Laws by Plato

Laws by Plato

Plato's fascinating dialogue about legislation and governance in an ideal state supposedly takes place among three travellers passing the time during a long journey by foot through the countryside of Crete. The participants in the conversation are an Athenian visitor, the dominant speaker; a citizen of Knossos, who along with nine other citizens has been commissioned by the state of Crete to found and administer government in a new colony; and a Spartan.After preliminary discussions about the education of youth; the means of instilling citizens with the cardinal virtues of justice, temperance, wisdom, and courage; and the necessity of basing laws on these virtues, the focus of the conversation turns to an elaboration of the particular laws that should be enacted in the new Cretan colony. Much of the remainder of the work consists of monologues by the Athenian, who is clearly Plato's spokesman, in which the details of setting up the government and of laws governing every aspect of life are painstakingly laid out. Plato covers a great deal of philosophical ground in this dialogue ranging from mundane, everyday affairs (marriage laws, sexual habits, crime and punishment, trade, slavery, and many other topics) to deep questions about the existence of the gods, the nature of the soul, and the problem of evil.In the final analysis he envisions a political state described as a mean between monarchy and democracy ruled by a council of the most virtuous elders who are the guardians of the law. This classic work by one of the towering thinkers of Western civilization is indispensable for students of both political science and philosophy, and anyone interested in the perennial human quest to establish a just society.

Born to a politically connected and aristocratic family between 428 and 423 B.C., Plato received a good standard of education at an early age, and was able to immerse himself in the intellectual community of Ancient Athens. His most notable contemporary and mentor was Socrates, an eccentric but highly capable philosopher who was to feature as a principle character in most of Plato's scholarly writings. Owing to his high standard of education in art, mathematics, rhetoric and philosophy, Plato was able to assemble a comprehensive philosophy of his own via his favoured form of writing which was the dialogue. In total, over thirty of these Platonic dialogues have survived the passage of time - and together they form the backbone of Ancient Greek philosophy. After enjoying success as a writer and academic, Plato in 385 B.C. founded The Academy. This school was to unite the most capable thinkers of Greece, and would help to advance learning throughout Greek society's Golden Age. It was in the Academy that Plato would instruct and apprentice Aristotle, who was to go on to gain renown as a philosopher and scholar. Owing to his reputation Plato was hired by Dion, whose nephew Dionysus II was the rightful ruler of Sicily - Dion wished his nephew to receive a good education in the art of sound and wise governance. However Dionysus II became suspicious and accused both Plato and Dion of conspiracy - after some time spent under arrest, Plato returned to his homeland. In his late period, Plato continued to tutor and mentor the best young minds of Athens, and he would perish around 348 B.C. having lived beyond the age of eighty. Today Plato's legacy remains lauded: the philosopher ably used logic and reason to imbue insight on democratic governance, while developing a cohesive philosophy on topics such as art, metaphysics, justice and the 'Theory of Forms' - his iconic take on how ideas related to reality.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781573927994
ISBN 10	1573927996
Title	Laws
Author	Plato
Series	Great Books In Philosophy Ser
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Prometheus Books
Year published	2000-05-01
Number of pages	305
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.