Plato's Republic

By: The Great Courses, David Roochnik

Narrated by: Professor David Roochnik Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University

More than 2,000 years later, Plato's Republic remains astonishingly relevant to our everyday lives. It poses one question after another that might well have been drawn from the headlines and debates of our nation's recent history: What sort of person should rule the state? Are all citizens equal before the law? Should everyone have equal access to health care? Plato's greater inquiry, however, was into the question of defining justice itself and the reasons why a person would choose a life aligned with that virtue.

These 24 remarkable lectures lead you through the brilliant dialogue Plato crafted both to define and examine the issues with which political philosophy still grapples.

Chapter by chapter, Professor Roochnik introduces you to Plato's literary recasting of his own great teacher, Socrates, and the dialogue through which Socrates and the Republic's other characters create the hypothetical ideal city. It is by dissecting life in this presumably just city - the "Republic" of Plato's title - that the nature of justice itself can be examined.

Many of Plato's ideas will startle contemporary readers, who may recognize in them the foreshadowing of some of humankind's darkest moments. Indeed, some have called the Republic the "great-great-grandfather of all totalitarian experiments." You'll wrestle with Plato's controversial vision, and you'll be surprised just how contemporary these arguments sound.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2005 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2005 The Great Courses

One of the best courses I have ever heard!

If you could sum up Plato's Republic in three words, what would they be?

The BEST course

What other book might you compare Plato's Republic to and why?

It's incomparable. It's the basis of political filosophy and one of the BEST books known to men. This course the dr. professor explains in great detail every complex passage in the book, giving light to such difficult subject.

Any additional comments?

I will definitely buy other Great Courses just because of this one. It's one of the best audiobooks I have ever heard, and the professor is so knowledgeable that it's quite impressive how you can understand Plato's Republic so easily. He makes it easy!

Very good and comprehensive

This is an excellent 24 part lecture on the Republic and in 2016 the Republic still resonates as strongly as it did 2500 years ago.
Socrates and his questions still remain unanswered.
Certain "assumptions” made by Prof Roochnik are questionable but nevertheless it doesn’t impede the mood of inquiry he presents.
The lecture leaves you with a sense of the profound spiritual insight of Plato that resonates with all peoples of all faiths who have brought their spiritual understanding to a deeper universal perspective.
This is both a lecture and subject that needs to not only contemplated or meditated on for a long time but like anything worthwhile to be revisited over and over again.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose..not much has changed with the human psyche in 2500 years

Well done

Riveting course that deepened understanding.

Roochnik presentation is powerfully delivered in a well structured and thoughtful manner. As a novice to philosophy it introduced many ideas and perspectives that were novel. The course has instilled a desire to learn more and think harder on many questions that had not thought about before. And i would highly recommend the investment in time to understand this course.

required read for everyone on cliff notes.

this should be in the required reading list for humans! presenter is ok. not great but you won't sleep.

Excellent set of lectures.

Very insightful and informative. They make Plato’s work accessible to those of us who would otherwise remain ignorant of this great philosopher’s arguments about the human condition and social life. I will return to these lectures especially to clarify and better understand current political arguments and activity.

Excellent - Enjoyed the nararator

Where does Plato's Republic rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The best of the 5 that I listened to so far

What other book might you compare Plato's Republic to and why?

I am a novice, can't help you much

What about Professor David Roochnik’s performance did you like?

He was knowlegable yet modest and to the point, objective, not darmatic

Any additional comments?

I have always heard references to The Republic. The actual text is much different than what I expected. I tried reading old texts in the past. It does not work for me. I need the lecture to put it in context, to have the words defined as to what they meant at the time of the writing. This was well done.

Loved it!!!

Where does Plato's Republic rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of my favorite of the " Great Courses " . Dr. Roochnik was a pleasure to listen and made Plato current for the listener! I hated to have the course end. Please, more by this most talented professor!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Loved it, beginning to end!

Enjoyed this!

Good format for examining Plato's Republic. Enjoyed the many insights of Dr Roochnik that add context to my understanding. Easy to listen to and understand.

not a reading, but a great series of lectures

Great for gaining a professional's interpretation of a complex dialogue. There are so many facets to Plato's republic, most of which may never be understood by the average person with just simply reading. The narrator does a good job of noting when he is giving a personal opinion on meaning as well.

don't read the Republic before you read this!

I was tempted to read an actual translation of the Republic before I read an interpretation of it, but luckily decided to do it the other way around. I am yet to find a Great Courses piece that I did not find tremendously insightful and this one did not disappoint. I would have been (and I guess so would the average non Philosophy professor type reader) totally lost in Plato's Republic had it not been for the interpretation. The best part of Prof. Roochnik's style is how he preempts the reader's biases and interpretation of the various parts of the book, and carefully sets the scene for the reader not to jump to any conclusions too early. He clearly has lived through the Republic with many people many times and has the ability to guide the listener through the book masterfully.

I was totally overwhelmed by Plato - all my expectations were truly exceeded. Another great course of a timeless essential topic. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.