Dubai: On the occasion of the specialist symposium on late thinker Dr. Fouad Zakaria due to take place on September 21 and 22, the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation has reprinted 'The Republic of Plato' by Dr. Fouad Zakaria.
It is part of the foundation's project to reprint books by its award winners with a view to maintaining the bridges of communication between the foundation and authors, and in an effort to replenish the market with these books which have gone out of print.
The Republic of Plato is divided into two main sections and cover topics such as: the study that includes the historic moment to converse with the Republic, Plato's approach to discourse, the topic of a dialogue, political ideas or the doctrine of morality, education and the stages of knowledge, metaphysics, philosophy and art.
The translation section includes 10 books on Plato's reflections on philosophy, wisdom and life.
The author asserts Plato's importance as a philosopher who witnessed the era of the deteriorating city-state - in the words of political thinker, Richard Crossman.
The author highlights the importance of studying this philosopher in the 20th Century. Readings of Plato's work provides endless interpretations because great philosophical discourses such as "The Socratic Dialogue" and "The Republic", in particular, offer a variety of interpretations that have a tendency to accumulate over the centuries with each new generation reading the texts with new eyes; hence the importance of Plato's philosophy for all ages.
The second section which contains the essence of Plato's book overflows with Plato's rich and well known ideas about justice, paying one's dues, the status of women, the philosopher-king, the myth of the cave, the collapse of the ideal state, simulation in poetry and art, and other issues that remain alive in the minds of all humanity at all times.
The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation has previously announced that it will be organising a specialised symposium on late thinker Dr. Fouad Zakaria (1927-2010), a recipient of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural award for Humanities and Future Studies in its 2nd Session (1990-1991).
The symposium will have the participation of a group Emiratis and Arab writers and thinkers, and aim to highlight the work of a leading and prolific figure in contemporary Arab thought. Zakaria represented Arab thought in all its complexities, and his work focused on the concerns of his time and on national affairs. He fought many battles of intellect which greatly impacted contemporary Arab culture.
The programme will cover research and working papers dealing with Fouad Zakaria's thought and philosophy: Fouad Zakaria's biography; Fouad Zakaria the Philosopher; The Concept of History According to Fouad Zakaria; Fouad Zakaria and the Arab Crises; Fouad Zakaria Perspective on Globalism - the Concept and its Boundaries; Fouad Zakaria's Intellectual Battles; The Power of the Mind According to Fouad Zakaria; Observations on Ibn Khaldun's Path; The Dialogue Between Dr. Fouad Zakaria and Islamists.
Profile: Fouad Zakaria
- Born in 1927, Port Said, Egypt. Received BA with distinction in 1949
- Received MA and PhD from the University of Ain Shams in 1952 and 1956 respectively
- Assistant professor at Ain Shams University in 1962; promoted to professor in 1970.
- Editor of Contemporary Thought and The Human Heritage in 1968-1971.
- Headed the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University, 1967-1974
- Teacher at Kuwait University, 1974; headed the Department of Philosophy in 1978.
Most Important Accolades Received:
- Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation Award, 2nd Session in the Humanities and Future Studies category (1990-1991)
- State Incentive Award in Egypt for his book Espinoza (1964)
- Kuwait Foundation Award for the Advancement of Science for best translation: The Wisdom of the West by Bertrand Russell, two volumes (1982).
- Jean MAS Award granted by the French Association
Most prominent works:
- Critical Views on Thought and Culture
- Espinosa
- Nietzsche
- Islamic Awakening in the Mind's Balance
- Truth and Illusion in Contemporary Islamic Movement
- How Old Anger Is
- Arabs and the American Model
- The Major Historical Gamble
- Plato's Republic
