The Prudence of Prudent Socratic: Idealism in Plato’s Republic
A Research Abstract by Saeed Zarrouk
As a student working with Pioneer*, I conducted research on the political philosophy of Plato’s Republic and authored “The Prudence of a Prudent Socratic: Idealism in Plato’s Republic.” The article specifically examined how, “through the use of Nietzsche as a philosophical foil, Plato is — to put in an eloquent and figurative manner — an idealist in his argument but never in his soul.” I collaborated with Prof. Laurence Cooper, Professor of Political Science at Carleton College, who is the author of Rousseau, Nature, and the Problem of the Good Life (1999) and Eros in Plato, Rousseau, and Nietzsche: The Politics of Infinity (2008), all of which I ended up reading and incorporating in my research.
Overall, understanding the political component of philosophy aids me in my leadership journey because it allows me to understand the theoretical component of politics. By drawing on this socio-economic philosophical thought, I hope to one day return to Tunisia as a policymaker and implement reforms that will enable others to have the same opportunities that I have had by ensuring a strong economy, national security, and a just society — as Plato would call it.
Please click here to read Saeed’s full research paper.
*The Pioneer Research Program is a program in which high school students conduct academic research under the supervision of a recognised university professor. Click here to find out more about the Pioneer Research Program.
“I have a passion for learning about and teaching philosophy. I feel like it’s the best way to examine your life and your surroundings and for that reason I decided, why not share this with the people I love? This work is meaningful to me because it represents hundreds of hours of reading, critically thinking about, and wrestling with some of the most complex ideas that have haunted humankind for thousands of years.”
Saeed Zarrouk is a Tunisian student at the African Leadership Academy. He has a strong interests in law, politics, philosophy, international relations, and macroeconomics and as a result currently holds the position of Chairman of the Student Government at ALA. He hopes to enter Tunisian politics and one day build a more progressive, transparent, and efficient Tunisia. Email Saeed at saeedmzarrouk@gmail.com.
