The Republic

Why should we read the Republic? I image lots of students asked this question to me when they're given it as a set book at the beginning of their university course, but in fact there are many good reasons to read the Republic. And first one I would pick on is just that it is immensely readable. It's not Plato did not write philosophy like a dry text book. He wrote it like a living conversation. The whole of the Republic which is fairly fat book is a living conversation written in short almost soundbite type answers, but nevertheless, developing some very important ideas so my first answer then we should read the Republic just because it is readable. It is readable it was written by a genius and it's worth reading. It's easy to read. It's not difficult. But then there's also obviously the thoughts, the content of the book and he's asking this absolutely fundamental question why should we bother to be good, what's in it for us effectively. It seems when we look at the world, it looks as though injustice pays. It looks as though crime pays or as the good people get trodden down. So, Plato addresses this absolutely fundamental question why should we be good. I'm not going to tell you his answer. Read the book.