Sunday 7 April 2013

Philosophical Perspectives on the Individual - Part 2 - The beginning of Western Philosophy

Dear All,

Among the most famous thinkers of Western Philosophy are Socrates and Plato. Unfortunately, Socrates didn't write any books. What has survived of his philosophy has been written down by others, in particular by Plato, who was Socrates's most famous student as well as the most influential Greek philosopher of all times.

Please find below some introductory information to Socrates, Plato, and their Time.

The Background: Ancient Greece


Greek Mythology


The Greek Gods - Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRe389uQhmo&list=PL5DBE9C9D4F4524E6
The Greek Gods - Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9cojMxsgZY&list=PL5DBE9C9D4F4524E6&playnext=1&feature=autoplay
The Greek Gods - Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqiKUzkGC3g&list=PL5DBE9C9D4F4524E6&playnext=2&feature=autoplay
The Greek Gods - Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR57FjeY_lk&list=PL5DBE9C9D4F4524E6&playnext=3&feature=autoplay

Historical & Cultural Background


Athens - Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rEH7cINmzQ
Athens - Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFDXpeuwDmE
Athens - Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXrHoeY1KZM

Plato


Introduction to Plato - Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2sMQS1ZBLk
Introduction to Plato - Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_2aJ8yRa9w
Introduction to Plato - Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_xgSnB6dho
Introduction to Plato - Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTlvc5yk1qg

Plato's Cave Allegory (from Book 7 of his Republic) - Animated Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6LUptADIww

Conversation about Plato:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXBQRuMfs2E&list=PL0B00E0285B052181

Socrates


Play about his "Apology":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y5-gQ7kUjk

Alain de Botton - Happiness Series: Socrates on Self Confidence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S24FxdvfOko

Interesting Student Project about Socrates:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=941OKdKmq9Q

Movie about Socrates (in Spanish):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c-nJVwsWq0


The Texts for this Class


Plato - "Euthyphro":
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthyfro.html

Plato - "Apology":
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html

Plato - "Crito":
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/crito.html

Also really interesting:


Plato - The Republic: about his Vision of the Ideal State:
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.html

Plato - Symposium: about Love:
Written Text:
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html
Audio Book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp3MFf7I_vY


Making Connections:
Please compare Plato's Cave Allegory (from Book 7 of his Republic) <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6LUptADIww>
with Michael Talbot's ideas about "The Universe as Hologram" <http://rense.com/general69/holoff.htm>
Do you think there are connections? Explore them!


Enjoy!

g





10 comments:

  1. I really liked reading the republic, although the first time reading Plato can be very difficult, It is achievable!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Symposium is really interesting as well - if you have time in the summer or so....

      Delete
  2. To be honest, i do not understand so much about Plato's thinking...
    I want some example to explain to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Suchada,
      Start with some of the youtube clips - in particular the animated version of the cave analogy. I think that will give you a first idea.

      Delete
  3. It seems interesting; because either western philosophy or eastern philosophy begins with idealism. And they share some similarities. For instance, both Socrates and Lao Tzu emphasize the logic. But the eastern idealism still has many differences with the western idealism.

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  4. A skill gained from a university degree having command over language and use rhetoric.
    Rhetoric came from these ancient philosophers.

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  5. From what I understand, Plato’s Republic was never implemented. No state or principality ever endorsed it. What, then, can explain the primary place of the book in today’s philosophy, politics and history courses? It is its value as a primary document from a time or a place that western values originates from? Or is it something else, like the value of learning Latin?

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  6. "The Universe as Holograms" ideas suggest that all we experience is nothing but a holographic projection of processes taking place on some distant surface that surrounds us.

    Plato likened our view of the world to that of an ancient forebear watching shadows meander across a dimly lit cave wall. Reality—not its mere shadow—may take place on a distant boundary surface, while everything we witness in the three common spatial dimensions is a projection of that faraway unfolding

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  7. I really enjoy this part of the course because I related so much to Plato. When reading his works and all his questionings I felt so identify. My mind is like that too. From one question I generate three and from those three more start coming. The difference is that for Plato all of his questions had a reasonable answer and mine sometimes remain unanswered. This is why I admire him a lot; he had a response for everything.

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  8. Plato is one of the few philosophers who also writes good literature. I've read his dialogues and to be honest, they've been a bit tedious. Socrates will pay with his life his wisdom. I believe that Plato in certain way attempts to present laws for real life.

    ReplyDelete