Necessity and Philosophy in Plato’s Republic

Necessity and Philosophy in Plato’s Republic offers an interpretation of the concept of necessity in what is perhaps Plato’s most read dialogue. The word ＂necessity＂ (anagkē) appears hundreds of times in the text in many grammatical forms, about as often as the frequently studied term ＂good.＂ Yet, there exists little commentary on the ontological status of necessity. Russell Winslow argues that when the reader analyzes the Republic through the lens of necessity, a novel interpretation emerges. On the one hand, the concept of necessity articulated in the Republic is original, insofar as it includes phenomena not commonly attributed to necessity. Namely, necessity governs not only those motions that do not vary and cannot be otherwise, but also those that wander randomly by erotic desire and by chance. Necessity in the Republic, thus, occasions a rethinking of what this crucial concept might mean for us. On the other hand, interpreting the Republic through the lens of necessity allows a reading of Plato to develop that emphasizes the structures of finitude in human life and the limits of reason. This book argues, therefore, that philosophy remains subtended and limited by necessity in unavoidable ways.

Russell Winslow teaches philosophy at St. John’s College, Santa Fe.