State theory
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Description
Book Introduction
A righteous man can harm no one.
Whitehead described the history of Western philosophy as “footnotes to Plato.”
It is no exaggeration to say that the history of Western philosophy is under the influence of Plato.
Among them, 『The Republic』, one of the 'dialogues', is the most well-known work to us, and is a book that contains the essence of Plato's philosophy, which extends to all fields of Western philosophy, from metaphysics to politics, ethics, psychology, and art.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is the origin of Western philosophy.
In this book, Plato explores the nature of the ideal state and justice, arguing that a just society is realized when each class (ruler, guardian, and producer) fulfills its role.
Whitehead described the history of Western philosophy as “footnotes to Plato.”
It is no exaggeration to say that the history of Western philosophy is under the influence of Plato.
Among them, 『The Republic』, one of the 'dialogues', is the most well-known work to us, and is a book that contains the essence of Plato's philosophy, which extends to all fields of Western philosophy, from metaphysics to politics, ethics, psychology, and art.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is the origin of Western philosophy.
In this book, Plato explores the nature of the ideal state and justice, arguing that a just society is realized when each class (ruler, guardian, and producer) fulfills its role.
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Preview
index
To the reader… 14
People in the conversation… 16
Book 1: The Benefits of Justice… 19
Volume 2: The Birth of a Nation… 57
Book 3: Education for Guardians… 85
Book 4: A Just Life… 113
Volume 5: Communist Society and Gender Equality… 145
Book 6: Philosophers and Rulers… 171
Book 7: The Idea of Goodness and the Ideal State… 197
Volume 8: The Faulty State System… 223
Book 9: The Kingdom of Those Who Love Wisdom… 241
Volume 10: The Exile of the Poet and the Immortality of the Soul… 261
supplement
On Plato's Thought and the Republic … 286
Plato's works… 298
Plato's Chronology … 303
People in the conversation… 16
Book 1: The Benefits of Justice… 19
Volume 2: The Birth of a Nation… 57
Book 3: Education for Guardians… 85
Book 4: A Just Life… 113
Volume 5: Communist Society and Gender Equality… 145
Book 6: Philosophers and Rulers… 171
Book 7: The Idea of Goodness and the Ideal State… 197
Volume 8: The Faulty State System… 223
Book 9: The Kingdom of Those Who Love Wisdom… 241
Volume 10: The Exile of the Poet and the Immortality of the Soul… 261
supplement
On Plato's Thought and the Republic … 286
Plato's works… 298
Plato's Chronology … 303
Into the book
Justice means that each person fulfills his or her duty, and this is the same for both nations and individuals.
It is justice for a shoemaker to do his best in making shoes, and for a carpenter to do his best in building a house.
But justice is not about external things, but about the inner self of a human being.
In other words, it is a matter of controlling one's inner self well and varying dominance, obedience, and cooperation as if creating a beautiful melody through harmonious notes.
--- pp.143-144
Finally, we hit the biggest obstacle.
Glaucon! The ideal state, that is, is difficult to realize unless philosophers rule the state, or unless rulers study philosophy and govern the state.
What I'm saying is that the various things we've been talking about so far won't see the light of day.
I really didn't want to say these words out loud, but I couldn't help it.
For unless philosophers rule the state, there is no way to promote the happiness of this world.
--- p.161
The same goes for all ideas, such as justice or injustice, good or evil.
It is one in itself, but it appears as many things when combined with related actions or objects.
--- p.164
Well then, Glaucon, let's connect all this with what we've been talking about.
The place that can be seen with the eyes can be likened to a cave prison, and the light of the prison can be likened to the sun.
Also, what we see when we go up to the ground is that our souls have moved into the intellectual realm.
By now you probably know what I'm talking about.
It's like this.
The idea of goodness that we see in the realm of perception is something that can only be seen with great effort, and it is the cause of all beauty.
It is justice for a shoemaker to do his best in making shoes, and for a carpenter to do his best in building a house.
But justice is not about external things, but about the inner self of a human being.
In other words, it is a matter of controlling one's inner self well and varying dominance, obedience, and cooperation as if creating a beautiful melody through harmonious notes.
--- pp.143-144
Finally, we hit the biggest obstacle.
Glaucon! The ideal state, that is, is difficult to realize unless philosophers rule the state, or unless rulers study philosophy and govern the state.
What I'm saying is that the various things we've been talking about so far won't see the light of day.
I really didn't want to say these words out loud, but I couldn't help it.
For unless philosophers rule the state, there is no way to promote the happiness of this world.
--- p.161
The same goes for all ideas, such as justice or injustice, good or evil.
It is one in itself, but it appears as many things when combined with related actions or objects.
--- p.164
Well then, Glaucon, let's connect all this with what we've been talking about.
The place that can be seen with the eyes can be likened to a cave prison, and the light of the prison can be likened to the sun.
Also, what we see when we go up to the ground is that our souls have moved into the intellectual realm.
By now you probably know what I'm talking about.
It's like this.
The idea of goodness that we see in the realm of perception is something that can only be seen with great effort, and it is the cause of all beauty.
--- p.202
Publisher's Review
Plato's famous work, "The Republic," which is the essence of classical philosophy and laid the foundation for Western political philosophy, begins with the fundamental question, "What is justice?"
It is developed in the form of a dialogue, with Plato's teacher, Socrates, as the central figure.
Socrates practiced the proposition, “Know thyself,” throughout his life and asked endless questions to find the truth.
In this book, Plato systematizes his teacher's thoughts by inheriting Socrates' philosophical attitude and unique dialogue style of question-and-answer in his exploration of knowledge and justice, and presents philosophical reflections on the relationship between humans and society.
Plato's Republic and Ideas
Plato's Republic begins with an exploration of the concept of justice and expands into philosophical reflections on the form of an ideal state and the nature of human existence.
Plato does not stop at treating justice as an individual ethical issue, but rather seeks to clarify the meaning of justice by exploring the structure of a just state.
He believed that the human soul was composed of three elements: reason, thymoeides (emotional energy such as courage, anger, honor, and a sense of justice), and desire, and that this composition of the soul was similar to the structure of a nation.
That is, the ideal state consists of three classes.
The class of rulers (philosophers) in charge of reason, the class of guardians (warriors) in charge of spirit, and the class of producers (farmers, merchants, etc.) who follow their desires.
Each class possesses specific virtues, and when they fulfill their roles faithfully, harmony is achieved throughout the nation.
The way Plato defines justice is quite unique.
He sees justice as 'each person performing his own unique role'.
In other words, a country is just when the ruler focuses on governing, the guardian focuses on defense, and the producer focuses on making a living.
This shows a philosophical position that understands justice as a state of ‘harmony’ and ‘order.’
The core of an ideal state is a philosopher-ruler, that is, a state ruled by a philosopher.
A philosopher is not merely a person who possesses knowledge, but a person who can perceive the ideas of truth and goodness.
Plato believed that only philosophers could transcend the imperfect phenomenal world and intuit ideal order and values.
Therefore, only when a philosopher leads the nation can a just and stable nation be realized.
This theory of an ideal state is closely related to the theory of ideas, a central concept in Plato's philosophy.
Plato believed that the world we perceive with our senses is a world of changing and imperfect images, and that behind it exists a world of eternal and unchanging essence, the world of ideas.
Ideas such as beauty, goodness, and justice are the prototypes of all concrete things and concepts, and the role of the philosopher is to recognize these ideas.
The 'Allegory of the Cave', which appears in Book 7 of 'On the State', is the part that most symbolically explains the theory of ideas.
A human trapped in a cave mistakes only shadows for reality, but those who discover the sun (truth) outside the cave and return realize true reality.
A philosopher is one who has seen this sun, that is, one who has recognized the idea, and he has the duty to return to the community, convey the truth to others, and lead the nation.
Ultimately, 『The State』 is not limited to simply designing a political system, but is a classic work that philosophically explores how humans can recognize the truth and live harmoniously within a community.
Through the Republic, Plato reveals the philosopher's mission to realize the world of ideas in reality and presents the ultimate answer to the question of 'justice.'
Is the political philosophy of 『The State』 still valid?
It is safe to say that 『The State』 encompasses virtually all branches of Western philosophy.
In particular, it is no exaggeration to say that it has created a 'philosophical feast' as it has influenced a wide range of issues that have been or are being debated in modern times, including communism, eugenics, feminism, birth control, moral issues discussed by Nietzsche and Rousseau, issues of the social contract, and even Freud's psychoanalysis.
Today, as conflicts over democracy, education, and political institutions deepen, The State continues to serve as a useful ideological compass for us.
This book organizes classic texts from over 2,400 years ago in a modern style to make them easier for readers to understand.
The text is structured to help readers understand the core of Plato's thought, including the theory of Ideas, the ideal state, and the immortality of the soul, by including detailed annotations, compilations of difficult conversations, and subtitles.
In addition, a commentary on Plato's life and the Republic, as well as an explanation and chronology of Plato's entire works, are included as appendices to help readers broadly understand the philosophy of the Greek era.
It is developed in the form of a dialogue, with Plato's teacher, Socrates, as the central figure.
Socrates practiced the proposition, “Know thyself,” throughout his life and asked endless questions to find the truth.
In this book, Plato systematizes his teacher's thoughts by inheriting Socrates' philosophical attitude and unique dialogue style of question-and-answer in his exploration of knowledge and justice, and presents philosophical reflections on the relationship between humans and society.
Plato's Republic and Ideas
Plato's Republic begins with an exploration of the concept of justice and expands into philosophical reflections on the form of an ideal state and the nature of human existence.
Plato does not stop at treating justice as an individual ethical issue, but rather seeks to clarify the meaning of justice by exploring the structure of a just state.
He believed that the human soul was composed of three elements: reason, thymoeides (emotional energy such as courage, anger, honor, and a sense of justice), and desire, and that this composition of the soul was similar to the structure of a nation.
That is, the ideal state consists of three classes.
The class of rulers (philosophers) in charge of reason, the class of guardians (warriors) in charge of spirit, and the class of producers (farmers, merchants, etc.) who follow their desires.
Each class possesses specific virtues, and when they fulfill their roles faithfully, harmony is achieved throughout the nation.
The way Plato defines justice is quite unique.
He sees justice as 'each person performing his own unique role'.
In other words, a country is just when the ruler focuses on governing, the guardian focuses on defense, and the producer focuses on making a living.
This shows a philosophical position that understands justice as a state of ‘harmony’ and ‘order.’
The core of an ideal state is a philosopher-ruler, that is, a state ruled by a philosopher.
A philosopher is not merely a person who possesses knowledge, but a person who can perceive the ideas of truth and goodness.
Plato believed that only philosophers could transcend the imperfect phenomenal world and intuit ideal order and values.
Therefore, only when a philosopher leads the nation can a just and stable nation be realized.
This theory of an ideal state is closely related to the theory of ideas, a central concept in Plato's philosophy.
Plato believed that the world we perceive with our senses is a world of changing and imperfect images, and that behind it exists a world of eternal and unchanging essence, the world of ideas.
Ideas such as beauty, goodness, and justice are the prototypes of all concrete things and concepts, and the role of the philosopher is to recognize these ideas.
The 'Allegory of the Cave', which appears in Book 7 of 'On the State', is the part that most symbolically explains the theory of ideas.
A human trapped in a cave mistakes only shadows for reality, but those who discover the sun (truth) outside the cave and return realize true reality.
A philosopher is one who has seen this sun, that is, one who has recognized the idea, and he has the duty to return to the community, convey the truth to others, and lead the nation.
Ultimately, 『The State』 is not limited to simply designing a political system, but is a classic work that philosophically explores how humans can recognize the truth and live harmoniously within a community.
Through the Republic, Plato reveals the philosopher's mission to realize the world of ideas in reality and presents the ultimate answer to the question of 'justice.'
Is the political philosophy of 『The State』 still valid?
It is safe to say that 『The State』 encompasses virtually all branches of Western philosophy.
In particular, it is no exaggeration to say that it has created a 'philosophical feast' as it has influenced a wide range of issues that have been or are being debated in modern times, including communism, eugenics, feminism, birth control, moral issues discussed by Nietzsche and Rousseau, issues of the social contract, and even Freud's psychoanalysis.
Today, as conflicts over democracy, education, and political institutions deepen, The State continues to serve as a useful ideological compass for us.
This book organizes classic texts from over 2,400 years ago in a modern style to make them easier for readers to understand.
The text is structured to help readers understand the core of Plato's thought, including the theory of Ideas, the ideal state, and the immortality of the soul, by including detailed annotations, compilations of difficult conversations, and subtitles.
In addition, a commentary on Plato's life and the Republic, as well as an explanation and chronology of Plato's entire works, are included as appendices to help readers broadly understand the philosophy of the Greek era.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: May 8, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 304 pages | 150*210*30mm
- ISBN13: 9788961673617
- ISBN10: 8961673610
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