Fear of diversity : the birth of political science in ancient Greek thought

This wide-ranging book locates the origin of political science in the everyday world of ancient Greek life, thought, and culture. Arlene Saxonhouse contends that the Greeks, confronted by the puzzling diversity of the physical world, sought a force that would unify, constrain, and explain it. This drive toward unity did more than value the mind over the senses: it led the Greeks to play down the very real complexities--particularly regarding women, the family, and sexuality--in both their political and personal lives. Saxonhouse opens up fresh understandings of such issues as the Greeks' fear of the feminine and their attempts to ignore the demands that gender, reproduction, and the family inevitably make on the individual. Front cover......Page 1 Title page......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Dedication......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 11 1. A Tragicomic Prelude: Aristophanes' Ecclesiazusae......Page 13 Women and Men......Page 16 Public and Private......Page 21 The Ugly and the Beautiful......Page 27 Part One: The Fear of Diversity......Page 32 2. The Pre-Socratic Challenge......Page 34 Thales and Anaximander......Page 35 Heraclitus: The Philosopher Who Laughed......Page 39 The Truth According to Parmenides......Page 49 Conclusion......Page 58 3. Women and the Tragic Denial of Difference: Three Versions......Page 61 Aeschylus's Seven against Thebes......Page 65 Sophocles' Antigone ......Page 74 Euripides' Ion......Page 87 Part Two: Plato and the Ambiguous Pursuit of Unity......Page 101 The Education of Euthyphro......Page 102 Meletus and the City's Defence of Unity......Page 110 The Laws Speak......Page 116 5. Autochthony and Unity in the Menexenus and Statesman......Page 120 Aspasia: The Birth of a City and the Death of Its Citizens......Page 122 The Statesman: A Retelling of Parmenides' Voyage......Page 131 Conclusion......Page 139 6. Callipolis: Socrates' Escape from Tragedy......Page 141 Poetry......Page 142 Narration......Page 150 The Politics of "What Is"......Page 154 Female into Male......Page 156 Family into City......Page 160 Conclusion......Page 166 7. Plato's Symposium: A Reassessment of Callipolis......Page 167 Aristophanes' Speech and the Net of Hephaestus......Page 169 Socrater Speech and the Unity of Male and Female......Page 182 Alcibiades' Speech: Marsyas the Sirens and the Allure of Socrates......Page 188 Part Three: Aristotle: Diversity and the Birth of Political Science......Page 194 8. The Challenge of the Family......Page 197 Book 1: The Family Is Not an Individual ......Page 199 Book 2: The City Is Not a Family......Page 203 Other Misguided Dreams of the Unified Polity......Page 216 9. The Study of Politics: Unity Out of Diversity......Page 220 The Unity of Parts......Page 223 The River and the Chorus......Page 226 The Ship......Page 227 The Potluck Dinner......Page 230 The Limits of Unity......Page 233 Epilogue......Page 241 Bibliography......Page 245 Index......Page 254 This wide-ranging and provocative book locates the origin of political science in the everyday world of ancient Greek life, thought, and culture. Arlene Saxonhouse contends that the Greeks, confronted by the puzzling diversity of the physical world, sought an unseen and unifying force that would constrain and explain it. This drive toward unity did more than place the mind over the senses: it led the Greeks to play down the very real differences - in particular the female, the family, and sexuality - in both their political and personal lives. While the dramatists and Plato captured the tragic consequences of trying to do so, it was not until Aristotle and his Politics did the Greek world - and its heirs - have a true science of politics, one capable of embracing diversity and accommodating conflict. Much of the book's force derives from Saxonhouse's masterful interweaving of Greek philosophy and drama, her juxtaposition of the thought of the pre-Socratics, Plato, and other philosophers to the cultural life revealed by such dramatists as Aristophanes and Aeschylus. Her approach opens up fresh understandings of such issues as the Greeks' fear of the feminine and their attempts to ignore the demands that gender, reproduction, and the family inevitably make on the individual and the family. The Fear of Diversity represents an important contribution to political philosophy, classics, and gender studies

this Wide-ranging Book Locates The Origin Of Political Science In The Everyday World Of Ancient Greek Life, Thought, And Culture. Arlene Saxonhouse Contends That The Greeks, Confronted By The Puzzling Diversity Of The Physical World, Sought A Force That Would Unify, Constrain, And Explain It. This Drive Toward Unity Did More Than Value The Mind Over The Senses: It Led The Greeks To Play Down The Very Real Complexities—particularly Regarding Women, The Family, And Sexuality—in Both Their Political And Personal Lives.

saxonhouse Opens Up Fresh Understandings Of Such Issues As The Greeks' Fear Of The Feminine And Their Attempts To Ignore The Demands That Gender, Reproduction, And The Family Inevitably Make On The Individual.

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saxonhouse (political Science, U. Of Michigan) Explains The Highly Touted Political Thought Of The Classical Greeks As A Reaction To Fear Of The Disconcerting Diversity Observed In The Physical And Social World, Particularly In The Female, The Family, And Sexuality. Interweaves The Philosophy And Drama From The Pre- Socratics To Aristotle. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com)