Heraclitus was the ancient Greek philosopher who challenged the world through his beliefs in constant change, unity of ...

IDEAS Does American democracy need more religion? Faith is more than a private matter. It might be important for our republic too. By Christine Mehta Globe Staff,Updated March 13, 2025, 3:00 a.m.

Plato was born between 429 B.C. and 423 B.C. The Parthenon stood over the city, but Athens’s golden age was over. As much as a third of Athens’s population died in the plague of 430-426.

Plato’s well known skepticism of democracy seems the result of his fear of what happens when you put things to a vote. That’s how Socrates died — voted into a death sentence when his case was ...

THE Republic, the best-known work of ancient Greek philosopher Plato, authored around 375BC, has shaped Western political thought. Greece is now known as the “cradle of democracy”. Not only was the ...

The Republic, the best-known work of ancient Greek philosopher Plato, authored around 375 BC, has shaped western political thought. Greece is now known as the "cradle of democracy".

Yet Plato's The Republic relentlessly argues against democracy. This might be surprising, given that westerners typically think that it is very important to live in a democracy.

The Republic, the best-known work of ancient Greek philosopher Plato, authored around 375BC, has shaped western political thought. Greece is now known as the “cradle of democracy”. Not only was the ...

He worried that citizens in a democracy would enjoy, quote, “too much of the unmixed wine of freedom.” And he imagined the typical citizen living life by their own whims, saying: “Sometimes ...

He observed that “Democracy is a charming form of government [you can almost hear the air quotes around “charming”], full of variety and disorder.” Variety and disorder.

He observed that “Democracy is a charming form of government [you can almost hear the air quotes around “charming”], full of variety and disorder.” Variety and disorder.