Sound Bite
Using The Cave as a key to Plato's political thought, Huard debunks conventional interpretations, conservative and progressive, and unfolds Plato's notions about the structure of the world, his ideas about justice and human well being, challenging many of our conceptions of the cosmos and political beliefs.
About the Author
Roger L. Huard is a political philosopher who lives in Western Michigan.
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About the Book
Roger Huard invites readers to explore Plato's myth of the Cave, which is central to his magnum opus on political philosophy, The Republic. The primary goal of this exploration is to arrive at an...
Roger Huard invites readers to explore Plato's myth of the Cave, which is central to his magnum opus on political philosophy, The Republic. The primary goal of this exploration is to arrive at an understanding of Plato's political ideas -- an understanding that is not saddled with the misconceptions that plague contemporary interpretations of his thinking, conservative and progressive alike.
The author argues further that this re-examination provides a way to look at the human condition that is significantly different from most available perspectives on the matter and that, by virtue of this difference, challenges both our conceptions of the cosmos and many of our deeply held political beliefs. Huard provides a reinterpretation of the cave myth that discusses specifically the structure of knowledge that is embedded in the myth, as well as the concept of philosophy and the philosopher that the work details − especially in terms of the relationship of the philosopher to the greater social order.
An examination follows of the structure of the world that Plato's myth rests upon. This is important because this structure is fundamentally different from current scientific and religious conceptions of the cosmos. It is also significant because Plato's notions about the structure of the world are linked to his ideas about justice and human well being, a link that is forged (albeit implicitly) in his 'Myth of the Cave.'
The author then proceeds to a discussion of four topics that separate contemporary political thinking from Plato's: freedom, equality, truth, and art. A two-part examination of these topics demonstrates, first, that Plato's thoughts on these matters are not as we conventionally think them to be; and second, turns a critical gaze on how contemporary political thought may be mistaken about its own ideas concerning freedom, equality, truth and art.
A key feature in this re-examination is the differing conceptions we have from Plato's on the private and public realms and how these realms are connected to our ideas about economics and politics. The book concludes with a discussion on the importance of Plato's political philosophy and how it is linked at a fundamental level to some of our cherished political beliefs about justice, human well-being and community.
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Chapter 1. The Myth of the Cave 1The Story 6The Structure of Knowledge 10Periagoge: The Turning 16The Existential Question: The Way Up 22The Social Question: The Way Down 27Chapter 2. Structure of the
Chapter 1. The Myth of the Cave 1The Story 6The Structure of Knowledge 10Periagoge: The Turning 16The Existential Question: The Way Up 22The Social Question: The Way Down 27Chapter 2. Structure of the World 35hapter 3. Bad Plato 53Freedom 62Equality 80Truth (and Lies) 90Art 99Chapter 4. Sailing Back fromSyracuse 109Public and Private 113Good Plato 121Plato and Freedom 126Plato and Equality 132Plato and the Truth 137Plato and Art 143Chapter 5. Epilogue 161Bibliography 175Index 177
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(May 2007) Library Journal | More »
(May 2007) Library Journal
American political philosopher Huard uses the Myth of the Cave, as found in Plato's Republic, as an agent against which to measure modern liberal democratic platforms. Following a quick review of the myth, he discusses the need to rehabilitate Plato's original concepts from their Augustinian subversion. He then deconstructs the conceptual differences and assumptions of the Platonic worldview vs. the largely Christian one that developed atop it. Finally, he restores Platonic concepts of freedom, justice, equality, truth, and art to his own view of Plato's intentions. This treatment of the Myth of the Cave is best suited to political and philosophical scholars, who will want to contrast and compare Huard's work with both traditional commentaries and contemporary political theories. The text is jargon-free, but it requires from the reader a thorough grounding in the foundations of Western philosophy. For academic libraries.
(May 2007) Reference & Research Book News | More »
(May 2007) Reference & Research Book News
Huard visits Western civilization's most famous cave and finds insight into the human condition as it is lived now that he hopes can help people live a better and more meaningful life. This is not the one and true meaning of the metaphor, he reminds readers, just one of a myriad possibilities.
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Pages 196
Year: 2006
LC Classification: B398.C34H83
Dewey code: 320.092--dc22
BISAC: PHI019000 PHILOSOPHY / Political
BISAC: PHI002000 PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical
Soft Cover
ISBN: 978-0-87586-530-0
Price: USD 22.95
Hard Cover
ISBN: 978-0-87586-531-7
Price: USD 29.95
eBook
ISBN: 978-0-87586-532-4
Price: USD 22.95
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