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Plato's Republic
12 hours 14 mins
More than 2,000 years later, Plato's Republic remains astonishingly relevant to our everyday lives. It poses one question after another that might well have been drawn from the headlines and debates of our nation's recent history: What sort of person should rule the state? Are all citizens equal before the law? Should everyone have equal access to health care? Plato's greater inquiry, however, was into the question of defining justice itself and the reasons why a person would choose a life aligned with that virtue.
These 24 remarkable lectures lead you through the brilliant dialogue Plato crafted both to define and examine the issues with which political philosophy still grapples.
Chapter by chapter, Professor Roochnik introduces you to Plato's literary recasting of his own great teacher, Socrates, and the dialogue through which Socrates and the Republic's other characters create the hypothetical ideal city. It is by dissecting life in this presumably just city - the "Republic" of Plato's title - that the nature of justice itself can be examined.
Many of Plato's ideas will startle contemporary readers, who may recognize in them the foreshadowing of some of humankind's darkest moments. Indeed, some have called the Republic the "great-great-grandfather of all totalitarian experiments." You'll wrestle with Plato's controversial vision, and you'll be surprised just how contemporary these arguments sound.
More than 2,000 years later, Plato's Republic remains astonishingly relevant to our everyday lives. It poses one question after another that might well have been drawn from the headlines and debates of our nation's recent history: What sort of person should rule the state? Are all citizens equal before the law? Should everyone have equal access to health care? Plato's greater inquiry, however, was into the question of defining justice itself and the reasons why a person would choose a life aligned with that virtue.
These 24 remarkable lectures lead you through the brilliant dialogue Plato crafted both to define and examine the issues with which political philosophy still grapples.
Chapter by chapter, Professor Roochnik introduces you to Plato's literary recasting of his own great teacher, Socrates, and the dialogue through which Socrates and the Republic's other characters create the hypothetical ideal city. It is by dissecting life in this presumably just city - the "Republic" of Plato's title - that the nature of justice itself can be examined.
Many of Plato's ideas will startle contemporary readers, who may recognize in them the foreshadowing of some of humankind's darkest moments. Indeed, some have called the Republic the "great-great-grandfather of all totalitarian experiments." You'll wrestle with Plato's controversial vision, and you'll be surprised just how contemporary these arguments sound.
13 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2005
23 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
David Roochnik
22 books19 followersDavid Roochnik is Professor of Philosophy and Maria Stata Professor of Classical Greek Sudies at Boston University. Prior to that he was Associate Professor of Philosophy and Classical Studies at the Iowa State University, and during the 1992/93 year Visiting Associate Professor at Williams College.
He joined Boston University in the fall of 1995. In 1996, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Undergraduate Philosophy Club. In 1997, Dr. Roochnik was awarded both the Gitner Award for Distinguished Teaching at the College of Arts and Sciences and the Outstanding Teaching Award by the Honors Program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Roochnik is also winner of Boston University’s 1999 Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching. Recipients of this award are chosen after a university-wide competition and assessment. Most recently Dr. Roochnik won the John Donovan Best Paper Award, New England Political Science Association. May, 2004 (for a paper given in May, 2003: “Plato’s Defense Of Diversity.”)
Dr. Roochnik is the author of thirty-five articles on Greek philosophy, Greek literature, rhetoric ancient and modern, post-modernism, and the nature of philosophy. He is the recipient of grants and fellowships from the NEH and the Earhart Foundation. He was also invited to give the inaugeral lecture of the Ancient Philosophy Society in Eugene, Oregon, October 7, 1999.
He joined Boston University in the fall of 1995. In 1996, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Undergraduate Philosophy Club. In 1997, Dr. Roochnik was awarded both the Gitner Award for Distinguished Teaching at the College of Arts and Sciences and the Outstanding Teaching Award by the Honors Program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Roochnik is also winner of Boston University’s 1999 Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching. Recipients of this award are chosen after a university-wide competition and assessment. Most recently Dr. Roochnik won the John Donovan Best Paper Award, New England Political Science Association. May, 2004 (for a paper given in May, 2003: “Plato’s Defense Of Diversity.”)
Dr. Roochnik is the author of thirty-five articles on Greek philosophy, Greek literature, rhetoric ancient and modern, post-modernism, and the nature of philosophy. He is the recipient of grants and fellowships from the NEH and the Earhart Foundation. He was also invited to give the inaugeral lecture of the Ancient Philosophy Society in Eugene, Oregon, October 7, 1999.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 11, 2018
Never stop learning. This lecture is special because it doesn’t matter if you have already read 'The Republic’ or haven’t read it since either set of people can profit from this lecture. This lecture will scratch that part of the mind that usually lies dormant due to the media’s constant distractions from what really matters. In the lecture, he points out Plato warns against music and poetry and the lecturer characterizes that to be what we today call ‘the media’. Marshall McLuhan was wrong about everything except for when he simplified his most famous expression to really mean ‘the medium is the massage’. So, if at all possible choose your massages wisely. Read books like 'The Republic’ or listen to quality lectures such as this one.
I wish I could crawl back into the cave and open the eyes of my fellow prisoners. In the Allegory of the Cave the fellow captives killed the man, who wanted to open their eyes, and I’m not brave enough to risk death and besides I’m not wise enough to understand the trap we are in, but 'The Republic’ does help open our eyes and this lecture starts you on the journey of learning how to think. All media we have around us, all newspapers, almost all of the new books and almost everything we hear from others is to try to tell us what to think not how to think. Plato’s ‘Republic’ teaches us how to think not what to think. Every human must choose their own reality forming sources, and is it up to each individual to learn how to think. 'The Republic' and expositions like this lecture do just that.
Who won the Cubs game last night? The very fact of asking that question presupposes a whole slew of presumptions least of all that there is an answer. Just as asking the question ‘what is justice’ leads places one would not expect and one could start with ‘the advantage of the powerful’, or do we quickly dismiss the person who responds ‘the advantage of the powerful’s belief’ thus dismissing relativism as real. Plato’s Forms will give Being as Truth and assumes universals such that knowledge will be thought of as universal, necessary and certain or conversely is empirical knowledge about the real world particular, contingent and probable?
The lecture will point out that it is not ‘life is good’. Plato and this lecture will say it is ‘the good life that is good’. The Good is the Form (gestalt, shape, ideal). The Form is Being. Being is Truth and the One and the Good. The question of Being and what it is presupposes an answer. The very fact of asking the question gives Being meaning. All of these kinds of thoughts are within ‘The Republic’ but are made explicit within this lecture. It is up to each of us to determine how to think and find out what is deserving of our attention in order to have ‘the good life that is good’, an examined life worth living.
If I want to understand an equilateral triangle, I can look at a small triangle and measure the sides and angles and make my conclusions, or I can isomorphically consider a large equilateral triangle and gather my truths from that. That’s what Socrates does for justice and the human soul by creating his perfect city within his thought experiment. He’ll conclude that the philosopher is 729 times exactly wiser than the tyrant! This lecture will explain many items from 'The Republic’ that would not otherwise be obvious to most readers of 'The Republic'.
Plato’s ‘Republic’ is almost always taken out of context. This lecture provides the context that is usually missing from those who usually mischaracterize 'The Republic’, and this lecture will show why 'The Republic’ is one of the all time great books in no uncertain terms. An examined life is a good life and this lecture will teach one how to examine ones life and point one towards what is deserving of one’s attention and where one’s meaning in life should lie.
I wish I could crawl back into the cave and open the eyes of my fellow prisoners. In the Allegory of the Cave the fellow captives killed the man, who wanted to open their eyes, and I’m not brave enough to risk death and besides I’m not wise enough to understand the trap we are in, but 'The Republic’ does help open our eyes and this lecture starts you on the journey of learning how to think. All media we have around us, all newspapers, almost all of the new books and almost everything we hear from others is to try to tell us what to think not how to think. Plato’s ‘Republic’ teaches us how to think not what to think. Every human must choose their own reality forming sources, and is it up to each individual to learn how to think. 'The Republic' and expositions like this lecture do just that.
Who won the Cubs game last night? The very fact of asking that question presupposes a whole slew of presumptions least of all that there is an answer. Just as asking the question ‘what is justice’ leads places one would not expect and one could start with ‘the advantage of the powerful’, or do we quickly dismiss the person who responds ‘the advantage of the powerful’s belief’ thus dismissing relativism as real. Plato’s Forms will give Being as Truth and assumes universals such that knowledge will be thought of as universal, necessary and certain or conversely is empirical knowledge about the real world particular, contingent and probable?
The lecture will point out that it is not ‘life is good’. Plato and this lecture will say it is ‘the good life that is good’. The Good is the Form (gestalt, shape, ideal). The Form is Being. Being is Truth and the One and the Good. The question of Being and what it is presupposes an answer. The very fact of asking the question gives Being meaning. All of these kinds of thoughts are within ‘The Republic’ but are made explicit within this lecture. It is up to each of us to determine how to think and find out what is deserving of our attention in order to have ‘the good life that is good’, an examined life worth living.
If I want to understand an equilateral triangle, I can look at a small triangle and measure the sides and angles and make my conclusions, or I can isomorphically consider a large equilateral triangle and gather my truths from that. That’s what Socrates does for justice and the human soul by creating his perfect city within his thought experiment. He’ll conclude that the philosopher is 729 times exactly wiser than the tyrant! This lecture will explain many items from 'The Republic’ that would not otherwise be obvious to most readers of 'The Republic'.
Plato’s ‘Republic’ is almost always taken out of context. This lecture provides the context that is usually missing from those who usually mischaracterize 'The Republic’, and this lecture will show why 'The Republic’ is one of the all time great books in no uncertain terms. An examined life is a good life and this lecture will teach one how to examine ones life and point one towards what is deserving of one’s attention and where one’s meaning in life should lie.
October 16, 2017
The US Presidential election of 2016 sent me to this audio course. It’s an excellent presentation of Plato’s seminal work The Republic.
David Roochnik does an admirable job of guiding the listener through all 10 books of the dialogue. Despite my having been through the Republic several times during my academic career, and once or twice since, this presentation was by far the clearest and most thorough walk through I’ve experienced.
Highly recommended!
David Roochnik does an admirable job of guiding the listener through all 10 books of the dialogue. Despite my having been through the Republic several times during my academic career, and once or twice since, this presentation was by far the clearest and most thorough walk through I’ve experienced.
Highly recommended!
December 17, 2023
This was an absolutely fantastic course. I struggled greatly with reading the Republic until taking this up. Roochnik ties in many modern concepts and debates that echo very well the discussions in the Republic. I was able to follow the dialogue throughout the book much better with the help of these audio lectures.
June 15, 2025
Wow! I will certainly listen to more TGC lectures.
October 11, 2019
Oct 2019. Follow-up to Sugrue lectures, which were an overview of Plato's corpus. This should be a deep dive. Roochnik uses Allan Bloom’s translation.
After seven lectures, a disappointment. The lecturer begins with the text, but frequently departs from it to pose miniature arguments with Socrates from a modern perspective. Nothing wrong with that in the abstract, but he is hasty: he doesn't adequately handle the text itself before moving outward. ANd he is sometimes unfair to the text, skipping parts (e.g., the end of Lecture 2).
After nineteen lectures, still disappointed. The middle lectures (on Books V-VII) focus more closely on the text, for the distraction problem is gone, but the style is jagged and there is redundancy in every lecture. Some of the assertions are ambiguous, or implausible but undefended.
One example of ambiguity: in Lecture 19, he tries to soften Socrates's critique of tyranny by saying the tyrant and the philosopher share the quality of "love." True enough, but not very illuminating, and in fact quite misleading, if you don't point out that the tyrant loves (or rather thinks he loves) himself, and the philosopher loves (and really does love) something bigger and higher than himself. Our lecturer doesn't do this. (In fairness, he partially remedies the issue later, in Lecture 22, where he interprets the Myth of Er as saying we have only two choices in life: to become a tyrant and be damned forever, or become a philosopher and be continually reborn ("you are what you love," etc.). But why not say this the first time? This is a stylistic or pedagogical problem that dogs much of the series.)
Although I am convinced of the series' largest claim (that THE REPUBLIC is about souls not cities, individuals not society) and although I am grateful that Roochnik attends to both the mythos and the logos of the wowrk, I still wouldn’t recommend these lectures as a "deep dive."
Major takeaways:
* Best thing in this series: the clear and thorough discussion of the Divided Line, the Cave, and the Forms in Books VI-VII.
* The rich discussion of poetry and philosophy in Book X.
* The technological/epistemic lure of mathematics (cf. Maritain on the Cartesian "mathematicalization" of all spheres of knowledge).
* The notion that Plato criticizes both mathematics and "music" only because he deeply loves and admires them.
Minor takeaways:
* The explanation of the City-Soul Analogy as an "eyechart" (identical shapes, different sizes).
* The very concept of the isomorphism.
* "Music" in Platonic education as "the media" of our time.
* The painfulness of true education.
After seven lectures, a disappointment. The lecturer begins with the text, but frequently departs from it to pose miniature arguments with Socrates from a modern perspective. Nothing wrong with that in the abstract, but he is hasty: he doesn't adequately handle the text itself before moving outward. ANd he is sometimes unfair to the text, skipping parts (e.g., the end of Lecture 2).
After nineteen lectures, still disappointed. The middle lectures (on Books V-VII) focus more closely on the text, for the distraction problem is gone, but the style is jagged and there is redundancy in every lecture. Some of the assertions are ambiguous, or implausible but undefended.
One example of ambiguity: in Lecture 19, he tries to soften Socrates's critique of tyranny by saying the tyrant and the philosopher share the quality of "love." True enough, but not very illuminating, and in fact quite misleading, if you don't point out that the tyrant loves (or rather thinks he loves) himself, and the philosopher loves (and really does love) something bigger and higher than himself. Our lecturer doesn't do this. (In fairness, he partially remedies the issue later, in Lecture 22, where he interprets the Myth of Er as saying we have only two choices in life: to become a tyrant and be damned forever, or become a philosopher and be continually reborn ("you are what you love," etc.). But why not say this the first time? This is a stylistic or pedagogical problem that dogs much of the series.)
Although I am convinced of the series' largest claim (that THE REPUBLIC is about souls not cities, individuals not society) and although I am grateful that Roochnik attends to both the mythos and the logos of the wowrk, I still wouldn’t recommend these lectures as a "deep dive."
Major takeaways:
* Best thing in this series: the clear and thorough discussion of the Divided Line, the Cave, and the Forms in Books VI-VII.
* The rich discussion of poetry and philosophy in Book X.
* The technological/epistemic lure of mathematics (cf. Maritain on the Cartesian "mathematicalization" of all spheres of knowledge).
* The notion that Plato criticizes both mathematics and "music" only because he deeply loves and admires them.
Minor takeaways:
* The explanation of the City-Soul Analogy as an "eyechart" (identical shapes, different sizes).
* The very concept of the isomorphism.
* "Music" in Platonic education as "the media" of our time.
* The painfulness of true education.
September 16, 2019
I have studied, re-read , and discussed Plato's Republic multiple times over the decades. Seems before I studied this amazing audio series of the Great Courses, I was clueless as to its depths. It was less that I was in error in my understanding- it is more that I missed so much. Professor David Roochnik of Boston University, revealed layers of meaning , I missed and further, he revealed questions I did not notice were asked. This is a must for a serious student on a quest to explore foundational aspects of the Western Intellectual Tradition. It is possible to assert that Plato/ Socrates started a conversation to which all major Western Philosophers joined. Whether those Philosophers agreed in whole or in part, or asserted complete opposition to what is expressed in The Republic, as Professor Roochnik summarized at the end...subsequent philosophers took up the questions Plato first raised. The history of philosophy continues a dialogue that commenced with Plato.
April 13, 2023
Having satirized a student who assumes he understands Plato (but really doesn't), I knew I, too, needed to learn more. Not only have Roochnik's lectures given me a much better grasp of The Republic than I had, but they allayed many misperceptions I had about it.
Taking a broad view, Roochnik both places The Republic in historical context, reading it as a meditation on events from the Thirty Tyrants to the death of Socrates, and identifies moments of satire where Plato, who lived through those events, might not fully support what his own character is saying. This makes the book much more approachable, rather than as a standalone monolith of philosophy (a stature which, nonetheless, Roochnik is not shy about admitting).
My favorite aspect of the lectures was Roochnik's focus on Plato the artist. Examining story structures, foreshadowing, and parallels, Roochnik identifies how every part lines up with the book's major themes. For an amateur reader of philosophy like myself, this explained several parts of the book I had either ignored or thought stuck out.
As with other Great Courses, I approached this one to get a general survey of the work. It gives precisely that while getting into certain explicit issues that have caused consternation for myself and other readers over the years. Throughout, the professor's application of modern events and topics to the work (which can, at times, be off-putting, if not alienating based on the views of the speaker) improved the experience, and it presented The Republic as a multilayered and still-relevant work.
Taking a broad view, Roochnik both places The Republic in historical context, reading it as a meditation on events from the Thirty Tyrants to the death of Socrates, and identifies moments of satire where Plato, who lived through those events, might not fully support what his own character is saying. This makes the book much more approachable, rather than as a standalone monolith of philosophy (a stature which, nonetheless, Roochnik is not shy about admitting).
My favorite aspect of the lectures was Roochnik's focus on Plato the artist. Examining story structures, foreshadowing, and parallels, Roochnik identifies how every part lines up with the book's major themes. For an amateur reader of philosophy like myself, this explained several parts of the book I had either ignored or thought stuck out.
As with other Great Courses, I approached this one to get a general survey of the work. It gives precisely that while getting into certain explicit issues that have caused consternation for myself and other readers over the years. Throughout, the professor's application of modern events and topics to the work (which can, at times, be off-putting, if not alienating based on the views of the speaker) improved the experience, and it presented The Republic as a multilayered and still-relevant work.
February 22, 2017
Excellent! Worth re-listening to and studying.
July 11, 2017
Why someone would give less than 5 stars on this, is beyond me.
July 27, 2017
A great course, clearly and pleasantly explained. The Republic is still incredibly relevant in 2017, hard to believe Plato had those insights almost 2400 years ago.
February 1, 2023
This is going to be long - possibly the longest review I have ever written on here because I took notes on my thoughts throughout. This course really did give me a much better understanding of The Republic.
I recently read Plato’s Republic, and I was determined to understand it and it’s influence better, so I started listening to this, which was helpful. Here are some of the the things I’ve found enlightening so far:
1. I am not the only person to think Socrates can be a blowhard who likes to hear himself talk. The lecturer says that we don’t know the exact reason that Socrates was sentenced to death, but it probably had a lot to do with the fact that he was “really annoying”.
2. I never before realized, although it seems obvious now, that the words “patriotism” and “patriarchy” have the same root, and this makes SO MUCH SENSE.
3. Socrates’s perfect community was probably part of the inspiration behind the horrific totalitarian dystopian regimes in books like 1984 and Brave New World.
4. Socrates was basically cool with eugenics, and advocated for a community where people are rated into different groups and separated, never allowed to mix, and not treating the chronically ill since they would be a drain on the community.
Halfway through, I had two more thoughts. Both of these ones are positive:
1. Plato and Socrates both spoke clearly of their belief that men and women should hold equal positions of power in a just society, and while their brand of feminism isn’t nuanced in the slightest, it is MILES beyond the society they actually lived in, Athens in about 400 bce.
2. Socrates got one of the main problems with democracy that we still haven’t solved. People who are elected in a democracy are good at one thing - doing what it takes to get elected. Thus, the people most capable of running things are not the ones in charge. Because they are good at running things, not getting elected. They are two completely different skill sets, and it sucks that we still haven’t fixed that mess.
Ah, The Allegory of the Cave. So many thoughts. So, other than this particular passage, I had not read The Republic by Plato. I read it a few weeks ago and was less than impressed, but it did spark my interest and I wanted to understand why it was so influential in so many ways, so I listened to this Great Courses 12-hour lecture series on the book. I have been writing about it on here because no one else wants to hear. 😂
The Allegory of the Cave. I had read this, multiple times, and I still stand by it being the best part of the book.
Socrates tells a story in which there are prisoners who have lived their entire lives chained inside a cave. Behind the prisoners is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners are people carrying puppets or other objects. These cast shadows on the opposite wall. The prisoners watch these shadows, believing this to be reality. If one of the prisoners is freed, he sees the fire and the shadows and realizes that he was not seeing reality, but a projection of reality. He is scared and the light hurts, but he eventually adjusts and walks outside and sees the world he was only seeing reflections of before. He understands that there is so much more to the world and to truth, and he feels compelled to go back into the cave and enlighten his fellow prisoners.
My thoughts: This is possibly even more impactful today than it was when it was originally written. Images are everywhere. We see filtered versions of all of those in our lives, sometimes quite literally, on social media, at work, etc. Think of the fire and the shadows as a movie projector and screen. We are seeing only a shadow of what is actually there, but we become absorbed, and it feels like reality.
Education is turning around.
But a lot of times, we don’t WANT to turn around. This is the world we know. We think we understand it. We are comfortable in it, even if ot sucks. It is easier to keep doing what you have been doing since it is familiar than to face the possibility that the entire world you have been surrounded by is fake.
Plato, writing what he says Socrates said, says that prisoners must be compelled to learn the truth. It will be painful. But even if we have to drag the prisoner out of the cave and force them to look at the sun, it is better in the long run.
Painful to face that what they thought was reality was an illusion, but that is the name of the philosopher.
I know a lot of people who leave religion like to use this as an example of why they speak out. I include myself in this group. I would argue that those who speak out and evangelize for their religions also think the same.
We think we have discovered something that, even if it is harder and even if it is against what we have always learned, is true and better. We feel an urge to make other people see the light. A responsibility.
How do we know that we are not the ones in the cave? How can we tell? Pretty sure Socrates thought he had the truth, but Plato’s telling definitely leaves room to wonder which ones of us are looking at the projection and which are looking at the light.
And my final thoughts:
This book helped me, a person who really struggles with math, to better understand the beauty of mathematics. There is a kind of symmetry and loveliness to something that is a universal truth. No matter who you are, gender, race, culture, whatever, there is an answer that is accessible to all who learn the the beauty of form and structure: the beauty of a universal perfect answer.
Something else I took from it is that if a revolution is going to succeed, the citizens must be fundamentally altered. We have to be willing to be uncomfortable.
Socrates says that the only way for a perfectly just society to succeed is to exile “all of the people over the age of 10”. You have to start from scratch with people whose opinions and personalities are not set in stone. On, and by the way, “exile” actually means execute.
My opinion here is that this is a reducto ad absurdum - a method of proving the falsity of the premise by showing that its logical consequence is ridiculous. I would argue that Plato is saying that this “perfectly just” society is an impossibility and would require horrific methods to attain. Sexual reproduction is rigorously regulated, poetry and art are censored, the “noble lie” in which the government lies to its citizens “for their own good” is encouraged. I would argue that this is Plato’s strategy. He critiques political extremism through telling what horrible things would be required. He also makes Socrates as a character less than sympathetic. He is pushy and rude and obnoxious, and if we take Plato’s words at face value, this dismisses that.
I recently read Plato’s Republic, and I was determined to understand it and it’s influence better, so I started listening to this, which was helpful. Here are some of the the things I’ve found enlightening so far:
1. I am not the only person to think Socrates can be a blowhard who likes to hear himself talk. The lecturer says that we don’t know the exact reason that Socrates was sentenced to death, but it probably had a lot to do with the fact that he was “really annoying”.
2. I never before realized, although it seems obvious now, that the words “patriotism” and “patriarchy” have the same root, and this makes SO MUCH SENSE.
3. Socrates’s perfect community was probably part of the inspiration behind the horrific totalitarian dystopian regimes in books like 1984 and Brave New World.
4. Socrates was basically cool with eugenics, and advocated for a community where people are rated into different groups and separated, never allowed to mix, and not treating the chronically ill since they would be a drain on the community.
Halfway through, I had two more thoughts. Both of these ones are positive:
1. Plato and Socrates both spoke clearly of their belief that men and women should hold equal positions of power in a just society, and while their brand of feminism isn’t nuanced in the slightest, it is MILES beyond the society they actually lived in, Athens in about 400 bce.
2. Socrates got one of the main problems with democracy that we still haven’t solved. People who are elected in a democracy are good at one thing - doing what it takes to get elected. Thus, the people most capable of running things are not the ones in charge. Because they are good at running things, not getting elected. They are two completely different skill sets, and it sucks that we still haven’t fixed that mess.
Ah, The Allegory of the Cave. So many thoughts. So, other than this particular passage, I had not read The Republic by Plato. I read it a few weeks ago and was less than impressed, but it did spark my interest and I wanted to understand why it was so influential in so many ways, so I listened to this Great Courses 12-hour lecture series on the book. I have been writing about it on here because no one else wants to hear. 😂
The Allegory of the Cave. I had read this, multiple times, and I still stand by it being the best part of the book.
Socrates tells a story in which there are prisoners who have lived their entire lives chained inside a cave. Behind the prisoners is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners are people carrying puppets or other objects. These cast shadows on the opposite wall. The prisoners watch these shadows, believing this to be reality. If one of the prisoners is freed, he sees the fire and the shadows and realizes that he was not seeing reality, but a projection of reality. He is scared and the light hurts, but he eventually adjusts and walks outside and sees the world he was only seeing reflections of before. He understands that there is so much more to the world and to truth, and he feels compelled to go back into the cave and enlighten his fellow prisoners.
My thoughts: This is possibly even more impactful today than it was when it was originally written. Images are everywhere. We see filtered versions of all of those in our lives, sometimes quite literally, on social media, at work, etc. Think of the fire and the shadows as a movie projector and screen. We are seeing only a shadow of what is actually there, but we become absorbed, and it feels like reality.
Education is turning around.
But a lot of times, we don’t WANT to turn around. This is the world we know. We think we understand it. We are comfortable in it, even if ot sucks. It is easier to keep doing what you have been doing since it is familiar than to face the possibility that the entire world you have been surrounded by is fake.
Plato, writing what he says Socrates said, says that prisoners must be compelled to learn the truth. It will be painful. But even if we have to drag the prisoner out of the cave and force them to look at the sun, it is better in the long run.
Painful to face that what they thought was reality was an illusion, but that is the name of the philosopher.
I know a lot of people who leave religion like to use this as an example of why they speak out. I include myself in this group. I would argue that those who speak out and evangelize for their religions also think the same.
We think we have discovered something that, even if it is harder and even if it is against what we have always learned, is true and better. We feel an urge to make other people see the light. A responsibility.
How do we know that we are not the ones in the cave? How can we tell? Pretty sure Socrates thought he had the truth, but Plato’s telling definitely leaves room to wonder which ones of us are looking at the projection and which are looking at the light.
And my final thoughts:
This book helped me, a person who really struggles with math, to better understand the beauty of mathematics. There is a kind of symmetry and loveliness to something that is a universal truth. No matter who you are, gender, race, culture, whatever, there is an answer that is accessible to all who learn the the beauty of form and structure: the beauty of a universal perfect answer.
Something else I took from it is that if a revolution is going to succeed, the citizens must be fundamentally altered. We have to be willing to be uncomfortable.
Socrates says that the only way for a perfectly just society to succeed is to exile “all of the people over the age of 10”. You have to start from scratch with people whose opinions and personalities are not set in stone. On, and by the way, “exile” actually means execute.
My opinion here is that this is a reducto ad absurdum - a method of proving the falsity of the premise by showing that its logical consequence is ridiculous. I would argue that Plato is saying that this “perfectly just” society is an impossibility and would require horrific methods to attain. Sexual reproduction is rigorously regulated, poetry and art are censored, the “noble lie” in which the government lies to its citizens “for their own good” is encouraged. I would argue that this is Plato’s strategy. He critiques political extremism through telling what horrible things would be required. He also makes Socrates as a character less than sympathetic. He is pushy and rude and obnoxious, and if we take Plato’s words at face value, this dismisses that.
December 17, 2018
Is Plato's Republic a blueprint for totalitarianism? Was it an attempt to construct the ideal political framework? Was it a metaphor for the soul? Were his proposals to be taken literally or were they cautions against extremism?
The Republic is a sophisticated, challenging book and I see the folly of people who take the 2000+ year old politico-philosophical book at face value. (Seriously, look no further than some of the top reviews on Goodreads.) It seemed to me that maybe it would be better approached like one approaches other contemporary writings, e.g. the Hebrew Bible.
Anyway, I really appreciate this course for a couple of things: the lecturer is very open when he's offering his own interpretation vs. what is commonly agreed upon. He's also good at pushing the listener to withhold judgement and be open to ideas that at first seem totally wrongheaded or ridiculous. I feel much more prepared to make my attempt at actually reading The Republic, and I'm sure the notes from this course will come in handy.
Unfortunately it wasn't the most engaging course. At times I really struggled to maintain focus. I'm not sure that I have much by way of suggested improvements, but there were long stretches that just weren't very interesting.
The Republic is a sophisticated, challenging book and I see the folly of people who take the 2000+ year old politico-philosophical book at face value. (Seriously, look no further than some of the top reviews on Goodreads.) It seemed to me that maybe it would be better approached like one approaches other contemporary writings, e.g. the Hebrew Bible.
Anyway, I really appreciate this course for a couple of things: the lecturer is very open when he's offering his own interpretation vs. what is commonly agreed upon. He's also good at pushing the listener to withhold judgement and be open to ideas that at first seem totally wrongheaded or ridiculous. I feel much more prepared to make my attempt at actually reading The Republic, and I'm sure the notes from this course will come in handy.
Unfortunately it wasn't the most engaging course. At times I really struggled to maintain focus. I'm not sure that I have much by way of suggested improvements, but there were long stretches that just weren't very interesting.
May 19, 2022
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS:
(Unavailable in Print: COPYRIGHT: PUBLISHER: ISBN: PAGES:)
(unavailable as Digital)
*This edition-Audio: COPYRIGHT: 9/29/2015; ISBN: 9781682767368; PUBLISHER: The Great Courses; DURATION: 12:19:35; PARTS: 12; Unabridged; FILE SIZE: 352668 KB
Unavailable as Feature Film or tv
SERIES:
Great Courses
Major characters: (Not comprehensive--I was listening rather than reading, so may not have spelled names correctly)
Plato
Socrates
Aristotle
Glaucon
Polemarchus
Cephalus
Polemarchus
Thrasymachus
Adeimantus
SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
I’d actually thought when I hastily downloaded this, that I was downloading the actual book, but after listening to the series of 24 lectures, I think I would not have understood it. The theme is primarily Justice. I learned quite a bit about Greek thinking in 375 BC.
AUTHOR:
David Roochnik : “Dr. David Roochnik is Professor of Philosophy at Boston University, where he teaches in both the Department of Philosophy and the Core Curriculum, an undergraduate program in the humanities. He completed his undergraduate work at Trinity College, where he majored in philosophy, and earned his Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Roochnik was awarded Boston University's Gitner Award in 1997 for excellence in teaching in the College of Arts and Sciences and the 1999 Metcalf Prize for campus-wide teaching excellence. He is the author of two books on Plato, The Tragedy of Reason: Toward a Platonic Conception of Logos and Of Art and Wisdom: Plato's Understanding of TECHNE. He has also published over 30 articles on a wide range of subjects in classical Greek philosophy and literature.” ___TheGreatCouses.com
NARRATOR:
David Roochnik: “(born 1951) is an American philosopher and the Maria Stata professor of philosophy at Boston University.[1]
Prior to completing his doctorate degree at Pennsylvania State University in 1995, Professor Roochnik taught at Iowa State University and Williams College. He joined the philosophy department at Boston University in 1995.” __Wikipedia
GENRE:
Nonfiction; Philosophy
LOCATIONS:
Greece
TIME FRAME:
375 BC
SUBJECTS:
Theory of Forms; Socratic dialogue; Justice; Philosopher king; Cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance; The Noble lie; Governance; Analogy of the sun; Analogy of the divided line; Allegory of the Cave; Dialectics; Ship of State; Parts of the soul
RATING:
4 stars.
STARTED READING – FINISHED READING
5-8-2022 to 5-17-22
(Unavailable in Print: COPYRIGHT: PUBLISHER: ISBN: PAGES:)
(unavailable as Digital)
*This edition-Audio: COPYRIGHT: 9/29/2015; ISBN: 9781682767368; PUBLISHER: The Great Courses; DURATION: 12:19:35; PARTS: 12; Unabridged; FILE SIZE: 352668 KB
Unavailable as Feature Film or tv
SERIES:
Great Courses
Major characters: (Not comprehensive--I was listening rather than reading, so may not have spelled names correctly)
Plato
Socrates
Aristotle
Glaucon
Polemarchus
Cephalus
Polemarchus
Thrasymachus
Adeimantus
SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
I’d actually thought when I hastily downloaded this, that I was downloading the actual book, but after listening to the series of 24 lectures, I think I would not have understood it. The theme is primarily Justice. I learned quite a bit about Greek thinking in 375 BC.
AUTHOR:
David Roochnik : “Dr. David Roochnik is Professor of Philosophy at Boston University, where he teaches in both the Department of Philosophy and the Core Curriculum, an undergraduate program in the humanities. He completed his undergraduate work at Trinity College, where he majored in philosophy, and earned his Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Roochnik was awarded Boston University's Gitner Award in 1997 for excellence in teaching in the College of Arts and Sciences and the 1999 Metcalf Prize for campus-wide teaching excellence. He is the author of two books on Plato, The Tragedy of Reason: Toward a Platonic Conception of Logos and Of Art and Wisdom: Plato's Understanding of TECHNE. He has also published over 30 articles on a wide range of subjects in classical Greek philosophy and literature.” ___TheGreatCouses.com
NARRATOR:
David Roochnik: “(born 1951) is an American philosopher and the Maria Stata professor of philosophy at Boston University.[1]
Prior to completing his doctorate degree at Pennsylvania State University in 1995, Professor Roochnik taught at Iowa State University and Williams College. He joined the philosophy department at Boston University in 1995.” __Wikipedia
GENRE:
Nonfiction; Philosophy
LOCATIONS:
Greece
TIME FRAME:
375 BC
SUBJECTS:
Theory of Forms; Socratic dialogue; Justice; Philosopher king; Cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance; The Noble lie; Governance; Analogy of the sun; Analogy of the divided line; Allegory of the Cave; Dialectics; Ship of State; Parts of the soul
RATING:
4 stars.
STARTED READING – FINISHED READING
5-8-2022 to 5-17-22
January 9, 2021
I haven't been especially impressed with Plato in past readings. But based on this lecture series, I'm pretty keen to try on The Republic.
Had a good giggle over Socrates' assertion that Philosophy is an erotic enterprise. In context, this means that it requires passion.
Beautiful metaphor of the state as a ship. The captain ends up being the person who is focused on the other inhabitants of the ship and how to manipulate them. The captain should be the person who is looking up to the stars for navigation.
Glaucon raises an objection to Plato's cave: why should the philosopher who has seen the sun return to the cave to unshackle the others? I vaguely remember something about the Buddha wanting to stay in an enlightened meditation but being compelled to spread the message of enlightenment by some god or other.
You heard it from Plato first: the best city can only be one in which the rulers are the least eager to rule.
"Mathematics is fundamental in the formation of a philosophical soul."
Had a good giggle over Socrates' assertion that Philosophy is an erotic enterprise. In context, this means that it requires passion.
Beautiful metaphor of the state as a ship. The captain ends up being the person who is focused on the other inhabitants of the ship and how to manipulate them. The captain should be the person who is looking up to the stars for navigation.
Glaucon raises an objection to Plato's cave: why should the philosopher who has seen the sun return to the cave to unshackle the others? I vaguely remember something about the Buddha wanting to stay in an enlightened meditation but being compelled to spread the message of enlightenment by some god or other.
You heard it from Plato first: the best city can only be one in which the rulers are the least eager to rule.
"Mathematics is fundamental in the formation of a philosophical soul."
April 21, 2023
Found David Roochnik a great guide through Plato's Republic.
On Plato - found it hard to get past his authoritarian, narcissistic, repulsive ideas (dividing people into 3 classes at birth (gold, silver, bronze), gov. decides who you can have children with, no personal property, etc). Strong similarities to recent dystopian novels like Brave New World. Policies (and arrogance) similar to Pol Pot.
He's arrogant - he believes he’s a better ruler for the people than others. Compares Philosophers to a ship navigator who uses the stars to navigate - in that they are the ones truly able to steer but not the ones best able to grab power to captain the ship. He acknowledges that his policies will not be liked by many of the people, so, creates and justifies lies to get them on board.
Sparks interesting philosophical political debate (which might be his intention, David Roochnik says -- I don't buy that). Definitely feel after this book that I should read more about why Plato receives so much respect in our society.
On Plato - found it hard to get past his authoritarian, narcissistic, repulsive ideas (dividing people into 3 classes at birth (gold, silver, bronze), gov. decides who you can have children with, no personal property, etc). Strong similarities to recent dystopian novels like Brave New World. Policies (and arrogance) similar to Pol Pot.
He's arrogant - he believes he’s a better ruler for the people than others. Compares Philosophers to a ship navigator who uses the stars to navigate - in that they are the ones truly able to steer but not the ones best able to grab power to captain the ship. He acknowledges that his policies will not be liked by many of the people, so, creates and justifies lies to get them on board.
Sparks interesting philosophical political debate (which might be his intention, David Roochnik says -- I don't buy that). Definitely feel after this book that I should read more about why Plato receives so much respect in our society.
May 3, 2023
Prof. Roochnik provides a level dissection of “Republic” that perfectly yangs to Sugrue’s yin. Roochnik does not deify Plato nor the ideas that he or his (pointedly fictional representation of) Socrates espouse. He is not mystified by the potential beatific grandeur of the theory of forms, and he continues to press on every weakness and minor inconsistency throughout the work. Yet, he does not do this to refute the merit of Republic, he does it to engage in the dialectical as is core to the ancient man’s values which makes this course profoundly fascinating.
Roochnik effectively analyzes Plato throughout political and philosophical eras and contextualizes the weight that this work has held since it’s inception. Through crisp, clear, and sometimes overly simple discussion and analogue, this course puts Republic and all its potential criticisms flayed out in the open for the listener to discover and reflect on themselves. A great companion.
Roochnik effectively analyzes Plato throughout political and philosophical eras and contextualizes the weight that this work has held since it’s inception. Through crisp, clear, and sometimes overly simple discussion and analogue, this course puts Republic and all its potential criticisms flayed out in the open for the listener to discover and reflect on themselves. A great companion.
October 31, 2025
This was an excellent companion to my reading of the Republic. Dr. Roochnik's presentation is informative and interesting.
These lectures were particularly helpful in pacing my reading through the text. Each lecture covers a portion or all of one of the chapters (books) of The Republic, which helped me to make regular progress through the book. Roochnik also helped to explain some of the more difficult concepts.
Without these lectures, I would have missed Plato's definition of justice, which was ostensibly the point of the book. Roochnik also points out that a lot of Plato's ideas about the city are focused on avoiding civil war, an experience that he had personally lived through.
I also appreciated how he constantly encouraged his listeners to question his opinions and interpretations, as well as the ideas of Plato himself. Roochnik didn't shy from the problematic passages and also pointed out the many times when Plato contradicted himself.
These lectures were particularly helpful in pacing my reading through the text. Each lecture covers a portion or all of one of the chapters (books) of The Republic, which helped me to make regular progress through the book. Roochnik also helped to explain some of the more difficult concepts.
Without these lectures, I would have missed Plato's definition of justice, which was ostensibly the point of the book. Roochnik also points out that a lot of Plato's ideas about the city are focused on avoiding civil war, an experience that he had personally lived through.
I also appreciated how he constantly encouraged his listeners to question his opinions and interpretations, as well as the ideas of Plato himself. Roochnik didn't shy from the problematic passages and also pointed out the many times when Plato contradicted himself.
May 21, 2025
⸻
I listened to this Great Courses series as I prepare to teach government for the first time in over a decade. These days, I approach the subject less as a matter of policy and more as a philosophical and intellectual exercise—not because of my PhD, but because the world feels increasingly ethereal, fleeting. Maybe it’s age, but I find myself searching for the eternal in things.
This course does a remarkable job of illuminating the timelessness of these ideas—some stretching back over two millennia. I wish I had followed along with a physical copy of the text, but even just listening, I found it deeply moving and thought-provoking. Highly recommended.
February 24, 2017
Listened to this on Audible on various car commutes, and Roochnik is an engaging speaker and certainly captured my interest, even when setting off at 5am in the morning before my first coffee. Getting through these lectures involves a similar time commitment to reading Plato's Republic itself, but this allows Roochnik to provide a very in-depth exploration of the issues and his approach is commendably even-handed. The final lecture, exploring Plato's influence on subsequent western philosophers, is also very succinct and valuable. Recommended.
October 27, 2020
A very interesting series of lectures which I read alongside The Republic. Roochnik provides a good breakdown of the historical context with which the dialogues are written, providing insight into the cast of people taking part. He breaks down The Republic into the 10 books that make up the text and provides great insight into the arguments that Plato is engaging in that might not be obvious to the reader. He does well taking the layperson through the arguments and engages in some translation to those parts that don't necessarily seem obvious. A great accompaniment to the text.
March 2, 2021
A pretty good companion to the Republic. It is a much easier read for sure and seemingly captures the major points pretty well while providing a fair analysis. Opinionated a bit beyond what's reasonable sometimes (in my opinion), but that's to be expected when covering such a popular matter. Time certainly better spend than another read of the Republic itself (which you should read more than
once still).
once still).
October 12, 2022
Straightforward and insightful, this was a great introduction to a relationship with this text (Plato's Republic), which bears multiple readings throughout a lifetime. This time, I got a sense that perhaps the ideal republic is meant too be primarily a description of a well-governed individual more than a blueprint for an ideal society. The society as metaphor for the self is maybe unidirectional.
February 22, 2023
That was a long 12 hours. Pretty early on he posits that life for the everyday Athenian woman must be bad because on vase painting of fights with Amazon women the Amazons all die. I’m not saying the life of the average Athenian woman was great, or even good, but the treatment of Amazon warriors is not evidence of that. He makes similar statements throughout, or just says “I believe…” something that is a little weird, but provides no evidence or justification. Also he’s just boring to listen to.
April 21, 2023
Great breakdown of Plato's Republic. I loved listening to these lectures & David is an engaging speaker. It certainly feels like a great tee-up for actually reading Plato's Republic.
Throughout the lectures, David mentioned a bunch of theories & philosophers from the likes of Immanuel Kant & Karl Marx 👀 Excited to read & ponder the plethora of ideas posed by these think boiz as well.
Thanks for publishing this and making it included with Audible memberships!!
Throughout the lectures, David mentioned a bunch of theories & philosophers from the likes of Immanuel Kant & Karl Marx 👀 Excited to read & ponder the plethora of ideas posed by these think boiz as well.
Thanks for publishing this and making it included with Audible memberships!!
July 26, 2024
I’ve read bits and pieces of this over the years, and of course, the ideas in it show up in pop culture all the time – but it was wonderful to have some sort of analysis and deeper understanding of what I already read and a deeper understanding of what I was unfamiliar with.
Maybe not for the well-trained philosopher, but if you’ve ever lived in democratic society, and you wanted to get a better understanding of what drives it, it’s worth a go.
Maybe not for the well-trained philosopher, but if you’ve ever lived in democratic society, and you wanted to get a better understanding of what drives it, it’s worth a go.
December 30, 2020
“The Republic is not easy to understand, by any means” – Prof. David Roochnik
Written in approximately 380 BC, Plato’s Republic is “without a doubt, the first great work in the Western tradition that concerned itself with political philosophy. It’s arguable that it was also the most influential in the whole subsequent history of Western political philosophy. Furthermore, it’s even arguable that the Republic was the most influential book in the history of philosophy in general” says Prof. David Roochnik. If that is not compelling reason enough to read Plato’s Republic, I don’t know what is. But, Prof. Roochnik warns (and I totally agree) that the Republic is a “complex and difficult work. As a result, it requires a commentator like myself, to often engage in some interpretation.”
PLATO’S PERSPECTIVE WHEN WRITING THE REPUBLIC
In the 5th century BC, there were no “countries” per se, there was only the polis – or city (and its surrounding territory). Athens (and Sparta) was what we would call today, a superpower. They were a thriving, true-democracy that embraced freedom of speech. They had the most powerful navy around. But, in 431 the disastrous, three-decade-long Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta began. Plato was born (in 429 BC) into an Athens that was not only at war, but also under the grinding-heel of a plague so terrible that it would rival that of the bubonic some seventeen-centuries in the future. Athens saw a complete breakdown of society. It is not known if Plato fought in the war, but it is likely that he did as he came of age in 411.
The Peloponnesian War marked the beginning of the end for Athens. They were resoundly crushed by Sparta in 404. Sparta abolished Athens’ democracy and installed a cadre of pro-Spartan oligarchs known as the “The 30 Tyrants.” Though the tyrants reigned only for a brief eight months, tens of thousands of Athenians were murdered. Plato’s friend, mentor (maybe), and inspiration, Socrates (b. 469, also a veteran), was tried and executed in 399. It is with these terrible events in mind that Plato wrote the Republic, and his greatest concern was the stability of the city.
PLATO’S REPUBLIC
What is the “Republic?” Why have kings, princes, and presidents studied it for 2500 years? And why are YOU considering reading it today?
Set in Athens about 410 BC, the Republic is a narrative/dialogue between Socrates (narrator) and [essentially] Plato’s brothers Glaucon and Adeimantus. They attempt to verbally “build” the perfectly just, stable, and safe city. They discuss who will rule it, who will protect it, and who will supply it. But it is so much more (and this is where Prof. Roochnik begins to come in handy). Some of the topics the professor will help you carve out of Plato’s words are:
What is justice?
What is the best life one can lead?
Do we need education? If so, when and whom should be educated? Should women be educated?
What does it mean to be a philosopher?
Who should rule a city?
Is it ever just for a ruler to lie to his citizens?
Is censorship ever justified?
Should everyone be allowed to own private property?
Should everyone be allowed to choose their own sexual partner?
Should everyone have equal rights under the law?
Should women have equal rights?
Should everyone have equal access to healthcare?
City/Soul Analogy
Allegory of the Cave
The parts of the soul
The Ring of Fire
Theory of Forms
The “Ship of State” and who SHOULD Capt. that ship? Who WILL captain the ship?
Eros and its role in philosophy
The Myth of Er
And, most importantly:
In life, who is most Happy?
READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE REPUBLIC
On the surface the Republic is an easy read – way, way easier than Shakespeare. But to truly try to “understand” the Republic, you’re gonna need a guide. Preferably someone who has spent their life thinking about and studying this stuff, someone who’s read the Republic 50, 100 times or more.
Plato is not just a great philosopher, he’s also a great writer; and he doesn’t waste a single word. So, if you don’t have a guide, you will not truly understand 75% of what Plato has written. One quick example: the Republic opens with Socrates and Glaucon in the Piraeus. Now, simple enough, I know where the Piraeus is so, I know where they are – right? WRONG! Well, not entirely wrong, I do know their location. But the message behind the words is that the Piraeus is where much of the resistance was during the “Tyranny of the 30.” And it’s the first indicator that Plato employs to stress that life, stability, liberty, and happiness for all is at the forefront of his thinking. Who knew? It is insight like that that makes the Republic so much more interesting! And Prof. Roochnik does an outstanding job breathing life into this very old yet still relevant document.
IN CONCLUSION
I highly recommend this course. In my opinion, the lectures, the included 88-page outline, and supplemental reading is easily equal to a college level course.
BONUS
Towards the end of the Republic, Plato gives a chilling narrative on the rise of tyrannies and other regimes that bears particular relevance to America these days – irrespective of which side of the aisle you fall.
Note:
1. All text in quotation is attributed to Prof. David Roochnik PhD. Display everything down
Written in approximately 380 BC, Plato’s Republic is “without a doubt, the first great work in the Western tradition that concerned itself with political philosophy. It’s arguable that it was also the most influential in the whole subsequent history of Western political philosophy. Furthermore, it’s even arguable that the Republic was the most influential book in the history of philosophy in general” says Prof. David Roochnik. If that is not compelling reason enough to read Plato’s Republic, I don’t know what is. But, Prof. Roochnik warns (and I totally agree) that the Republic is a “complex and difficult work. As a result, it requires a commentator like myself, to often engage in some interpretation.”
PLATO’S PERSPECTIVE WHEN WRITING THE REPUBLIC
In the 5th century BC, there were no “countries” per se, there was only the polis – or city (and its surrounding territory). Athens (and Sparta) was what we would call today, a superpower. They were a thriving, true-democracy that embraced freedom of speech. They had the most powerful navy around. But, in 431 the disastrous, three-decade-long Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta began. Plato was born (in 429 BC) into an Athens that was not only at war, but also under the grinding-heel of a plague so terrible that it would rival that of the bubonic some seventeen-centuries in the future. Athens saw a complete breakdown of society. It is not known if Plato fought in the war, but it is likely that he did as he came of age in 411.
The Peloponnesian War marked the beginning of the end for Athens. They were resoundly crushed by Sparta in 404. Sparta abolished Athens’ democracy and installed a cadre of pro-Spartan oligarchs known as the “The 30 Tyrants.” Though the tyrants reigned only for a brief eight months, tens of thousands of Athenians were murdered. Plato’s friend, mentor (maybe), and inspiration, Socrates (b. 469, also a veteran), was tried and executed in 399. It is with these terrible events in mind that Plato wrote the Republic, and his greatest concern was the stability of the city.
PLATO’S REPUBLIC
What is the “Republic?” Why have kings, princes, and presidents studied it for 2500 years? And why are YOU considering reading it today?
Set in Athens about 410 BC, the Republic is a narrative/dialogue between Socrates (narrator) and [essentially] Plato’s brothers Glaucon and Adeimantus. They attempt to verbally “build” the perfectly just, stable, and safe city. They discuss who will rule it, who will protect it, and who will supply it. But it is so much more (and this is where Prof. Roochnik begins to come in handy). Some of the topics the professor will help you carve out of Plato’s words are:
What is justice?
What is the best life one can lead?
Do we need education? If so, when and whom should be educated? Should women be educated?
What does it mean to be a philosopher?
Who should rule a city?
Is it ever just for a ruler to lie to his citizens?
Is censorship ever justified?
Should everyone be allowed to own private property?
Should everyone be allowed to choose their own sexual partner?
Should everyone have equal rights under the law?
Should women have equal rights?
Should everyone have equal access to healthcare?
City/Soul Analogy
Allegory of the Cave
The parts of the soul
The Ring of Fire
Theory of Forms
The “Ship of State” and who SHOULD Capt. that ship? Who WILL captain the ship?
Eros and its role in philosophy
The Myth of Er
And, most importantly:
In life, who is most Happy?
READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE REPUBLIC
On the surface the Republic is an easy read – way, way easier than Shakespeare. But to truly try to “understand” the Republic, you’re gonna need a guide. Preferably someone who has spent their life thinking about and studying this stuff, someone who’s read the Republic 50, 100 times or more.
Plato is not just a great philosopher, he’s also a great writer; and he doesn’t waste a single word. So, if you don’t have a guide, you will not truly understand 75% of what Plato has written. One quick example: the Republic opens with Socrates and Glaucon in the Piraeus. Now, simple enough, I know where the Piraeus is so, I know where they are – right? WRONG! Well, not entirely wrong, I do know their location. But the message behind the words is that the Piraeus is where much of the resistance was during the “Tyranny of the 30.” And it’s the first indicator that Plato employs to stress that life, stability, liberty, and happiness for all is at the forefront of his thinking. Who knew? It is insight like that that makes the Republic so much more interesting! And Prof. Roochnik does an outstanding job breathing life into this very old yet still relevant document.
IN CONCLUSION
I highly recommend this course. In my opinion, the lectures, the included 88-page outline, and supplemental reading is easily equal to a college level course.
BONUS
Towards the end of the Republic, Plato gives a chilling narrative on the rise of tyrannies and other regimes that bears particular relevance to America these days – irrespective of which side of the aisle you fall.
Note:
1. All text in quotation is attributed to Prof. David Roochnik PhD. Display everything down
March 13, 2022
My review is for the Great Courses Plato’s Republic lecture series by Professor Roochnik. He’s an excellent lecturer who provides the essential elements of Plato’s work without getting too bogged down in the details. I might have read The Republic decades ago in college but didn’t remember much about it, so this was a great refresher which kept me engaged during my long daily walks.
June 3, 2025
Recently I audible'd The Republic, after decades of hearing that it was so critical to western civilization. Fair enough, but honestly, I was left scratching my head. Roochnik gives historical context and critical background to the various characters speaking. Ok, now it all makes infinitely more sense.
October 30, 2020
A very nice and in-depth look at Plato's Republic. Plato is one of those authors, who even if you haven't read them, you still sort of know their ideas. That's how deeply they are ingrained in our civilization.
July 11, 2023
This is a fantastic resource for understanding, interpreting, and appreciating Plato’s Republic. The instructor gives valuable historical context, analogies, and explanations that make The Republic much more digestible than it is on its own.
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