The origin of classical political philosophy starts with the ancient dispute between philosophy and poetry. It had two phases: pre-Socratic (ontological, epistemological, and theological) and Platonic (moral and political in the strict sense). The article gives account of this debate and shows that the correct understanding of Platonic political philosophy is connected with the role and place of poetry in the philosophical discourse. The article presents Leo Strauss’s interpretation of the dispute, emphasizing its political meaning included in Book Ten of Plato’s Republic.
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