Statesman

Plato, 427？ BCE-347？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.5

Word count: 229K words
Chapters: 23

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Statesman by PlatoAuthor: Plato, 427? BCE-347? BCE,Language: English, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: May 1, 1999

Editor's review

Statesman is one of Plato's late dialogues. It continues the inquiry into the classification of knowledge begun in Sophist and turns to the nature of statesmanship. Its most notable features are the repeated division of "knowledge" and "craft" by dichotomy, the introduction of "measure" and the "mean," and a closing myth of cosmic cycles that explains how political rule appears in different ages. Compared with the grand construction of Republic, this dialogue is more an exercise in method: readers can watch Platonic dialectic at work and see the question of the philosopher-king recast as "who truly possesses the craft of rule." Read patiently through the divisions, and treat the myth as supplementary material for understanding Platonic cosmology. Suitable as a companion reading for courses in classical philosophy, for historians of political thought, and for advanced readers interested in ancient Greek philosophical method.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Teachers and students in classical philosophy and the history of political thought who need companion reading of primary texts
Readers who have already read Republic and Sophist and wish to go deeper into Plato's late methodology
Philosophy enthusiasts studying the ancient Greek distinction between "craft" and "knowledge"
General readers concerned with the legitimacy of political rule who are willing to read in dialogue form

Not a good fit for

Beginners with no experience of Platonic dialogue who expect an easy introduction
Readers who want political conclusions only and are unwilling to follow long classificatory deductions
Readers who prefer modern plain-language political essays and have little patience for mythic narrative

Reading tips

Read Sophist before this dialogue to grasp more clearly the continuity of the dichotomous divisions
Sketch a tree diagram while reading the divisions, marking the basis of each dichotomy to avoid losing the thread
Read the cosmic myth through once, then return to it on a second pass alongside the earlier discussion of rule
Read in parallel with relevant sections of Republic to compare the "philosopher-king" with the argument from craft in this dialogue

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I read Statesman without having read other Platonic dialogues?

Yes, but it is fairly difficult. The dialogue relies heavily on dichotomous deduction and continues the methodological discussion of Sophist. With no experience of Platonic dialogue at all, it is advisable to read Apology and parts of Republic first; the argument will then be easier to follow.

How does the political thought here differ from that of Republic?

Republic focuses on constructing the ideal city and the rule of the philosopher-king, whereas this dialogue focuses on whether the "craft of statesmanship" can be defined and how it is classified, using a myth to explain changes in forms of rule. It is more methodological and conceptual analysis than institutional blueprint.

How should I understand the "dichotomy" that recurs throughout the book?

Dichotomy divides a subject into two classes by a given criterion, then divides one of those classes again. Plato uses it to test whether a definition is precise, and the process also exposes the arbitrariness of the chosen criteria. Readers can treat it as logical training rather than a final answer.

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About the author

Plato, 427？ BCE-347？ BCE Author

Plato (c. 427–347 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher. Reliable details of his life are limited in public sources, and his thought and writings are generally known through later accounts. The library holds 65 of his works, including the multi-volume Republic (Πολιτεία), the Symposium, and the Phaedo. These works are mostly dialogues with Socrates as the central figure, unfolding through question and answer around justice, the governance of the city, love, the soul, and knowledge, combining philosophical inquiry with dramatic literary form. The Republic, which discusses the ideal city and justice, is especially influential. Plato's style is marked by analogy, argument, and open-ended conclusions, and he has had a lasting influence on later Western philosophy and political thought.