Science and Politics in the Ancient World

Abstract

IN Plato's City-State, the ruler or-lawgivers were held to be justified in inventing or approving useful or pious lies if the best minds were convinced that the community was incapable of understanding the truth. The State had to decide what was good for the people to know and accept, whether relating to governmental legislation or religious beliefs. The right appreciation of truth was regarded as the prerogative of a select few and, as popular intelligence was not prepared for enlightenment, it was inexpedient to teach the masses anything which would disturb either their social complacency or superstitions. Socrates himself, to whom many of the political principles represented in Plato's “Republic” can be ascribed, was condemned to die because howould not cease to “corrupt the young” by his teaching; and Galileo might have saved himself from imprisonment by ceasing to disturb the traditional teaching of the Church as to the stability of the earth in the centre of the universe.

Science and Politics in the Ancient World

By Prof. Benjamin Farrington. Pp. 244. (London: George Allen and Unwin, Ltd., 1939.) 10s. 6d. net.