Saturday, March 04, 2023

Republic & Other Dialogues - Plato (~400 BC)

A book written about two and half thousand years ago needs no introduction or explanation. One may feel enchanted to explore the originals. The first chapter is Socrates's speech for his defence, where he justifies his actions and why the city is not correct in considering him a traitor. A few subsequent chapters lead to the actual day of Socrates's death. Symposium is a chapter where learned men of Athens discuss love over a banquet. The last part of the book is devoted to eight chapters of the Republic which is considered the best-known work of Plato and his philosophies on developing the ideal state. The book explains the ideal soldiers, their training, the family and child-raising process, etc. The state should have a philosopher as the ruler. Today, one may find the concepts arcane and the arguments not in line with modern interpretations expected of a book written so long back. The last chapters are on the soul, where the soul moves on after death, etc. 

I will not consider the book a must-read. An avid reader of philosophy may find this fundamental on the topic. 

Surely Youre Joking Mr Feynman: Richard Feynmann (1985)

A maverick!!! That is what you feel when you read the book. A person who does not agree to anything that does not meet his line of work or t...