2. “Plato and the Spell of the State”
Abstract: This essay attempts to show that Plato’s thought makes important contributions to libertarian theory. Plato diagnoses the state as essentially a state of mind, one in which irrational desires replace natural reason as a guide to ethical conduct. The statist mindset is therefore marked by profound self-deception about what is truly good. Importantly, Plato contends that this self-deception plagues the rulers of the state as much as, or more than, the subjects. They mistakenly believe that wielding unjust power will bring them happiness, when in fact it brings them misery. The aim of Plato’s philosophy is to convince aspiring rulers of that truth.
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Tinsley – I was out of line for the ill chosen insulting language in the prior post, and I apologize for lacking the discipline on a public forum to avoid this kind of personal attack.
You wrote:
Like Neil Armstrong, Oedipus overlooks the distinction between “man” and “this man.”
Yeah sure Oedipus overlooks the distinction. He too busy groping around BLIND!!!! HE POKED HIS OWN EYES OUT BECAUSE HE HATED THIS MAN WHO OWNED THEM AND THIS MAN WAS HIM!!!
So, now someone has to re-read this paper minus its universal/particular glue that just doesn’t hold. Tinsley, you can’t establish this matter simply by perverting the intent behind the words of better men than you.
Last, and it should have been first. Here’s how to establish Plato’s relevance to Libertarianism.
Who is the doctor? What does he do? How do we know he’s good at what he does? When several doctors are in a room, what can be said about what the best of them might say? Who can evaluate his or her words? Any Libertariarnism strives for the revelevance of personal knowledge. Else, it lacks underpinning for its own economic agenda. If people can’t differentiate knowledge wise, how can a market do this form them? If the market can’t perform this function, what is Liberarianism?
Sir, don’t you ever bad mouth Plato, Sophocles, or Niel Armstrong again.
Oops…, there is a typo. ‘Form’ should be ‘for’ in the above paragraph,
If people can’t differentiate knowledge wise, how can a market do ‘this for’ them?
– as opposed to …
If people can’t differentiate knowledge wise, how can a market to ‘this form’ them?
– as opposed to …
If people can’t differentiate knowledge wise, how can a market do ‘this form’ them?
Some of what Not A Fan said was true. Overall, his diatribes detracted from criticism he put forth.
He is thus rather sorry for that, and hopes the forum moderator deletes the more egregious posts.
Remember always:
One should practice moderation and discipline in the use of the SOCIAL communications media. “