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UID:48@prometheustrust.co.uk
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250616T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250616T200000
DTSTAMP:20250610T090026Z
URL:https://prometheustrust.co.uk/events/know-thyself-the-key-to-platos-yo
 ga-of-philosophy-open-session-in-london-2/
SUMMARY:“Know Thyself” - the key to Plato's Yoga of Philosophy -open se
 ssion in London
DESCRIPTION:“The most valid and surest starting point for the dialogues o
 f Plato\, and\, practically for the whole of philosophic investigation is\
 , in our opinion\, the discerning of our own being. If this is correctly p
 osited we shall accurately understand both the good which is appropriate t
 o us\, and that which is an obstacle to our flourishing.” Proclus – Co
 mmentary to the First Alcibiades.\n\n“Nothing is nearer to us than ourse
 lves\; if then we do not perceive what is nearest\, what means is there of
  ascertaining the more remote\, and what is naturally perceived through ou
 r agency?” Proclus – Commentary on the First Alcibiades.\n\nPlato's di
 alogue\, the First Alcibiades\, was considered by the Platonic schools of 
 late antiquity as the most suitable dialogue to start prospective students
  down the path of philosophy: central to the conversation between Socrates
  and Alcibiades is the Delphic exhortation “know thyself.”  In fact t
 here are several dialogues where it is discussed\, and it is clear that no
 t only is it a starting point\, but also a culmination to the philosophica
 l quest – the human being is a microcosm of the macrocosm\, and so in kn
 owing ourselves\, we are let to know the entire cosmos in all its divine b
 eauty and goodness.\n\nWe’ll spend an evening looking at some of the ins
 ights that present themselves to the Platonic seeker if the exhortation is
  taken seriously.\n\nThese evenings include short talks and/or readings fr
 om Platonic writings – but we hope they will be genuinely interactive\, 
 with all participants invited to contribute to our collaborative search fo
 r truth. No previous experience of formal philosophy is required.\n\nAdmis
 sion is free\, but we do encourage those who are able to donate £5 in ord
 er to cover our costs\, either as cash on the day or donating through this
  website\n\nMost of these evenings are self-contained and every effort is 
 made to make them accessible to the newcomer\, while allowing the great pr
 ofundity of the Platonic tradition to step forward and speak to us at what
 ever level our present understanding sits. Some of these sessions are cou
 pled together\, in order to give us the space to examine more fully partic
 ular texts and themes\, but even here we will ensure that if those attendi
 ng have missed the first of the two sessions a recap of what has gone bef
 ore will help all participants to pick up the main threads of the theme.\n
 \nWe will be drawing from this paper:Know Thyself - Platos first exhortati
 on - revised\n\nThe Trust has run similar activities for some 18 years\, a
 nd in our experience they allow the most profound questions concerning hum
 an life\, the nature of reality\, and our interactions\, to be explored at
  once both seriously and with good cheer. Our aim is to provide a forum f
 or honest and straight-forward enquiry\, but which is unafraid to explore 
 inward-moving paths too often neglected by modern schools of thought.\n\nC
 lick on the London tag under Event type to be taken to all upcoming activi
 ties in London.
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://prometheustrust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads
 /2025/06/Plato_meditating_on_immortality.jpg
CATEGORIES:Talk/lecture
LOCATION:London - Cecil Sharp House\, 2 Regent's Park Rd \, London\, NW1 7A
 Y\, United Kingdom
GEO:51.538155;-0.149307
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=2 Regent's Park Rd \, Londo
 n\, NW1 7AY\, United Kingdom;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=London - Cecil Sha
 rp House:geo:51.538155,-0.149307
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DTSTART:20250330T020000
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