Kindle Plato's Democratic entanglements
A clearly written interpretation of Plato s beliefs in the context of Greek history and democracy Explained in a manner easy for new readers of Plato to understand with clear lines of reasonings and citations to Plato s original works Discusses Plato s beliefs on democracy as well as other common interpretations Plato s Democratic Entanglements Athenian Politics and the Practice of Philosophy
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 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 Plato s Democratic Entanglements Athenian Politics and the Practice of Philosophy.
