Plato's 'Republic'
A Critical Guide

The essays in this volume provide a picture of the most interesting, puzzling, and provoking aspects of Plato's Republic.

Mark L. McPherran (Edited by)

9780521491907, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 25 November 2010

288 pages, 1 b/w illus. 1 table
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.56 kg

'In the past few years, the Republic's readers have already been lucky enough to see two other fine anthologies dedicated to that dialogue … This new Critical Guide is much shorter than those, but it stands well in their company … This volume, a collection of papers that were mostly presented at a 2008 conference, is pitched to specialists slightly more than the other anthologies are … its selections are shorter, so even the difficult chapters feel more inviting than longer versions of them would have been. Freshness is at a premium … rich assortment … a wide spectrum of issues has been updated in this excellent book. Every philosopher who has thought about the Republic will find something here that illuminates an aspect of the dialogue; specialists will want to spend time with many of the twelve selections.' Nickolas Pappas, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

Plato's Republic has proven to be of astounding influence and importance. Justly celebrated as Plato's central text, it brings together all of his prior works, unifying them into a comprehensive vision that is at once theological, philosophical, political and moral. The essays in this volume provide a picture of the most interesting aspects of the Republic, and address questions that continue to puzzle and provoke, such as: Does Plato succeed in his argument that the life of justice is the most attractive one? Is his tripartite analysis of the soul coherent and plausible? Why does Plato seem to have to force his philosopher-guardians to rule when they know this is something that they ought to do? What is the point of the strange and complicated closing Myth of Er? This volume will be essential to those looking for thoughtful and detailed excursions into the problems posed by Plato's text and ideas.

Introduction Mark L. McPherran
1. Socrates in the Republic G. R. F. Ferrari
2. Platonic ring-composition and Republic X Rachel Barney
3. The Atlantis story: the Republic and the Timaeus Julia Annas
4. Ethics and politics in Socrates' defense of justice Rachana Kamtekar
5. Plato's divided soul Christopher Shields
6. The meaning of 'saphêneia' in Plato's divided line J. H. Lesher
7. Plato's philosophical method in the Republic: the divided line (510b–511d) Hugh H. Benson
8. Blindness and reorientation: education and the acquisition of knowledge in the Republic C. D. C. Reeve
9. Music all pow'rful Malcolm Schofield
10. Return to the cave Nicholas D. Smith
11. Degenerate regimes in Plato's Republic Zena Hitz
12. Virtue, luck, and choice at the end of the Republic Mark L. McPherran
Bibliography
Index of passages
Index of names and subjects.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]