Download or read book Plato and Democracy Today written by Keekok Lee and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2018-12-14 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book deploys an innovative narrative device to mount an exercise in (popular) political philosophy. It presents Plato as “the Reith Lecturer” bringing up to date his critique of democracy which he began more than two thousand years ago in The Republic. Three recent “unexpected” electoral outcomes (the Brexit Referendum in the UK, the Presidential Election in the USA in 2016, and the UK General Election in 2017) allow it to focus on populism and the role it plays in understanding the logic of democracy. The book relentlessly exposes its fundamental flaw as demagoguery, relying not on high abstract philosophical/political theorising but entirely on empirical data to back up his critique. Ironically, it shows that Orwell’s Newspeak is its tongue.
Download or read book Plato Today RLE Plato written by R H S Crossman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-11-12 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plato was born around 2,500 years ago. He lived in a small city-state in Greece and busied himself with the problems of his fellow Greeks, a people living in scattered cities around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In all he tried to do for the Greeks he failed. Why, then, should people in the modern world bother to read what he had to say? Does it make sense to go to a Greek thinker for advice on the problems of an age so different from his own? To anyone who has questioned the relevance of Plato to the modern world Richard Crossman’s lively book provides a brilliant reply. The problems facing Plato’s world bear striking parallels to ours today, the author maintains, so who better to turn to than Plato, the most objective and most ruthless observer of the failures of Greek society. Crossman’s engaging text provides both an informed introduction to Greek ideas and an original and controversial view of Plato himself.
Download or read book Plato on Democracy and Political techn written by Anders Sorensen and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2016-09-12 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Plato on Democracy and Political technē Sørensen argues that the question of democracy’s ‘epistemic potential’ was one that Plato took more seriously than is usually assumed. While he famously rejected democracy on the basis of its inherent inability to accommodate political expertise (technē), he did not think that this failure on democracy’s part was necessarily inevitable but a concept that required further examination. Sørensen shows that in a number of his most important dialogues (Republic, Gorgias, Statesman, Protagoras, Theaetetus), Plato was ready to take up the question of democracy’s epistemic potential and to enter into strikingly technical and sophisticated discussions of what both rule by technē and rule by the people would have to look like in order for the two things to be compatible.
Download or read book Plato To day written by Richard Howard Stafford Crossman and published by . This book was released on 1959 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author looks at Plato through his own eyes rather than through the spectacles of Platonic tradition, causing a radical revaluation of Plato as a political thinker.
Download or read book Athens Victorious written by Greg Recco and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2008-01-17 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plato's Republic is typically thought to recommend a form of government that, from our current perspective, seems perniciously totalitarian. Athens Victorious demonstrates that Plato intended quite the opposite: to demonstrate the superiority of a democratic constitution. Greg Recco provides a brilliant rereading of Book Eight. Often considered an anticlimax, Book Eight seems to be a mere catalogue of mistakes but is in fact one of Plato's most neglected literary creations: a mythic or epic restaging of the Peloponnesian War that pitted Sparta's militaristic oligarchy against Athens' democracy. In Plato's reenactment, Athens wins. Recco argues that the values identified in Book Eight as distinctively democratic were the very ones that served as the unannounced touchstones of moral and political judgment throughout the dialogue.Athens Victorious is an important reinterpretation ofThe Republic. It is an excellent resource for students and scholars of Classical Studies, Philosophy, and Political Theory.
Download or read book A Wolf in the City written by Cinzia Arruzza and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-09-26 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The problem of tyranny preoccupied Plato, and its discussion both begins and ends his famous Republic. Though philosophers have mined the Republic for millennia, Cinzia Arruzza is the first to devote a full book to the study of tyranny and of the tyrant's soul in Plato's Republic. In A Wolf in the City, Arruzza argues that Plato's critique of tyranny intervenes in an ancient debate concerning the sources of the crisis of Athenian democracy and the relation between political leaders and demos in the last decades of the fifth century BCE. Arruzza shows that Plato's critique of tyranny should not be taken as veiled criticism of the Syracusan tyrannical regime, but rather of Athenian democracy. In parsing Plato's discussion of the soul of the tyrant, Arruzza will also offer new and innovative insights into his moral psychology, addressing much-debated problems such as the nature of eros and of the spirited part of the soul, the unity or disunity of the soul, and the relation between the non-rational parts of the soul and reason.
Download or read book Plato s Republic American Democracy written by Amos Ajo and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2023-03-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plato's theories and works have had a significant influence on American democracy, shaping discussions about the function of the state, what constitutes effective leadership, and how citizens should interact with the government. The principles and works of Plato still have a significant influence on American democracy today. There is no doubt that Plato's thoughts and works have had a significant influence on Western philosophy and American democracy, and they still affect intellectual and political discussions in the contemporary era. However, some have recently argued that American democracy cannot be taken for granted and that its viability is threatened by the country's present political polarization. Concerns stem from the division that is growing, the loss of democratic standards, the decline in confidence in government, and the possibility of outside intervention in the political process. These elements have contributed to an increase in unease and worry about the survival of American democracy. The increasing division of American politics is one of the main causes for worry. Republicans and Democrats' political differences have grown in recent years, which has caused a collapse in communication and collaboration between the two groups. This has made it challenging to approve significant legislation and increased Americans' anger and feeling of hopelessness. The erosion of public confidence in government is another issue. Only a tiny proportion of Americans say they trust the government to uphold moral principles, according to recent polls, which indicate that confidence in government is at record lows. This lack of confidence can make political organizations less legitimate and make it more challenging for leaders to run their governments successfully. Another issue is the deterioration of political standards. Democratic standards are the customs and unspoken laws that support American democracy, including adherence to the rule of law, press freedom, and the orderly transition of power. In recent years, these standards have come under attack, with some lawmakers and leaders publicly disobeying them. A collapse of political structures and procedures may result from this. The fear of foreign meddling in the political process is the last worry. There is proof that foreign governments and players have attempted to sway American elections and politics, which can jeopardize the democracy system's validity and diminish the public's faith in the executive branch. Some contend that in light of these worries, American democracy cannot be taken for granted and that fresh efforts are required to improve democratic structures and standards. This can include initiatives to encourage public activity and involvement, to support the media and civil society, and to encourage responsibility and openness in government. There is no question, a book like this on Plato's Republic and American Democracy is greatly needed at this time.
Download or read book Dream of Reason A History of Western Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance New Edition written by Anthony Gottlieb and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2016-08-30 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "His book...supplant[s] all others, even the immensely successful History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell."—A. C. Grayling Already a classic, this landmark study of early Western thought now appears in a new edition with expanded coverage of the Middle Ages. This landmark study of Western thought takes a fresh look at the writings of the great thinkers of classic philosophy and questions many pieces of conventional wisdom. The book invites comparison with Bertrand Russell's monumental History of Western Philosophy, "but Gottlieb's book is less idiosyncratic and based on more recent scholarship" (Colin McGinn, Los Angeles Times). A New York Times Notable Book, a Los Angeles Times Best Book, and a Times Literary Supplement Best Book of 2001.
Download or read book Platonic Political Art written by John R. Wallach and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2010-11-01 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this first comprehensive treatment of Plato's political thought in a long time, John Wallach offers a "critical historicist" interpretation of Plato. Wallach shows how Plato's theory, while a radical critique of the conventional ethical and political practice of his own era, can be seen as having the potential for contributing to democratic discourse about ethics and politics today. The author argues that Plato articulates and "solves" his Socratic Problem in his various dialogues in different but potentially complementary ways. The book effectively extracts Plato from the straightjacket of Platonism and from the interpretive perspectives of the past fifty years--principally those of Karl Popper, Leo Strauss, Hannah Arendt, M. I. Finley, Jacques Derrida, and Gregory Vlastos. The author's distinctive approach for understanding Plato--and, he argues, for the history of political theory in general--can inform contemporary theorizing about democracy, opening pathways for criticizing democracy on behalf of virtue, justice, and democracy itself.
Download or read book Plato s idea of democracy written by Naseer Ahmad Habibi and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2012-05-10 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientific Essay from the year 2011 in the subject Philosophy - Philosophy of the Ancient World, grade: A, American University of Central Asia, course: FYS, language: English, abstract: This essay seeks to address the above questions. First it explains Plato’s concept of democracy, which shapes his attitude towards this form of government. Then it discusses my position towards Plato’s criticism of democracy, provides a definition of contemporary democracy, and finally shows how Plato’s argumentation can be applied to present day democracies.
Download or read book About Plato s ideas regarding political organisation written by Linda Vuskane and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2010-11-26 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essay from the year 2009 in the subject Politics - Political Theory and the History of Ideas Journal, grade: 72%, Liverpool John Moores University, language: English, abstract: Following a short overview of Plato’s life and the political situation of his time, this paper describes and analyses Plato’s ideas regarding political organisation, including aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny and further examines whether these ideas have any relevance nowadays. In addition, the paper touches on Plato’s ideas about the ideal state and his famous allegory of the cave. The paper concludes that, even if many Plato’s ideas seem very alien to us, some ideas, particularly the moral and spiritual dimension of political life, are still very relevant today.
Download or read book Against Democracy written by Jason Brennan and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-26 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A bracingly provocative challenge to one of our most cherished ideas and institutions Most people believe democracy is a uniquely just form of government. They believe people have the right to an equal share of political power. And they believe that political participation is good for us—it empowers us, helps us get what we want, and tends to make us smarter, more virtuous, and more caring for one another. These are some of our most cherished ideas about democracy. But Jason Brennan says they are all wrong. In this trenchant book, Brennan argues that democracy should be judged by its results—and the results are not good enough. Just as defendants have a right to a fair trial, citizens have a right to competent government. But democracy is the rule of the ignorant and the irrational, and it all too often falls short. Furthermore, no one has a fundamental right to any share of political power, and exercising political power does most of us little good. On the contrary, a wide range of social science research shows that political participation and democratic deliberation actually tend to make people worse—more irrational, biased, and mean. Given this grim picture, Brennan argues that a new system of government—epistocracy, the rule of the knowledgeable—may be better than democracy, and that it's time to experiment and find out. A challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable, Against Democracy is essential reading for scholars and students of politics across the disciplines. Featuring a new preface that situates the book within the current political climate and discusses other alternatives beyond epistocracy, Against Democracy is a challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable.
Download or read book Political Thinkers Plato written by Robert Hall and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1981 this unique study discusses the evolution of Plato's thought through the actual developments in Athenian democracy, the book also demonstrates Plato's continuing responses to changes in political theory and argues for a new understanding of Plato's goals for the state and his ultimate concern for the moral well-being of the citizens.
Download or read book The Politics of Sincerity written by Elizabeth Markovits and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A growing frustration with “spin doctors,” doublespeak, and outright lying by public officials has resulted in a deep public cynicism regarding politics today. It has also led many voters to seek out politicians who engage in “straight talk,” out of a hope that sincerity signifies a dedication to the truth. While this is an understandable reaction to the degradation of public discourse inflicted by political hype, Elizabeth Markovits argues that the search for sincerity in the public arena actually constitutes a dangerous distraction from more important concerns, including factual truth and the ethical import of political statements. Her argument takes her back to an examination of the Greek notion of parrhesia (frank speech), and she draws from her study of the Platonic dialogues a nuanced understanding of this ancient analogue of “straight talk.” She shows Plato to have an appreciation for rhetoric rather than a desire to purge it from public life, providing insights into the ways it can contribute to a fruitful form of deliberative democracy today.
Download or read book Plato To day written by Richard Howard Stafford Crossman and published by . This book was released on 1971 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Plato s Democratic Entanglements written by S. Sara Monoson and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-08-18 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, Sara Monoson challenges the longstanding and widely held view that Plato is a virulent opponent of all things democratic. She does not, however, offer in its place the equally mistaken idea that he is somehow a partisan of democracy. Instead, she argues that we should attend more closely to Plato's suggestion that democracy is horrifying and exciting, and she seeks to explain why he found it morally and politically intriguing. Monoson focuses on Plato's engagement with democracy as he knew it: a cluster of cultural practices that reach into private and public life, as well as a set of governing institutions. She proposes that while Plato charts tensions between the claims of democratic legitimacy and philosophical truth, he also exhibits a striking attraction to four practices central to Athenian democratic politics: intense antityrantism, frank speaking, public funeral oratory, and theater-going. By juxtaposing detailed examination of these aspects of Athenian democracy with analysis of the figurative language, dramatic structure, and arguments of the dialogues, she shows that Plato systematically links democratic ideals and activities to philosophic labor. Monoson finds that Plato's political thought exposes intimate connections between Athenian democratic politics and the practice of philosophy. Situating Plato's political thought in the context of the Athenian democratic imaginary, Monoson develops a new, textured way of thinking of the relationship between Plato's thought and the politics of his city.
Download or read book Democracy and the History of Political Thought written by Patrick N. Cain and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-06-23 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume provides a fresh perspective on current democratic theory and practice by recovering the rich evaluations of democracy in the history of political thought. Each author addresses a single thinker’s reflections on the virtues and defects of democracy and the relationship between democracy and other regimes. Together, these essays explore the tensions within the democratic way of life that arise from an attachment to equality, liberty, citizenship, law, and the divine. Above all, this work aims at recovering a more complex understanding of democracy, connecting the perennial questions of political philosophy to the perplexities and crises of modern democracy.
