Source: Marxist Philosophy and Chinese Modernization Research Institute
Written by: Cai Yubing
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On September 15th, Marxist Philosophy and Chinese Modernization Research Institute, and Center for Practical Philosophy of Sun Yat-sen University held the Sixth Practical Philosophy Forum in Xichang Hall on South Campus of SYSU. Professor Thomas Robinson, the famous classical scholar of University of Toronto in Canada, brought a lecture titled “Democracy and the later Plato”. Professor Xu Changfu, director of Center for Practical Philosophy, hosted the lecture. Professor Ma Tianjun, vice director of Department of Philosophy, commented on the lecture. Dr. Jiang Lu was the translator. More than fifty teachers and students participated in the lecture.
In the lecture, through making an elaboration of several models of democracy like the “strongman model”, "live free or die model”, "market model”, "virtue model”, etc., Professor Thomas Robinson discussed the most acceptable and feasible democracy model. Then he compared different opinions that Plato mentioned in the Republic and the Law respectively. Based on the analysis of the situation of democracy that different countries have showed, Professor Robinson made a comprehensive evaluation of Plato's theory of democracy.

This lecture revealed the significance of the Plato’s thoughts in the history of philosophy. Meanwhile, his arguments such as the need for universal education, for accountability for those entrusted with public office, and for remedial rather than vengeance-driven punishment, were full of general practical significance and humanistic ethos.