Papers by Manuel Figueroa Bonilla
Lecture for the conference “Musik und die Ordnung der Welt, 2022
The relationship between music and order is one of the subjects most respected by
western canon ... more The relationship between music and order is one of the subjects most respected by
western canon philosophers of antiquity. While a rich musical culture can be gathered from the available historiography of classical Greece, and such a study is indispensable to an understanding of mousiké and classic philosophy of music, Plato’s treatment of the subject laid new ground in the understanding of mousiké, postulating it as the most vulnerable arena in the polis. If Pythagoras was perhaps the great pioneer of musical philosophy, Plato must be credited with setting it at the foundation of not only education, but politics as well. In Plato's Republic, the most important stage of education is childhood; the vehicles of this education are mousiké for the soul (or mind) and gymnastics for the body. Thus, an understanding of the term mousiké is necessary for a complete picture of Plato’s philosophical range in the Republic. The Greek word mousiké describes that which is in the domain of the muses, arts that encompass music, poetry, song and dance. As E.R. Cummings stated, “In the view of Antiquity, [the muses] belonged not only to poetry but to all higher forms of intellectual life besides”; or as Strabo said, “all educated men are servants of the Muses”. Thus, a musical education for Plato describes a cultural education, where music is central, as will be demonstrated. By recognizing mousike’s role in shaping early psychology, and regarding a psychological approach to politics as the key to an understanding of political philosophy, Plato
brings to light a theory of music with mankind at its center.
La educación musical en los libros II y III de la República de Platón, 2021
El tema de esta tesis es la educación musical en la filosofía de Platón. En la República de Plató... more El tema de esta tesis es la educación musical en la filosofía de Platón. En la República de Platón, la etapa educativa más importante es la niñez; los vehículos de esta educación son la mousiké para el alma (o mente) y la gimnasia para el cuerpo. La palabra griega mousiké describe un conjunto de artes compuesto por la música, la poesía, el canto y el baile. Así mismo, una educación musical para Platón describe una educación cultural. Además, Platón entiende que la conservación política de la ciudad ideal depende de una adecuada práctica musical, y de proteger los modos musicales. Por ende, la educación musical es un tema meridiano en la pedagogía si concedemos que la República es más bien un libro cuyo tema es la educación. Que el elemento fundamental del tema educativo (la mousiké) provoque sorpresa, sea en el lector antiguo o moderno, problematiza el significado del concepto humano de la educación. Que provoque sorpresa puede dejar entrever que una pedagogía que no otorga a las artes (y notablemente, a los modos musicales) importancia suprema, está condenada al fracaso. Igual destino puede esperar a una filosofía o práctica política que ignore su importancia. Es en el contexto de estas inquietudes que surge la pregunta que esta tesis intenta contestar: ¿Por qué considera Platón que la mousiké es central en la polis? La tesis que se defiende es la siguiente: Platón postula que la mousiké es aquello que educa la sociedad porque tiene el efecto de moldear el alma (o la mente). Esto tiene consecuencias políticas, pues la legislación y la justicia, que son las dos artes de la política, dependen del carácter de los individuos que componen la polis.
Conference Presentations by Manuel Figueroa Bonilla
Lecture for the conference “Musik und die Ordnung der Welt”, 2022
The relationship between music and order is one of the subjects most respected by western canon p... more The relationship between music and order is one of the subjects most respected by western canon philosophers of antiquity. Plato’s treatment of the subject laid new ground in understanding mousiké, postulating it as the most vulnerable arena in the polis. Plato must be credited with setting philosophy of music at the foundation of not only education, but politics as well. In Plato's Republic, the most important stage of education is childhood; the vehicles of this education are mousiké for the soul (or mind) and gymnastics for the body. A musical education for Plato describes a cultural education, where music is central. By recognizing mousike’s role in shaping early psychology, and regarding a psychological approach to politics as the key to an understanding of political philosophy, Plato brings to light a theory of music with mankind at its center. Plato argues that the political conservation of the ideal city depends on adequate musical practice and on protecting musical modes. That music being proposed as a fundamental element of educational philosophy may cause surprise problematizes the meaning of the human concept of education. This may suggest that a pedagogy that does not grant the arts (notably, musical modes) upmost importance is doomed to failure. Does the same fate await a political philosophy that ignores its importance? It is in the context of these concerns that the question must be asked: why does Plato consider that mousiké is paramount to order in the polis?
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Papers by Manuel Figueroa Bonilla
western canon philosophers of antiquity. While a rich musical culture can be gathered from the available historiography of classical Greece, and such a study is indispensable to an understanding of mousiké and classic philosophy of music, Plato’s treatment of the subject laid new ground in the understanding of mousiké, postulating it as the most vulnerable arena in the polis. If Pythagoras was perhaps the great pioneer of musical philosophy, Plato must be credited with setting it at the foundation of not only education, but politics as well. In Plato's Republic, the most important stage of education is childhood; the vehicles of this education are mousiké for the soul (or mind) and gymnastics for the body. Thus, an understanding of the term mousiké is necessary for a complete picture of Plato’s philosophical range in the Republic. The Greek word mousiké describes that which is in the domain of the muses, arts that encompass music, poetry, song and dance. As E.R. Cummings stated, “In the view of Antiquity, [the muses] belonged not only to poetry but to all higher forms of intellectual life besides”; or as Strabo said, “all educated men are servants of the Muses”. Thus, a musical education for Plato describes a cultural education, where music is central, as will be demonstrated. By recognizing mousike’s role in shaping early psychology, and regarding a psychological approach to politics as the key to an understanding of political philosophy, Plato
brings to light a theory of music with mankind at its center.
Conference Presentations by Manuel Figueroa Bonilla
western canon philosophers of antiquity. While a rich musical culture can be gathered from the available historiography of classical Greece, and such a study is indispensable to an understanding of mousiké and classic philosophy of music, Plato’s treatment of the subject laid new ground in the understanding of mousiké, postulating it as the most vulnerable arena in the polis. If Pythagoras was perhaps the great pioneer of musical philosophy, Plato must be credited with setting it at the foundation of not only education, but politics as well. In Plato's Republic, the most important stage of education is childhood; the vehicles of this education are mousiké for the soul (or mind) and gymnastics for the body. Thus, an understanding of the term mousiké is necessary for a complete picture of Plato’s philosophical range in the Republic. The Greek word mousiké describes that which is in the domain of the muses, arts that encompass music, poetry, song and dance. As E.R. Cummings stated, “In the view of Antiquity, [the muses] belonged not only to poetry but to all higher forms of intellectual life besides”; or as Strabo said, “all educated men are servants of the Muses”. Thus, a musical education for Plato describes a cultural education, where music is central, as will be demonstrated. By recognizing mousike’s role in shaping early psychology, and regarding a psychological approach to politics as the key to an understanding of political philosophy, Plato
brings to light a theory of music with mankind at its center.