit of knowledge. This innovative approach to classical philosophy earned her recognition as a MacArthur Fellow and recipient of the National Humanities Medal.

Goldstein’s own transformative encounter with Plato as a young reader informs her approach to these dialogues. She describes her first reading of Plato as creating “a sense of expansiveness, of ecstasy,” comparing it to discovering hidden rooms opening out from familiar spaces. This personal connection, combined with her scholarly expertise, allows her to guide readers through these ancient texts with both intellectual clarity and emotional resonance, highlighting the ways in which philosophical questioning can expand our understanding of ourselves and our world.

Selections of Rebecca Newberger Goldstein’s Published Work

• Plato at the Googleplex
• The Mind Body Problem
• Thirty-Six Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction
• Betraying Spinoza
• Properties of Light: A Novel of Love, Betrayal and Quantum Physics

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein’s Accolades

• 2014 National Humanities Medal
• 2011 Humanist of the Year
• 1996 MacArthur Fellow
• 2013 Moment Magazine Creativity Award

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein In The News

• The New York Times: Small Contribution- Rebecca Goldstein gives us a witty jump scare.
• The Guardian: ‘Science is our best answer, but it takes a philosophical argument to prove that’
• Edge: 36 Arguments for the Existence of God