Date: Monday, February 9, 2009
Time: 5:00 - 6:00pm
Place: Speech Arts, Room 151
Mark Ralkowski, Ph.D.
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Abstract: There are several obstacles -- what I call the ontological, epistemological, moral, and political problems -- blocking the standard interpretation of the Republic as a work of utopianism. The first three of these problems are sufficient to show that the ideal state cannot come into existence, and the fourth informs us that an approximation of it is improbable and extremely undesirable. To make this last point, I describe the philosophic nature, explain how it is corrupted, and argue, on the basis of historical evidence and textual evidence from Plato's Republic, that this account applies to Alcibiades. Then I show that the Republic makes three references to Alcibiades, and that the second and third of these links the Republic with the conclusion of the Symposium, where Plato presents what one scholar describes as "the most indelible portrait of Alcibiades from antiquity." This portrait of Alcibiades gives us the best evidence that Plato thought of Alcibiades as a potential philosopher. In his speech, he is portrayed as possessing a significant degree of philosophical insight, despite being ruined by moral weakness. Once we link the Republic and the Symposium in this way, we can see the true tragedy of the Symposium, which is the fate of philosophy in society.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment