Plato and the Greek City. Theory and Reality in the Constitution of Laws.
The Beautiful Letters| N° d'inventaire | 25425 |
| Format | 16 x 24 |
| Détails | 572 p., paperback. |
| Publication | Paris, 2008 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782251181073 |
Why did Plato write the Laws? The work demonstrates an interest in concrete institutions and positive laws that his philosophical project did not a priori justify. The undertaking, immense, had never before been attempted on such a scale. According to Aristotle, Plato intended, in writing this work, to propose a type of constitution more suited to cities than that of the Republic.
Comparing the institutions advocated in the Laws with their Greek models allows us to measure the full extent of the originality of this project. Numerous materials of varied nature were used in the development of the constitution of the city of Laws. Plato was influenced by the thinkers of his time. While he did not spare the criticisms he addressed to the society of his time and put his analysis of institutional structures at the service of his philosophy, he remained more deeply attached to the institutions of his homeland than was previously believed. By proclaiming the empire of laws over the city, he in fact reconnected with the ideology of his time, seized the weapons of his adversaries and turned them against them. To achieve this, he had to formulate questions that are still being asked today by all those who study public affairs.
Why did Plato write the Laws? The work demonstrates an interest in concrete institutions and positive laws that his philosophical project did not a priori justify. The undertaking, immense, had never before been attempted on such a scale. According to Aristotle, Plato intended, in writing this work, to propose a type of constitution more suited to cities than that of the Republic.
Comparing the institutions advocated in the Laws with their Greek models allows us to measure the full extent of the originality of this project. Numerous materials of varied nature were used in the development of the constitution of the city of Laws. Plato was influenced by the thinkers of his time. While he did not spare the criticisms he addressed to the society of his time and put his analysis of institutional structures at the service of his philosophy, he remained more deeply attached to the institutions of his homeland than was previously believed. By proclaiming the empire of laws over the city, he in fact reconnected with the ideology of his time, seized the weapons of his adversaries and turned them against them. To achieve this, he had to formulate questions that are still being asked today by all those who study public affairs.