Plato as critical theorist
Is there any point in thinking about the best possible society? Over the last decade or so, a number of political philosophers have argued that such "ideal theory" is a dangerous distraction from the concrete power struggles that make up "real politics." Jonny Thakkar takes a dif...
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| Format: | UnknownFormat |
| Sprache: | eng |
| Veröffentlicht: |
Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England
Harvard University Press
2018
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| Online Zugang: | Inhaltsverzeichnis |
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Tag hinzufügen | Zusammenfassung: | Is there any point in thinking about the best possible society? Over the last decade or so, a number of political philosophers have argued that such "ideal theory" is a dangerous distraction from the concrete power struggles that make up "real politics." Jonny Thakkar takes a different view, arguing that each and every one of us has a duty to engage in ideal theory. To make that case he turns to Plato's Republic, which depicts an ideal society within which ideal theory itself plays a vital role, thanks to the institution of philosopher-kings. The first half of the book offers a careful but creative reading of the notion of rule by philosophers. The second half of the book argues that in today's liberal democracies what we need is not philosopher-kings but philosopher-citizens--citizens who reflect, both individually and together, on how they could work together to produce an environment conducive to flourishing. Plato as Critical Theorist argues that the notion of philosopher-citizens is not only compatible with Rawlsian political liberalism, but an advance on it.-- Introduction -- What is philosophy for? -- Why philosophers should rule -- The beautiful city -- Plato and Athens -- Historical possibility -- Philosopher-citizens -- Moneymaking and malfunction -- Conclusion |
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| Beschreibung: | Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 345-363 und Index |
| Beschreibung: | xii, 373 Seiten 25 cm |
| ISBN: | 9780674971769 978-0-674-97176-9 |