Plato’s Republic is a long and complex book, containing a number of puzzling moments.  It seems to me, however, that there is an underlying structure to the work, which has been generally overlooked in contemporary Platonic scholarship.  When properly understood, this structure crystalizes the actual argument of Plato’s Republic, making sense of many of the most puzzling moments.  In this lecture, I will attempt to sketch out this underlying structure, while suggesting various ways in which the structure clarifies Plato’s teaching about justice.  Special emphasis will be placed on understanding the role of Books 5-7 in the overall argument, as well as the logical development of Socrates’ city-in-speech.

Photo: John La Farge, "Socrates and His Friends Discuss "The Republic," as in Plato's Account" (1905) | via Wikimedia Commons

Lecture is at 4:15 p.m. MT. The event will be livestreamed - details below.