I recommend the charming, witty and insightful BBC podcast, Thinking Allowed. In his own playful way, host Laurie Taylor, Professor of Sociology at The University of York, delves into provocative philosophical debates.
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Please read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on Self-Reliance
Come to our next seminar with an understanding of Emerson’s key arguments and with a critique of his argumentation.
We might begin with these questions:
How does (and should) a person define his/her place in society? (what does Emerson mean by “society” anyhow?)
What are the two major barriers to self-reliance ? Who is the “aboriginal Self,” the “Trustee”? How does this concept modify the egotism of self-reliance?
What are the implications of self-reliance for business? for religion (prayers, creeds)? for travelling? for art? for property ownership and government?
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David Edmonds is co-author of Wittgenstein’s Poker - this focuses on a ten minute argument between Karl Popper and Ludwig Wittgenstein. His other books – also written with John Eidinow – include Bobby Fischer Goes to War
Nigel Warburton has written a number of books including Philosophy: The Basics
Here is are links to scores of interviews from these gents. Most are 20-30 minutes. All are valuable (to varying degress of course).
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Listen to Nigel Warburton discuss various philosophical definitions of art with Derrrick Matravers on Philosophy Bites (12 minutes)
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The SEP is a fine resource for those pursuing truth. From its inception, the SEP was designed so that each entry is maintained and kept up to date by an expert or group of experts in the field. All entries and substantive updates are refereed by the members of a distinguished Editorial Board before they are made public. Consequently, their dynamic reference work maintains academic standards while evolving and adapting in response to new research.
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Here is a list of several moral dilemmas. Your “assignment” is to consider each of them carefully. We will democratically decide which of these dilemmas we want to address when we next meet.
Of course, you are coridally invited to post some food for thought in response to any of these dilemmas in the comments link at the bottom of this post.
Enjoy.
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Here are a couple of links that might help you to answer the question for our next session. Do not limit yourself to these links:
Is democracy the desired goal of all societies and, if not, should it be? The corollary question being, is democracy the ultimate form of government for which all societies should strive?
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines Democracy for us and offers some argumentation
Plato’s Criticism of Democracy (this a secondary source but you can read the primary source in Book V of The Republic)
Watch this News Hour interview with Natan Sharansky, author of “The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror”
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Your first challenge is to read and contemplate a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon excerpted from Plato’s Allegory of the Cave from The Republic.
Consider various interpretations of the Allegory. What is Plato suggesting? What are his implicit assumptions? What does the Allegory state about the human condition and human potential? What does the Allegory suggest about Truth?
If you need some guidance to understand this dialogue between Plato and Glaucon, there are innumerable of resources available to you online. Just Google it, choose a scholarly site and study.
You are encouraged to write a piece in response to the Allegory and post it in the comments section below. You are expected to come to our gathering on Friday ready, willing and able to discuss this philosophical classic.
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