The Care of the Self and the Other: Philosophical Practices and Theatrical Practices

This article marks the beginning of a research project on the relationship between philosophy and theatre – two practices that, despite sharing a common origin, have historically been regarded as opposites. Only in recent years has international scholarly literature begun to revisit their close connection and explore their productive interrelation. In this context, the article seeks to identify and challenge the anti-theatrical prejudice rooted in Western metaphysics. Theatre – particularly in its Platonic form – should not be viewed as a mimetic practice that corrupts essences, but rather as a medium that leads to truth and enables a transformation of the subject. The article argues that this Platonic conception implies that theatre, like philosophy, constitutes a practice aimed at individual well-being: a cognitive well-being that draws on the Socratic notion of self-care.