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The Greeks and the Rational

The Discovery of Practical Reason
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Greeks and the Rational by Josiah Ober explores how ancient Greeks developed a new way of rational thinking that influenced both their political structures and philosophical ideas. The book delves into the intersections of rationality, democracy, and cultural innovation, highlighting how these aspects contributed to the success and resilience of Greek civilisations. It provides insight into how the Greeks' approach to rationality affected their society and is still relevant in today's contexts of governance and intellectual discourse.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by ancient Greek history and are interested in understanding how rational thinking influenced the development of their society and politics. The author delves into the innovative ways the Greeks approached decision-making and governance, offering insights that continue to resonate today.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This revisionist history traces an influential theory of practical reason from its origins in ancient Greece to its modern and contemporary permutations.

The Greek discovery of practical reason, as the skilled performance of strategic thinking in public and private affairs, was an intellectual breakthrough that remains both a feature and a bug of our modern world. Countering arguments that rational choice-making is a contingent product of modernity, The Greeks and the Rational traces the long history of theorizing rationality back to ancient Greece.

In this book, Josiah Ober explores how ancient Greek sophists, historians, and philosophers developed sophisticated and systematic ideas about practical reason. At the same time, they recognized its limitsβ€”that not every decision can be reduced to mechanistic calculations of optimal outcomes. We see contemporary echoes of this tradition in the application of game theory to political science, economics, and business management. The Greeks and the Rational offers a striking revisionist history with widespread implications for the study of ancient Greek civilization, the history of thought, and human rationality itself.

Series: Sather Classical Lectures

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  • The Greeks and the Rational
    This revisionist history traces an influential theory of practical reason from its origins in ancient Greece to its modern and contemporary permutations. The Greek discovery of practical reason, as the skilled performance of strategic thinking in public and private affairs, was an intellectual breakthrough that remains both a feature and a bug of our modern world. Countering arguments that rational...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Josiah Ober's The Greeks and the Rational has been acclaimed for its comprehensive scope and cohesion, making it an essential read for those interested in Greek concepts of practical reason and its modern applications. It is noted for its influential contribution to the study of ancient Greek political practice, serving as a valuable resource for classics scholars, historians, and philosophers. Readers from diverse fields, including political and social sciences, particularly those engaged with game theory and rationality, will find it both intriguing and educational.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520380165

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 29 November 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Illustration: 26 illustrations, 5 tables

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 36.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 771g

Pages: 488

About the Author

Josiah Ober is Mitsotakis Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University and Senior Fellow (Courtesy) at the Hoover Institution. He is author or editor of eighteen books, including The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece and Demopolis: Democracy before Liberalism in Theory and Practice.

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