Huard, Roger L. 1954-

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Huard, Roger L. 1954-

PERSONAL:

Born February 3, 1954.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Rockford, MI.

CAREER:

Writer and political philosopher.

WRITINGS:

Plato's Political Philosophy: The Cave, Algora Publishing (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Roger L. Huard, born February 3, 1954, is a political philosopher residing in western Michigan. In his 2007 book Plato's Political Philosophy: The Cave, Huard reinterprets the allegory of the cave from Book VI of Plato's foundational treatise The Republic. Huard then uses this interpretation to evaluate contemporary political theory and practice. In the cave myth, the speaker, Socrates, offers a parable detailing the relation and essence of knowledge and the path to understanding through man's reason. Huard employs Plato's text in an effort to address the philosophical spectrum of human society, including its moral structure and judicial principles. Moreover, Huard's alternative reading of the myth of the cave offers insight into many of society's often conflicting elements including the individual and society, art and beauty, freedom, truth, and justice. "My purpose for reading and interpreting Plato," the author states in the first chapter, "is to understand more about the human condition as we experience it right now in the hope, ultimately, that I can share that greater understanding with others."

Just as Huard examines philosophical concepts and their structures, his book is structured into four dialectical sections consisting of an initial analysis of Plato's text followed by a more critical discussion of various interpretations of the allegory. After providing a review of Plato's cave myth, the author examines the world the myth describes. Huard proceeds to deconstruct later Western philosophical and political interpretations of "freedom, equality, truth, and art," which are then reconciled with Huard's understanding of Plato's intended meaning. The Algora Publishing Web site noted that Huard's conclusion ties abstract theory to concrete application as he addresses "the importance of Plato's political philosophy and how it is linked at a fundamental level to some of our cherished political beliefs about justice, human wellbeing and community." A Reference & Research Book News reviewer stated, however, that Huard "reminds readers" there are "myriad possibilities" concerning the implications of the myth, and his observations do not merit the exclusion of alternate explanations. According to Library Journal reviewer Francisca Goldsmith, Huard's deconstructive view of the cave myth placed in opposition to the layered view of contemporary Western society is a core element of the text; therefore, alternate readings are essential for critical discourse and those who seek "to contrast and compare." She also noted that the text demands "a thorough grounding in the foundations of Western philosophy" and that the material is geared toward an academic audience.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, May 15, 2007, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Plato's Political Philosophy: The Cave, p. 94; June 1, 2007, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Plato's Political Philosophy, p. 121.

Reference & Research Book News, May, 2007, review of Plato's Political Philosophy.