Year 2023

Record of discussion topics

Term 1 started on Wednesday 8th February 12:30 - 1:30 PM in Meeting Room 5 at the Hub.

Term 1 discussion topics

8/2/23 - Philosophy of Zhuanzi (ch.2, s1,2)

15/2/23 - Philosophy of Zhuanzi (ch.2, s3,4)

22/2/23 - Philosophy of Zhuanzi (ch.2, s5,6)

1/3/23 - Philosophy of Zhuanzi (ch.2, s8,9,10)

8/3/23 - What is philosophy? (see PPPD blog)

15/3/23 - What is philosophy? (see PPPD blog)

22/3/23 - Fallacies 

29/3/23 - Fallacies 

5/4/23 - Social gathering@McDonald's Nunawading, 349-353 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading 

Term 2 discussion topics

26/4/23 - Paradoxes (Zeno's paradox)

3/5/23 - Paradoxes (Monty Hall problem and other paradoxes)

10/5/23 - Friedrich Nietzsche (suggested by Leonie)

17/5/23 - Friedrich Nietzsche (The Lineage of Nietzsche)

24/5/23 - Friedrich Nietzsche (most of section 5 "Hero-Morality" up to p.394, p.22/43) 

31/5/23 - Friedrich Nietzsche (Superman) / Social lunch / 4 o'clock Forum on philosophy.

7/6/23 - Friedrich Nietzsche (Aristocracy, Criticism)

14/6/23 - Nietzsche (Criticism, Finale); Your conscience is no saint (contribution from marian)

21/6/23 - Peter Singer (Helen will lead this class)

Term 3 discussion topics

19/7/23 - Ethics by Peter Singer 
26/7/23 - Epicurus - The Pursuit of Pleasure
2/8/23 - Nietzsche - Your conscience is no saint
9/8/23 - Nietzsche - Your conscience is no saint 
16/8/23 - Epictetus - A Stoic View of Life / Stoicism (This day is U3A SGM & AGM)
23/8/23 - Origin of morality
30/8/23 - Origin of morality
6/9/23 - Indigenous Voice 
13/9/23 - Informal discussion at canteen / BYO lunch, snacks & philosophical topics

20/9/23 - Term break - no class

27/9/23 - Term break - no class

Term 4 discussion topics

4/10/23 - The three mysteries of reality

11/10/23 - Philosophical discussion and political discussion

18/10/23 - Philosophical discussion and political discussion

25/10/23 - Philosophical discussion, R. Penrose's 3 worlds

1/11/23 - Plato's theory of forms

8/11/23 - Platonic relationship

15/11/23 - Plato and the soul

22/11/23 - Last class of 2023, BYO lunch in the classroom 

Enrolment Arrangement for 2024

Key dates for 2024 enrolment

Classes visible on U3A website - Monday 13 November 2023

Enrolment opens for

CURRENT Members - Monday 27 November 2023

NEW Members - Wednesday 29 November 2023

The office is open 9.00 am to 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday.

For confirmation and more information - please check the U3A Nunawading website.

Plato's Phaedo

Phaedo by Plato | Audiobook with Text

by Chillbooks

Phaedo, also known to ancient readers as On The Soul, is one of the best-known dialogues of Plato's middle period, along with the Republic and the Symposium. The philosophical subject of the dialogue is the immortality of the soul. It is set in the last hours prior to the death of Socrates, and is Plato's fourth and last dialogue to detail the philosopher's final days, following Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito.

The Allegory of the Chariot, and how it relates to the Theory of Forms

 

Plato and the Soul - Demizmue

The Allegory of the Chariot

The video above explains Plato's Allegory of the Chariot, which describes the soul figuratively as a chariot, driven by a charioteer, and powered by two horses: a noble white horse and an ignoble dark one.

The Allegory and how it relates to the Theory of Forms

The Google slide document here shows some diagrams that explain the following concepts that were  discussed recently:

• Roger Penrose's 3 Worlds
• Political discussion vs philosophical discussion
• Plato's Theory of Forms
• The Ladder of Love
• The Allegory of the Chariot

Plato's ethics

The following videos provide an overview of Plato's idea on ethics and link many of the ideas discussed earlier:

Plato's Ethics (A History of Western Thought 13) - by Dr. Jordan B Cooper

https://youtu.be/G5s7YF6Amug?si=O4C2SMh8YhPPKMg4 

 

PHILOSOPHY: Platonic Ethics - Angie Hobbs 

https://youtu.be/QJ-I3MKtcnc?si=ky2QrMNMciKzUarV 

Plato's The Symposium

The Symposium by PLATO (FULL Audiobook) translated by Benjamin Jowett

 by Audio Books

The Symposium is considered one of Plato's most important works.  It puts forward important philosophical concepts and is also fun to read.

You can find write ups on it from the following sites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium_(Plato)

https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/symposium/

A pdf copy of The Symposium can be found here:  The Symposium by Benjamin Jowett

 

 

The Ladder of Love: Plato's Symposium

by PhilosophyToons

Platonic Relationship

A platonic relationship is a close friendship between two individuals without sexual or romantic involvement ¹². The term "platonic" comes from the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who wrote about different types of love in his works ¹. Plato believed that love could be divided into two categories: physical and spiritual ³. He believed that physical love was inferior to spiritual love, which he considered to be the highest form of love ³. Platonic love was one of the types of spiritual love that Plato wrote about, and he believed that it could bring individuals closer to a sacred ideal ³.

In modern times, the term "platonic relationship" is used to describe a relationship that is based on deep love for another person, but lacks romantic or sexual aspects ¹. The relationship is based on emotional connections and mutual interests, without any sexual or romantic involvement ⁴. 

Platonic relationships can be formed between people of any gender and sexual orientation ¹. They can be very fulfilling and provide a sense of companionship and support without the complications of romantic relationships .

Source: Conversation with Bing, 26/10/2023

(1) What Is a Platonic Relationship? - Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-platonic-relationship-5185281.

(2) What Is A Platonic Relationship? - Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-a-platonic-relationship.html.

(3) What It Means to Have Platonic Love - Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/relationships/platonic-relationship.

(4) 6 Types of Relationships and Their Effect on Your Life - Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/6-types-of-relationships-and-their-effect-on-your-life-5209431.

 

What Is the 'Ladder of Love' in Plato's 'Symposium'?

Please see below for an article by Professor Emrys Westacott on Plato's Ladder of Love:

The "ladder of love" occurs in the text Symposium (c. 385-370 BC) by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It's about a contest at a men's banquet, involving impromptu philosophical speeches in praise of Eros, the Greek god of love and sexual desire. Socrates summarized the speeches of five of the guests and then recounted the teachings of a priestess, Diotima. The ladder is a metaphor for the ascent a lover might make from purely physical attraction to something beautiful, as a beautiful body, the lowest rung, to actual contemplation of the Form of Beauty itself.

Diotima maps out the stages in this ascent in terms of what sort of beautiful thing the lover desires and is drawn toward.

1. A particular beautiful body. This is the starting point, when love, which by definition is a desire for something we don’t have, is first aroused by the sight of individual beauty.
2. All beautiful bodies. According to standard Platonic doctrine, all beautiful bodies share something in common, something the lover eventually comes to recognize. When he does recognize this, he moves beyond a passion for any particular body.
3. Beautiful souls. Next, the lover comes to realize that spiritual and moral beauty matters much more than physical beauty. So he will now yearn for the sort of interaction with noble characters that will help him become a better person.
4. Beautiful laws and institutions. These are created by good people (beautiful souls) and are the conditions which foster moral beauty.
5. The beauty of knowledge. The lover turns his attention to all kinds of knowledge, but particularly, in the end to philosophical understanding. (Although the reason for this turn isn’t stated, it is presumably because philosophical wisdom is what underpins good laws and institutions.)
6. Beauty itself – that is, the Form of the Beautiful. This is described as "an everlasting loveliness which neither comes nor goes, which neither flowers nor fades." It is the very essence of beauty, "subsisting of itself and by itself in an eternal oneness." And every particular beautiful thing is beautiful because of its connection to this Form.  The lover who has ascended the ladder apprehends the Form of Beauty in a kind of vision or revelation, not through words or in the way that other sorts of more ordinary knowledge are known.

Diotima tells Socrates that if he ever reached the highest rung on the ladder and contemplated the Form of Beauty, he would never again be seduced by the physical attractions of beautiful youths. Nothing could make life more worth living than enjoying this sort of vision. Because the Form of Beauty is perfect, it will inspire perfect virtue in those who contemplate it.

This account of the ladder of love is the source for the familiar notion of "Platonic love," by which is meant the sort of love that is not expressed through sexual relations. The description of the ascent can be viewed as an account of sublimation, the process of transforming one sort of impulse into another, usually, one that is viewed as "higher" or more valuable. In this instance, the sexual desire for a beautiful body becomes sublimated into a desire for philosophical understanding and insight.

Citation: Westacott, Emrys. "What Is the 'Ladder of Love' in Plato's 'Symposium'?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/platos-ladder-of-love-2670661.

Plato's Theory of Forms

 

Plato’s Theory of Forms: Key Concepts

from PHILO-notes

Theory of Forms

Plato's theory of forms is a philosophical idea that suggests there are two realms of existence: the visible world and the intelligible world. The visible world is the one we perceive with our senses, and it is full of changing and imperfect things. The intelligible world is the one we access with our reason, and it is composed of eternal and perfect forms. These forms are the essences or ideals of everything that exists in the visible world, such as beauty, justice, goodness, etc. Plato believed that the forms are the only true objects of knowledge, and that we can only approach them through rational inquiry.

One way to illustrate Plato's theory of forms is by using his famous allegory of the cave¹. Imagine a group of prisoners who have been chained in a dark cave since birth. They can only see the shadows of objects projected on the wall by a fire behind them. They think that these shadows are the reality, and they have no idea that there is a world outside the cave. One day, one of the prisoners escapes and sees the real objects that cast the shadows. He also sees the sun, which is the source of light and truth. He returns to the cave and tries to tell his fellow prisoners what he has seen, but they do not believe him and think he is crazy.

Plato used this allegory to show that most people are like the prisoners in the cave, who only see the appearances of things and not their true forms. They are deceived by their senses and opinions, and they do not seek the higher knowledge that comes from reason. Only a few people, like the escaped prisoner, are able to free themselves from their ignorance and reach the intelligible world, where they can contemplate the forms. These people are the philosophers, who Plato considered to be the best rulers for a just society.

I hope this gives you a brief overview of Plato's theory of forms. If you want to learn more about it, you can read some of his dialogues that discuss it, such as Phaedo, Symposium, Republic, or Timaeus. You can also check out some of these links for more information:

• [Theory of forms - Wikipedia]: A detailed article on Plato's theory of forms, with references and sources.

• [Plato's Theory of Forms | Definition, Examples & Analysis - Perlego]: A study guide on Plato's theory of forms, with examples and analysis.

• [Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Theory of the Forms Explained]: A simple explanation of Plato's allegory of the cave and theory of the forms.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 26/10/2023

(1) Theory of forms - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_forms.

(2) Plato's Theory of Forms | Definition, Examples & Analysis - Perlego. 

https://www.perlego.com/knowledge/study-guides/what-is-platos-theory-of-forms/

(3) Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Theory of the Forms Explained.

https://factmyth.com/platos-allegory-of-the-cave-and-theory-of-the-forms-explained/