Hermeneutics, Poetry, and the Irony of Plato

Abstract

Tension arises, however , because Plato is himself a poet, an artisan with words. How can this tension, almost a contradiction, be resolved? In this essay I will take up Socrates ' challenge to construct a philosophical justification for permitt ing poetry, and show how poetry does prove beneficial to human life. 2 This explanation dissolves the apparent tension in the Republic. In order to construct my defense of poetry, I employ the philosophical he rmeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer , and in particular his investigations into the truth of art. Gadamer ' s hermeneutical insights unveil Platonic epis temology and metaphysics, a l lowing us to see Plato not as a writer in conflict with himself, but as a poet ironically crafting his own work of genius. The discussion to follow consists of four sections. The first two sections explore the Greek concepts of mimesis and phronesis, both of which are central in the works of Plato, Aristot le , and Gadamer . The third section examines more closely the relationship between poetry and philosophy, focusing on concepts de -