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amimii_astro's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Definitely understand how this piece is a foundational classic yet felt as if there were still many leaps in logic and rehashings of the contemporary zeitgeist just in different expressions. Still a good read, but not something I’ll re-read!
lilliangrey's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I think the most interesting part of this book was the ending (and I say that with upmost sincerity).
I read this book for no apparent reason other than my professor went over a small excerpt in class one day and I was intrigued. But I slowly came to the realisation as I was flipping the pages that Athenian democracy is not an interest that I should like to entertain through ancient literature. Of course, I recognise the relative significance of the book when it comes to understanding not only ancient society but the subsequent influence into our modern society, but I sometimes think the only reason people read this book on their own accord is to appear holier than thou. While I can certainly say that it was a chore to get through, it will be beneficial for my later studies I imagine, should I continue to be enamoured by the classical world.
I read this book for no apparent reason other than my professor went over a small excerpt in class one day and I was intrigued. But I slowly came to the realisation as I was flipping the pages that Athenian democracy is not an interest that I should like to entertain through ancient literature. Of course, I recognise the relative significance of the book when it comes to understanding not only ancient society but the subsequent influence into our modern society, but I sometimes think the only reason people read this book on their own accord is to appear holier than thou. While I can certainly say that it was a chore to get through, it will be beneficial for my later studies I imagine, should I continue to be enamoured by the classical world.
its_kievan's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
Chose not to rate this because it took me over a year to read and I was taking notes the whole time.
Crazy book. So funny that it’s considered a foundational text of political philosophy when so much of it is Socrates/Plato saying “obviously we all know that the human soul has three parts so the ideal city should have three groups” and Glaucon or whoever is like so true bestie.
Still a fascinating book to read, despite the frequent unhinged leaps of logic. The actual politics part of it was much more tangential than I was expecting: he’s not trying to describe the perfect city, he’s explaining how the perfect city would arise from the philosophical framework he’s created. The city itself is deeply bizarre, devoid of most art and poetry and guarded by a warrior caste raised from birth on propaganda. I definitely don’t agree with Plato’s politics or the philosophy underpinning them, but I can see why this is the book for so many other philosophers.
Crazy book. So funny that it’s considered a foundational text of political philosophy when so much of it is Socrates/Plato saying “obviously we all know that the human soul has three parts so the ideal city should have three groups” and Glaucon or whoever is like so true bestie.
Still a fascinating book to read, despite the frequent unhinged leaps of logic. The actual politics part of it was much more tangential than I was expecting: he’s not trying to describe the perfect city, he’s explaining how the perfect city would arise from the philosophical framework he’s created. The city itself is deeply bizarre, devoid of most art and poetry and guarded by a warrior caste raised from birth on propaganda. I definitely don’t agree with Plato’s politics or the philosophy underpinning them, but I can see why this is the book for so many other philosophers.
dawntin's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Informative read for anyone who wants (or has to, for class) to learn more about foundational and wacky literary theories.
rebeccasfantasyworld's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
kareds's review against another edition
One of my reading goals this year is to read more nonfiction, especially history, philosophy, and political theory. Plato seemed like a decent place to start for all of those things.
The guy had some weird ideas, and I stuck through Republic more out of stubbornness than enjoyment or interest.
At least now I can brag that I’ve read it.
The guy had some weird ideas, and I stuck through Republic more out of stubbornness than enjoyment or interest.
At least now I can brag that I’ve read it.
jacobwaller's review against another edition
4.0
Okay so I spent almost three months of my life really trying to understand and get into Plato’s Republic and it resulted in some of the most intense, beautiful moments as well as the most boring moments I’ve ever spent reading a book.
First, Republic is a masterpiece through and through. There are so many ideas here that are endlessly dense and complex. There was a lot of deliberation that I put into this book and there is still a lot of stuff I don’t fully get or understand in the depth that I want to be able to, so I’ll definitely be rereading it again at some point. Plato blends a bunch of different branches of philosophy together in this all-encompassing universe that is very easy to get lost in and make sense of but will reward you if you take your time with it and give it some attention. It makes sense why this book has been read by all great thinkers since it was written almost 2500 years ago.
That being said, I didn’t completely fall in love with it. There’s a good amount of conclusions that Socrates will make that will come out of nowhere and will seemingly be predicated on a LOT of presumptions. He sort of gives you the conclusion of the argument without the buildup, and then he sort of gives you the pieces of said argument and it sort of your responsibility to try and build the puzzle. When he is able to pull it off, it results in some of the most beautiful, intoxicating moments of reading philosophy ever. However when he doesn’t, it feels like you’re just wasting your time. My interests more lie in the ontological and metaphysical stuff, so the political stuff was kind of a slog to get through at some points, but overall I enjoyed my experience reading this book for the first time around. Book 6 and 7 were my absolute favorite though, we get the theory of Forms and “the Absolute Good,” and of course the allegory of the cave and this is where Plato’s effect on religion, specifically Christianity, felt most potent. I’ll end it with one of my favorite quotes from the book that have to do with the pursuit of philosophy.
“For if a man had always on his arrival in this world dedicated himself from the first to sound philosophy, and had been moderately fortunate in the number of the lot, he might, as the messenger reported, be happy here, and also his journey to another life and return to this, instead of being rough and underground, would be smooth and heavenly.” - p.350
First, Republic is a masterpiece through and through. There are so many ideas here that are endlessly dense and complex. There was a lot of deliberation that I put into this book and there is still a lot of stuff I don’t fully get or understand in the depth that I want to be able to, so I’ll definitely be rereading it again at some point. Plato blends a bunch of different branches of philosophy together in this all-encompassing universe that is very easy to get lost in and make sense of but will reward you if you take your time with it and give it some attention. It makes sense why this book has been read by all great thinkers since it was written almost 2500 years ago.
That being said, I didn’t completely fall in love with it. There’s a good amount of conclusions that Socrates will make that will come out of nowhere and will seemingly be predicated on a LOT of presumptions. He sort of gives you the conclusion of the argument without the buildup, and then he sort of gives you the pieces of said argument and it sort of your responsibility to try and build the puzzle. When he is able to pull it off, it results in some of the most beautiful, intoxicating moments of reading philosophy ever. However when he doesn’t, it feels like you’re just wasting your time. My interests more lie in the ontological and metaphysical stuff, so the political stuff was kind of a slog to get through at some points, but overall I enjoyed my experience reading this book for the first time around. Book 6 and 7 were my absolute favorite though, we get the theory of Forms and “the Absolute Good,” and of course the allegory of the cave and this is where Plato’s effect on religion, specifically Christianity, felt most potent. I’ll end it with one of my favorite quotes from the book that have to do with the pursuit of philosophy.
“For if a man had always on his arrival in this world dedicated himself from the first to sound philosophy, and had been moderately fortunate in the number of the lot, he might, as the messenger reported, be happy here, and also his journey to another life and return to this, instead of being rough and underground, would be smooth and heavenly.” - p.350