Plato as Critical Theorist

Jonny Thakkar

Published by Harvard University Press 2018

Plato as Critical Theorist

Jonny Thakkar

https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674919624

Overview
Contents

About this book

What is the best possible society? How would its rulers govern and citizens behave? In an era when political idealism seems a relic of the past, these questions are more urgent than ever. Taking seriously Plato’s claim that in an ideal society philosophers rule, Jonny Thakkar offers a daring experiment to breathe life into our political present.

Author / Editor information

Thakkar Jonny :

Jonny Thakkar is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College.

Reviews

Jonny Thakkar’s book is incredibly stimulating, intelligent, and, at times, astonishingly original. It touches on a number of compelling themes in contemporary politics, political theory, and the history of ideas. It will spark terrific debates and push people to think in new ways about Plato, Rawls, and the place of ideal theory in political thinking.', Marc Stears, Macquarie University 'Jonny Thakkar follows in a tradition of political philosophers and theorists such as Charles Taylor, Michael Sandel, Michael Ignatieff, and Michael Walzer: theorists who work at the highest levels of intellectual rigor, but who are committed to their theoretical work making a political difference. This book engages with recent Platonic scholarship as well as with contemporary political theory, and what emerges is a remarkable synthesis: a Platonically inspired idealist defense of modern democratic liberalism.', Jonathan Lear, University of Chicago

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Preface Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	ix
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1. What Is Philosophy For? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	36
2. Why Philosophers Should Rule Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	84
3. The Beautiful City Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	121
4. Plato and Athens Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	166
5. Historical Possibility Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	210
6. Philosopher-Citizens Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	227
7. Moneymaking and Malfunction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	274
Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	328
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	345
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	365

Language: English
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Pages
- Main content: 350

eBook

Published: May 14, 2018
ISBN: 9780674919624