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Plato as Critical Theorist

By: Thakkar, Jonny.
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookPublisher: Cambridge, MA : London, Englans : Harvard University Press , 2018Description: 373 p.ISBN: 9780674971769.Subject(s): Plato. Republic | Philosopher-kings | Political ethics | Liberalism | Political participation | PlatonistsDDC classification: 321.07
Contents:
What is philosophy for? -- Why philosophers should rule -- The beautiful city -- Plato and Athens -- Historical possibility -- Philosopher-citizens -- Plato as critical theorist.
Summary: 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.--
List(s) this item appears in: New 2017-18 (Fall & Winter)
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Item type Current location Call number Status Date due
Non Fiction Non Fiction BardBerlinLibrary
2nd floor 		321.07 THA 2018 (Browse shelf) Available
Browsing BardBerlinLibrary Shelves , Shelving location: 2nd floor Close shelf browser
321.07 SAR 2010 Utopianism : 321.07 SAR 2010 Utopianism : 321.07 SMI 2019 Summoning knowledge in Plato's Republic 321.07 THA 2018 Plato as Critical Theorist 321.08 CRA 2022 Errant Journal 321.09 HAM 2015 Revolutionary moments : reading revolutionary texts / 321.094 ARE 2016 On revolution

Includes bibliographical references and index.

What is philosophy for? -- Why philosophers should rule -- The beautiful city -- Plato and Athens -- Historical possibility -- Philosopher-citizens -- 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 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.--

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