Why Read Plato's 'Republic'? | Robin Waterfield

Robin Waterfield, editor of the Oxford World's Classics edition of Plato's "Republic", tells us why we should bother reading it.

© Oxford University Press

[modeepa]

Thank you for this video. I would just like to add that in addition to being readable, it is also a worthy reading because Plato made a genuine attempt to examine by ways of posing hypotheticals and questioning rationales that were contemporary of his time for which we can understand the context.

[markwiygul]

Read Plato's "The Apology" first, which is an easy read, very interesting and SHORT... then maybe try The Republic.

[benallan]

omfg. such an affirmation. first reason, it's readable or beautiful. I sometimes feel alone but today I don't feel wrong. republic and the brothers Karamazov are the two most beautiful books that I've ever read. both caused me to walk out weeping

[romannoodle]

One of my favorite books! I highly recommend it to anyone interested or curious in philosophy.

[ptr]

Lesson learned from Plato's Republic: just get slave boy to agree with you.

[Steerpike]

Wow. I better go read it again now. This guy is excellent.

[Davemac]

Robin. I read again just recently your translation. (Oxford University Press, 1993). I was struck by your remarks in the Introduction summarising Plato's view: that we align ourselves to the rationally ordered Universe, kosmos ('elegant order'); be decent and moral, help our neighbours, and hence ourselves. The opposite: chaos, evil. I like this idea of somehow orientating oneself to the Universe, in harmony with the flow rather than against it. And this idea which you brought out chimes very much these days (albeit badly stated and hopelessly ambiguous) in New Age metaphysics. I see it as more fundamental. I like that interpretation you offered. It somehow intuitively has a ring of authenticity. Perhaps as we learn more of the cosmos, how everything is interconnected, Plato may be more accurate in ways he couldn't have guessed.

[melexdy]

Ok I ll give it a try.. I dont like high brow philosophy, I want to understand what I read and I dont feel the need to brag about the things I read

[johnwentz]

That, and it's important piece to understand the development of totalitarianism.

[grumpyoldman]

After reading "The Republic" (Waterfield's translation) go on to read (as an antidote) Karl Popper's first volume of his "The Open Society and it's Enemies" where he designates Plato as one of the earliest advocates for the totalitarian state. (UK)

[Allanrpsx]

I'll give that a shot. Maybe I just haven't got far enough into it, but i find myself putting down the book after no more than an hour or two just painfully annoyed at how Plato treats the issues. Socrates is my least favorite character in the book...

[JzCrIPtO]

Why should we bother to be good? Because Eudaimonia!

[gorgolyt]

That sounds like a rather black and white way of saying "I am right".

[garundip.mcgrundy]

This guy is a brick layer from Montgomery, Alabama, he's reading a script and faking a British accent! His name is Cy Altoni. His family heritage is Italian. Ask anyone in downtown Montgomery. I know this guy, he is an absolute fake!