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A review by tombennett72
The Republic by Plato
4.0
I’m no philosopher, and it took a while to relax into letting the theoretical models be described and then deconstructed. This modern reader kept jumping ahead with thoughts like ‘but this is nonsense’.
So reading Plato is a long game. One that’s worth it. Because it’s a case of seeing past the obvious to the structure of what he’s saying: seeing the forest, not just the tree in front of you.
I enjoyed this book (even if it took me an age to finish, with countless other books finished on the way). I came to this from Cicero, whose writings I found more directly accessible. But I think everyone should read part 10 of book 9. It wonderfully sums up the attitude to the value of philosophy, and bears reading and consideration today.
So reading Plato is a long game. One that’s worth it. Because it’s a case of seeing past the obvious to the structure of what he’s saying: seeing the forest, not just the tree in front of you.
I enjoyed this book (even if it took me an age to finish, with countless other books finished on the way). I came to this from Cicero, whose writings I found more directly accessible. But I think everyone should read part 10 of book 9. It wonderfully sums up the attitude to the value of philosophy, and bears reading and consideration today.