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A review by hammo
Plato's Republic by David Roochnik
5.0
I haven't been especially impressed with Plato in past readings. But based on this lecture series, I'm pretty keen to try on The Republic.
Had a good giggle over Socrates' assertion that Philosophy is an erotic enterprise. In context, this means that it requires passion.
Beautiful metaphor of the state as a ship. The captain ends up being the person who is focused on the other inhabitants of the ship and how to manipulate them. The captain should be the person who is looking up to the stars for navigation.
Glaucon raises an objection to Plato's cave: why should the philosopher who has seen the sun return to the cave to unshackle the others? I vaguely remember something about the Buddha wanting to stay in an enlightened meditation but being compelled to spread the message of enlightenment by some god or other.
You heard it from Plato first: the best city can only be one in which the rulers are the least eager to rule.
"Mathematics is fundamental in the formation of a philosophical soul."
Had a good giggle over Socrates' assertion that Philosophy is an erotic enterprise. In context, this means that it requires passion.
Beautiful metaphor of the state as a ship. The captain ends up being the person who is focused on the other inhabitants of the ship and how to manipulate them. The captain should be the person who is looking up to the stars for navigation.
Glaucon raises an objection to Plato's cave: why should the philosopher who has seen the sun return to the cave to unshackle the others? I vaguely remember something about the Buddha wanting to stay in an enlightened meditation but being compelled to spread the message of enlightenment by some god or other.
You heard it from Plato first: the best city can only be one in which the rulers are the least eager to rule.
"Mathematics is fundamental in the formation of a philosophical soul."