PLATO & POLITICAL LANGUAGE

On the 15-16 April 2026, SCAPh* will organize an international symposium on

PLATO & POLITICAL LANGUAGE

Featuring two keynote lectures, one by Claudia Baracchi (Milano-Bicocca) and another by Albert Joosse (Groningen), the symposium aims to explore the field of political language in Plato. Plato’s critical appraisal of poetry, rhetoric, and sophistry is well-documented, as is his employment of the dialogue form to challenge the social and political relevance of influential intellectuals such as Gorgias, Prodicus, and Protagoras. However, Plato’s own discursive preference, sometimes labeled dialectic, is rarely taken to matter for his political interests. Commonly identified as the antithesis of eristic discourse or discursive competition, Plato’s political commitments to dialectic – characterized by shared deliberation, joint inquiry, and consensual ideals – are still highly contentious. The purpose of this symposium is to explore this topic, discuss the difference between eristic and dialectic discourse, to ask why collaborative deliberation is often favored over competitive, and to reinvigorate Plato’s relevance for questions about public deliberation.

The event is free and open to all, but please send a brief email to [email protected] if you intend to come.

For more, and updated, information please visit https://scaph.se/ppl or send an email to [email protected]

PROGRAM

Wednesday 15th of April

(Venue: F11)

1000-1015 Welcome

1015-1130 Claudia Baracchi (Milano-Bicocca): “Plato’s Republic: The Melancholy of Politics”

1130-1230 Oda Tvedt (NTNU): “Power and Persuasion in Democratic Rhetoric”

1230-1330 Lunch

1400-1500 Oscar Jablon (Uppsala): “Reasoning by Likeness: Plato’s Use of Analogy in Gorgias”

1510-1610 Hans Ruin (Södertörn): “The Vital Measure: on Plato’s Heraclitism”

Thursday 16th of April

(Venue: PA238 before lunch & PA239 after)

1000-1115 Albert Joosse (Groningen): “Deliberation and Philosophy in Socratic Dialogues”

1120-1220 Olof Pettersson (Uppsala / Södertörn): “Instrumentalization and Competition in Plato’s Gorgias”

1230-1330 Lunch

1330-1430 Kristian Larsen (NTNU): “Nature, the Value of Inquiry, and Politics in Plato’s Statesman”

1430-1530 Pauliina Remes (Uppsala): “Plato’s Crito on Joint Commitment”

1530-1630 Charlotta Weigelt (Södertörn): “Socrates as a Doctor: The Rhetoric of Craft Analogies in the Gorgias”

*ABOUT SCAPh

SCAPh, or Södertörn Center for Ancient Philosophy, is a new research center in Stockholm with the ambition to bring together researchers and students from around to the world specializing in ancient Greek philosophy. Its purpose is to promote scholarship, foster collaboration, exchange ideas, and explore innovative applications of ancient wisdom to address contemporary challenges. The center organizes workshops, conferences, hosts guest lecturers and provides resources for researchers and students with the purpose of building a vibrant and relevant community. Read more about the center at https://scaph.se

SCAPh