Plato’s philosophy can be characterised as a guide to the care of the soul – a self-care which is unselfish and generous. All this hinges on the soul’s essential nature as self-motive. Although living in a complex world in which one thing acts and reacts on another, the inner life of the soul, according to the Platonic tradition, gives us a still place to stand above the whirl of worldly events. The cultivation of wisdom allows the soul to discover its true agency, even in the midst of that outer whirl. We will explore.
These open sessions usually run twice to accommodate different time zones-this session is the Americas one. We take particular topics or passages from Plato and other writers in the tradition – these are open to anyone interested, and they attract a wide range of participants. We usually begin with a short 5 or 10 minute introduction to the subject in hand and (when appropriate) a reading of a short text: this leaves a good hour or so to discuss the ideas which arise (this will be posted here and emailed to those who have registered). This session will be led by Kaye Boesme and David Nowakowski. The time is in ET time.
Please download the paper we’ll be drawing from here: The Platonic Tradition considers Freewill
There are no fees payable. The Trust sees the Platonic tradition as a spiritual one: not only a guide for the outer life, but especially to be treasured for its assistance in the cultivation of the inner self – the soul – for, says Plato in the Timeaus, “we are not terrestrial plants, but blossoms of heaven.” We understand the tradition to be profound and cohesive, and one that repays the long-term effort required to truly embed oneself in it. Our approach is not exclusive – we value other traditions for their insights – nor is it dogmatic or an attempt to proselytise: however we are serious in our attempts to fathom the depths of the tradition, to identify its foundations, and where its teachings seem to run counter to accepted thinking to investigate them thoroughly rather than rejecting them prematurely. Thus our point of focus is on the teachings of the tradition and most especially our own inner response to them.
By joining our studies you are making no commitment beyond that of co-operating with us in our exploration of those truths which have inspired a company of men and women most luminous in their understanding, and unsparingly generous in their teaching.
You can register for the Americas-timed session here which will be at 19:30 EDT. We use Jitsi Meet as the platform to convene- once registered you will receive the link to join.