Edward Johns Urwick

Edward Johns Urwick (1867 - 1945) was a social philosopher, British intellectual and the late Ratan Tata Professor of Social Science in London University, and author of The message of Plato.

Quotes

 * I am  not  chiefly  anxious  to  prove  or  disprove  this  or  that  influence. But  I  boldly  make  the  claim  that  the  Platonic  doctrines are  not  easily  understood  without  reference  to  the  Indian  teaching. And,  in  reference  to  the  quest  of  Socrates,  his  character  and  his  faith,  I  will  be  content  to  let  the  resemblance  to  the  quest  and  character  and  faith  of  the  ancient  Indian  sages  speak  for  itself.  I  will  not  attempt — it  would  need  a  separate  volume —  to  show  how  the  Indian  thought  may  have  filtered  through  to  Socrates  and  Plato  ;  how  far  it  may  have  reached  Plato  in  his  wanderings,  how  far  through  Pythagoras,  how  far,  even  before  the  death  of  Socrates,  a  direct  stream  of  the  Eastern  doctrine  may  have  flowed  through  Asia  Minor  into  Greece.  But  I  affirm  very  confidently  that  if  anyone  will  make  himself  familiar  with  the  old  Indian  wisdom-religion  of  the  Vedas  and  Upanishads  :  will  shake  himself  free,  for  the  moment,  from  the  academic  attitude and  the  limiting  Western  conception  of  philosophy,  and  will  then  read  Plato's  dialogues,  he  will  hardly  fail  to  realise  that  both  are  occupied  with  the  selfsame  search,  inspired  by  the  same  faith,  drawn  upwards  by  the  same  vision.
 * The message of Plato, a re-interpretation of the "Republic."