Over at The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, one Rufus F. has some interesting thoughts on Plato's
Republic. He offers good introductory reflections on important issues in the dialogue. These are hardly the most noteworthy or scholarly remarks, but Rufus demonstrates that a person can turn to a classic, albeit immensely difficult text, and see it as provocative of thought on issues of immense importance--issues such as the question of human flourishing and the difficulties that lie in the way of its achievement.
I thought I'd direct your attention to them.
The
first post discusses the role of poetry in the city and in the education of the soul, as well as Socrates' call for censorship. The
second post discusses the role of men and women in the city in speech. The
third post discusses the analogy of city and soul, the divided line and the philosopher kings. (If you read the comments to the third post you will see some thoughts by a certain John.)
