An argument for why Plato’s Laws can be considered his most
important political dialogue In Plato's Second Republic, André Laks
argues that the Laws, Plato’s last and longest dialogue, is also his
most important political work, surpassing the Republic in historical
relevance. Laks offers a thorough reappraisal of this less renowned
text, and examines how it provides a critical foundation for the
principles of lawmaking. In doing so, he makes clear the tremendous
impact the Laws had not only on political philosophy, but also on
modern political history. Laks shows how the four central ideas in the
Laws—the corruptibility of unchecked power, the rule of law, a
“middle” constitution, and the political necessity of legislative
preambles—are articulated within an intricate and masterful literary
architecture. He reveals how the work develops a theological
conception of law anchored in political ideas about a god, divine
reason, that is the measure of political order. Laks’s reading opens
a complex analysis of the relationships between rulers and citizens;
their roles in a political system; the power of reason and persuasion,
as opposed to force, in commanding obedience; and the place of
freedom. Plato's Second Republic presents a sophisticated reevaluation
of a philosophical work that has exerted an enormous if often hidden
influence even into the present day.
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An Essay on the Laws
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780691236063
Publisert
2022
Utgiver
Vendor
Princeton University Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter