Clever Villains

This chapter addresses the role of the tyrannical man’s rational part. Based on the discussion in Book VI of the Republic concerning the danger for the city represented by corrupted philosophical natures and other passages (such as the reference to the role of intelligence in vicious people, at 519a1–b5), this chapter explores the hypothesis that the tyrant may be endowed with strong intellectual capabilities. Seen in this light, the tyrant may be an example of reason’s complete moral perversion and his intellectual capabilities may play an important and negative role. The chapter further explores the nature of the madness attributed to the tyrant and its connection to bad beliefs concerning the good, of which Thrasymachus’ and Glaucon’s defense of injustice and tyranny are exemplary.