Podcasts about Plato

Ryan and Alex journey through the Gnostic scriptures, Plato's Timaeus, mystery religions, the symbolism of the stars, the teachings of Zoroaster, and the enigmatic Gospel of Judas Iscariot.

Discover the real Atlantis in this deep dive into Plato's Timaeus and Critias. Jason Quitt unveils how the fall of the Pole Star in 9,600 BCE matches the "destruction" of the lost city.Video Episode: https://youtu.be/qahzHZ5JG_oFor thousands of years people have searched for the lost city of Atlantis, scouring the ocean floor and the far corners of the earth for a sunken continent, but what if Atlantis was never a place at all? In this episode, returning guest Jason Quitt joins Chance to unveil the central thesis of his brand new book, The Shining Island, in the very first long-form conversation recorded about it. Together they walk through Plato's two Atlantis dialogues, the Timaeus and the Critias, and make the case that the entire story is a celestial allegory, a creation myth written in the stars. The destruction of Atlantis, dated by Plato to 9,600 BCE, lines up with a moment when there was no pole star to guide humanity. This is a deep, dense, and genuinely mind-expanding conversation about the oldest story ever told, the story of the stars.Remote Biofield Tuning sessions with Chance are available via Zoom. Learn more and book at https://www.innerversepodcast.com/biofield-tuningFull archives, extended episodes, and member community at https://www.innerversepodcast.com/plusWatch the extended episode of this podcasthttps://www.innerversepodcast.com/plus/jason-quitt-atlantisPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/innerverse/posts/real-atlantis-of-161284133Substack: https://innerversepodcast.substack.com/p/jason-quitt-shining-islandYoutube: https://youtu.be/zpysvZRJogsLINKSJason Quitt: https://thecrystalsun.com/https://www.innerversepodcast.com/episodes/jason-quitt-shining-islandSUPPORT INNERVERSE WITH AFFILIATESKyle Denton's Potent Plant Medicines – Tippecanoe Herbs (use coupon code 'innerverse'): https://www.tippecanoeherbs.comThe World's Best Tuning Fork: https://biofieldtuningstore.com/collections/the-sonic-slider-collection?ref=innerverseFlower Elixirs by LotusWei: https://www.lotuswei.com/innerverse Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plato, with total seriousness (and probably a bit of humor too), said that “of all the wild things, a boy is the most difficult to handle.” A lot of parents would agree to that.

What did "materialism" actually mean to the ancients, and how does it differ from our modern scientific understanding? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Max Wade (Ph.D., Boston College) to bridge the gap between ancient Greek ontology and modern philosophical debates.We dive deep into the "weirdness" of ancient thought, exploring why the Stoics believed in physical gods and why the Epicureans were the only true ancient materialists. Dr. Wade challenges the secularized modern reading of Socrates and Plato, revealing how their theories of divine design were actually a reactionary response to pre-Socratic natural philosophy.In this episode, we discuss:The Miriology of Being: Why the relationship between parts and wholes is the key to unlocking ancient ontology.Active vs. Passive Matter: The crucial distinction that separates Platonists, Aristotelians, and Stoics from the Epicureans.The "Swerve": Why materialism and determinism were considered incompatible in the ancient world.Plato's Atlantis & Egyptian Wisdom: Why reading Plato literally misses his point about the soul's forgetfulness and eternal truth.Marxism & Hegel: How modern materialism is often a misreading of ancient concepts through a German Idealist lens.About Our Guest: Dr. Max Wade is a scholar of ancient philosophy whose dissertation focused on Plotinus' Ontology of Artifacts. Follow his work at maxway.substack.com.Send us Fan Mail Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to BitterlakeSupport the showCrew:Host: C. Derick VarnIntro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.Intro Video Design: Jason MylesArt Design: Corn and C. Derick VarnLinks and Social Media:twitter: @varnvlogblue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.socialYou can find the additional streams on YoutubeCurrent Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer 

We continue our Lord of the Rings study with a detour to Plato and a different ring of power.Purchase the entire course, including our recorded live meetings, here:Purchase CourseWatch the video of this episode and subscribe to my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/Z_OfCpjFgTkBecome a patron of Mythic Mind at patreon.com/mythicmindListen to all THREE Mythic Mind podcasts:Mythic MindMythic Mind GamesMythic Mind Movies & Shows(or become a patron to get all three shows in one ad-free feed)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mythic-mind--5808321/support.

What if everything you think you know about Ancient Greece is wrong?In this episode of History Rage, bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy dismantles the comforting myth of a civilised, philosophical utopia. Forget marble statues and thoughtful men in cloaks — this is a world of bitter rivalries, brutal warfare, political volatility, and communities obsessed with proving they were the best.Drawing on his latest book, Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped the Ancient World, Adrian reveals a Greek world far more dangerous, competitive and unstable than most documentaries dare to show.Ancient Greece: 800 Rival States, Not One Noble NationThere was no “Greece” in the modern sense. Instead, there were 800–1,000 fiercely independent city-states, constantly competing for prestige, power and survival.In this episode, we explore:Why the Persian invasions weren't an attack on a united GreeceWhy more Greeks fought for Persia than against itHow competition — not culture — defined Greek identityWhy colonisation, warfare and rivalry were normalThe performance culture of honour and reputationThis isn't Plato's academy come to life. It's a volatile world where cities needed enemies — but not so destroyed that there was no one left to applaud their victories.Athens vs Sparta: Democracy, Discipline and MythWe also unpack the two giants of the Greek world:Athens – Radical Democracy or Mob Rule?Athens pioneered a form of direct democracy that feels startlingly modern — and terrifyingly unstable.Every male citizen could voteThousands could serve on juriesOffices were filled by lotteryCitizens were paid for political serviceLeaders could be exiled through ostracismAdrian explains how Athenian democracy worked in practice — including how the Assembly once voted to execute an entire rebellious city… and reversed the decision the next day.This was participation politics at its most extreme.Sparta – Military Machine or Misunderstood Society?Sparta's reputation as a society of full-time soldiers doesn't tell the whole story.Because the Spartans wrote almost nothing themselves, much of what we “know” comes from outsiders — often centuries later.Adrian challenges the clichés:Were Spartans truly permanent warriors?How rigid was their society in reality?What was life like for the Helots?Why did Sparta's citizen population collapse?How democratic was Sparta — really?The result is a more complex, less cartoonish Sparta than Hollywood's 300 ever allowed. About Adrian GoldsworthyAdrian Goldsworthy is a leading historian of the ancient world and bestselling author. Though best known for his work on Rome, he has written extensively on Greece and the classical world.BookAthens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped the Ancient WorldBuy: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781800245426

Acts 17:22-34 This morning, we are going to look at a moment in history when Paul the Apostle walks into the free thinker and cultural capital of the ancient world: Athens. It was the intellectual 'cat's meow' boasting the legacies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They had 'canvases' for everything—philosophy, art, democracy, and science—but the center of it all was empty. And as he walked the streets of Athens, he doesn't just see beautiful architecture; he sees a city gripped by emptiness. He observes hundreds (if not thousands) of idols and altars in the Areopagus including one marked 'To an Unknown God.' Paul recognizes it for what it is: the physical evidence of a longing to be filled. Please turn with me in your Bibles to Acts chapter 17, starting in verse 22. Let's look together at how Paul addresses the emptiness of the human soul, and how he make a connection with a people searching for the One and Only God who can fill the emptiness.

Welcome to Episode 337 of Lucretius To day. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most comp lete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our series reviewing Cicero's "Academic Questions" from an Epicurean perspective, which gives us an overview of the issues that split Plato's Academy and helps us understand Epicurus' position on the same issues. This week will continue in Section 8 of Book Two. Our text will come fromCicero - Academic Questions - Yonge We'll likely stick with Yonge primarily, but we'll also refer to the Rackham translation here: Cicero On Nature Of Gods Academica Loeb Rackham : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archivehttps://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/5120-episode-337-eataq19-confidence-in-knowledge-and-the-epicurean-attitude-toward-pa/

Escucha el podcast del programa El Plato del Día a través de CDN Radio, en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana correspondiente al viernes 12-junio-2026.

In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi threw a party to celebrate the 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian Empire. It was planned to be a massive party, with tents set up in the desert, and invitations sent to just about every world leader across both the Western and Soviet blocs. Robert Templer writes about this celebration–and how it presaged the events of the Iranian Revolution of 1979–in his new book The Shah's Party: And the Iranian Revolution That Followed (Hurst, 2026). Robert Templer is a writer and former professor at the Central European University, where he also founded a research centre on post-conflict recovery. From 2011-2012, he was director of the Asia Programme at the International Crisis Group and has visited Iran on many occasions. He is the author of four books including the acclaimed Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam and A Basilisk Glance: Poisoners from Plato to Putin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi threw a party to celebrate the 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian Empire. It was planned to be a massive party, with tents set up in the desert, and invitations sent to just about every world leader across both the Western and Soviet blocs. Robert Templer writes about this celebration–and how it presaged the events of the Iranian Revolution of 1979–in his new book The Shah's Party: And the Iranian Revolution That Followed (Hurst, 2026). Robert Templer is a writer and former professor at the Central European University, where he also founded a research centre on post-conflict recovery. From 2011-2012, he was director of the Asia Programme at the International Crisis Group and has visited Iran on many occasions. He is the author of four books including the acclaimed Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam and A Basilisk Glance: Poisoners from Plato to Putin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi threw a party to celebrate the 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian Empire. It was planned to be a massive party, with tents set up in the desert, and invitations sent to just about every world leader across both the Western and Soviet blocs. Robert Templer writes about this celebration–and how it presaged the events of the Iranian Revolution of 1979–in his new book The Shah's Party: And the Iranian Revolution That Followed (Hurst, 2026). Robert Templer is a writer and former professor at the Central European University, where he also founded a research centre on post-conflict recovery. From 2011-2012, he was director of the Asia Programme at the International Crisis Group and has visited Iran on many occasions. He is the author of four books including the acclaimed Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam and A Basilisk Glance: Poisoners from Plato to Putin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi threw a party to celebrate the 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian Empire. It was planned to be a massive party, with tents set up in the desert, and invitations sent to just about every world leader across both the Western and Soviet blocs. Robert Templer writes about this celebration–and how it presaged the events of the Iranian Revolution of 1979–in his new book The Shah's Party: And the Iranian Revolution That Followed (Hurst, 2026). Robert Templer is a writer and former professor at the Central European University, where he also founded a research centre on post-conflict recovery. From 2011-2012, he was director of the Asia Programme at the International Crisis Group and has visited Iran on many occasions. He is the author of four books including the acclaimed Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam and A Basilisk Glance: Poisoners from Plato to Putin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-review

John Dewey is among history's most celebrated thinkers on democracy and education, yet he has often been underappreciated and misunderstood as a philosopher. This book paints a fresh portrait of Dewey as not only a reformer of schooling but also a profound theorist of human development, whose vision of the centrality of education to democracy, philosophy, and flourishing can still inspire us today. What can we learn from this great thinker as we face challenges such as widespread drudgery and disaffection, estrangement among individuals and groups, and a crisis of democracy? This book supplies the answers, offering a bold new account of Dewey as an educational theorist who is essential for our troubled times. Revealing the true scope of Dewey's educational vision, this book provides a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the philosophical tradition. Natalia Rogach Alexander's Growing People: The Enduring Legacy of John Dewey (Columbia University Press, 2025) presents an alternative canon—running from Plato to Rousseau to Du Bois—that recasts philosophy in terms of education and, in so doing, opens new pathways for social critique and the liberation of human potential. Natalia Rogach Alexander is a lecturer in philosophy at Columbia University. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Athenian Democracy provides innovative readings of ancient theorists to reveal both the complexity of democracy's achievements and its limits. In Athenian Democracy: Modern Mythmakers and Ancient Theorists (U Notre Dame Press, 2026), noted political scientist Arlene W. Saxonhouse offers fresh and provocative explorations of ancient political theorists, lending new insights about democracy's foundations and principles. These insights are more relevant than ever in a moment when the viability of democratic regimes is under scrutiny. Saxonhouse provides an in-depth discussion of the modern mythmakers (Hobbes, Paine, Hamilton, Mill, and Arendt, among others) who, in praising or excoriating Athenian democracy, have in fact distorted it to support their own assessments of democracy. She then offers detailed reinterpretations of the writings on democracy of four ancient theorists who had directly experienced life in the first democratic regime: Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Saxonhouse argues that the mythmaking that often attends our views of Athenian democracy—whether as a flawed, slaveholding regime that fostered factions and oppressed women or as an ideal regime of egalitarian and participatory democracy—blinds us to the deeper understanding of democracies that these ancient theorists can offer. Arlene W. Saxonhouse is the Caroline Robbins Collegiate Professor of Political Science, Emerita, at the University of Michigan. She is the author of numerous books and articles dealing with ancient Greek political thought, including Free Speech and Democracy in Ancient Athens and Fear of Diversity: The Birth of Political Science in Ancient Greek Thought. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Athenian Democracy provides innovative readings of ancient theorists to reveal both the complexity of democracy's achievements and its limits. In Athenian Democracy: Modern Mythmakers and Ancient Theorists (U Notre Dame Press, 2026), noted political scientist Arlene W. Saxonhouse offers fresh and provocative explorations of ancient political theorists, lending new insights about democracy's foundations and principles. These insights are more relevant than ever in a moment when the viability of democratic regimes is under scrutiny. Saxonhouse provides an in-depth discussion of the modern mythmakers (Hobbes, Paine, Hamilton, Mill, and Arendt, among others) who, in praising or excoriating Athenian democracy, have in fact distorted it to support their own assessments of democracy. She then offers detailed reinterpretations of the writings on democracy of four ancient theorists who had directly experienced life in the first democratic regime: Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Saxonhouse argues that the mythmaking that often attends our views of Athenian democracy—whether as a flawed, slaveholding regime that fostered factions and oppressed women or as an ideal regime of egalitarian and participatory democracy—blinds us to the deeper understanding of democracies that these ancient theorists can offer. Arlene W. Saxonhouse is the Caroline Robbins Collegiate Professor of Political Science, Emerita, at the University of Michigan. She is the author of numerous books and articles dealing with ancient Greek political thought, including Free Speech and Democracy in Ancient Athens and Fear of Diversity: The Birth of Political Science in Ancient Greek Thought. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

John Dewey is among history's most celebrated thinkers on democracy and education, yet he has often been underappreciated and misunderstood as a philosopher. This book paints a fresh portrait of Dewey as not only a reformer of schooling but also a profound theorist of human development, whose vision of the centrality of education to democracy, philosophy, and flourishing can still inspire us today. What can we learn from this great thinker as we face challenges such as widespread drudgery and disaffection, estrangement among individuals and groups, and a crisis of democracy? This book supplies the answers, offering a bold new account of Dewey as an educational theorist who is essential for our troubled times. Revealing the true scope of Dewey's educational vision, this book provides a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the philosophical tradition. Natalia Rogach Alexander's Growing People: The Enduring Legacy of John Dewey (Columbia University Press, 2025) presents an alternative canon—running from Plato to Rousseau to Du Bois—that recasts philosophy in terms of education and, in so doing, opens new pathways for social critique and the liberation of human potential. Natalia Rogach Alexander is a lecturer in philosophy at Columbia University. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Athenian Democracy provides innovative readings of ancient theorists to reveal both the complexity of democracy's achievements and its limits. In Athenian Democracy: Modern Mythmakers and Ancient Theorists (U Notre Dame Press, 2026), noted political scientist Arlene W. Saxonhouse offers fresh and provocative explorations of ancient political theorists, lending new insights about democracy's foundations and principles. These insights are more relevant than ever in a moment when the viability of democratic regimes is under scrutiny. Saxonhouse provides an in-depth discussion of the modern mythmakers (Hobbes, Paine, Hamilton, Mill, and Arendt, among others) who, in praising or excoriating Athenian democracy, have in fact distorted it to support their own assessments of democracy. She then offers detailed reinterpretations of the writings on democracy of four ancient theorists who had directly experienced life in the first democratic regime: Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Saxonhouse argues that the mythmaking that often attends our views of Athenian democracy—whether as a flawed, slaveholding regime that fostered factions and oppressed women or as an ideal regime of egalitarian and participatory democracy—blinds us to the deeper understanding of democracies that these ancient theorists can offer. Arlene W. Saxonhouse is the Caroline Robbins Collegiate Professor of Political Science, Emerita, at the University of Michigan. She is the author of numerous books and articles dealing with ancient Greek political thought, including Free Speech and Democracy in Ancient Athens and Fear of Diversity: The Birth of Political Science in Ancient Greek Thought. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

John Dewey is among history's most celebrated thinkers on democracy and education, yet he has often been underappreciated and misunderstood as a philosopher. This book paints a fresh portrait of Dewey as not only a reformer of schooling but also a profound theorist of human development, whose vision of the centrality of education to democracy, philosophy, and flourishing can still inspire us today. What can we learn from this great thinker as we face challenges such as widespread drudgery and disaffection, estrangement among individuals and groups, and a crisis of democracy? This book supplies the answers, offering a bold new account of Dewey as an educational theorist who is essential for our troubled times. Revealing the true scope of Dewey's educational vision, this book provides a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the philosophical tradition. Natalia Rogach Alexander's Growing People: The Enduring Legacy of John Dewey (Columbia University Press, 2025) presents an alternative canon—running from Plato to Rousseau to Du Bois—that recasts philosophy in terms of education and, in so doing, opens new pathways for social critique and the liberation of human potential. Natalia Rogach Alexander is a lecturer in philosophy at Columbia University. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

John Dewey is among history's most celebrated thinkers on democracy and education, yet he has often been underappreciated and misunderstood as a philosopher. This book paints a fresh portrait of Dewey as not only a reformer of schooling but also a profound theorist of human development, whose vision of the centrality of education to democracy, philosophy, and flourishing can still inspire us today. What can we learn from this great thinker as we face challenges such as widespread drudgery and disaffection, estrangement among individuals and groups, and a crisis of democracy? This book supplies the answers, offering a bold new account of Dewey as an educational theorist who is essential for our troubled times. Revealing the true scope of Dewey's educational vision, this book provides a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the philosophical tradition. Natalia Rogach Alexander's Growing People: The Enduring Legacy of John Dewey (Columbia University Press, 2025) presents an alternative canon—running from Plato to Rousseau to Du Bois—that recasts philosophy in terms of education and, in so doing, opens new pathways for social critique and the liberation of human potential. Natalia Rogach Alexander is a lecturer in philosophy at Columbia University. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Athenian Democracy provides innovative readings of ancient theorists to reveal both the complexity of democracy's achievements and its limits. In Athenian Democracy: Modern Mythmakers and Ancient Theorists (U Notre Dame Press, 2026), noted political scientist Arlene W. Saxonhouse offers fresh and provocative explorations of ancient political theorists, lending new insights about democracy's foundations and principles. These insights are more relevant than ever in a moment when the viability of democratic regimes is under scrutiny. Saxonhouse provides an in-depth discussion of the modern mythmakers (Hobbes, Paine, Hamilton, Mill, and Arendt, among others) who, in praising or excoriating Athenian democracy, have in fact distorted it to support their own assessments of democracy. She then offers detailed reinterpretations of the writings on democracy of four ancient theorists who had directly experienced life in the first democratic regime: Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Saxonhouse argues that the mythmaking that often attends our views of Athenian democracy—whether as a flawed, slaveholding regime that fostered factions and oppressed women or as an ideal regime of egalitarian and participatory democracy—blinds us to the deeper understanding of democracies that these ancient theorists can offer. Arlene W. Saxonhouse is the Caroline Robbins Collegiate Professor of Political Science, Emerita, at the University of Michigan. She is the author of numerous books and articles dealing with ancient Greek political thought, including Free Speech and Democracy in Ancient Athens and Fear of Diversity: The Birth of Political Science in Ancient Greek Thought. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Escucha el podcast del programa El Plato del Día a través de CDN Radio, en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana correspondiente al miércoles 10-junio-2026.

John Dewey is among history's most celebrated thinkers on democracy and education, yet he has often been underappreciated and misunderstood as a philosopher. This book paints a fresh portrait of Dewey as not only a reformer of schooling but also a profound theorist of human development, whose vision of the centrality of education to democracy, philosophy, and flourishing can still inspire us today. What can we learn from this great thinker as we face challenges such as widespread drudgery and disaffection, estrangement among individuals and groups, and a crisis of democracy? This book supplies the answers, offering a bold new account of Dewey as an educational theorist who is essential for our troubled times. Revealing the true scope of Dewey's educational vision, this book provides a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the philosophical tradition. Natalia Rogach Alexander's Growing People: The Enduring Legacy of John Dewey (Columbia University Press, 2025) presents an alternative canon—running from Plato to Rousseau to Du Bois—that recasts philosophy in terms of education and, in so doing, opens new pathways for social critique and the liberation of human potential. Natalia Rogach Alexander is a lecturer in philosophy at Columbia University. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

John Dewey is among history's most celebrated thinkers on democracy and education, yet he has often been underappreciated and misunderstood as a philosopher. This book paints a fresh portrait of Dewey as not only a reformer of schooling but also a profound theorist of human development, whose vision of the centrality of education to democracy, philosophy, and flourishing can still inspire us today. What can we learn from this great thinker as we face challenges such as widespread drudgery and disaffection, estrangement among individuals and groups, and a crisis of democracy? This book supplies the answers, offering a bold new account of Dewey as an educational theorist who is essential for our troubled times. Revealing the true scope of Dewey's educational vision, this book provides a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the philosophical tradition. Natalia Rogach Alexander's Growing People: The Enduring Legacy of John Dewey (Columbia University Press, 2025) presents an alternative canon—running from Plato to Rousseau to Du Bois—that recasts philosophy in terms of education and, in so doing, opens new pathways for social critique and the liberation of human potential. Natalia Rogach Alexander is a lecturer in philosophy at Columbia University. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature.

Pull up a chair and pour yourself a drink! For the third installment in our occasional series on important conservative books, or important books written by or embraced by conservatives, we take up Leo Strauss's Natural Right and History, based on his 1949 Walgreen Lectures at the University of Chicago (where he taught for two decades) and published in 1953. To help us, we called on our friend Matt Dinan, a political theorist who's associate professor in the Great Books Program at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick, Canada. If you've listened to previous episodes and wanted us to go deeper on Leo Strauss, the German-Jewish political philosopher who came to the United States after fleeing Nazism, "Straussianism," and what they might have to do with American conservatism and our present political moment, here you go. After offering some background on Strauss and the context of Natural Right and History's publication, we discuss Strauss's patriotic appeal to Americans in the book's introduction, walk listeners through the chapters that follow (explaining what "natural right" is and why it's paired with "history" in the title along the way), and close out by exploring Strauss's ambiguous relationship to American conservatism—and more! Sources: Leo Strauss, Natural Right and History (1953) — On Tyranny (1963) — Spinoza's Critique of Religion (1965) Harry V. Jaffa, Thomism and Aristotelianism: A Study of the Commentary by Thomas Aquinas on the Nicomachean Ethics (1952) James W. Ceaser, "The American Context of Leo Strauss's Natural Right and History," Perspectives on Political Science, Spring 2008 Richard Velkley, Heidegger, Strauss, and the Premises of Philosophy: On Original Forgetting (2011) — "On the Roots of Rationalism: Strauss's 'Natural Right and History' as Response to Heidegger," The Review of Politics, Spring 2008 ...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!

Escucha el podcast del programa El Plato del Día a través de CDN Radio, en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana correspondiente al martes 09-junio-2026.

Escucha el podcast del programa El Plato del Día a través de CDN Radio, en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana correspondiente al lunes 08-junio-2026.

Charlie was always hopeful that the rising generation of American young people would be the one to reverse America's decline. In his speech at the 2023 CLS, Charlie shares this hope with Turning Point's grassroots leaders, telling them to remain committed to truth, purpose, and wisdom. Drawing on the teachings of Aristotle and Plato, Charlie encourages young people to pursue depth over distraction, build strong character, and become the leaders America needs. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie was always hopeful that the rising generation of American young people would be the one to reverse America's decline. In his speech at the 2023 CLS, Charlie shares this hope with Turning Point's grassroots leaders, telling them to remain committed to truth, purpose, and wisdom. Drawing on the teachings of Aristotle and Plato, Charlie encourages young people to pursue depth over distraction, build strong character, and become the leaders America needs. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonah Goldberg, like Plato's cave-man philosopher, has briefly returned from the land of book writing and enlightenment to ruminate before us poor, shadow-watching mortals. Jonah considers the origin of the term slush fund, waxes poetic on military etymology, and reflects on the Lewinsky scandal, all before getting stuck in on feminism, John Bolton, the republican spirit, Graham Platner, party self-sabotage, and the cult of authenticity.  Show Notes: —The Dispatch at the 92nd Street Y —Robert Nisbet - Prejudices: A Philosophical Dictionary —Jonah's underrated second book —Jonah's mom on TV —Friday's DisPod  —Wednesday G-File —NYT Graham Platner piece —The Argument —Cult of authenticity G-File —Suicide of the West The Remnant is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including the Saturday Ruminant, audio versions of all our articles and newsletters, and Jonah's twice-weekly G-File—⁠click here⁠. Instructions on how to set up your members-only feed can be found here, and if you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's On The Other Side Of Things question answering show, Jonny and Richard tackle cars for going banger racing with Jason Plato in 2029, car name mispronunciations, a dilemma with a Freelander 1, and Britain's best service station. For early, ad-free episodes and extra content go to patreon.com/smithandsniff To buy merch and tickets to live shows go to smithandsniff.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Escucha el podcast del programa El Plato del Día a través de CDN Radio, en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana correspondiente al viernes 05-junio-2026.

Randall Carlson, who is an architectural designer, geometrician, geo-mythologist, and geological explorer, joins us today in the tent for a fascinating conversation on the Younger Dryas, evidence of massive ancient flows, evidence of catastrophic floods in the Hudson Valley, and other interesting topics... WELCOME TO CAMP!

Escucha el podcast del programa El Plato del Día a través de CDN Radio, en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana correspondiente al jueves 04-junio-2026.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick discusses Books 11-12 of the Odyssey with Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Luke Heintschel, the Academic Headmaster of Coeur du Christ Academy.Check out Ascend's LIBRARY of written guides and SOCIAL MEDIA. Check out Luke's Substack at CoCrucified and Dr. Grabowski's at Porch & Altar.SummaryListeners are taken on Odysseus' harrowing katabasis into the underworld, where he confronts shades of the dead, including his mother, the tragic Agamemnon, and especially Achilles, whose devastating reflection on glory versus life delivers one of the most “blood on the floor” moments in Western literature. The conversation masterfully unpacks themes of piety, humanization, fate and free will, and the meaning of a well-lived life, while drawing illuminating connections to Plato, Dante, Boethius, and the Christian tradition.The discussion continues into Book 12 with the irresistible Sirens, the terror of Scylla and Charybdis, and the fateful transgression with the Cattle of the Sun. Throughout, the guests offer sharp insight into Odysseus's evolving character, the tensions between cunning and virtue, and why these ancient stories remain essential for forming minds today. Whether you're a longtime lover of Homer or new to the Great Books, this episode delivers rich intellectual conversation, pedagogical wisdom, and profound reflections that will leave you eager to pick up the text—or re-read it with fresh eyes.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Great Books Podcast06:01 Exploring the Odyssey: Books 11 and 1212:54 The Theme of Descent into the Underworld16:57 Elpenor's Ignoble Death and Its Significance23:42 Tiresias and the Prophecies for Odysseus31:43 Fate vs. Free Will in the Odyssey38:29 The Role of Women in the Odyssey43:24 The Significance of Penelope in the Odyssey45:48 Odysseus' Emotional Journey and Family Dynamics53:13 Agamemnon's Narrative and the Role of Women58:32 Achilles' Regret and the Nature of Glory01:09:41 Ajax's Silence and the Weight of Honor01:17:53 Exploring the Underworld: Tantalus and Heracles01:20:34 Odysseus's Descent: Fear and Fate in Hades01:21:38 Homer's Philosophical Insights: Preparing for Christ01:22:29 Homer as a Teacher and Philosopher01:24:15 The Sirens: Temptation and Knowledge01:33:46 Scylla and Charybdis: Leadership and Sacrifice01:39:31 The Cattle of the Sun: Fate and Free Will01:46:04 Odysseus's Reflection: Mortality and LeadershipKeywordsHomer Odyssey Books 11 and 12, Odyssey Book 11 summary and analysis, Odyssey Book 12 summary, Odysseus katabasis underworld descent, Achilles in Hades dialogue, Odysseus meets Achilles, Sirens episode Odyssey, Scylla and Charybdis, Cattle of the Sun God, Tiresias prophecy, Elpenor burial, Odysseus piety and character development, fate versus free will in Homer, classical education podcast, Great Books discussion Homer, Ascend the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick Odyssey, Dr. Frank Grabowski, Luke Heintschel Court of Christ Academy, Homer philosophy and theology, katabasis tradition Plato Dante, Christian reading of the Odyssey, Odysseus hero journey analysis.

Welcome to Episode 336 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.This week we start are continuing our series reviewing Cicero's "Academic Questions" from an Epicurean perspective, which gives us an overview of the issues that split Plato's Academy and helps us understand Epicurus' position on the same issues. This week will continue in Book Two, where we will take up Section 8 Our text will come fromCicero - Academic Questions - Yonge We'll likely stick with Yonge primarily, but we'll also refer to the Rackham translation here: Cicero On Nature Of Gods Academica Loeb Rackham : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archivehttps://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/5109-episode-336-eataq18-a-coherent-whole-or-an-arbitrary-mess-the-necessity-of-the-s/

What happens when our modern visual culture, which demands we constantly observe global atrocities on our phones, actually leads to apathy instead of a meaningful moral response? The University of Chicago's Associate Professor of English Language and Literature, Dr. Ben Saltzman, joins host PJ Wehry to discuss the overlooked significance of a common, deeply human reaction.Dr. Saltzman explores the history and meaning of this physical act in his book, Turning Away, The Poetics of an Ancient Gesture. They examine how looking away is frequently not a sign of disengagement, but rather an indication of deep emotional involvement, and how understanding this can help us navigate the horrors of the contemporary world.In this conversation they explore: How the book traces archaic scenes—like the ancient painting of Agamemnon's sacrifice of Iphigenia—by treating them as rocks tossed into a pool, following their cultural and artistic ripples across time. The surprising realization that turning away from a distressing event often signifies a deep engagement with the pain of the world, rather than simple indifference. Why our contemporary habit of scrolling through images of suffering on our phones can create a false sense of moral duty while actually fostering an empty act of looking. The concept of the divided soul, exemplified by Plato's tale of Leontius, which demonstrates how humans experience an inner conflict and oscillation between looking and turning away. How ancient rhetoric and art utilized the covered face to convey states of emotional extremity that existed entirely at the limits of representation. The relationship between covering one's eyes and the acquisition of painful knowledge, illustrated by figures ranging from a newly fallen Adam and Eve to a young girl watching a cruel scientific experiment on a bird.This is a conversation for anyone interested in literary studies, art history, and the humanities who wants to understand the historical weight behind our everyday instincts and how we process the painful realities of our modern age.Make sure to check out Dr. Saltzman's book: Turning Away: The Poetics of an Ancient Gesture

Classicist and author Spencer Klavan returns to discuss Greek Philosophy, Christian Theology, and what they tell us about A.I.https://x.com/SpencerKlavan https://substack.com/@spencerklavan Support this channel:https://www.paypal.me/benjaminboycehttps://cash.app/$benjaminaboycehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminaboyce

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr Lectionary: 353 The Saint of the day is Saint Justin Martyr Saint Justin Martyr's Story Saint Justin Martyr never ended his quest for religious truth even when he converted to Christianity after years of studying various pagan philosophies. As a young man, he was principally attracted to the school of Plato. However, he found that the Christian religion answered the great questions about life and existence better than the philosophers. Upon his conversion he continued to wear the philosopher's mantle, and became the first Christian philosopher. He combined the Christian religion with the best elements in Greek philosophy. In his view, philosophy was a pedagogue of Christ, an educator that was to lead one to Christ. Saint Justin Martyr is known as an apologist, one who defends in writing the Christian religion against the attacks and misunderstandings of the pagans. Two of his so-called apologies have come down to us; they are addressed to the Roman emperor and to the Senate. For his staunch adherence to the Christian religion, Justin was beheaded in Rome in 165. Reflection As patron of philosophers, Saint Justin Martyr may inspire us to use our natural powers—especially our power to know and understand—in the service of Christ, and to build up the Christian life within us. Since we are prone to error, especially in reference to the deep questions concerning life and existence, we should also be willing to correct and check our natural thinking in light of religious truth. Thus we will be able to say with the learned saints of the Church: I believe in order to understand, and I understand in order to believe.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this episode, Fr. Marc Boulos explores the profound connection between the Qurʾanic account of Adam as khalīfa (خليفة), Paul's teaching on κοινωνία (koinonia), the biblical function of stewardship, and Luke 9:7–9, where Herod is troubled by reports concerning Jesus.Why is Herod perplexed? Why does Scripture repeatedly shift attention away from the identity of the messenger and back toward the command of the One who sent him?Drawing on the Qurʾan, the Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament, Fr. Marc argues that the central conflict in Scripture is not ignorance but rebellion. Like Iblīs before Adam, Herod hears the command but refuses to bow. He seeks understanding through sight, observation, and human judgment, while Scripture consistently calls human beings to hear, obey, and cross.The episode also examines the fundamental conflict between the biblical framework and the Greek philosophical tradition. Plato teaches that man escapes the cave through contemplation and attains truth through a clearer vision of reality. Aristotle locates perfection in the Unmoved Mover, the highest principle understood through intellectual contemplation. In both cases, salvation is associated with sight, understanding, and ascent.Scripture presents the opposite movement. Abraham does not contemplate, he crosses. Israel does not speculate, it crosses the sea. Elijah does not discover truth within the cave, he leaves the cave under command. The prophets are not enlightened by self-reflection but confronted by the word of the Most High. The biblical problem is therefore not lack of knowledge but refusal to submit. The obstacle is not ignorance but rebellion.Herod's διαπορία (diaporia), his inability to find a way through, becomes the literary embodiment of this conflict. He seeks a passage through observation, evidence, and human reasoning, yet the only crossing available is obedience. Like Iblīs before Adam, he refuses to bow before a command that God has placed into the hands of another. Thus Luke's Gospel and the Qurʾanic account of Adam converge on the same question:Will you submit to the One who sent the messenger?The messenger may disappear. The steward may pass away. The shepherd may fall. But the command of the Most High continues to cross the Arabah. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

EL EPISODIO COMPLETO DE REGALO, GRATIS SIN SUSCRIPCION NI NADA, ESTÁ AQUÍ https://www.patreon.com/posts/qsvt-1621-gente-158976960?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link LE PUEDES COMPRAR A UN PANA LA SUSCRIPCIÓN CON TARJETA DE REGALO https://www.patreon.com/profesorbriceno/gift O COMPRAR UNA GIFT CARD DE PATREON EN https://rewarble.com/brands/patreon COMO DIJIMOS EN EL EPISODIO LA MERCH ESTÁ AQUÍ https://quesevayantodos-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/all

Jim talks with Tyson Yunkaporta—indigenous Australian scholar and author of Sand Talk, one of Jim's top ten favorite books—about his metaphysics and worldview, the ecology of sex and creation, and how to wear rationalist and traditional knowledge frameworks simultaneously. They discuss: Jim's editorial endorsement of Sand Talk—"one of the top 10 best books I have ever read" Tyson's trilogy of books Humans as a custodial species—sacred carers embedded in nature Who Tyson is when he wakes from deep sleep Tyson's experience under general anesthesia—ten thousand years of deep dark oblivion How Jim shifted Tyson toward rationality and evidence-based thinking Tyson's reassessment of peer review and collective scientific inquiry as similar to Indigenous processes of collective knowledge-building Tyson's late initiation into the Apalech clan The distinction between "knowledge systems" and "knowledge of systems" Color blindness as a biological advantage in traditional systems knowledge What's missing in people who haven't gone through full initiation Men's "belly spirit" (nenwi) and "spirit womb" in the Apalech tradition Images and ghosts—the shadow spirit as ego, and how infinite self-replication on social media drains the spirit Tyson's cousin Eric becoming a viral meme and TikTok phenomenon Forager social operating systems and mechanisms to prevent dominant individuals Aboriginal law's three core rights Sex as the center of everything Tyson's response to Plato's Cave Dreamtime and songlines as mistranslations Dreamtime as not an altered state but a continuous orientation The irony of mutual influence—Tyson becoming a rationalist skeptic partly through Jim; Jim becoming more open to spirit partly through Tyson The 3D glasses metaphor for wearing Indigenous and rationalist-materialist lenses simultaneously … and much more. Links Episode Transcript Snake Talk: How the World's Ancient Serpent Stories Can Guide Us, by Tyson Yunkaporta and Megan Kelleher Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, by Tyson Yunkaporta Right Story, Wrong Story, by Tyson Yunkaporta JRS EP 282 - Tyson Yunkaporta on Indigenous Law, Lore, and Learning JRS Currents 032 - Tyson Yunkaporta on Spirits, GameB & Protopias JRS EP 65 - Tyson Yunkaporta on Indigenous Complexity JRS EP 66 - Tyson Yunkaporta on Indigenous Knowledge JRS Currents 010 - Tyson Yunkaporta on Humans As Custodial Species "A Minimum Viable Metaphysics," by Jim Rutt Bio Dr. Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal scholar, founder of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University in Melbourne, and author of Sand Talk; Right Story, Wrong Story; and Snake Talk. His work focuses on applying Indigenous methods of inquiry to resolve complex issues and explore global crises.

Following the death of the Elder in 367 BCE, Dion invited Plato back to tutor the immature Dionysius the Younger. James Romm explains that Dion hoped Plato could transform the new ruler into an enlightened, constitutional monarch rather than a tyrant. Despite Plato's efforts to reform the court's lifestyle, the regime remained characterized by 90-day drinking parties and excessive wealth. The relationship soured when Dionysius intercepted a letter Dion sent to Carthaginian diplomats, viewing it as betrayal. Consequently, Dion was banished, and Plato was held under house arrest until being rescued by the philosopher-leader Archytas. (3/8)1245 THE ACADEMY

In Plato and the Tyrant, James Romm explains that Plato, born approximately 428 BCE, was deeply influenced by the 30 Tyrants of Athens, a regime involving his cousin Critias that conducted a reign of terror. After the execution of his teacher, Socrates, Plato developed a philosophy centered on a world of eternal forms, which are perfect realities beyond sensory perception. Plato visited Syracuse in 385 BCE, drawn by Dion, the ruler's brother-in-law, who shared Plato'sdisdain for the city's riotous living. This first visit was a colossal failure, as Dionysius the Elder dismissed Plato with dishonor for advocating ethical behavior. (2/8)1800 PLATO

James Romm discusses his book Plato and the Tyrant. Syracuse emerged as an immensely powerful and prosperous state in the 4th century BCE under the rule of Dionysius the Elder. He rose to power as a demagogue by railing against elite leaders and was appointed general by the sympathetic masses. To secure his rule, Dionysius utilized the "Island," a peninsula fortress with a natural spring that made it impossible to starve out during a siege. Dionysius broke Greek custom by practicing polygamy, marrying two women on the same day to project a superhuman, royal image. This double marriage eventually sparked civil war and rivalry between his children. (1/8)1871

During his five-year exile, Dion determined to overthrow the regime after Dionysius confiscated his estate and forced his wife to marry a loyalist. James Romm notes that Plato refused to join the coup but made a third voyage to Syracuse in 361 BCE to plead for Dion's reinstatement. These political failures directly informed the Republic, where Plato uses the "tyrannical man" to condemn autocracy. Syracuse was then a massive military power of 200,000 people, often compared in strength to the King of Persia. Plato's firsthand experience under a tyrant provided the basis for his philosopher king ideal. (4/8)1898 THE ACADEMY

Dion eventually led an invasion fleet to liberate Syracuse, but the revolution quickly descended into chaos and factional splits. James Romm explains that despite his Platonic education, Dion committed the political murder of his rival, Heraclides, which caused him a deep spiritual crisis. Dion was eventually assassinated by a faction of his own army led by Calippus, another student from Plato's Academy. Later, the historian Plutarch attempted to burnish Dion's legacy, portraying him as a "philosopher king." This defense aimed to protect the reputation of the Academy from the scandals of its students. (5/8)1839 SYRACUSE

As Syracuse collapsed into disorder, the mother city of Corinth sent Timoleon with a small hired army to intervene. James Romm notes that to the surprise of many, Dionysius the Younger abdicated voluntarily in exchange for a peaceful retirement in Corinth. He lived his remaining years in impoverishment, reportedly working as a music teacher and priest. His downfall became the source of the proverb "Dionysius is in Corinth," signifying that even the most powerful ruler can be brought low. Dionysius claimed his ability to endure exile proved he had actually learned from Plato's teachings. (6/8)SYRACUSE

In the Republic, Plato argues that philosophers make the best kings because they can perceive the "Form of Justice." James Romm explains that Plato illustrates this through the Allegory of the Cave, where the philosopher must return from the light of the sun to lead those in darkness. The work concludes with the Myth of Er, a soaring account of the soul's thousand-year journey and reincarnation. Souls choose their next lives based on previous experiences; notably, Odysseus chooses the life of an ordinary man. Plato suggests that education allows the mind to recover subconscious memories of these eternal truths. (7/8)1889 THE SYMPOSIUM OF PLATO

The 13 letters attributed to Plato remain a source of intense scholarly debate, with some considered clear forgeries. In Plato and the Tyrant, James Romm accepts five letters as genuine, including the detailed Seventh Letter, which defends Plato's actions in Syracuse. Critics like Karl Popper viewed the letters and the Republic as evidence that Plato was an enemy of the "open society." While Plato may have been naive about practical politics, he consistently argued that a society's best hope was a "dream team" of a tyrant and a wise lawgiver. Ultimately, Plato used these writings to spin the narrative of his political failures. (8/8)