In this episode I discuss what I call "Platonic Hylomorphism."  Often Plato is thought to be a substance dualist, however, I argue that this is not the case.  Rather, he should be thought to be in line with hylomorphism.  Many know hylomorphism from Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas's works; however, I believe the basic idea of hylomorphism (the unity of two - body and soul - into a one - substance) can be found to underlie Plato's views on the diversity yet unity of education which he offers in book 3 of the Republic.

I discuss the second half of book 2 of Plato's Republic.  We will get into the question of the relationship between the individual and the city as images of each other - man is a microcosm of creation.  I also discuss the often misunderstood passage about the noble lie and the role it plays in the education of the guardians.

In this episode, I discuss the challenge raised by Glaucon concerning (a) the origin of justice, (b) that people are just only unwillingly, (c) the unjust life is more preferable than the just life.  I also discuss the relationship between the city and the individual soul, the former being a macroscopic image (or icon) of the latter.

I discuss the second half of book 1 of Plato's Republic, wherein we find a discussion about justice as the virtue which brings unity out of plurality; which is the activity of rulers.

I discuss the first 1/2 to 2/3rds of the first book of Plato's Republic.  

This is the first of a series on Plato's Republic.  I will devote a few episodes to each book of Plato's Republic. 

In the first episode of this series, I talk about the centrality of the part/whole relation in Plato's thought (especially the Republic) and argue that it is central to an understanding what makes human's happy; since it leads to an understanding of what we are and hence to an understanding of the meaning of our lives.  Happiness is not individualistic, but communal.  I also talk about what is required of a reader if he is to read Plato's dialogues philosophically.  I end by saying a bit about the life of Socrates, Plato, and the philosophic and poetic nature of the Republic.

We turn to consider the three Thomistic notions of Being (active, relational, and communal) and discuss how Clarke unfolds the notion of person in light of those three characteristics of being.  St. Thomas Aquinas's notion of person begins to be unfolded in this episode.

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We talk about chapter 1 of Norris Clarke's contemporary classic St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture, Person and Being).  In this chapter we discuss why (i) being is self-communicative, (ii) being is relational, and (iii) being is receptive and communal.  

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We finish our discussion of St. Gregory of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.

(We will be working through W. Norris Clarke's Person and Being next week...I highly recommend reading along with us!)

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We continue our discussion and move onto discuss pages 243-263 of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.

(We will be working through the Thomistic metaphysical work by W. Norris Clarke, Person and Being in two weeks...I highly recommend reading along with us!)