Athens Corner

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A continuation of the discussion of regime change in book 8 of Plato's Republic with emphasis upon democracy.

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Here I'm joined with @AncPhi to briefly discuss the invaluable importance of Heidegger. At issue is the significance of language, translation, and etymology for his thought on time and being; and, more broadly, the revolution in postmodern philosophy that issued from his thought from the perspective of his essay on Anaximander.

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This is the second in a series of lectures with @alejandrophase2 tracing the imagery of Enlightenment in the Western philosophical tradition. I discuss the cave imagery in Bacon's New Organon regarding the Idols. Afterwards, Alejandro provides invaluable insights into Vico's use of the cave imagery with explicit reference to Bacon.

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Leo Strauss and Historicism": In part three of my ongoing series on the legacy of the imagery of the Cave and Enlightenment, I discuss the thought of Leo Strauss and his imagery of "the pit/cave beneath the Cave" to describe postmodernity. I'm joined by @AlexPriou so that he can share his truly invaluable insight and expertise on the subject.

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The most important thing to understand in Nietzsche's thought is nihilism, and not as we understand the term but as Nietzsche understands it. Here I discuss the meaning of nihilism as Nietzsche's Zarathustra presents it in chapter 19 of book 2 in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, entitled "The Soothsayer." The reason this is so important is that one cannot understand what Zarathustra expects of mankind in the figure of the overman unless and until one understands what Zarathustra must himself overcome. The meaning of redemption in Nietzsche comes from this, namely, the overcoming of the most powerful form of nihilism that his Zarathustra confronts.

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Here I discuss the very important--but so often overlooked--aspect of the youth which orients so much of Nietzsche's political project. That is, I discuss Nietzsche's understanding of what philosophy must become if it is to decisively transform culture. The approach I take is a thorough interpretation of Nietzsche's second book: The Untimely Meditations. In particular, I discuss Nietzsche's critique of scientific education and its effect on the youth. Also, I emphasize how it is that hope is an extremely important aspect of Nietzsche's teaching and, in fact, a virtue according to Nietzsche.

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Here I discuss the similarities and differences between Dostoevsky and Nietzsche on the topic of nihilism, which ultimately becomes a rich discussion of the premises of Modern science. In order to best understand the nihilistic premises of Modern science, I begin with a discussion of an alternative to it that one finds in the meaning of Platonic political philosophy.

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This can be understood as part two of my previous discussion of Nietzsche and the youth. Here I discuss the extremely important analysis of human psychology provided by Nietzsche’s Zarathustra in sections 1.7 and 1.8 of Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Combined, these two sections address the problematic psychology for the self-overcoming required of the would-be overman. Especially important is the relationship of this psychology to the youth and Zarathustra's political revolution. In particular, at issue is how the greatest aspects of the most talented youth can easily become their greatest danger by way of envy.

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I'm joined once again by @AncPhi to respond to his always-insightful questions about nihilism, namely, what it is and the possible solutions to it.

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Here is the first in a series of lectures with @alejandrophase2 tracing the imagery of Enlightenment in the Western philosophical tradition. Here I discuss the meaning of the cave of the Cyclops in Homer's Odyssey and Socrates's image of the cave in the Republic. Afterwards, Alejandro provides invaluable insights into the imagery of the Cave in the Republic made by Heidegger