Facets of right measure : cognitive images and leadership of minds in Plato's 'Statesman'
This thesis illuminates two underexplored facets of Platoâs notion of right measure in the Statesman: the cognitive role of imagery and the correct leadership of minds for individuals and political communities. The central chapters of this thesis argue that the cognitive function of images is grounded on their well-articulated combination. The first and last chapters serve to frame this study of imagery within the main subject of the dialogue, namely the correct guidance of human minds. This study is thus divided in five chapters that explore the different facets of right measure in different contexts. The first chapter examines the structure of the Statesman as representing a disrupted dialectical process aimed at discovering the right measure of philosophical judgments. The second chapter studies the notions of paradeigmata and eikones as images to be artfully combined in a cohesive, measured whole. The third chapter accounts for the value of mythical paidia as productive of a clash of images that corrects excesses and invites to seek for measured judgments. The fourth chapter examines Platoâs usage of contrasting images of divine steering and cosmic balance to represent an expert communication of inner
Basso, Andrea
Facets of right measure : cognitive images and leadership of minds in Plato's 'Statesman'. This thesis illuminates two underexplored facets of Platoâs notion of right measure in the Statesman: the cognitive role of imagery and the correct leadership of minds for individuals and political communities. The central chapters of this thesis argue that the cognitive function of images is grounded on their well-articulated combination. The first and last chapters serve to frame this study of imagery within the main subject of the dialogue, namely the correct guidance of human minds. This study is thus divided in five chapters that explore the different facets of right measure in different contexts. The first chapter examines the structure of the Statesman as representing a disrupted dialectical process aimed at discovering the right measure of philosophical judgments. The second chapter studies the notions of paradeigmata and eikones as images to be artfully combined in a cohesive, measured whole. The third chapter accounts for the value of mythical paidia as productive of a clash of images that corrects excesses and invites to seek for measured judgments. The fourth chapter examines Platoâs usage of contrasting images of divine steering and cosmic balance to represent an expert communication of inner
right measure cognitive image leadership mind plato statesman illuminates underexplored facet plato notion right measure statesman cognitive role imagery correct leadership mind individual political_community central argue cognitive function image ground well articulated combination first_last serve frame study imagery within main subject dialogue namely correct guidance human_mind study thus divide_five explore different_facet right measure different_context first_examine structure statesman represent dialectical process aim_discover right measure philosophical judgment second study notion image combine cohesive whole third account value mythical productive clash image correct invite seek measure judgment fourth_examines plato usage contrast image divine steer cosmic balance represent expert communication inner