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·
“Plato was not a Platonist! I would like to show in the
following pages that anyone who reads the dialogues of Plato without bias or an
ax to grind will find a humorous, witty, pleasant friend; and not a desiccated
scholarly mandarin. Plato was an open-minded, tolerant, reasonable individual,
not a tight-lipped, pietistic, puritan. In a word, Plato was an Athenian, not a
Spartan!” In the twenty-four centuries
that have passed since the Athenians put Socrates to death, every generation
has interpreted the meaning of Plato’s work differently. Joseph Uemura guides
us through six dialogues in an effort to promote a dialectical quest rather
than seek a final resting place. Plato’s dialogues treat the big questions that
confront any thoughtful person. Eythyphro
explores religion, Phaedo reflects on
mind, Theatetus examines knowledge, Sophist probes being, Phaedrus reflects on art, and the Republic ponders society. All
great literature must be experienced first-hand. Because it is not
self-explanatory, it must be interpreted and evaluated. Professor Uemura’s
reflections serve as a touchstone by which to test every new reading of Plato’s
work.
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· Professor Emeritus at Hamline University, Joseph Uemura has taught philosophy at small liberal arts colleges since he completed his Ph.D. in philosophy at Columbia University. During his career he has held two endowed professorships and transformed the lives of an uncounted number of students. His primary medium is the mind of his students, where he has recorded indelible ideas against which, as Nietzsche said, “time tests its teeth in vain.” Although the crisp and witty prose of many of his essays and talks captures the essence of Plato’s core philosophy, it is the minds of his students where his lasting contribution persists not for the moment but for all time.
