Republic, Book 10

by Plato, John Ferguson (Editor)

Book X of Plato's Republic deals with aesthetic theory, the immortality of the soul, and the destiny of man. This student edition, first published in 1957, contains a substantial introduction including sections on historical background, Socrates, Plato and the Republic as a whole; the Greek text with extensive notes; appendices on the theory of Forms, Plato's theory of art, the immortality of the soul and myth in Plato; and a Vocabulary.

Genres: Classics, Literary Criticism, Nonfiction, Criticism

182 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1988

About the author

Plato (Greek: Πλάτων), born Aristocles (c. 427 – 348 BC), was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms. He raised problems for what became all the major areas of both theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy, and was the founder of the Platonic Academy, a philosophical school in Athens where Plato taught the doctrines that would later become known as Platonism.
Plato's most famous contribution is the theory of forms (or ideas), which has been interpreted as advancing a solution to what is now known as the problem of universals. He was decisively influenced by the pre-Socratic thinkers Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, although much of what is known about them is derived from Plato himself.
Along with his teacher Socrates, and Aristotle, his student, Plato is a central figure in the history of philosophy. Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years—unlike that of nearly all of his contemporaries. Although their popularity has fluctuated, they have consistently been read and studied through the ages. Through Neoplatonism, he also greatly influenced both Christian and Islamic philosophy. In modern times, Alfred North Whitehead famously said: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."

Reviews

[Emad · Rating 3 out of 5]

"All of Western philosophy is but a footnote to Plato." Alfred North Whitehead

Literary criticism begins with skeptical questions raised by Plato about the value of art, mainly discussed in "The Republic: Book X", and the defenders of literature have strived to remove this skepticism through the history.

[Nagwa Nasr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plato is judging artists for not being realistic and he is the one who is talking about idealism; however, I like Plato cause he is so convincing that he makes me agree with him but I hate him for making me feel as if I'm Glaucon or Ion that's not fair!!

[busé]

(introduction to literary theory)

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amusing.

Tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.

2 stars. 💛 Heart

[Maria Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

eu tbm odeio poetas

[Priyanka Kedia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars because I want ALL kinds of poets to have a place in the republic

[maamla · Rating 1 out of 5]

estic de Plató farta ja