Teleology of Action in Plato''s Republic

This book explores a variety of teleology present in Plato's Republic, in which actions are carried out for the sake of an end that is not the intended goal. Payne draws on examples from Republic to demonstrate that performing some actions can help produce unintended results, which qualify as ends or purposes of human action.

List of contents

• 1: Varieties of Teleology


• 2: The teleology of action in the ascent passage of the Symposium


• 3: Justice, Function, and Partnerships in Republic 1


• 4: The Defense of Justice in Republic 1


• 5: The Division of Goods and the Completion of Justice


• 6: Teleology and the parts of the soul


• 7: The Defense of Justice and the Teleology of Action


• 8: The Form of the Good I: Vision and knowledge in three images


• 9: The form of the Good II: Dianoia in the divided line


• 10: Mathematics for the sake of the good

About the author

Andrew Payne is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Having completed his studies in philosophy at the University of Chicago and at the University of Notre Dame, he specializes in ethics and ancient philosophy. He has also taught at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island.

Summary

This book explores a variety of teleology present in Plato's Republic, in which actions are carried out for the sake of an end that is not the intended goal. Payne draws on examples from Republic to demonstrate that performing some actions can help produce unintended results, which qualify as ends or purposes of human action.

Product details

• Authors: Andrew Payne, Andrew (St Joseph's University Payne, Andrew (St Joseph''s University Payne, Payne Andrew
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.10.2017
• EAN: 9780198799023
• ISBN: 978-0-19-879902-3
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: antiquity to present day; PHILOSOPHY / Epistemology, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500