Rational Spirituality and Divine Virtue in Plato (eBook)

A Modern Interpretation and Philosophical Defense of Platonism

Michael LaFargue (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2016
284 Seiten
State University of New York Press (Verlag)
978-1-4384-6026-0 (ISBN)

Infos

Michael LaFargue presents an important and accessible aspect of Plato's legacy largely overlooked today: a variety of personal spirituality based on reason and centered on virtue. Plato's Virtue-Forms are transcendent in their goodness, ideals that Platonists can use to improve character and become like God so far as is humanly possible. LaFargue constructs a model of inductive Socratic reasoning capable of acquiring knowledge of these perfect Virtue-Forms, then scales back claims about these Forms to what can be supported by this kind of reasoning. This is a critical theory, but also a pluralistic one that accommodates modern cultural diversity. A how-to chapter provides detailed descriptions of the rules of Socratic reasoning basic to this spirituality, which any interested individual can practice today. LaFargue supports his interpretation by a close reading of the Greek text of key passages in Plato's dialogues. The work also undertakes a broader philosophical consideration, discussing the philosophical foundations proposed for this Platonism in relation to the thought of G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Richard Rorty.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 28.4.2016
• Zusatzinfo: Total Illustrations: 0
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Ethik
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Philosophie Altertum / Antike
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie
• ISBN-10: 1-4384-6026-0 / 1438460260
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4384-6026-0 / 9781438460260