The problem of individual liberty in the context of the problematic of Goodness in Plato’s political philosophy Cover Image

Problem wolności jednostki w kontekście Idei Dobra w filozofii politycznej Platona
The problem of individual liberty in the context of the problematic of Goodness in Plato’s political philosophy

Author(s): Michał Filipczuk
Subject(s): Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Political Philosophy, Ancient Philosphy
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku
Keywords: Plato; political philosophy; totalitarianism; liberalism; individualism; civil society; freedom

Summary/Abstract: This article is a short presentation of the problem of individual liberty – as we understand it today – in the context of the problematic of Goodness in Plato’s philosophy of politics as presented in his two main political dialogues: the Republic and the Laws. The crucial distinction is for me dichotomy: negative vs. positive liberty as defined by Isaiah Berlin following Benjamin Constant. In this article I also consider to what extent justifiable is liberal critique of Plato as a totalitarian. At the end of the text I suggest that the best interpretation of Plato’s vision would be its treatment not so much as a strictly political one but rather as a program of education of the soul based on specific understanding of politics derived from Plato’s anthropology.

  • Issue Year: 2/2018
  • Issue No: XXX
  • Page Range: 55-72
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish