Philosophy, Beauty, and Societal Roles

I'm joined by Nina Power and DC Miller to discuss Plato's Republic. Topics include physical training and physical pleasure, philosophy under political repression, the training of philosophy, wealth, social class, and the role of irony in philosophy.

Starting with the opening scene of The Republic, we explore how philosophy operates under political pressure and the relationship between justice, truth, and madness. We discuss the role of wealth in philosophical pursuit, Christianity's synthesis of Greek philosophical ideas, and whether philosophy should be universally accessible or the province of a select few.

03:02 Plato’s Republic and Justice 
07:09 Should Philosophy Be Popular? 
14:35 Wealth 
34:29 Thinking 
35:17 Christianity and Free Speech 
36:43 Beauty 
38:11 Philosophy and Social Class 
43:26 Madness and Philosophy 
53:28 The Role of Physical Training in Philosophy 
59:51 Irony