Where does platos republic rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far. Summary and analysis of book 5 of plato s republic. The intelligent troglodytes guide to platos republic. Platos republic lecturer excellent overview of platos republic, i would recommend it to anyone wanting to get a really good overview of platos republic. Platos republic book 6 the divided line, truth, and the faculties philosophy core concepts duration.
Plato felt governors must be philosophers so they may govern wisely and effectively. Chapter 1 introduction part 2 book i chapter 3 study questions part 4 book ii chapter 5 study questions part 6 book iii chapter 7 study questions part 8 book iv chapter 9 study questions part 10 book v chapter 11 study questions part 12 book vi chapter study questions part 14 book vii chapter 15. This is also considered to be the first book on political. One of platos most famous works, which can be attributed to the lessons he learned from socrates, was the republic. Adeimantus says the guardians simple lifestyle wont make them happy, given the luxuries enjoyed by rulers elsewhere. The apology, phaedo and crito of plato, the golden sayings of epictetus, the meditations of marcus aurelius. I have only read platos republic and it was years ago but this audiobook reminded me of how socrates has so thoroughly shaped the philosophy i follow. It took me a long time to read because i was taking notes along the way, otherwise i think it wouldve gone quicker. The republic is also discussed as a utopia, presenting an extreme vision of a poliskallipolisplatos ideal city. What disappointed you about masters of greek thought. The best of the 5 that i listened to so far what other book might you compare platos republic to and why.
The republic, book i plato page 3 of 37 is a question which i should like to ask of you who have arrived at that time which the poets call the threshold of old age is. Ready to call it a night, theyre intercepted by a whole gang of their acquaintances, who eventually convince them to come hang out at polemarchuss house and have a nice, long chat. Education and platos parable of the cave peter losin program officer, national endowment for the humanities lecturer, university of maryland, college park platos image of the cave in republic book vii is offered as an analogy for the human condition for our education or lack of it. Socrates glaucon adeimantus such is the good and true city or state. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
Having identified the just city and the just soul, socrates now wants to identify four other constitutions of city and soul, all of which are vicious to varying degrees. The introduction 54k book i 99k book ii 92k book iii 109k book iv 93k book v 112k book vi 95k book vii 92k book viii 92k book ix 76k. To therejectionof imitativepoetry,whichcertainlyought not to be received. It is platos bestknown work, and has proven to be one of the worlds most influential works of philosophy and political theory, both intellectually and historically. Thus, socrates concludes, the city described must be good, and all others evil with respect to both the administration of the city and the organization and character of the human soul. The republic has been divided into the following sections. Introduction to political philosophy plsc 114 lecture 4 introduces plato s republic and its many meanings in the context of moral psychology, justice, the power of poetry and myth, and metaphysics. Platos the republic is an enduring work, discussing justice, the importance of education, and the qualities needed for rulers to succeed. Cooper is henry putnam university professor of philosophy. In reading both book v of platos republic and book i of aristotles politics, there is a noticeable difference in the ideal role of women within each philosophers view. What do we want out of a theory of justice, anyway. Our story begins as socrates and his friend glaucon head home from a festival. Can we assure ourselves that these practices will continually produce the best of the best. It is known as a socratic dialogue and is perhaps one of platos best known works.
The dialogue begins with what is apparently a friendly and innocuous conversation between socrates and cephalus, in which socrates asks cephalus what he has learned from having lived a long life during which cephalus has managed to acquire a. Platos dialogue, the republic, book 1 introduction to. Purchase a copy of this text not necessarily the same edition from. No book has influenced my life more than platos republic. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the republic, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Buy the republic penguin classics 3rd by plato, melissa lane, h. In book two, socrates, thrasymachus and adeimantus decide to focus on a.
Fewer people than you may think have read or even heard of the allegory of the cave. To improve your understanding of platos allegory, we have included original commentary surrounding this subject. Differences in the book v of platos republic and book 1 of aristotles politics. Would plato agree with the practices of eugenics and genetic engineering. Socrates says despite thrasymachus s view, the goal of the city is not to make one group happy at the. Course hero literature instructor russell jaffe provides an indepth. He continues in the rest of this book by further elaborating upon the curriculum which a wouldbe philosopherking must study. Lecture 4 introduces platos republic and its many meanings in the context of moral psychology, justice, the power of poetry and myth, and metaphysics. Plato, the great philosopher of athens, was born in 427 bce. Plato, republic, book 5, page 462 tufts university.
The book is the record of a dialogue between socrates and several other athenians about the. The annenberg cpbproject provided support for entering this text. Platos lie in the soul ancient history encyclopedia. This information is intended to give you a fuller understanding of the allegory. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this platos republic study guide and get instant.
Plato extended socratess inquiries to his students, one of the most famous being aristotle. For the transition here to the digression of books v. His line of thought raises questions such as, how do you know whether your most deeplyheld beliefs are valid or simply the result of your upbringing, culture, environment, and religion. Fewer still have read or heard of platos the republic. Platos republic audiobook the great courses, david. Plato attempts to answer such questions by noting a major. Assuming plato is a skillful dramatist and that there is purpose to every detail, what is the significance of this opening.
I was aware but not at all knowledgeable about plato, his work or most of the early greeks but now i am a bit more informed as a result. Course hero literature instructor russell jaffe provides an indepth summary and analysis of book 5 of platos philosophical text the republic. That this is the consciously intended meaning may be inferred from the fact that in timaeus 37 e, where plato must have had in mind the conclusions of the sophist, he still avails himself of this ambiguity to suggest an absolute being behind phenomena. Annas, an introduction to platos republic a bit dated, but still of interest. Platos republic audiobook by the great courses, david. Platos the republic explained with book summaries in just a few minutes. But plato never combined his economic ideas into a system, and never seems to have recognized that trade is one of the great motive powers of the state and of the world. Reviewed by matthew maher, senior lecturer, metropolitan state university of denver on 3420. What other book might you compare platos republic to and why.
Plato founded a school of philosophy known as the academy. I am a novice, cant help you much what about professor david roochniks performance did you like. The internet classics archive the republic by plato. Rated 5 out of 5 by marcello from lectures on plato s republic i bought this last month and listened to one lecture every day on my commute to work. Thinking about the republic as plato wrestling with what his teacher might have said to save his brother adds a. Essays and criticism on platos platos republic critical essays. The intelligent troglodytes guide to platos republic is designed as a supplementary readers guide to understanding and interpreting platos republic. In the dialogue, socrates talks with various athenians and foreigners about the meaning of justice and whether the just man is happier than the unjust man. Plato begins the republic with the line i went down to the piraeus. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the republic and what it means. I own and am comparing the bloom, the grube, and this loeb editions of platos republic, and although each has merits, with the bloom reading smoothly and with the rhythms of colloquial english, and the grube being perhaps less skewed towards the translators own biasesbloom being wellknown as conservativethe loeb edition seems to me the allaround first choice.
Socrates now proposes to argue several examples of injustice in order further to elucidate the concept of justice. As he is about to list them, polemarchus and adeimantus interrupt. The republic is platos bestknown treatise and has been shown over time to be one of the most influential works of philosophy and theory of politics that has ever been written. The republic is a socratic dialogue, authored by plato around 375 bc, concerning justice, the order and character of the just citystate, and the just man. Most of his works are written dialogues, many with socrates as the main character. They say that socrates is trying to fool them by not speaking of childrearing. But before he can get anywhere in this project, polemarchus and adeimantus interrupt him. The last subject, and also the origin of retail trade, is treated with admirable lucidity in the second book of the republic. Platos dialogue, the republic, book 2 ethics and moral theory duration. Platos teacher, socrates, had been forced to commit suicide after being condemned of using philosophy to attack the political interests of his day for background.
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