Plato's Philosophy - From Socrates to Sartre (1978)

Thelma Z. Lavine delivers a few lectures on Plato as part of a televised lecture series called 'From Socrates to Sartre, A Historical Introduction to Philosophy'. Note, the music has been edited out.

00:00 Shadow & Substance
The Republic; the Socratic Method: the Allegory of the Cave - Plato the synthesizer of the previous conflicting philosophies of the Greek world. The pre-Socratic philosophers: Heraclitus and Parmenides; the Sophists. The dialogue form. The Socratic method. Book I of the Republic as instance of Socratic method applied to question; What is Justice? Confusion and failure of the discussion. Plato's metaphysics and its expression in the Allegory of the Cave and its contemporary relevance.

28:07 Opinion vs Knowledge
Theory of Knowledge - Opinion verses Knowledge. What is true knowledge and how is it reached? Plato's theory of knowledge. The Divided Line: diagram of four states of development of knowledge. Plato's theory of Forms. The idea of the Good. Contemporary significance of Plato's rationalistic theory of knowledge. Implication for art, common sense, religion, empirical science, mathematics. The meaning of "dialectic." The idea of the Good.

56:13 The Three Part Man
Tripartite Soul & Contemporary Psychology - Plato vs the Sophists; Plato's immutable ideas vs contemporary cultural & ethical relativism. Analysis of idea of Justice. The idea or essence of man. Theory of the tripartite soul. Relation to contemporary psychology, especially Freud. The charioteer and two horses. The man, the lion, and the dragon. Plato's ethics; "Justice" in the soul. The highest good is the life of reason. Virtue is knowledge.

1:24:13 The Ideal State
Plato's Politics: The Republic modeled on the tripartitate soul and its justice. The three classes of society, their education for their tasks. The producers, the administrators & warriors, the philosopher-kings. Noble Lies. The status of women. "Getting and spending:" the life of the masses. The disciplined, ascetic communal life of the guardians. The planned breeding of a superior guardian class. Political absolutism. Criticism of absolute truth. Who guards the guardians? The charge of totalitarianism.

#philosophy #plato #socrates #epistemology

[marktauber]

This was recorded in the late 1970s when I was in college. It is still astonishingly fresh today. I have not heard a better encapsulation of philosophy than this series.

[anindyabhattacharya]

I wish I had had a teacher like Thelma in my youth. Simply wonderful!!

[nkanyezitshabalala]

This is possibly the best exposition on Platonic philosophy I have ever encountered. The presentation is truly exceptional 👌 👏

[richardbaroff]

This takesme back 45 years to when I was Thelma's student and I think friend. A real pleausre and nostalgic as well. She was a warm person and a great teacher.

[tiamatxvxianash]

Thelma Lavine inspires her listeners to a level of righteous confidence where one simply wants to stand up and clap ones hands in gratitude. She is one of my own personal angelic trumpeters as represented in Michaelangelo's, "The Dreams of human life".

[georgedantz]

This is one of the most exceptional videos on introductory philosophy I have seen as of yet. The narrator does a stellar job at making the subject matter clear and understandable.

[SJSUPhilosopher]

I was a teenager who was greatly influenced in a most positive way by Dr. Lavine's TV series. I was living in Maryland & the series was regularly shown on a local PBS channel. I later earned 3 degrees in Philosophy, 1 from The University of Maryland & 2 from Cornell University, including my Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1992. Please watch & learn! It's a great TV series, edgier than you might suppose, too.

[kennethhamilton]

She’s what the world needs: a TEACHER.

[MrGaborseres]

Wonderful indeed 😊.... She is the reason I'm hooked on Socrates and Plato and other listening to her many decades ago on my small black&white TV 📺 she passed away in 2011, RIP

[LoneMonk]

Oh wow, I loved this series. This was PBS at its best.

[spacerandy]

Please post more of Thelma’s lectures, she was wonderful and I’d watch all of them.

[jesskuhmess]

Wow this is an incredible expression of philosophical concept

[VinnieMTG]

We need this kind of solid content nowadays.

[joelwatson]

OMG does this bring back memories!. These videos were my first Phil course, which was at night. The instructor would plug in this VHS tape and play it. At the end of class, he would ask what we thought. We all thought nothing because we didn't understand a word of it. Mainly because non of us, all working people, could stay awake. The instructor didn't understand it either and admitted it. We all passed. Today I have a degree in Phil and I still only understand some of it.

[patriceortovent]

A remarkable mind capable to explain the essence of great works by philosophers in history with an outstanding clarity. thanks for the effort to have her lectures available on YouTube, a real treasure.

[kenharvey]

I wanted these as a kid when PBS began.I am more impressed with the presentation now as the years that passed PBS thought one must present a subject with graphics and special affects.
When all you need is a great communicator.

[karenlavigne]

What a gifted teacher! If only we had more teachers like her in our 2024 society. This is education @ it’s finest.

[noshirm]

Your channel is a treasure trove of knowledge. 🤗👏🏻🤗 I’m thoroughly enjoying Lavine’s presentation! Her being restricted to 28 minutes for each episode means she has to speak a bit hurriedly, but it’s all eminently comprehensible. 👏🏻

[saulorocha]

Thelma is fantastic, I like the way she presents the ideas of the philosopher and only then gives her criticism.

[Medina-bkfo]

I AM SO HAPPY to re-discover Ms. Lavine. I watched her in my youth on UHF TV-channel. Never thought I'd find her again. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!