Plato's Republic: A Study

In this book a distinguished philosopher offers a comprehensive interpretation of Plato's most controversial dialogue. Treating the Republic as a unity and focusing on the dramatic form as the presentation of the argument, Stanley Rosen challenges earlier analyses of the Republic (including the ironic reading of Leo Strauss and his disciples) and argues that the key to understanding the dialogue is to grasp the author's intention in composing it, in particular whether Plato believed that the city constructed in the Republic is possible and desirable.Rosen demonstrates that the fundamental principles underlying the just city are theoretically attractive but that the attempt to enact them in practice leads to conceptual incoherence and political disaster. The Republic, says Rosen, is a vivid illustration of the irreconcilability of philosophy and political practice

"Treating the Republic as a unity and focusing on the dramatic form as the presentation of the argument, Stanley Rosen contends that one can understand the Republic neither as a straightforward proposal for the best city nor as a cryptic repudiation of the principles upon which Socrates constructs that city. Rosen shows in detail that the Socratic principles, despite their theoretical attractiveness, could not be enacted in actual political associations, and that the attempt to do so leads sooner or later to the replacement of philosophy by ideology and justice by tyranny. There is not resolution of the split between theory and practice, even in theory. Rosen takes up in detail the technical doctrines proposed by Socrates in the Republic and shows how they are calibrated to sustain the demonstration of the instability of politics."--Provided by publisher

Cephalus and Polemarchus -- Thrasymachus -- Glaucon and Adeimantus -- Paideia I: the luxurious city -- Paideia II: the purged city -- Justice -- The female drama -- Possibility -- The philosophical nature -- The good, the divided line, and the cave: the education of the philosopher -- Political decay -- Happiness and pleasure -- The quarrel between philosophy and poetry -- The immortal soul

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- Part One -- 1 Cephalus and Polemarchus -- 2 Thrasymachus -- 3 Glaucon and Adeimantus -- Part Two -- 4 Paideia I: The Luxurious City -- 5 Paideia II: The Purged City -- 6 Justice -- 7 The Female Drama -- Part Three -- 8 Possibility -- 9 The Philosophical Nature -- 10 The Good, the Divided Line, and the Cave: The Education of the Philosopher -- Part Four -- 11 Political Decay -- 12 Happiness and Pleasure -- 13 The Quarrel between Philosophy and Poetry -- 14 The Immortal Soul -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Index.