Dante's Political Philosophy

Name: Dante's Political Philosophy
Price: 249.22 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9781009687256

Rethinking Paradiso

Paul Stern (Ursinus College, Pennsylvania)

$311.95 $249.22

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We will update you on expected arrival time to us. If this delay is too long, please let us know within 2 business days and we can give you options regarding cancelling or adjusting your order. More details on cancelling your order can be found in our Terms of Trade.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Cambridge University Press
12 March 2026

Western philosophy: Medieval & Renaissance, c 500 to c 1600; Social & political philosophy; Philosophy of religion; History of ideas

Dante's Divina Commedia/Divine Comedy (completed c. 1321) is considered one of the greatest works in Western literature, and its three canticles – Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso – have had a powerful influence on subsequent literature and thought. Dante shares the classical idea that political philosophy aims to defend the philosophic life, and in Paradiso he does just that, defending philosophy, understood as a way of life, against its subordination to Christianity. Paul Stern shows the contribution Dante's reflection on political life makes to his theoretical defense of the philosophic life, a life whose character and goodness are conveyed by his intensely self-reflective poetry. On his account, Dante's approach can guide our judgment of any proposal for the comprehensive transformation of human existence. It enables us, in short, to think more clearly about just what we should mean by paradise.

By: Paul Stern (Ursinus College Pennsylvania)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Weight: 500g
ISBN: 9781009687256
ISBN 10: 1009687255
Pages: 302
Publication Date: 12 March 2026
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction: Dante's palinode; 1. 'Prologue' (Cantos I-II); 2. In the earth's shadow (Cantos III-IX); 3. Thomas and Solomon: the vindication of prudence (Cantos X-XIV); 4. Dante's epic (Cantos XIV-XVIII); 5. Justice and contemplation (Cantos XVIII-XXII); 6. Dante's (Self-)Examination (Cantos XXII-XXVII); 7. The legacy of Beatrice (Cantos XXVII-XXXIII); 8. From calypso to CRISPR; Bibliography; Index; Endnotes.

Paul Stern is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Ursinus College. He is the author of Knowledge and Politics in Plato's 'Theaetetus' (Cambridge University Press, 2008) and Dante's Philosophic Life: Politics and Human Wisdom in 'Purgatorio' (2018).

Reviews for Dante's Political Philosophy: Rethinking Paradiso

'Paul Stern's commentary on the Paradiso is a bold and illuminating study that stands out for its willingness to question even the most authoritative voices in the poem. By treating figures like Aquinas and Peter Damian with philosophical scrutiny rather than deference, Stern reveals how Dante's dramatization of theological discourse becomes a vehicle for sustained philosophical critique. The result is a provocative invitation to scholars of literature, religion, and philosophy alike to read these celestial dialogues not as a culmination of doctrine, but as a vindication of the philosophical life against the pressures of theological enclosure.' Jason Aleksander, San José State University