Plato’s Theaetetus 4

PLATO’S THEAETETUS 4 JUDITH STOVE From Section 166, Socrates now assumes the persona of the late Protagoras, and gives a long speech (until 168c). It’s pretty funny. He perfectly reproduces the ‘more in sorrow than in anger,’ pompous, demeanour which we might associate with such a senior sophist. There are rhetorical questions and lots of […]
Plato’s Theaetetus 3

Plato’s Theaetetus 3 JUDITH STOVE Socrates sums up, that motion is beneficial to body and soul, and inaction the opposite. To illustrate, he recalls the image in Homer’s Iliad VIII.17-27, in which Zeus boasts that he could tie up the earth with a golden cord and suspend it from the top of Mount Olympus – […]
Pairidaēza Suite

Original music and poetry by Simon J. E. Drew, featuring themes of wisdom, prophecy, divinity, Nature, God, and enlightenment.
Plato’s Theaetetus 2

Plato’s Theaetetus 2 JUDITH STOVE Theaetetus, who we know from the opening scenes of the dialogue is a young man of rare courage, rises to the challenge. At once, he asserts that a person who knows something perceives that he knows it, and so ‘as it appears at present (hōs ge nuni phainetai), knowledge is […]
Plato’s Theaetetus 1

Plato’s Theaetetus 1 JUDITH STOVE Plato’s dialogue Theaetetus is considered one of the key works in the Western philosophical tradition dealing with epistemology, or how we know things. It was my introduction to the Platonic tradition, along with Republic, and – alas – in neither case was much of an impression, to use the Stoic […]
How to Keep Your Light Lit.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR LIGHT LIT DAVID ALEXANDER How to Keep Your Light Lit: Choose Your Friends Carefully. I wrote this article in August, 2022 after I was inspired by Sharon LeBell’s meet up on absurdity and evil in life. Also Brandon Tumblin’s interview with Sharron on Strong Stoic Podcast. It naturally followed the poetry […]
On Values (Epistle XLII)

ON VALUES WITH SIMON J. E. DREW & JUDITH STOVE XLII. On Values 1. Has that friend of yours already made you believe that he is a good man? And yet it is impossible in so short a time for one either to become good or be known as such. Do you know what kind of […]
On the God Within Us (Epistle XLI)

On the God Within Us WITH SIMON J. E. DREW & JUDITH STOVE XLI. On The God Within Us 1. You are doing an excellent thing, one which will be wholesome for you, if, as you write me, you are persisting in your effort to attain sound understanding; it is foolish to pray for this when […]
On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse

On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse WITH SIMON J. E. DREW & JUDITH STOVE XL. On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse 1. I thank you for writing to me so often; for you are revealing your real self to me in the only way you can. I never receive a letter from […]
Plato’s Meno 4 (Final)

Plato’s Meno 4 – Final JUDITH STOVE Encouraging Meno, Socrates proposes a thorough investigation of virtue. Once again, the question arises: can virtue be taught? If it is a kind of knowledge, then the answer will be yes (87c). More questions and answers emerge: “So virtue is something beneficial? (Meno) That necessarily follows from what […]