Platonism

Neoplatonic Virtue: The Self in Alcibiades I and in Plotinus' LifeYitzchok Lowy and I recap Plotinus' thought on contemplation, turning towards nous and identifying with your higher self…

Plotinus on Virtue: Becoming GodYitzchok Lowy and I discuss the last chapters on Plotinus' On Virtue, in which the shift of perspective from the person who seeks to…

Plotinus on Virtue: Turning towards NousYitzchok and I discuss chapter IV of Plotinus' on Virtue and its background in Plato's Republic. Plotinus here inquires whether purificaiton is sufficient…

Plotinus On Virtue: Virtue and PurificationYitzchok Lowy and I finish chapter 2 and read through chapter 3 of Plotinus' on Virtue, reviewing the connection between virtue and purity…

The Neoplatonic Theory of the Virtues: IntroductionYitzchok Lowy and I start a new course on the Neoplatonic Theory of the Virtues. I present the syllabus, discuss translation issues,…

Neoplatonic Virtue: Virtue and MeasurementYitzchok Lowy and I finish going over the first chapter of Plotinus' on Virtue and start the second, in which the question of the…

Commentary on the Republic: Summary of Essays 5 and 6 and What's NextWe end the course with an overview of the whole 5th and 6th essays and end…

Commentary on the Republic: End of Essay 6We finish essay six, looking at the different bards in Homer and how they correspond to the kinds of poetry and…

Commentary on the Republic: Rational and Mimetic PoetryWe end Proclus' discussion of the kinds of poetry, looking at what he has to say about rational poetry and the…

Commentary on the Republic: Poets as Magnetics and Children of GodsYitzchok Lowy and I conclude Proclus' discussion of inspired poetry in Plato looking at Plato's Ion and it's…

Commentary on the Republic: Poetry and the Light of the GodsWe read Proclus' account of the three kinds of life and the three kinds of poetry and his…

Commentary on the Republic: the Blindness of PoetsYitzchok Lowy and I discuss Proclus' explanation of Plato's account of the blindness of Homer and Stesichorus in the Phaedrus. Some…

Commentary on the Republic: Names and SelvesYitzchok Lowy and I discuss Proclus interpretation of Plato's use of the distinct divine and human names in Homer and also his…

Commentary on the Republic: Homer as a SourceYitzchok Lowy and I go over a list of teachings that Proclus thinks Plato got from Homer in some way.

Commentary on the Republic: Plato banished from the city!Yitzchok Lowy and I discuss a new argument that Proclus brings in Homer's defense: Plato can't have mean to reject…

Commentary on the Republic: Homer as an AuthorityYitzchok Lowy and I go over Proclus' prooftexts that show that Plato quotes Homer as an authority and as a model…

Commentary on the Republic: Achilles' TheurgyYitzchok Lowy and I discuss Proclus' explanation of why Achilles drags Hector's body and kills Trojan captives as part of Patroclus' funeral rites,…

Commentary on the Republic: On the apparent avarice and impiety of the heroesYitzchok Lowy and I discuss Proclus' explanations of why, despite Socrates' objections Homer does not portray…

Commentary on the Republic: the Intellectual Sources of Life and the Creation of the CosmosI correct some inaccuracies in my account of Rhea and Hera from last class…

Commentary on the Republic: Seduction on Mt. IdaYitzchok Lowy and I complete the discussion of the seduction of Zeus on Mt. Ida, including the meaning of sexual difference…

Commentary on the Republic: Laughter, Moderation and SexYitzchok Lowy and I finish the discussion of divine laughter, move on to passages where Homeric heros seem to lose their…

Commentary on the Republic: The Tears of the Godsin this class, we wrap up the discussion of the.myths of the Afterlife and read through Proclus' account of the…

Commentary on the Republic: Terrors of the Afterlifewe wrap up the conversation on the sending of false dreams by the gods and start Proclus' Commentary on both Platonic…