[On the Relation between Language and Plato’s Principle of Oikeiopragia]
It is well known the fact that in the ideal city, as designed by Plato in the dialogue Republic, everything has to function according to the principle of specialization (that of “oikeiopragia”): every person (on account of his/her natural disposition) is good at doing only one thing, is made for only one job, etc. Based on the analogy (highly appreciated by the philosopher) between the city and the individual, it is considered that the parts of the soul have to behave in the same way: to deal with only one aspect. Given the fact that the principle of oikeiopragia acts isomorphically, at all levels, both in the city and in the citizen, the question thus raised is whether oikeiopragia is also determining in the functioning of language itself. Or, on the contrary, one could wonder whether the pattern of language has led to the idea of “oikeiopragia” (which is the basis of Plato’s conception about justice).
Key words:
Plato, language, oikeiopragia, morality, deontology of language
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