Becoming Human

Most people misunderstand Plato's Philebus because they expect the "good" to be easy to pin down. In this episode, Yale-trained philosopher and scholar of science and religion, Samuel Loncar, PhD, argues the opposite: the deepest truths are often the hardest to see, and that difficulty is exactly what makes them real.

In this second lecture on the Philebus, Loncar turns one of Plato's most puzzling dialogues into a map for philosophy as a way of life. He shows why Plato's doctrine of the good confused even his own students, why that confusion is not a flaw, and how the dialogue's famous four-part structure opens into a powerful account of reality, purpose, and human flourishing.

You'll discover:

• why Plato's "good" is best understood as a rare stage of initiation, not a neat definition
• how the Philebus connects to Taoism, Buddhism, and Chinese ideas of yin-yang
• why the unlimited and the limited matter for everything from metaphysics to biology
• how purification, illumination, and unification form a deeper path of learning
• why philosophy can't be reduced to motivation hacks, market value, or surface-level self-improvement

Loncar also reflects on world philosophy, the limits of Western academic canon formation, and why Plato belongs in a truly multicultural conversation. Along the way, he ties the dialogue to his own work on science, consciousness, and the future of the Plato Project, making the episode both a lecture and a window into how serious philosophy becomes lived practice.

This is sssential listening if you want Plato without the clichés, metaphysics without abstraction for its own sake, and a rigorous case for why the good is not just something you think about; it is something you have to become ready to see.

Join The Plato Project

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In 2019, The New Yorker profiled writer and professor of English Literature, Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. Reporter Eliza Griswold, director of the Program in Journalism at Princeton University, highlights Prior's distinctive academic background and literary interests alongside her evangelical faith. The profile positions Prior as a leader and intellectual voice thoughtfully navigating the political and social tensions within evangelicalism. Samuel Loncar, Yale-trained philosopher and scholar of science and religion, who has written in depth about evangelical culture and the Protestant Reformation as a metaphysical revolution, sits down with Prior to discuss the cultural crisis in literacy and reading. In this Becoming Human Conversations episode, they explore how literature shapes our understanding of ourselves and the divine, emphasizing that the virtues cultivated through deep reading are connected to what makes us human. 🎤 Guest: Karen Swallow Prior, PhD | writer, reader, and speaker, and most recently the author of You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful 🎤 Host: Samuel Loncar, PhD | philosopher, Yale-trained scholar of science and religion, writer, and consultant Resources for Learning More:

In this Explorations episode, Yale-trained philosopher and scholar of religion and science, Samuel Loncar, explores the profound philosophical and cultural significance of Mary Magdalene, her role as a symbol of love, wisdom, and transformation, and her enduring influence across history and tradition.

LINKS

Becoming Human Project Membership: https://www.samuelloncar.com/join-becoming-human

Plato Project: https://www.samuelloncar.com/plato

Kierkegaard: https://www.samuelloncar.com/courses#kierkegaard

Heidegger: https://www.samuelloncar.com/courses#heidegger

Origins: https://www.samuelloncar.com/courses#origins

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Substack: https://samuelloncar.substack.com

Spirit News: A Hegelian Perspective on Current Affairs | | Most people see America as a divided nation struggling to live up to its founding ideals, but what if America's distinct flaws reveal its greatest philosophical potential?

In this episode, Yale-trained philosopher and scholar of religion and science Samuel Loncar challenges us to see America not only as a political project, but as the ultimate embodiment of modern philosophy centered on freedom and equality. He argues that America's imperfections are actually signs of its ongoing evolution and the proof that its ideals are becoming more real with each passing generation. Political division, far from being destructive, is a necessary tension that fosters ongoing reform, making America a living philosophical experiment. A specialist in German Idealist philosophy and Christian history, Loncar shows how America's founding texts, like the Declaration of Independence, are philosophical blueprints rooted in German Idealism and medieval Christian thought about freedom. Loncar explores the paradox of American progress: despite deep systemic failures like slavery and inequality, the nation's legal and cultural systems continually strive toward justice, pushing ideals into tangible reality.

Learn More: www.samuelloncar.com www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com

Spirit News: A Hegalian Perspective on Current Affairs| Ep. 3 | A philosopher's take on the news with Yale-trained philosopher, Dr. Samuel Loncar.

In this episode, I explore the transformative impact of social media on traditional news, the foundational theories of social structure by classical theorists like Elias, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber, and the implications of these theories on contemporary society.

I discuss the evolution of societal norms, the dynamics of geopolitics and imperialism, and the role of America in European defense, culminating in an analysis of the emerging global order and the interconnectedness of civilizations.

Spirit News: A Hegelian Perspective on Current Affairs Philosopher Dr. Samuel Loncar explores the intersection of philosophy and modern news, emphasizing the relevance of Hegelian thought in understanding contemporary society. In the latest episode of Spirit News, he dives into the changing landscape of media and the rise of new platforms. Legacy news networks are losing viewers, and it's time to rethink what we consider "newsworthy."

Course: The Existential Enlightenment: An Introduction to Søren Kierkegaard https://www.samuelloncar.com/courses/p/the-existential-enlightenment-an-introduction-to-sren-kierkegaard

Time & Eternity: Poetry and Philosophy in Dialogue with Dr. Samuel Loncar and Alexandra Barylski. | A Becoming Human Media Podcast

In this inaugural episode, we delve into the intricate relationship between poetry, philosophy, and the human experience. We explore the crisis of literacy in modern education, the role of AI, and the enduring legacy of poet Richard Wilbur.

LEARN MORE

www.samuelloncar.com www.alexandrabarylski.com

Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. (Yale University) and Alexandra Barylski, M.A. (Yale University) are the Editors of Marginalia Review of Books, philosophers, poets, and writers.

Spirit News: A Hegelian Perspective on Current Affairs Philosopher

Dr. Samuel Loncar explores the intersection of philosophy and modern news, emphasizing the relevance of Hegelian thought in understanding contemporary society. He discusses the paradox of news prioritizing timeliness over true relevance, the contradictions inherent in political ideologies, and the legacy of Thomas Aquinas in shaping modern thought. The conversation culminates in a Nietzschean analysis of the World Economic Forum at Davos, highlighting the complexities of globalism, AI, and the role of the European Union.

www.samuelloncar.com

Do we have to choose between mind and matter, or are they somehow one?

We live today in a battle between two rival streams of ancient wisdom, one that demonized matter as evil and one that divinized it. The great Syrian Neoplatonist, Iamblichus, was the descendant of priest-kings, and wrote one of the most difficult and important texts of late antique philosophy: On the Mysteries.

This conversation with Dr. Gregory Shaw, one of the world's leading experts on the Neoplatonism of Iamblichus, provides powerful insights into non-dualist Platonism and how ancient philosophy helps us bring scientific rigor to the spiritual life, uncovering the deep relevance of the ancient practice known as theurgy, divine work. Gregory Shaw, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Stonehill College, Massachusetts and the author of Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus and Hellenic Tantra: The Theurgic Platonism of Iamblichus.

Chapters 7-8 are two of the most dramatic chapters in The Scarlet Letter. In this episode of The Poetry Peddler, Alexandra Barylski provides the plot essentials before diving into why Hester Prynne is an image of Courage itself.