“Philosophy is a thing of the greatest consequence, and it is only to be obtained by great study and mighty labour. For he who hears that this is the case, if he is truly a lover of wisdom, and is adapted to and worthy of its acquisition, being a divine person, will think that he hears of an admirable way, that he ought immediately to betake himself to this path, and make it the great business of his life.” – Plato, Seventh Letter.
Has the West been misreading Plato for the last several centuries? Does the prevailing view that Plato is simply a rationalist with some cultural baggage from his pre-philosophical background stand up to scrutiny? Or should we consider him (and those who followed his tradition in antiquity) as primarily working on a clear spiritual path as profound and as demanding as any from the East. And if this is truly the case, what does this entail and is it still viable in our time?
Paper: Philosophy as a Spiritual Path
Whether you are deeply into the Platonic tradition, or coming to it afresh, we hope this exploration will throw light on an area of real human interest.
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