Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought
This paper aims to look at the ancient city of Athens and some of its political challenges through the eyes of Plato. I will do this by relating two concepts that permeate Plato's political concerns: democracy and misology. Beyond the tragic event of Socrates' death at democratic hands, t...
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Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra; Universidade de Brasília
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Archai: Revista de Estudos sobre as Origens do Pensamento Ocidental |
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| Online Access: | https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/archai/article/view/15508 |
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| author | Gabriele Cornelli |
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This paper aims to look at the ancient city of Athens and some of its political challenges through the eyes of Plato. I will do this by relating two concepts that permeate Plato's political concerns: democracy and misology. Beyond the tragic event of Socrates' death at democratic hands, there is perhaps something even deeper in Plato's struggle to see democracy as something that can work, so to speak. Plato no doubt has a profoundly pessimistic view of the human being. And the city, who was traditionally supposed to educate men, is not delivering anymore (if ever). First of all, Plato clearly identifies the origin of political and social instability in the economic imbalance between πλοῦτος (richness) and πενία (poverty). Secondly, Plato's diagnosis, what his eyes are seeing, is even more perceptive and accurate. He outlines a second source of problem for democracy, one the probably resonate even more dramatically in our very present days: one that Socrates calls misology in the Phaedo: the hatred of discourses. Apart from the fact that there is a significant distance and a radical difference between the democracy of the 5th and 4th centuries, when Plato actually writes his dialogues, the most relevant question that emerges from the investigation is probably that a democracy itself is not something stable, an ontological object, not even today. And Plato was well aware of all this.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a4aa9224ed0d45d5a59f42e9702fb737 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2179-4960 1984-249X |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra; Universidade de Brasília |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archai: Revista de Estudos sobre as Origens do Pensamento Ocidental |
| spelling | doaj-art-a4aa9224ed0d45d5a59f42e9702fb7372025-01-02T15:12:40ZdeuImprensa da Universidade de Coimbra; Universidade de BrasíliaArchai: Revista de Estudos sobre as Origens do Pensamento Ocidental2179-49601984-249X2024-12-013410.14195/1984-249X_34_29Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s ThoughtGabriele Cornelli0Universidade de Brasília – Brasília – DF – Brasil This paper aims to look at the ancient city of Athens and some of its political challenges through the eyes of Plato. I will do this by relating two concepts that permeate Plato's political concerns: democracy and misology. Beyond the tragic event of Socrates' death at democratic hands, there is perhaps something even deeper in Plato's struggle to see democracy as something that can work, so to speak. Plato no doubt has a profoundly pessimistic view of the human being. And the city, who was traditionally supposed to educate men, is not delivering anymore (if ever). First of all, Plato clearly identifies the origin of political and social instability in the economic imbalance between πλοῦτος (richness) and πενία (poverty). Secondly, Plato's diagnosis, what his eyes are seeing, is even more perceptive and accurate. He outlines a second source of problem for democracy, one the probably resonate even more dramatically in our very present days: one that Socrates calls misology in the Phaedo: the hatred of discourses. Apart from the fact that there is a significant distance and a radical difference between the democracy of the 5th and 4th centuries, when Plato actually writes his dialogues, the most relevant question that emerges from the investigation is probably that a democracy itself is not something stable, an ontological object, not even today. And Plato was well aware of all this. https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/archai/article/view/15508PlatoDemocracyMisologyRepublicPhaedo |
| spellingShingle | Gabriele Cornelli Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought Archai: Revista de Estudos sobre as Origens do Pensamento Ocidental Plato Democracy Misology Republic Phaedo |
| title | Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought |
| title_full | Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought |
| title_fullStr | Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought |
| title_short | Why Plato could not simply embrace Democracy? Misology and Democracy in Plato’s Thought |
| title_sort | why plato could not simply embrace democracy misology and democracy in plato s thought |
| topic | Plato Democracy Misology Republic Phaedo |
| url | https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/archai/article/view/15508 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gabrielecornelli whyplatocouldnotsimplyembracedemocracymisologyanddemocracyinplatosthought |