Masters and Slaves: Revisioned Essays in Political Philosophy

by Michael Palmer

This collection of essays sheds light on the writings of leading figures in the history of political philosophy by exploring a nexus of questions concerning mastery and slavery in the human soul. To this end, Masters and Slaves elucidates archetypal human alternatives in their import for political the philosopher and king; the lover of wisdom and the lover of glory; the king and the tyrant; and finally, the master and the slave. Palmer re-examines these ideas as a framework for achieving a deeper understanding of the work of famous thinkers―from the ancient to modern times―including Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Rousseau. As well, the book addresses distinctions between the 'ancients' and the 'moderns,' and touches on the work of contemporary theorists such as Leo Strauss, George Parkin Grant, and Allan Bloom.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Michael Palmer is Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine. He specializes in political philosophy.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.