The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 376: Plato's "Laws" (Part Two)
Sep 29, 2025
Delve into Plato's vision of creating a new state, Magnesia, and the complex laws that govern it. The hosts explore whether laws should persuade or compel obedience, and how philosophical ideas can be made relatable. Discussions on marriage laws reveal interesting insights into natural desires and societal norms. The nocturnal council raises questions about continuous civic engagement, while Plato's critiques of materialism prompt reflections on virtue and divine belief. Can a state's true aim really be the virtue of its citizens?
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Persuasion Plus Compulsion
- Plato's laws require both persuasion and compulsion to guide citizens toward virtue.
- Persuasion aims to cultivate participatory, virtuous citizens rather than mere obedience.
Prelude To Laws Is Philosophical
- Plato embeds philosophical preludes before laws to make citizens accept them morally and psychologically.
- He worries whether such abstract preludes can actually persuade ordinary people.
Marriage Laws Aim At Immortality
- Plato prescribes specific marriage laws to secure the state's continuity and natural desires.
- The hosts question whether Plato supplies genuinely persuasive reasons for those laws.
