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The Republic (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

by Plato (Author), Melissa Lane (Introduction), H.D.P. Lee (Translator), Desmond Lee (Translator) "I went down yesterday to the Piraeus with Glaucon, son of Ariston ..." (more)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; 3rd edition (31 May 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140455116
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140455113
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 3,431 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #1 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Philosophy > History > Ancient Greek & Roman: 500 BC-400 AD
    #1 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Philosophy > Philosophers > Plato
    #3 in  Books > Poetry, Drama & Criticism > Poetry > By Period > Classical, Early & Medieval

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Product Description

Product Description

Plato's Republic is widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of Western philosophy. Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an enquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. During the conversation other questions are raised: what is goodness; what is reality; what is knowledge? The Republic also addresses the purpose of education and the role of both women and men as 'guardians' of the people. With remarkable lucidity and deft use of allegory, Plato arrives at a depiction of a state bound by harmony and ruled by 'philosopher kings'.


About the Author

Plato (c.427-347 BC) stands with Socrates and Aristotle as one of the shapers of the whole intellectual tradition of the West. He founded in Athens the Academy, the first permanent institution devoted to philosophical research and teaching, and theprototype of all Western universities. Desmond Lee was a fellow and tutor of Classics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and later became President of St Hughes Hall, Cambridge. Melissa Lane received her PhD in Philosophy from Cambridge University. She teaches the history of political thought and political philosophy in the History Faculty at Cambridge University, and is a Fellow of King's College. Her books include Method and Politics in Plato's Statesman (Cambridge, 1998) and Plato's Progeny: how Plato and Socrates still captivate the modern mind (Duckworth, 2001).
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55 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very demanding but the effort pays off., 12 Jan 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Republic (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
I've owned two translations of this book and the Lee translation is much easier to read than the Waterfield translation by virtue of keeping readers notes as footnotes rather than placing them at the back of the book and just by the general style of the English used. There are also excellent notes and diagrams about the concepts in the book which will be useful to anyone studying this book as an academic text. This book is a story but it would never make a good film as it is all talk and no action. The main discussion point is what makes the ideal society. According to Socrates (the main speaker) it would be totalitarian and undemocratic, Most people will disagree with this but it is a well argued point that shows that politicians in any age can never be anything but corrupt and challenges views that people may have about the correctness of democracy. This is more than just a book on politics. Society is also used as a metaphor for the individual and this book explores the nature of morality and living a just life as well as the nature of true goodness and true beauty. The concepts in this book are not easily grasped and it requires some re-reading but the effort pays off in the end. Some of the ideas may seem a bit obscure but this book still holds its own after two and a half thousand years.
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37 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely splendid!, 4 Oct 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Republic (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
Describing "The Republic" in such few words is somewhat difficult, as it has so much to say. I started reading the book only a short while ago and i have enjoyed every aspect of it. It is amazing how you can relate all of the issues in the story to your own life! Please please, do take your time in reading this book, because it can be misinterpreted easily. I assure you that this book is not boring, but it is a masterpiece that should definately be read at least once in a life time!
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Good edition, 4 April 2007
This review is from: The Republic (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
Certainly a must read for anyone interested in politics or philosophy. This is a cornerstone of western philosophy and deserves to be read far into the future. Relatively clear, easy to understand and a joy to read.

This Penguin Classics edition also has an excellent introduction (spanning more than 50 pages), and very useful translation notes. Each new chapter has a brief introduction explaning the main points and ideas running through the chapter. Given the price, this edition is a bargain.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Fantastic read, i only gave it 4* due to the difficulty of reading such an old text.
Published 5 months ago by Mr. L. G. Dawson

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading
The core of the book is the presentation of the ideal state, in which government is conducted by a specially trained and bred class of philosophers/judges/warriors, but he... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Nicholas Whyte

5.0 out of 5 stars A triumph of wisdom over intellect
I just noticed somebody said that this book would not make a good film. What about The Matrix? Plato's analogy of the cave describes the mechanism by which our concept of truth... Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2001 by paul.widdecombe@adserve.co.uk

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