The Controversial Legacy of Plato's Letters. Guest Author: Professor James Romm. Much of this history comes from thirteen letters attributed to Plato, though their authenticity is debated. Romm accepts five as genuine, including the detailed Seventh

The Controversial Legacy of Plato's Letters. Guest Author: Professor James Romm. Much of this history comes from thirteen letters attributed to Plato, though their authenticity is debated. Romm accepts five as genuine, including the detailed Seventh Letter. Critics like Karl Popper viewed Plato as an enemy of the "open society" due to his autocratic leanings. In his final work, The Laws, Plato suggested a "dream team" consisting of a tyrant and a wise lawgiver. The Seventh Letter is often seen as a "whitewash" intended to protect the Academy's reputation following the Syracuse failure. These documents reveal a philosopher attempting to spin a moral narrative. 8