O saber do outro

Abstract

This Master´s thesis aims at mitigating Plato´s criticism of poetry and sophistry in Republic I-II, both being recognized as educational powers and great holders of values and ethical teachings in Greek society, in order to show that the philosopher, despite his criticisms to these wisdoms, considered by him as incapable of promoting justice within the city, uses them to build his own philosophical discourse on this virtue. Thus we intend to show that platonic philosophy cannot be seen as something absolute and set out of time, away from the city, as it has been seen in western imagination. Rather on the contrary, we believe that culture is the very source of philosophical knowledge, platonic philosophy being a fruit of a deep dialogue between the philosopher and his tradition.