Tiere und Tiermetaphorik in Platons politischer Anthropologie
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Dagmar Kiesel
Abstract
Animals and animal metaphors in Plato’s political anthropology. Many references to animals in Plato’s political philosophy are conceptually grounded in his anthropology. This is justified by the recognition that “man also belongs to the animals” (Gorg. 516b). At the same time, the categorization of man within the animal world is complemented by a reference to man’s kinship with the divine, manifested in the soul. As I aim to demonstrate, this dual nature of man - encompassing the potential to descend into the animal realm as well as ascend to the divine - underlies central Platonic references to animals in the Republic, the Statesman, and the Laws. Particularly relevant here is the image of the ruler who, through insight and virtue, has assimilated to the divine and can therefore be regarded as the legitimate guardian of the human herd. Furthermore, this article argues that in the Laws, state law is presented as the embodiment of the divine will, and its fulfilment as the means of achieving homoiôsis theô for nearly all citizens.
Abstract
Animals and animal metaphors in Plato’s political anthropology. Many references to animals in Plato’s political philosophy are conceptually grounded in his anthropology. This is justified by the recognition that “man also belongs to the animals” (Gorg. 516b). At the same time, the categorization of man within the animal world is complemented by a reference to man’s kinship with the divine, manifested in the soul. As I aim to demonstrate, this dual nature of man - encompassing the potential to descend into the animal realm as well as ascend to the divine - underlies central Platonic references to animals in the Republic, the Statesman, and the Laws. Particularly relevant here is the image of the ruler who, through insight and virtue, has assimilated to the divine and can therefore be regarded as the legitimate guardian of the human herd. Furthermore, this article argues that in the Laws, state law is presented as the embodiment of the divine will, and its fulfilment as the means of achieving homoiôsis theô for nearly all citizens.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Inhalt V
- Einleitung 1
- Erste Zugänge, Themen und Wirkungen. Politische Anthropologie in der Vorsokratik 21
- „Der Mensch – eine Welt im Kleinen“. Zur politischen Anthropologie Demokrits 41
- Human weakness and human sociability in Plato’s Protagoras and the Cynics 77
- Tiere und Tiermetaphorik in Platons politischer Anthropologie 97
- Aristoteles über die anthropologischen Grundlagen der polis 121
- Naturalistische politische Anthropologie und Naturrecht bei Aristoteles 143
- Mensch, Staat, Kosmos. Zur politischen Anthropologie in der Stoa 161
- The kind enslaver and Seneca’s failure to conceive of an ideal at the heart of his philosophy 177
- Ciceros politische Anthropologie und ihre normativen Implikationen. Der Vorrang der Gemeinschaft vor dem Individuum 203
- Augustinus über Heilsgeschichte und irdisches Staatswesen. Anthropologische Grundlagen 229
- Menschliche Natur und gutes Leben. Martha Nussbaums neoaristotelische politische Anthropologie 253
- Verzeichnis der Beitragenden 271
- Index Locorum 273
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Inhalt V
- Einleitung 1
- Erste Zugänge, Themen und Wirkungen. Politische Anthropologie in der Vorsokratik 21
- „Der Mensch – eine Welt im Kleinen“. Zur politischen Anthropologie Demokrits 41
- Human weakness and human sociability in Plato’s Protagoras and the Cynics 77
- Tiere und Tiermetaphorik in Platons politischer Anthropologie 97
- Aristoteles über die anthropologischen Grundlagen der polis 121
- Naturalistische politische Anthropologie und Naturrecht bei Aristoteles 143
- Mensch, Staat, Kosmos. Zur politischen Anthropologie in der Stoa 161
- The kind enslaver and Seneca’s failure to conceive of an ideal at the heart of his philosophy 177
- Ciceros politische Anthropologie und ihre normativen Implikationen. Der Vorrang der Gemeinschaft vor dem Individuum 203
- Augustinus über Heilsgeschichte und irdisches Staatswesen. Anthropologische Grundlagen 229
- Menschliche Natur und gutes Leben. Martha Nussbaums neoaristotelische politische Anthropologie 253
- Verzeichnis der Beitragenden 271
- Index Locorum 273
