Description: Plato The Republic Translated by Benjamin Jowett. DESCRIPTION: Hardback with Dust Jacket: 307 pages. Publisher: Borders Classics; (2004). One of the greatest works of philosophy, political theory, and literature ever produced, Plato's "Republic" has shaped Western thought for thousands of years, and remains as relevant today as when it was written during the fourth century B.C. "Republic" begins by posing a central question: "What is justice, and why should we be just, especially when the wicked often seem happier and more successful?" For Plato, the answer lies with the ways people, groups, and institutions organize and behave. A brilliant inquiry into the problems of constructing the perfect state, and the roles education, the arts, family, and religion should play in our lives, "Republic" employs picturesque settings, sharply outlined characters, and conversational dialogue to drive home the philosopher's often provocative arguments. It has been said that the entire history of Western philosophy consists of nothing more than "a series of footnotes to Plato." Vastly entertaining, occasionally shocking, and always stimulating, "Republic" continues to enrich and expand the outlook of all who read it. CONDITION: New hardcover w/dustjacket. Unblemished, unmarked, pristine in every respect. Satisfaction unconditionally guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PROMPT SHIPPING! HEAVILY PADDED, DAMAGE-FREE PACKAGING! PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR JACKET DESCRIPTION(S) AND FOR PAGES OF PICTURES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK. PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW. PUBLISHER REVIEW: REVIEW: In Plato's "Republic", his most celebrated "dialogue," the philosopher condemns the justice and morality of Greek society after the trial and execution of his teacher, Socrates. Disillusioned with politics and politicians, Plato argued that civilization demanded truly enlightened government, led by philosopher-kings. He wrote that "mankind will have no respite from trouble until either real philosophers gain political power or politicians become by some miracle true philosophers." Plato (c. 427-347 B.C.) was born into a wealthy and prominent family, and grew up during the conflict between Athens and the Peloponnesian states. The execution of his mentor, Socrates, in 399 B.C. on charges of irreligion and corrupting the young, necessitated Plato's leaving Athens. He traveled to Egypt as well as to southern Italy, where he became conversant with Pythagorean philosophy. Plato returned to Athens c. 387 B.C. and founded the Academy, an early forerunner of the modern university. Aristotle was among his students. PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: REVIEW: The most important of the Socratic dialogues, The Republic is concerned with the construction of an ideal commonwealth and thus ranks among the earliest of Utopian works. In it, Plato seeks to define philosopher and justice, and questions our perception of reality. Without a doubt the greatest and most provocative work of political philosophy ever produced in the West. One of the basic books of the European mind and culture, now freshly and readably rendered. I envy the reader who sits in on these conversations for the first time, and with such a readable text." READER REVIEWS: REVIEW: This is one of the better translations of Plato's Republic, and his theories are still applicable to this day. When he speaks of different forms of government, and the pitfalls of each, it's amazingly accurate even more then 2700 years later. Even democracy, as we've come to appreciate it has pitfalls as Plato explains it. One of the leading problems is the possible evolution towards tyranny. And a lot can be said about the steps some democratic governments take to become tyrannical. Another thing most people should take into consideration is that although Plato claims most of the dialogue and argument is based on conversations between Socrates and his circle, the truth is, much of the dialogue attributed to Socrates, is most likely Plato's own thoughts. At the time of his writings, Socrates was already dead, and some of Plato's theories were quite inflammatory. He speaks of one god, instead of many gods, and his ideas of what a Republic should be could have had him condemned to the same fate as Socrates (imprisonment and capital punishment). Thus, what Plato smartly does is attributes most of his own theories and ideas to what he purportedly heard from Socrates. REVIEW: Plato's Republic is really beyond reviews, and it would be presumptuous do anything other than encourage potential readers to study it for themselves. As the overt political slants of some of the other reviews suggest, his ideas resonate in the modern world as much as they did in his own. Whether a reader approaches Republic with positive or negative prejudices, the actual text of the argument forces constant reevaluation and refinement of those preexisting opinions. Allan Bloom has created a literal translation that is ideal for those who truly wish to engage with Plato. Most other translators have used non-literal methods that attempt to convey in a more contemporary form what Plato "meant" by his arguments. However, in this process the translator's own interpretation of Plato's argument inevitably influences the language in which he renders his translation. Bloom has attempted, with a great degree of success, to separate the processes of translation and interpretation. Rather than imposing his reading on the text itself, he expresses it in a thought-provoking interpretive essay that follows the text. This is probably not the easiest translation of Plato to read, because Bloom does not attempt to serve as a baby-sitter for his readers. However, the extra time spent in reading this version will be well rewarded by a deeper understanding of Plato's argument. REVIEW: This is quite possibly the greatest thing ever put down on paper. Not a book in a true sense (it is actually a dialogue, something that can be looked at as a play almost) it delves into nearly all philosophical ideas brought forth by modern thinkers. For the uninitiated: 1) Prepare to be surprised. Socrates, besides being brilliant, can also be funny yet sarcastic. 2) Don't expect to learn how to live your life from this book. DO expect to get very frustrated. It can be guaranteed that if you take this seriously, your outlook on life will change. Socrates is shown here to be the greatest lawyer of all time. Get it, learn, live it! REVIEW: The famous French philosopher, Rene Descartes, once said that the reading of good books "is like a conversation with the finest men of past centuries." I agree with Descartes; and there are probably few better groups of people to have an intelligent conversation with than Socrates and his friends. We have here a very literal translation of The Republic which doesn't try to spoon feed Plato to us, and I for one am very glad about that. REVIEW: We all know - there is no point in reviewing such a classic (other than to comment on the translation). So what I want to say is that Plato is so much fun to read. It is the dialogue. When I found out that was how Plato wrote - I became interested. Accessible to everyone! And the Myth of Er is one of the best endings ever! The Republic is great. Pass it on! I always ship books Media Mail in a padded mailer. 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End Time: 2025-01-23T04:21:19.000Z
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Title: Plato The Republic
