The History of Philosophy|S01E72-Criticism-4

Criticism-4

In short, Plato must have felt that in propounding his plan he was not making an impossible advance on realities which his eyes had seen. 

Yet critics from Aristotle's day to ours have found in the Republic many an opening for objection and doubt. 

"These things and many others," says the Stagirite, with cynical brevity, "have been invented several times over in the course of ages." 

It is very pretty to plan a society in which all men will be brothers; 

but to extend such a term to all our male contemporaries is to water out of it all warmth and significance. 

So with common property: 

it would mean a dilution of responsibility; 

when everything belongs to everybody nobody will take care of anything. 

And finally, argues the great conservative, communism would fling people into an intolerable continuity of contact; 

it would leave no room for privacy or individuality; 

and it would presume such virtues of patience and coöperation as only a saintly minority possess. 

[ 00’35” ] propound (proposal，提出；提议) 

[ 02’47” ] Stagirite (斯塔吉拉人，即古马其顿人，macedonians，此处指亚里士多德。) 

[ 03’46” ] It is very pretty to do... (英语驳论文经典让步结构) 

[ 04’46” ] water (稀释) 

[ 06’01” ] dilution (稀释) 

[ 07’20” ] fling... into (将……抛弃于) 

[ 07’52” ] conservative (保守派) 

[ 08’33” ] as only (只有)