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Machiavelli's Discourses

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  • 14-07-2010 11:11am
    #1
    Mr. K
    Registered Users Posts: 2,485 ✭✭✭


    Most people know about The Prince, but I hear little talk about The Discourses. I'm writing my thesis on Machiavelli, I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on his lesser-known work?


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    #2
    Joe1919
    Registered Users Posts: 1,153 ✭✭✭Joe1919


    One philosopher I have great admiration for is Isaiah Berlin and his views on Pluralism. In terms of moral pluralism, Berlin traces one source of pluralism back to Machiavelli in this essay. Its worth reading.
    http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1971/nov/04/a-special-supplement-the-question-of-machiavelli/


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    #3
    sponsoredwalk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,038 ✭✭✭sponsoredwalk


    Mr. K wrote: »
    Most people know about The Prince, but I hear little talk about The Discourses. I'm writing my thesis on Machiavelli, I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on his lesser-known work?

    I know it's a very important work but I haven't read it yet.

    It is definitely on my list though!

    Here is a lecture on Machiavelli you might appreciate. (Here is the mp3 in full)

    Also, here are two lectures (playlist!) on the Prince that, in the context of political philosophy, are given good analysis.


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    #4
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,241 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    The Discourses was based upon the first ten books of Titus Livy. Although it's been sometime since I read the Discourses, The Prince appears to be a summary of the key findings that were more extensively developed in the Discourses.


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    #5
    Nemi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 334 ✭✭Nemi


    Similarly, its a while since I've read either. My recollection is that his motivation in writing the Prince was to ingratiate himself with the de Medici family, by demonstrating he'd be a useful person to have around. The Discourses, however, were writings that were closer to his own thoughts, as they were not especially written to impress anyone. But both books, being products of the same person, have a similar outlook.


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    #6
    VW 1
    Registered Users Posts: 4,500 ✭✭✭VW 1


    Not directly related to the OP but may interest some of the posters who replied, currently reading a book entitled T'he artist, the philosopher and the warrior: Leonardo, Machiavelli and Borgia: a fateful collusion' which examines time that these three characters spent working/travelling together in the early 1500s, very interesting read and gives an insight into the development of Machiavelli's character through his life as well as Leonardo and Borgia.

    link: http://books.google.ie/books?id=zOKSPQAACAAJ&dq=the%20warrior%20the%20philosopher%20and%20the%20artist&source=gbs_slider_thumb


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