Book Description
An accessible companion to one of Plato's most important works now in a welcome updated second edition. It leads the reader through Plato's life, the background to the Republic, its text and ideas and its continuing influence on Western thought.
In this second edition of the highly successful Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Plato and the Republic, Nickolas Pappas extends his exploration of the text to include substantial revisions and new material. In addition to the existing text, the chapters on Plato's ethics and politics have been revised and enlarged to include two brand new sections. There is further discussion of Plato on aesthetics including a section of Aristotle's criticism of Plato on beauty.
Customer Reviews:
A must for Plato readers.......2003-08-01
Nickolas Pappas' book on Plato's Republic adds a unique perspective to the collection of books on Plato and his major political work. Pappas presents this ancient masterpiece with an eye on the modern reader and "present interest." We not only fit the Republic into political thought and practice of the Fifth Century B.C. We also perceive its relevance to today's world.
Instead of a dry, "academic" discussion, the author presents a lively and trenchant analysis that investigates every concept of Plato's work. The book's exhaustive index is an additional aid to the reader. So is the author's concluding section titled "Fundamental Premises in the Republic's Argument." As a teacher of philosophy myself, I consider Pappas' work to be indispensable for my students' comprehension of some of the most intriguing and challenging ideas on government and citizenship ever developed in political thought. Pappas shows clearly why Plato's Republic has endured for over 2,000 years as a blueprint for the critique of politics in any age.
For the busy student.......2003-06-23
Although Pappas' book on the Republic is well written and fairly detailed, I feel that it adds little to the two standard texts: Julia Annas' and Nicholas White's. In fact Pappas admits in his introduction that he has drawn a lot from these. Pappas' study can be a good choice for the student in a rush, but it is not the best for an in-depth study of the text.
Extremely Useful Tool.......2001-10-04
I must agree with the reviewers below: this commentary has greatly enhanced my understanding of The Republic. Even when I think I get it on my own, there is always some nuance or other perspective brought to light; sometimes my own ideas are reinforced, which is very reassuring! I will look for books in this series that discuss other philosophical works -- the extra reading is worth the effort.
Routledge Philosophy.......2000-11-11
Very well done. A good read.
The best book available for understanding this text.......2000-01-17
Professor Pappas has written the best book of its kind on this important and often difficult work. To coin a phrase, it really is the Republic "in large letters." I would not try to tackle the forms without it.
Average customer rating:
- Try harder, or, bye bye lousy scholarship
- A wonderful study of the Republic
- A Misguided Mish-Mash of Academic Conceit.
- an excellent book on the Republic..
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An Introduction to Plato's Republic
Julia Annas
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Companion to Plato's Republic
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The Republic (Penguin Classics)
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The Cambridge Companion to Plato (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)
ASIN: 0198274297 |
Book Description
This interpretive introduction provides unique insight into Plato's Republic. Stressing Plato's desire to stimulate philosophical thinking in his readers, Julia Annas here demonstrates the coherence of his main moral argument on the nature of justice, and expounds related concepts of
education, human motivation, knowledge and understanding. In a clear systematic fashion, this book shows that modern moral philosophy still has much to learn from Plato's attempt to move the focus from questions of what acts the just person ought to perform to the more profound questions of what
sort of person the just person ought to be.
Customer Reviews:
Try harder, or, bye bye lousy scholarship.......2005-01-29
This book belongs to a tradition that was very popular in Oxford in the 1980s. It proceeds on the following methodology.
1. I (here: Annas) am not sure what Plato said. (fair enough)
2. Perhaps he said this: [statement] S. Anyway, that's what I think he said.
3. But S is seriously wrong/flawed/ridiculous.
4. How could Plato have been so silly as to hold S?
5. Rather, Plato should have said S" which, needless to say, is the view I hold privately.
6. Let me at length defend S", and stress again and again that this is what Plato SHOULD have said (but didn't).
The inference is faulty in terms of authorial attribution from 2. to 4. Admittedly this would not be so unpleasant if it wasn't coupled with a massive interpretative UN-charity which Annas is prone to in just about every sentence. I'm not saying you should not argue with Plato and adore him mindlessly. But in Annas' case, being condescending and unsympathethic leads to a lack of patience with the text. As a result there is not a single sentence in the forms chapter that survives textual scrutiny and stands as an interpretation of PLATO.
So, if you want to read Annas, this is the book to get. She'll give you something to think about under headings 3. and 6.
If you want to know what PLATO thought you deserve better. If you can't find better (such as Michael Frede, Myles Burnyeat, and David Sedley; secondarily Gail Fine and Terence Irwin) here's the survivor's guide to render Annas' book less repulsive: every time you encounter the phrase 'Plato thought/said/claims' in this book, substitute for it 'on my interpretation of Plato etc.' You may start with the first and last page:
"I guess everyone comes to Plato being repelled". True, on the Plato Annas gives us.
"This is a disappointing and boring end to an otherwise intruiging book [sc. Republic], but I can't help it." True if the book in question is Annas'. And, no, you could have helped it.
P.S. Today the sole surviving practitioner of the above methodological butchery on Plato and Aristotle is David Bostock (e.g. his books on Phaedo and Theaetetus). He has received the singularly appropriate rejoinder by Burnyeat (Map on Metaphysics Z): if you claim, on the basis of YOUR interpretations, that a text is nonsensical we can always tell you "go back to the text: try harder." Check out "http://www.humboldt.edu/~essays/sanfordrev.html".
A wonderful study of the Republic.......2002-11-15
What is wonderful about this study by Julia Annas is the personal tone of her writing; her profound knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy and Plato is constantly confronted with her own views as a modern philosopher of our times, at times she admires Plato and at others she is shocked by his extremism. The only other study written this clearly is Nicholas Whites' "A Companion to Plato's Repbulic."
The only thing I miss is a discussion of the literary, theatrical aspect of the text, the question being: are all of Socrates' views in the Republic really Plato's own? Is not Socrates a mask, an actor for Plato? Julia Annas automatically ascribes Socrates' views to Plato in her study. But this is of course an option that is possible, although not shared by all scholars.
A Misguided Mish-Mash of Academic Conceit........2000-02-22
This book is profoundly flawed. The author is oblivious to the implications of her admitted license. For instance, she uses the term 'moral' while admitting that it comes from a tradition post-dating Plato ('Introduction' p.11) and uses it to smear across distictions Plato himself found necessary. Professor Annas refuses to deal with the core concepts, as core concepts specific to Plato's time and place, and substitutes them playfully with her own modern day conceits. I quote: "I shall use 'morality' for the area of practical reasoning carried on by an agent which is concerned with the best way for a person to live." Why does she need to do this? If one was to say 'the best way to live' as Plato himself does, is that not sufficent? Does the reader/student really need a professor to explain that Plato really means 'morality'?. Baffling is why so much time is spent on non-Platonic terminology. To continually butcher 'The Republic' with these artificial terms, such as 'moral', 'values', 'society', and 'state' is to assume 'we' know more than 'they' did. This is a historical prejudice , and it does an injustice to the unsuspecting reader/student. Moreover, Professor Annas seems to be obtuse to the dramatic quality of the dialogue. An educated reader of this book cannot help but think this when the author stumbles across (454d-e) of 'The Republic'- quoting Socrates "the male begets, the female gives birth." Professor Annas then evaluates the statement, "This is an admirable argument as far as it goes; for Plato has removed any possibility of treating women as inferior as a class...but the argument suffers from being too generally stated" ( 'Plato's State', ch.7,p. 182 bottom). The author goes on to give her opinion on why it is too general- i.e: her considered views on the merits of a gender equality argument- which is fine and worth reading on it's own terms, if it was offered as such, but it is not offered as such. This is suppost to be a book on 'Plato's Republic', thus the title. Ask yourself- is that true? Is the only difference between men and women that men mount, or begat, and women bear, or give birth? That is what Plato and Socrates are asking? If the author of a commentary on 'The Republic' does not take that question seriously, and goes on to sum up her interpretation on the dramatic episode as: "Plato is confused." (p. 184), how can a reader take it seriously?
an excellent book on the Republic.........1998-08-06
The Republic covers many subjects and it's not possible for someone to write a comprensive book on the Republic. Most of the book written on the Republic usually focus on few particular subjects (the most notable one is justice). An Introduction to Plato's Republic is one of the few exception. Julia Annas doesn't interpreted the Republic from one point of view. She presented the Republic as Plato intended.. In the others words, the Republic is not the book about Politic only; it is also the book of metaphysics, educations, morality. Every chapters are very thorough and extensive but simple enough to read..
Customer Reviews:
The Companion Does *Justice* to the Republic.......2002-09-30
"What is justice?" It is the 64,000 dollar question that Socartes, Thrasymachus, and the rest of the gang try to answer in Plato's Repubic. And yet does a novice reader of Plato's writings do justice to Plato's work by reading it solely by itself without any guide? Certainly not. But Plato has an answer. We should put the philosophers in charge to guide the general public. So let Nicholas P. White's companion be viewed as the guide by which you can better understand Plato's Republic.
There is a nice sixty page introduction about Plato's general line of thought: such as, the argument of the Republic, what the theory of the forms is about, and Plato's ethical theory. The rest of the book includes White's commentary on what Plato (or Socrates) is discussing in each section. It includes the arguments discussed, some criticisms of them from time to time, correlations to other greek writings/Plato's writings/earlier sections in the Republic, etc. White will occasionally interact with other scholars and propose what he thinks is the best way to understand the particular passages. I have found this companion to be very useful for understanding what is going on in the Republic during those moments where it just is not registering clearly. Thus, I think this work, in so far as you want to follow what Plato is doing, is a helpful addition to your library and studies.
Great intepretive book on the Republic for the beginner........1998-07-23
The Republic by the Plato, itself, is an excellent book. There are many books that have been written on Plato. One of the problem is that the average readers may find themselves struggle to understand many commentary and intrepetive books on Plato. Fortunately, Nicholas P. White does an excellent works by writing a very good intepretive summaries of the Republic that the average readers can understand. The author, also, gives the clear and concise idea of Platonic philosophy without demanding the readers to have fully understanding of Plato and his philosophy.
Average customer rating:
- Genius
- Excellent edition of The Republic
- Not the best
- "republic" of the soul...aka: self help
- Very good for an inexpensive translation
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Republic (Oxford World's Classics)
Plato
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0192833707 |
Book Description
Republic is the central work of the Western world's most famous philosopher. Essentially an inquiry into morality, Republic also contains crucial arguments and insights into many other areas of philosophy. It is also a literary masterpiece: the philosophy is presented for the most part for the ordinary reader, who is carried along by the wit and intensity of the dialogue and by Plato's unforgettable images of the human condition. This new, lucid translation by Robin Waterfield is complemented by full explanatory notes and an up-to-date critical introcuduction.
Customer Reviews:
Genius.......2007-09-07
If you can only have five books on your library shelf, this book has to be one of them. Plato argues against democracy and total freedom and does such an amazing job. You may not agree with him, but after reading the book you will have so much respect for someone that is seeking the absolute truth no matter what it turns out to be.
Excellent edition of The Republic.......2007-05-06
Shorey's english rendering of the Greek in the Loeb edition is, in my opinion, excellent. More than anything, he captures the passion and fervor of Socrates beautifully, as his english rendering of the text is significantly more poetic than the vast majority of translations of The Republic. While, obviously, there are countless other editions and translations of The Republic, few of these do "justice" to the work qua literature as Shorey does. Shorey's translation, while perhaps a little less accessible to beginning readers than Alan Bloom's or WHD Rouse's, is not difficult to the point of inaccessibility, and its strengths in other regards are too significant to make it necessary to purchase anything other than the Loeb edition of The Republic.
It is my hope that this review is actually helpful to someone that is deciding which edition or translation of The Republic to buy. Far too many Amazon reviews are little more than opining on the ostensible subject matter of a book that the individual either did not read, or did not understand.
Not the best.......2007-01-10
This work is poorly written and difficult to understand. Philosophy books are dense in the first place, but this edition adds to any confusion and created lots of headaches. Furthermore, the book in other editions usually have line numbers so that people can compair notes across editions, the Dover book lacks these. I purchased a different book and found in depth analysis to be much easier.
"republic" of the soul...aka: self help.......2006-12-20
i have no comments on this particular translation of republic, as it is the only version i have read.
republic does not live up to its namesake. as "socrates" says (i think we all know that socrates is really just plato's play dough after book 1) at the close of book 9, the vision of kallipolis only "exists in theory" or perhaps there is a "model of it in heaven." the earlier differentiation between theory and practice make it clear that plato only intended to use kallipolis as a model for the human soul. therefore, the suggested policies of eugenics, infanticide, communal property, and holding women and children "in common" are probably not to be taken seriously. plato himself predicts the inevitable unraveling of such a city.
after reading republic for the second time, it occurred to me that it is little more than a self-help manual. reason should rule spirit and passion. "dabbling" weakens the character. understand the difference between necessity and luxury. shatter your illusions about what you think you know, etc etc. not that these are not important, but such ideas do not require the complex analogy of a totalitarian society. thus, i think republic is slightly overrated.
the most compelling portion of this book, in my opinion, was the critique of the various constitutions. while the critiques of oligarchy, tyranny, timocracy and democracy map on nicely to the individual soul, they also make logical sense independently. while convention has led us to disregard the former 3 constitutions, democracy is often placed on a pedestal as the most ideal form of government. plato challenges this notion and succeeds with vigor in tearing down this pedestal. democracy, even in its representative form, is not much more than tyranny of the majority. we can witness democracy's inherent flaws today in the U.S., on issues such as abortion and gay marriage. this, in my opinion, is the only significant thing republic has to offer to the modern political theorist.
Very good for an inexpensive translation.......2006-11-10
I'm wrapping up a semester of teaching this translation of Republic, and I've had few complaints. Waterfield's editorial hand is visible, but that in itself, in the hands of a competent teacher, leads to good discussions above and beyond Plato's ideas.
With regards to Plato's masterwork, there's no good place to start save reading it for oneself. Plato is dead wrong in places (with regards to poetry and marriage just to get rolling), but his genius is that he's wrong as an idealist philosopher, encouraging readers to assert and refine their own ideals as counter-arguments. In other words, in order to refute Plato, one must out-Plato Plato.
Deconstruction is fine for deconstructionists, but a good discussion of this juggernaut of ancient thought is the life for me.
Book Description
Bringing between two covers the most influential and accessible articles on Plato's Republic, this collection illuminates what is widely held to be the most important work of Western philosophy and political theory. It will be valuable not only to philosophers, but to political theorists, historians, classicists, literary scholars, and interested general readers. Visit our website for sample chapters!
Book Description
Considered to be one of the three greatest philosophical tomes of all time, The Republic is Plato's account and interpretation of Socrates's ideas about life, meaning, and the just society. This text has provoked and shaped thought for thousands of years and is as applicable now as it ever was.
Customer Reviews:
BUY IT NOW!!.......2003-02-20
I was having trouble interpreting Plato's The Republic, this book has been tremendously helpful. If you are having the same problem then get this book now!!
Excellent guide, learned a lot.......2002-08-25
I found this to be a clear, concise, and well written quide to understanding this venerable work. The author covers many topics, from the social and historical context of the work to the more abstract philosophical ideas. It helped me to better appreciate this important work and I learned a lot that was valuable and even useful.
I had a few comments myself to make. There might now be much I can add in a scholarly vein to what people have already said about Plato. But I thought I would make a few personal observations from the standpoint of a somewhat philosophically literate, 21st century man who is reading such an august classic in middle age.
I came to this book with more of a background in modern epistemology and the philosophy of science than in classical philosophy. So political philosophy isn't exactly my strong suit, but nevertheless I found the book interesting reading in a way I hadn't really thought of before.
Actually, I had read portions of this book 20 years ago when I was a young student first studying philosophy, and I have to say, there is something to be said for having a more mature outlook in approaching such a venerable work. At the time I thought political philosophy pretty dull stuff, and besides, I felt there was no real way to answer any of the important political questions that get debated here, despite the easy way Socrates disposes of everybody else's half-baked opinions and theories.
The fact is, if you move ahead 2400 years and read something like Karl Popper's "The Open Society and Its Enemies," an advanced modern work, you can see how much, or how little, political philosophy has progressed in the last 24 centuries.
Well, that may be true, but at least with this book you know where it basically all started. The best way to decide this issue is to read the book and decide for yourself.
Although entitled "The Republic," this society isn't like any republic you've probably ever read about. Plato proposes an ant- like communism where there is no private ownership of property, philosophers are kings, kings are philosophers, people cultivate physical, moral, and ethical qualities, and the idea of the good takes the place of political and social virtues.
Another odd facet is that the bravest citizens are permitted more wives than those less brave in battle. And then there is the infamous proposition that all poets and artists are to be banished since they are harmful purveyors of false illusions.
I find the Socratic method as a way of moving along the dialogue between the participants sort of interesting, and it is certainly an effective device. However, none of these people, even the famous Sophist Thrasymachus, are really Socrates' intellectual equal, so he really doesn't have much competition here.
(Cheap shot from the "Peanut Gallery"--not to digress too much, here, but if Socrates was supposed to be so wise, how come he married such a shrewish woman for a wife, Xantippe? They joked about how funny and incongruous that was even in Socrates's day).
If ancient Athens disproportionately had so many towering intellects, relative to its small population (about 20,000 people, most of whom were slaves anyway), you'd think they would show up in Plato's dialogues more. But all we seem to get are second- raters who are really no match for the clever Socrates. Of course, since the dialogues we have were written down by Socrates' most famous student, Plato, perhaps the cards were stacked a little in his teacher's favor.
Yet I would say this is still a great book. Classical scholars say there are more perfect, less flawed dialogues than Plato's Republic, but none that are as profound, wide-ranging, and as influential and important for later philosophy. As someone once wrote, in a sense the entire history of western philosophy "consists of nothing but footnotes to Plato." After finally reading it, I can see why there is so much truth to that statement.
I also had a brief comment to make on Plato's theory of justice.
Early on in the book there is the famous exchange between Socrates and the Sophist, Thrasymachus. Socrates asks him for his definition of Justice, and Thasymachus responds that "Justice is the interest of the stronger."
Socrates then uses his famous eponymous method to seemingly demolish the Sophist's position, and then presents his own view instead.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Thrasymachus here, if only on practical and historical grounds. Justice usually is the interest of the stronger. Perhaps this is not what Justice should be in human and social terms, but that's the reality.
Socrates' definition is a nice ideal, but rarely works out that way in practice. If one thinks of Thrasymachus' definition as simply pragmatic and realistic, and Socrates' definition as being the ideal that a true republic (or whatever society) should strive for, then I think this is a more accurate view of the situation. Socrates makes Thrasymachus' idea appear invalid, but in fact, his idea is more accurate in terms of how things actually work out in most parts of the world (and even in the US) than is Socrates' idea.
Not that this is right or even desirable, it's just the way things are.
A MUST HAVE! The only way to trudge through the Republic!.......2000-03-17
For college students, this book is a godsend. It lays out in common English basically everything that Plato and Socrates say in The Republic. Some of the most famous things from The Republic, including the Noble Lie, the Ship of State, and the Allegory of the Cave are put into layman's terms, making those papers and homework questions relatively easy to write. If you are a student, or are reading The Republic for fun, you have to have this book.
Book Description
In this book a distinguished philosopher offers a comprehensive interpretation of Plato’s most controversial dialogue. Treating the Republic as a unity and focusing on the dramatic form as the presentation of the argument, Stanley Rosen challenges earlier analyses of the Republic (including the ironic reading of Leo Strauss and his disciples) and argues that the key to understanding the dialogue is to grasp the author’s intention in composing it, in particular whether Plato believed that the city constructed in the Republic is possible and desirable.
Rosen demonstrates that the fundamental principles underlying the just city are theoretically attractive but that the attempt to enact them in practice leads to conceptual incoherence and political disaster. The Republic, says Rosen, is a vivid illustration of the irreconcilability of philosophy and political practice.
Average customer rating:
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Essays on Plato's Republic (Aarhus Studies in Mediterranean Antiquity , No 2)
Manufacturer: Aarhus Universitetsforlag
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 8772887850 |
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Essays considering the "Republic" from the perspectives of political philosophy, metaphysics, moral psychology, science, and myth.
Average customer rating:
- A too concise introduction to the Republic
- Is this a Just Book?
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A Guide to Plato's Republic
Daryl H. Rice
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0195112830 |
Book Description
A Guide to Plato's Republic provides an integral interpretation of the Republic which is accessible even to readers approaching Plato's masterwork for the first time. Written at a level understandable to undergraduates, it is ideal for students and other readers who have little or no background in philosophy or political theory. Rice anticipates their inevitable reactions to the Republic and treats them seriously, opening the way to an appreciation of the complexities of the text without oversimplifying it. While many books on the Republic never stray far from explicating Plato's text, this work contrasts Plato's responses to perennial issues in philosophy and political theory with those of several key subsequent thinkers. It uses engaging examples to show the continuing relevance of Plato's arguments and introduces some basic vocabulary of philosophy and political theory, going beyond terse dictionary definitions by illustrating what technical terms mean in the context of Plato's work. The author's interpretative posture is appreciative but respectfully critical of Plato's vision. Stressing the relationship between Plato's politics and metaphysics, Rice argues that Plato's reluctance to accept the reality and consequences of finitude accounts for much of what many readers find objectionable in his politics. Lively, relatively brief, and designed to provoke discussion in the classroom, A Guide to Plato's Republic is ideal for political theory and introduction to philosophy courses as well as other courses that assign the Republic as a primary text.
Customer Reviews:
A too concise introduction to the Republic.......2002-07-31
This book is clearly written, and broadens the debate towards later philosophers who were inspired by the Republic. As to the fact/value distinction (see the previous review of this book), it was indeed not used by Plato (as Rice correctly explains) since it is Hume who is credited with creating these concepts.
Rice writes on p. 22:
"Plato does not divide the cosmos into a world of facts, which we can know through the senses disciplined through the methods of the sciences, and a world of values, which we can know through normative inquiry. Rather, the whole cosmos is a moral one through and through; NATURE (the Greek word is Physis) includes not only facts such as those regarding water, but also facts about values, and sure knowledge of nature only comes through philosophy."
But this book is to short to be of any real use for an in-depth reading of the Republic. For example the crucial allegory of the Cave is only discussed in 1 & 1/2 pages. The best guides for a serious study of the Republic remain, in my opinion, Julia Annas' and Nicholas White's.
Is this a Just Book?.......1999-02-12
This is a horrible book. Rice claims on page 22 that Plato did not understand the fact/value distinction. This is absurb; moreover, it is Rice who is baffled by the fact/value distinction as is evidenced in the example he gives. He says water has two hydrogen molecules for every one oxygen molecule. He calls this a fact. He says a chemistry professor who stated that this was unjust, would be making a 'value' statement, an absurb normative arguement since tha 'fact' is so obvious. But is it? In truth, the 'fact' of H2O is a product of a 'value'; the scientific or philosophical 'value' that originated in Greece before Socrates and was made possible for human beings through the life and work of Thales, Socrates, Plato et al. The 'value' to look at water in a scientific way- to discover it's molecular composition, as opposed to simply drinking it or worshipping it, as is still done today by Priests who sprinkle drops on the head of newborns in front of church congregations, is the philsophic 'value'. Plato understood the fact/value distinction and rejected it. He tried to define philosophy as a search for truth, a serch for what is, this 'value' precedes any 'fact'. Again, on page 22, ice moronically states that Plato thought values were facts. Garbage! Plato articulated the exact opposite opinion, he struggled to show 'facts' were 'values'. This is what is radical about philosophy and why Socrates had to die at the hands of the state, he undermined common beliefs, religious myths and laws. Rice has inherited this endevour without fully understanding t's origins. He has no right to interpret 'The Republic', if right is understood as being correct or accurate. He impairs direct access to Plato's texts by skewing the words with his own unexamined prejudices. He is a modern day Thrasymachus teaching for money and wasting his time 'interpreting' Plato to his tution paying students. This book is pitiful because it robs a student of an education; it fails to treat the dialogue as a dramatic work abd hodge-podge picks out things to further his own unexamined assumptions and academic conceits. For shame- the book is unjust.
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Plato's the Republic
Leo Rauch
Manufacturer: Monarch Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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