愛若思與城邦：柏拉圖政治哲學中被忽略的觀點

Abstract

本文志在點明長久以來對柏拉圖政治哲學的研究都偏重在《國家篇》、以及《政治家篇》、《法篇》，但是透過《會飲篇》柏拉圖描繪了愛若思對美善的追求亦是不可取代的途徑。柏拉圖是將政治哲學建立在全盤哲學體系上的政治哲學家，其哲學包含了兩種工具，即理性邏輯與對美與良善的追求的熱情，對真理的追求必須透過理性的哲學與思辯來達成、對美與良善的追求則要透過愛若思來達成。因此要完整了解柏拉圖的政治哲學就不能忽略《會飲篇》，其中描述的愛若思可以幫助人透過對美善的追求本能，從對美的形體的渴望昇華至愛好美德、愛好法律、愛好法律與所屬的政體，到最終學習欣賞美的理型，因此每一個人因其愛若思的本性，透過後天教育的培養，將能夠從普通人變成愛城邦的好公民。

The central purpose of this thesis is to point out that previous studies of Plato’s political philosophy have mainly emphasized themes from the Republic, Statesman and Laws, tending to neglect a less studied theme in the Symposium: the irreplaceable role of eros in the pursuit of beauty and goodness. Plato bases his political philosophy on his overall philosophical scheme, which includes reason and eros as the ways to approach happiness. Logical reason achieves truth and eros achieves beauty and goodness. Therefore, in order to comprehend the entirety of Plato’s political philosophy, one simply cannot overlook his themes in the Symposium. Eros is the human instinct to pursue, its ultimate goals being beauty and goodness. It starts from longing the beauty of the body and then evolves into the admiration of virtues, laws, and political regime. Eventually, the longing and admiration of beauty transcends into the knowledge of beauty. Consequently, through a proper education of one’s instinct of eros, people may be reformed from ordinary individuals into better citizens who love their polis.