The myth of Er at the end of Plato’s Republic is usually conceived as an eschatological one set in a philosophical context.It thus reveals the relationship between philomythos and phylosophos,and the interaction betw...The myth of Er at the end of Plato’s Republic is usually conceived as an eschatological one set in a philosophical context.It thus reveals the relationship between philomythos and phylosophos,and the interaction between myth and philosophy in a creative manner.Engaging and thought-provocating as it is,it is deployed to stir much reflection on the possible aspects of the human soul in terms of justice and injustice.In addition,it well demonstrates how Plato applies it as one of many typical cases to his post-philosophical discourse and speculative formulation with dramatic effect,mystical import and aesthetic pleasure.Teleologically,the story itself could be treated as a psycho-paideia mythos in principle.It is intended to help cultivate and save the soul through such three ways as the heavenly,the underground,and the philosophical.All this is assumed to feature a kind of poetic wisdom characteristic of Plato’s poetic philosophy as is exemplified in his dialogues.This poetic wisdom lies in such realms as philosophical rewriting of myths,organic contextuality,divine law in a moralized cosmos,symbolic expression of the oneness between absolute necessity and destiny,imaginative participation via mythical experience,and even bricolage intellectue working at cross-levels.展开更多
文摘The myth of Er at the end of Plato’s Republic is usually conceived as an eschatological one set in a philosophical context.It thus reveals the relationship between philomythos and phylosophos,and the interaction between myth and philosophy in a creative manner.Engaging and thought-provocating as it is,it is deployed to stir much reflection on the possible aspects of the human soul in terms of justice and injustice.In addition,it well demonstrates how Plato applies it as one of many typical cases to his post-philosophical discourse and speculative formulation with dramatic effect,mystical import and aesthetic pleasure.Teleologically,the story itself could be treated as a psycho-paideia mythos in principle.It is intended to help cultivate and save the soul through such three ways as the heavenly,the underground,and the philosophical.All this is assumed to feature a kind of poetic wisdom characteristic of Plato’s poetic philosophy as is exemplified in his dialogues.This poetic wisdom lies in such realms as philosophical rewriting of myths,organic contextuality,divine law in a moralized cosmos,symbolic expression of the oneness between absolute necessity and destiny,imaginative participation via mythical experience,and even bricolage intellectue working at cross-levels.
