The City-State of the Soul: Self-Constitution in Plato’s Republic explores Plato’s idea that the moral life consists in the founding of one’s own soul. This insight is central to the long argument of the Republic and, in particular, to the complex relation between the city and the human soul. This fruitful picture of the moral life, however, has not received the attention it deserves. As Kevin M. Crotty argues, Plato’s distinctive insight is that justice is above all a creative force. Plato presents justice not as a relation amongst fully formed individuals, but rather as the quality that galvanizes a diverse welter of disparate parts into a coherent entity (above all, a soul or a city). Justice, then, is the virtue most closely associated with being—the source of its philosophical stature. Plato presents a conception of justice meant to impress the young, bright and ambitious as a noble pursuit, and a task worthy of their best talents. The City-State of the Soul is written for anyone interested in the Republic, including but not limited to students and scholars of ancient philosophy, political philosophy, ethics, and ancient Greek literature.

"For its in-depth picture of the founder as distinguished from the philosopher-king, Crotty’s study is well worth reading. Readers will also discover a wealth of other insights from this thought-provoking and well-crafted book." - Polis

"Crotty's knowledge of Greek and his historical acumen make for many insightful points that both novice and veteran readers of the Republic will enjoy reading and thinking about. . . . Crotty's reading of the Republic offers students and scholars of this great text much to think about. In this way, like other valuable contributions to Republic scholarship, it inspires the continuous rereading of Plato's masterpiece." - Review of Metaphysics