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PTCOLIM

 

Essentials of the Philosophy of Plato and his Tradition

Courses in 2024

An introductory course via Zoom

 

The Prometheus Trust will be running two forms of this introductory course via Zoom aimed at exploring the essentials of the philosophy of the Platonic tradition.  In March we will run three half day workshops (4 hours with a mid-session break) covering important areas of Platonic philosophy runnig from 1.30 to 5.30 on Saturday afternoons (UK time) and in the summer we will run ten evening short sessions (lasting 1 hour 45 minutes) on Sundays (6-7.45 UK time). The course will look at metaphysics and theology, psychology, virtue and ethics, and Platonic approaches to enlightenment: see below for dates.

The aim is to present an outline of the elements of the Platonic tradition, to show something of its breadth and depth, and to make an initial exploration of the methods by which each participant's interior resources can be brought into play in the search for philosophical truths and beauties. The Platonic philosophers of the ancient world considered Platonism as a path of wisdom - one which unfolded the innate powers of the soul and revealed her divine likeness. We hope that by the end of the course participants will have glimpsed for themselves why such an exalted view of true philosophy inspired so many men and women over its long history, and why that ever-living path is worth following today.

Each session will use extracts from the writings of the Platonic tradition but will especially rely upon the experience of philosophic discussion within the group. For this reason there will be limited number of places: a commitment to attend all the sessions if at all possible is requested for the maximum benefit of each student. We have a series of papers which should supplement the discussions of each of the sessions; these will be emailed to participants a week or so before each session. 

To register by email education@prometheustrust.co.uk

There is no charge for the course. 

                                        The Sessions

Session

March 2024

1.30 to 5.30

Summer 2024
Sunday
6-7.45

Subject

Content

1

 

9th March

 

12th May

Introduction

What is philosophy? Why philosophy? The Platonic tradition

2

26th May

Metaphysics 1

The One or the Good, the Gods of the Platonic tradition, Being

3

2nd June

Metaphysics 2

The intelligible and the visible, eternal ideas and temporal manifestation

4

 

16 March

 

9th June

Soul 1

Self-motivity & immortality, reason & freewill, the path of the soul

5

16th June

Soul 2

The soul’s powers, activities, and faculties

6

23rd June

Dialectic

Dialectical questions: division, definition, demonstration and analysis

7

 

23rd Mar

 

 

7th July

Eros

The Symposium and Diotima's path of love

8

14th July

Virtue

Four primary virtues - and the direction of the soul’s activities

9

21st July

Myth

Plato’s use of philosophical and poetical myth

10

28th July

Philosophy as initiation

The mysteries, theurgy. And a look back at the whole course.