Perceiving Plato's Concern

This book mainly delves into the practical moral poetics in Plato's late masterpiece, the Laws, and applies a comparative approach to Plato's philosophizing and the Chinese way of thinking in the domains of art-making, cultivating a good life, and music-poetry education. Plato's main concern is psychic and correct education as the foundation of character building, coupled with the development of ideal guardians or perfect citizens. Such education requires a suitable use of allegories, myths, and poems, because it involves not only youngsters but also non-philosophers. Saturated with poetic wisdom, it enhances philosophical learning and human becoming in effect and sheds light on how to live a worthwhile life in praxis. What is discussed herein will interest students and scholars of ancient Greek philosophy, classical studies, art theory, Chinese thought and poetry education, among others.