Description
Book SynopsisHow can citizens be persuaded to voluntarily obey good laws? Randall Baldwin Clark addresses this question by looking at one of the oldest works ever to pose it: Plato''s Laws. The Law Most Beautiful and Best explores one of the most striking metaphors in the Laws: the suggestion that the gentle and persuasive bedside manner that characterizes rational medicine should serve as the model for political persuasion. Clark''s careful reading of the Laws challenges traditional interpretations of this metaphor, emphasizing instead the way the dialogue subtly reasserts the efficacy of the magical arts. Just as the Athenian stranger treats his patients with a combination of rational and irrational therapies, so too must the philosophical readershould he wish to preserve his city''s healthbe willing to avail himself of both the gentle persuasion of reasoned discourse and the enchanting coercion of irrational rhetoric. Both a close examination of the Laws and a thoughtful approach to an ageless political dilemma, The Law Most Beautiful and Best is essential reading for scholars interested in jurisprudence, classics, rhetoric, and political science.
Trade ReviewRandall Clark's wonderful analysis of the Laws illuminates the perennial tensions between statesmanship and the rule of law by exploring Plato's emphasis on the need—more important today than ever before—to link the arts of medicine and politics by balancing science, prudence, and persuasion. His exegesis has much to offer even to political theorists not familiar with Plato. -- Roger Masters, Dartmouth College
How can statesmen influence citizens to take necessary but bitter medicine? With an impressive understanding of the variety of ancient Greek medical practices, Clark engages and provokes the reader with his account of the Platonic use of medical imagery to explore the power and limits of rationality in political life. -- Christopher Kelly, Boston College
Clark bringing to bear the eye of an experienced lawyer offers refreshing insight and clarity to our understanding of the Laws. At the same time, he is well informed and rigorous in his scholarship, especially his knowledge of medical lore. This stimulating book would make valuable reading in an advanced course in political philosophy. It is highly recommended. * The Classical Outlook *
The Law Most Beautiful and Best makes a distinctive contribution to the literature on Platonic political philosophy..." * Law and Politics Book Review *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Philosophy and the Rule of Law Chapter 2 Magic Chapter 3 Medicine Chapter 4 Geriatrics Chapter 5 Pediatrics Chapter 6 Plato's Grimoire Chapter 7 Eat, Drink, Man, Woman Chapter 8 The Law Most Beautiful and Best
