'Training the soul in excellence' : musical theory and practice in Plato's dialogues, between ethics and aesthetics
This thesis offers a technically informed examination of Plato's pervasive, though not innocent, use of musical theory, practice and musical concepts more generally within the ambitious ethical project outlined in many of his dialogues: fostering the âexcellence' of the soul. Starting from Republic 3, Chapter 1 will focus specifically on music stricto sensu in order to assess Plato's interpretation of the basic âbuilding blocks' of musical performances, creating a core repertoire of musical concepts that will prepare the way to analyse Plato's use of musical terms or categories in areas that, at first sight, do not appear to be immediately connected to this art, such as politics, ethics and psychology. Chapter 2 examines a selection of passages from Laws 2 concerning the concept of musical beauty and its role in ethical education, demonstrating how Plato's definition is far from being moralistic and, instead, pays close attention to the technical performative aspects of dramatic musical representations. Chapter 3 looks first at the harmonic characterisation of the two central virtues of the ideal city, sophrosyne and dikaiosyne, showing how their musical depictions are not purely metaphoric: on the contrary,
Lynch, Tosca
Plato ; Ancient Greek music ; Ethos and music ; Ancient aesthetics ; Plato and education ; Mimesis ; B395.L8 ; Plato|xCriticism and interpretation ; Music and philosophy--History--To 1500 ; Music theory--History--To 500 ; Music ; Greek and Roman ; Music--Moral and ethical aspects ; Aesthetics ; Ancient ; Education ; Greek
'Training the soul in excellence' : musical theory and practice in Plato's dialogues, between ethics and aesthetics. This thesis offers a technically informed examination of Plato's pervasive, though not innocent, use of musical theory, practice and musical concepts more generally within the ambitious ethical project outlined in many of his dialogues: fostering the âexcellence' of the soul. Starting from Republic 3, Chapter 1 will focus specifically on music stricto sensu in order to assess Plato's interpretation of the basic âbuilding blocks' of musical performances, creating a core repertoire of musical concepts that will prepare the way to analyse Plato's use of musical terms or categories in areas that, at first sight, do not appear to be immediately connected to this art, such as politics, ethics and psychology. Chapter 2 examines a selection of passages from Laws 2 concerning the concept of musical beauty and its role in ethical education, demonstrating how Plato's definition is far from being moralistic and, instead, pays close attention to the technical performative aspects of dramatic musical representations. Chapter 3 looks first at the harmonic characterisation of the two central virtues of the ideal city, sophrosyne and dikaiosyne, showing how their musical depictions are not purely metaphoric: on the contrary,
training soul musical theory_practice plato_dialogue ethic aesthetic offer technically inform examination plato pervasive though innocent use musical theory_practice musical concept generally within ambitious ethical project outline many dialogue foster soul starting republic focus_specifically music order_ass plato interpretation basic building block musical performance create core repertoire musical concept prepare way analyse plato use musical term category area first sight appear immediately connected art politics ethic psychology examines selection passages laws concern concept musical beauty role ethical education demonstrate plato definition far moralistic instead pay_close attention technical performative aspect dramatic musical representation look first characterisation central virtue ideal city show musical depiction purely metaphoric contrary