Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 10:29:42 +0000
Subject: As usual


Was Plato a fascist?

For many reasons,  I genuinuely do not know; just two of those reasons
are that I don't know what a fascism is, nor whether Plato's vision in
theRepublik of the tripartite State would qualify as such.
However, let's suppose his vision is fascistic.
In P's case, there is an immediate (almost deductive) relation between
his analysis of the kind of creature that we are, namely, his tripartite
view of the Soul, and his tripartite view of the State.
P's metaphysics can be 'blamed' for his fascism.

Is the same true of H? Is there such an immediate relation between his
Dasein-construal of the kind of creature that we are and his membership
to NS -- this membership interpreted as H's confirmation that NS is
political arrangement proper for creatures like ourselves? (I would
prefer to ignore the so-called 'argment' of Farias).

Where is the argument for this? Or are these 'allegations' about the
relation merely cases of the informal fallacy of 'guilt by association'?

Could the 'relation', if you will, have been more in tune with that
between Hume's skeptical doubts (entertained inside the study) and his
enjoyment of Backgammon (entertained outside his study).

On the other hand, perhaps, these questions are wildly naive, romantic,
idealistic, ....?
jim

PS. Jan, thanks much for the post. I'm reading it now and will get back to you. 


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