Dante's Political Philosophy

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).

• 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'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