Focusing on the speeches and actions of the Platonic Socrates, this
book argues that Plato's political philosophy is a crucial source
for reflection on the hazards and possibilities of democratic
politics.
"Gerald Mara has written a thoughtful, lively, yet wide-ranging
book about the contributions of Platonic political philosophy to
contemporary debates in political theory. By showing how Socrates'
logos (the insistence that we go beyond ordinary sense for the
rational solution of political problems) is tempered by if not
opposed to his ergon (the particular behavior within practical
discursive contexts) and insisting that Plato is both a
metaphysician and an ironist, Mara enriches our understanding of
various dialogues and the central subjects of Platonic philosophy
and scholarship. On this basis he goes on to argue, persuasively I
think, that Athenian democracy provided context and referent point
for Plato's project even when that project included sharp warnings
about democracy. The Plato that emerges provides the grounds for
Mara's notion of a 'discursive democracy.' Mara does all this while
entering into a respectful but critical engagement with an
impressive range of contemporary political theorists and
philosophers". -- J. Peter Euben, University of California, Santa
Cruz
"What makes this book so good is the way Mara brings his
understanding of Plato to bear on contemporary theory. He
juxtaposes Plato's position, as he understands it, with those of
contemporary theorists such as Rorty, Habermas, Barber, Sandel,
Rawls, and MacIntyre. Particularly intriguing is his discussion of
the philosophic significance of the differences between Derrida's
treatment of Plato and his own. Itis indeed a wonderful book". --
Mary Nichols, Fordham University
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