Cicero's Political Imperative

ISBN-13: 9783639314335 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 164 str.

Walter Roberts

Opis

Ciceros Political Imperative aims to establish the perennial value of Ciceros classic but neglected text. Following the hermeneutical lead of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur, it re-examines Ciceros final and most original philosophical work with an eye toward establishing its potential contribution to contemporary consciousness. It proposes adjustments to be made to our understanding both of Cicero as a philosopher, and of philosophy itself, if On Duties is to be meaningfully read. It traces Ciceros handling of the Stoic notions of natural law and a life lived according to nature to identify him as the forefather of modern Natural Law jurisprudence. It elaborates Ciceros idealistic strictures for complete self-abnegation in service of the public good, and argues that his ethics of vulnerability provides a universal and timeless template for just and compassionate political leadership.

O autorze

Walter M. Roberts III was born in Detroit Michigan in 1959. He earned degrees at Columbia College (B.A. Philosophy and Classical Greek, 1983 summa cum laude), the University of Chicago (M.A. Philosophy, 1990) and UC Berkeley (M.A. Latin, 2000; Ph.D. Classics, 2006). At present he is an assistant professor of Classics at UVM.