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September 29, 2021
Plato’s Republic Book VIII: On the Fall of Civilizations

Plato’s Republic Book VIII: On the Fall of Civilizations

In this essay, I explore Book 8 of The Republic and set forth Plato’s theory of cultural decline. In Book 8 of The Republic, Plato returns to the theme of how his ideal city degenerates into various lesser forms of government: Philosophical aristocracy falling to timocracy, timocracy to oligarchy, oligarchy to democracy, and finally democracy …

September 20, 2021
Republic Books 6-7: Plato’s Theory of Forms (The Sun, The Divided Line, and the Allegory of the Cave).

Republic Books 6-7: Plato’s Theory of Forms (The Sun, The Divided Line, and the Allegory of the Cave).

This essay explores Books 6-7 of The Republic and explains Plato’s theory of the forms through his famous analogies of the sun, the divided line, and the cave. Plato’s theory of forms is an extension of the older Pythagorean view that the visible world is grounded in an unseen world of number. One villager, for …

September 10, 2021
Republic 5-6: Philosopher Kings

Republic 5-6: Philosopher Kings

This essay examines books 5 and 6 of Republic and explicates Plato’s notorious doctrine of the philosopher king. Near the end of book 5, Socrates is asked whether the ideal city sketched so far is politically possible. Is it a city that can exist in the physical word like Athens or Sparta or is it …

August 22, 2021
Republic Book 5: Women in the City–Platonic vs Postmodern Inclusion.

Republic Book 5: Women in the City–Platonic vs Postmodern Inclusion.

In book 5 of the Republic, Socrates argues that women should be admitted into the guardian class and receive the same education as the men. This would have been a shocking claim for others in the ancient world. For example, one can contrast Plato’s philosophical inclusivity, with St. Paul’s injunction: “Let a woman learn quietly …

August 17, 2021
Republic 3-4: The Cardinal Virtues and the Tripartite Soul

Republic 3-4: The Cardinal Virtues and the Tripartite Soul

In this essay I’ll examine Books 3 and 4 of the Republic and set forth Plato’s account of the cardinal virtues and his theory of the tripartite soul. After concluding his description of the guardians’ mental and physical education, Socrates observe that what has thus far been called “the guardian class” actually contains two classes: …

July 28, 2021
Republic 2: Theological Critique vs Religious Trauma

Republic 2: Theological Critique vs Religious Trauma

In this essay, I conclude our analysis of Book II of The Republic by examining Plato’s theological critique of religion and contrasting it with contemporary accounts of so-called religious trauma. After establishing the need for a guardian class, Socrates now enquires into their education (376c). As we noted last time, guardians must be both upright …

July 12, 2021
Republic Book 2: The Origins of the City and the Emergence of the Guardian Class

Republic Book 2: The Origins of the City and the Emergence of the Guardian Class

In this essay, I continue our discussion of Book 2 of the Republic by examining Plato’s account of the formation the city and the emergence of its guardian class. In the process we will also investigate why the fierce negation and boundary setting of the guardians is necessary for both public and private life. The …

July 1, 2021
Plato’s Republic II: Defending Injustice

Plato’s Republic II: Defending Injustice

In Book II of the Republic, Glaucon and Adeimantus strengthen and defend Thrasymachus’s earlier claim that justice is merely an instrumental, and not an intrinsic, good.  Though Thrasymachus has conceded to Socrates, Glaucon observes that he has perhaps done so too hastily, being charmed by Socrates “as if he were a snake.” (358b). Socrates case …

June 20, 2021
Goods: Intrinsic and Instrumental

Goods: Intrinsic and Instrumental

Human life, finite and incarnate, burns with desire, craving not only physical necessities such as food and drink, but yearning also for an ever elusive wholeness.  As the poet Novalis observed, “we seek the unconditioned, but all we ever find are things.” Man’s life is thus one of love and longing. We learn much about …

June 11, 2021
Plato on Nature, Function, and Virtue

Plato on Nature, Function, and Virtue

In this essay, continue my analysis of Book I of the Republic by examining Plato’s use of the classical concept of excellence to defend the claim that justice is an intrinsic rather than merely instrumental good. After arguing that justice is not, as Thrasymachus contends, merely as the advantage of the stronger, Socrates attempts to …

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