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Platonic Thought of the Week 26: Republic X, 611b9 – 612a7
“Well, although our earlier argument, and others, would compel us to accept that soul is immortal, we should still behold what it is like in truth, not mutilated by its association with the body and other bad influences, which is how we behold it now. We should,...
We Owe it to Africa
We Owe It to Africa! John Dillon What is to be done about Africa? This question has, perhaps, an unpleasantly patronising ring to it, but such is certainly not intended. I write as one who has spent some years in Africa, back in the (somewhat) pleasanter...
Platonic Thought of the Week 25: Republic IX, 584d-585a
“Now,” said I, “do you know what qualities they have, and what they most resemble?” “What?” he asked. “Do you think,” said I, “that in nature there is an up, a down and a middle?” “I do.” “Now, do you think that someone being carried from below towards the middle...
The Cosmic Aspect of Truth in Plato
A PDF copy of this paper for download I I must confess to having a long-standing adversative relation with the concept of truth, particularly in philosophical and theological contexts, which I recognize as being unreasonable. It is partly due to problems with the...
Platonic Thought of the Week: 24 Plato, Republic VIII, 564c-e
“Well,” said I, “to see what we want to see with greater precision, let us proceed in the following way.” “In what way?” “Let us use the argument to divide the democratically governed city into three, which is how matters actually stand. One part is presumably this...
The Philosopher as Tourist: an Identifiable Tradition? by John M. Dillon
[A PDF version of this paper is available for download here] The Philosopher as Tourist: an Identifiable Tradition? John Dillon, Trinity College Dublin I The philosopher Philo of Alexandria, in the course of his Life of Abraham (§65), finds occasion, in connection...