What is Consciousness One of the things that came to mind when I read Ennead I was Alzheimer disease. I’ve heard some say that advanced Alzheimer disease makes life not worth living, and that people afflicted with this disease have become less than human. Although I strongly rejected this opinion, I did it intuitively and on emotional grounds, but failed to make any strong counter-arguments. Plotinus wrote some of his […]
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“Memorabilia” by Xenophon
I find it very interesting to read the respective accounts of Socrates’ life and teachings by Plato and Xenophon. It is sort of like reading in the Gospels the life and teachings of Jesus, from four different perspectives, which provides not only depth of perception, but also the manifold meanings that a single narrative lacks. Xenophon and Plato correspond well with one another in their interpretation of Socrates, the former […]
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The Divine Comedy: II. Your soul has been assailed by cowardice
Bertrand Russell was quoted to have said, “I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.” A fitting retort was given by Electra (Sophocles), “I admire you for your prudence. For your cowardice I hate you.” In Canto II of Inferno, there is another brilliant example of a woman putting a man to shame for his cowardice. Our narrator Dante was reluctant to embark on the journey […]
Read more“The Clouds” by Aristophanes
A passage in Plato’s “Apology” is a very good summary of this comedy: “What do the slanderers say? They shall be my prosecutors, and I will sum up their words in an affidavit: ‘Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others.’ Such is […]
Read more“Epistles” by Plato
“My greatness consists in making myself follow my own instructions.” (Letter II) Wisdom and Power “It is natural for wisdom and great power to come together, and they are for ever pursuing and seeking each other and consorting together. … When men talk about Hiero or about Pausanias the Lacedaemonian they delight to bring in their meeting with Simonides and what he did and said to them; and they are […]
Read more“Lovers” by Plato
What is Philosophy? A. To be well versed in many, if not all, of the arts, by learning what belongs to the understanding rather than the handiwork of each (like an all-around athlete, as opposed to a specialist). B. To distinguish good and evil in our own and others quality, and practice justice and temperance in the governance of oneself, one’s house and the state.
Read more“Hipparchus” by Plato
Who is Lover of Gain? All men are lovers of gain, but the wise discern true value. Socrates suggests that Harmodius and Aristogeiton assassinated Hipparchus, not for honor or freedom from tyranny, but because they were jealous of Hipparchus’ influence over the Athenian youths. When “one of the handsome and well-born youths” left them for Hipparchus, “they were so overcome with the pain of this ‘disqualification’ that they slew Hipparchus”. […]
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