Philosophers in the "Republic"

Roslyn Weiss

Description

In Plato's Republic, Socrates contends that philosophers make the best rulers because only they behold with their mind's eye the eternal and purely intelligible Forms of the Just, the Noble, and the Good. When, in addition, these men and women are endowed with a vast array of moral, intellectual, and personal virtues and are appropriately educated, surely no one could doubt the wisdom of entrusting to them the governance of cities. Although it is widely-and reasonably-assumed that all the Republic's philosophers are the same, Roslyn Weiss argues in this boldly original book that the Republic actually contains two distinct and irreconcilable portrayals of the philosopher.According to Weiss, Plato's two paradigms of the philosopher are the "philosopher by nature" and the "philosopher by design." Philosophers by design, as the allegory of the Cave vividly shows, must be forcibly dragged from the material world of pleasure to the sublime realm of the intellect, and from there back down again to the "Cave" to rule the beautiful city envisioned by Socrates and his interlocutors. Yet philosophers by nature, described earlier in the Republic, are distinguished by their natural yearning to encounter the transcendent realm of pure Forms, as well as by a willingness to serve others-at least under appropriate circumstances. In contrast to both sets of philosophers stands Socrates, who represents a third paradigm, one, however, that is no more than hinted at in the Republic. As a man who not only loves "what is" but is also utterly devoted to the justice of others-even at great personal cost-Socrates surpasses both the philosophers by design and the philosophers by nature. By shedding light on an aspect of the Republic that has escaped notice, Weiss's new interpretation will challenge Plato scholars to revisit their assumptions about Plato's moral and political philosophy.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 16 août 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780801466052
• Langue: English

Extrait

Philosophersinthe Republic

Philosophersinthe Republic

Plato’sTwoParadigms

RoslynWeiss

CornellUniversityPress IthacaandLondon

Copyright © 2012 by Cornell University

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.

First published 2012 by Cornell University Press

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Weiss, Roslyn.  Philosophers in the Republic : Plato’s two paradigms / Roslyn Weiss.  p. cm.  Includes bibliographical references and index.  ISBN 9780801449741 (cloth : alk. paper)  1. Plato. Republic. 2. Justice (Philosophy) 3. Ethics. I. Title.  B395.W46 2012  321'.07—dc23 2012015970

Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppli ers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials include vegetablebased, lowVOC inks and acidfree papers that are recycled, totally chlorinefree, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.

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Formybelovedfamily

Excessive friendship for oneself is the cause of all of each man’s wrongdoings on every occasion. . . . A man who is to attain greatness must be devoted not to himself or to what belongs to him, but to what is just.

—Plato,Laws5.731e732a

Acknowledgments

Contents

Introduction:TwoParadigms

1.PhilosophersbyNature

2.PhilosophersbyDesignI:TheMakingofaPhilosopher

3.PhilosophersbyDesignII:TheMakingofaRuler

4.SocraticPiety:TheFifthCardinalVirtue

5.JusticeasModeration

Conclusion:“InaHealthyWay”

Works Cited Index

ix

1 11 49 85 129 164 208

219 227

Acknowledgments

Thisbookhasbeenpercolatingformanyyears.WritingontheRepublic is not a linear process. Interpretations seem right, then wrong, then better, yet still not just right. One tries again, goes back to the beginning. Finally, a book emerges—narrower in scope, more modest in ambition. IamgratefulforthemanyopportunitiesIhavehadtotestandrefine my understanding of Plato’s great work. The first occasion was a confer ence organized by John Ferrari at the University of California, Berkeley. Other venues followed: St. Francis College, Mansfield University, the Northeastern Political Science Association, the American Philosophical Association, Marquette University, the Eastern Pennsylvania Philosophical Association, BarIlan University, University of South Carolina, the Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy, University of South Florida, Case West ern Reserve University, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Haifa, the International Symposium Platonicum—Tokyo, the Boston Area Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy, the Israel Society for the Promo tion of Classical Studies, the Arizona Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy,