The Greek Imaginary

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This collection presents twelve lectures by philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis, focusing on the relationship between philosophy and democracy in ancient Greece. Delivered between 1982 and 1983, these previously untranslated lectures explore how early Greek poets and Presocratic thinkers fostered a self-critical imaginary that questioned societal norms. Castoriadis highlights the emergence of radical philosophy and democratic practices, emphasizing the Greeks' existential inquiries into human existence and the establishment of institutions that supported these ideas.