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

[@marktauber7355]

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.

[@dennismorris7573]

Dr. Thelma Z. Lavine was quite brilliant.

[@SeptemberAdam]

Because you are still a child. You ain't been around enough. There's been plenty others, some still alive the rest dead who have lectured just as good if not better. You ain't heard them. Don't set yourself up as the "ultimate authority" on who's worthy to teach and who ain't. That's ignorant! You are merely a child. Grow up and get around some more.

[@anindyabhattacharya840]

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

[@WaytoGo723]

The performances of most teachers do not come close. Sad.

[@KibyNykraft]

@@WaytoGo723 One small error is there : Skepticism is not to doubt the goal or possibility of knowledge. Skepticism is to challenge all claims or beliefs so that the claims might be tested and examined enough to reach a truth about the claims or to hone them or improve them into a better quality. This is the large difference between NEO-platonism vs realism. A K A Subjectivism/modernism vs moral objectivism and science.

[@Silly.Old.Sisyphus]

rather you than me; she looks, sounds, and moves too much like Lady Bracknell or Bertie's Aunt Agatha for comfort. Her historical precis is excellent, but her interpretations are a bit wishy-washy, as might only be expected of a career philoospher, because philosophy is science without knowledge :)

[@WaytoGo723]

@@Silly.Old.Sisyphus science without philosophy is unintelligible. What is the current state of human science? Hope you would enlighten us on this.

[@Silly.Old.Sisyphus]

@@WaytoGo723 yours sounds like a ChatGPT sentence, taking a few words of my comment and rearranging them and chucking in a few other words that are statistically correlated, but without any reference to their meaning. That's philosophy without thought!

[@ParallelNewsNetwork]

This woman speaks with pure clarity.

[@danielhickmott5800]

She has been classically educated and probably a professor. Yes, Thelma Z. Lavine - quite the educator.

[@JonoPaltin]

I love her Julia Childesque candor

[@PhilipPedro2112]

Quite a good speaker, yes. But there is a component of her speech that I notice frequently in contemporary speakers, mainly with professional television news anchors. That is, a noticable clicking or popping sound of the mouth immediately before or after formation of a word. I wonder if they are aware of what they are doing. Have they been trained to do this? I have asked people about this and nobody seems to notice it. I am hoping to ask this to a speech teacher for their opinion.

[@irinaz9034]

@@JonoPaltin My impression also exactly!

[@jumo5893]

@@PhilipPedro2112 i find this is how they speak on public radio as well

[@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.

[@stephenmacdonald4005]

Thank you for your generous comment.

[@StAsshole]

What questions did you end up asking? It would be exciting to find out where this journey took you.. so far..

[@snakejuce]

Now remind the class that you cannot do anything with a Philo degree besides teaching.

[@jaredherring958]

Better future in selling snake juice?

[@nkanyezitshabalala5256]

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

[@johnr6087]

Happy to hear that! I’m about to watch this video and I’m curious about Plato’s influence on Christianity. Christianity’s view of the soul/body dualism, dying, the afterlife, Satan, and God the Father can differ from both Orthodox Judaism and Islam. I’ve heard some contend this had to do with some of Christianity’s Early Church Fathers and their ideas being influenced by Plato.

[@janelliot5643]

27:35

[@nkanyezitshabalala5256]

@John R I'm not an expert in that regard but there is a lecture by Professor Leonard Peikoff in his series on the history of philosophy by the Ayn Rand Institute - here on KZbin - that touches on that. It's Neoplatonism and the transition to Christianity Part 24. And you may also consider the following lectures. Hope this helps.

[@johnr6087]

@@nkanyezitshabalala5256 Thank you very much! That helps for sure.

[@anhumblemessengerofthelawo3858]

_if you're interested in Platonism, then read Jacob Klein._

[@richardbaroff4911]

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.

[@georgedantz3617]

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.

[@user-qq3bl6py3g]

B by 😮

[@MrGaborseres]

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

[@spacerandy]

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

[@zoiemarsh4824]

poooo🎉loooolo

[@zoiemarsh4824]

o

[@nkanyezitshabalala5256]

Why don't we have these types of shows anymore?

[@johnnevue8270]

1:52:57

[@johnnevue8270]

WOW! Life, liberty, and the pursuit of Individual FREEDOM”? Now, it’s been a LONG time since I’ve brushed up on my philosophy, but I’m glad I’m finally starting to see what kind of pure and utter BULLS&@T has this whole ILLUSION of “liberty” our society has apparently evolved out of and is emerging to ; namely that 4 letter word FREE out of which they’ve cropped some strange notions about an individual’s 1:52:57 needs concerning FREEDOM! I must have been pretty stupid to have bought THAT one at such an early age, and especially all while growing up receiving my compulsory education while nestled right here amongst the gentle roiling hills of Noble New England, supposedly the very birthplace of modern constitutional democracy, at least for here in North America? And they tried to pawn that whole old bottle of English Spirits over unto ME as some kind of evidence for their “God” ever since? It’d almost be comical if it wasn’t so sad and obvious? 😢 And some people will wonder why we’ve been having so many mass shooting incidents here lately? I’m not even sure WHY, but I don’t think it’s because we have any too much of that 5 letter word, “Truth” floating around to give us any better insights into it’s origins or possible future developments? Well, label me CRAZY if I won’t pay for THAT product!!!

[@jesskuhmess]

Wow this is an incredible expression of philosophical concept

[@kenharvey8946]

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.

[@7ropz]

We need this kind of solid content nowadays.

[@mannymoseley4005]

I agree.

[@burnlikeneon4044]

You mean like how I’m watching it right now? Nowadays?

[@patriceortovent6451]

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 KZbin, a real treasure.

[@harveyyoung3423]

"essence"? in "relation" with/to Plato? Surly you mean idea or form? A good reflection, to avoid, maybe a certain, Socratic irony : ) I'm Just being dialectical.

[@psvs3960]

More of this Series, please.

[@LoneMonk1]

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

[@anniesue4456]

The PBS I grew up with.

[@TennesseeJed]

The PBS prior to Exxon owning it.

[@Book-bz8ns]

I used to watch this series when I was a kid. Was on PBS.

[@kennethhamilton4827]

She’s what the world needs: a TEACHER.

[@tiamatxvxianash9202]

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".

[@sirbeardcat]

really enjoyed your other upload from this series, looking forward to this a great deal! thanks

[@robertroth3930]

Thelma was a superb explainer.

[@noshirm6285]

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. 👏🏻

[@tansu77]

Fantastic video, and great lecture. Thank you very much for uploading this.

[@saulorocha3755]

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

[@StAsshole]

Grateful for this upload, my mind feels so clear

[@kimjohnson8471]

What a brilliant mind! Thanks for posting.

[@stevenotte3447]

Wow, Thelma Lavine takes over the scene, and lights so many candles for our cake in the baking, from stars of the Cosmos. Oh, Oh, Thelma, where've you been when I was only so static gazing out so many windows in so many schools. You're Author! Thanks for your courage!

[@gwynethvdoherty9584]

Fabulous Overview ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️.Thankyou for uploading

[@zeckua]

absolutely awesome explorations; thank you!

[@levmushkin17]

it would be wonderful if you could upload more videos of this series.

[@languagegame410]

i second that in the strongest of English langauge game posted reply comments imaginable, good monsieur... kind monsieur... ssssssweet monsieur!

[@klokangeorge4005]

Herr a Clitoris, it's all. We all Are thé Heroes of an Clitoris Jenže ta ryba se pak zase přetaví do samce, a to už je trochu moc. Chvíli muž, chvíli žena! A pořád ten Pořad: Vlhko

[@StevenParrisWard]

What a treat. Thank you very much.

[@mannymoseley4005]

Thank you for posting this unique Informative, entertaining and fun pedantic video. I enjoyed it greatly. I love philosophy, reading and hearing the Greek philosophy is so fascinating. It's interesting to hear what they believe. Thought, interesting. Thanks again. God bless you.

[@ozachar]

Waww, what a sweeping yet deep thought provoking presentation

[@pinkbug8u]

Can you imagine Plato being alive today where EVERYTHING is image. His head would explode. Masses ARE easily persuaded by images. Look around at the result. Particularly last 3 years. It was so easy

[@MelissaR784]

This is true. The masses are easily persuaded, manipulated....for awhile. Over time, the gimmicks and propaganda looses their appeal. Sooner or later, the masses wake up to the trickery of the bait and switch. And just like the little boy who cried wolf, people will ignore it when their trust is gone. Not sure if this news story is true or not, but read young people are trading their smartphone in for flip phones. Back to basic phone and text.. About to get one myself with so many apps draining my data and battery. The settings on our phone's are useless when some apps can change your settings, make calls from your phone and redirect calls you make. A few even had the permission to excess your calender and contact your guests if your having a event, without your knowledge. Lost more rights in the last three years then the past 200. That's not something anyone should be proud of.😊

[@sbreathnach357]

WONDERFUL! Thoroughly enjoyable...as was your other podcasts,esp on Marks...

[@jasonyitzie]

Her pace and historical renditions are so pleasant

[@mostee77]

Excellent,, thank you for sharing

[@karenlavigne1108]

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

[@bondzuckerman9035]

This video is a gift to the world.

[@joelwatson4083]

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.

[@LorenzoSanchez-fi4bc]

Awesome videos, so enjoyable. She speaks in a way thats easy to understand Loved it.

[@Charlie-ii5rr]

Great show. A real find.

[@almodovar251]

I love philosophy and I love your approach Dr. Lavigne!

[@mistersmith1883]

Loved this video!

[@rakeshshah5032]

What an amazing lecture !

[@dann5480]

Thanks for this

[@nilsanieves3457]

Thank you for posting. I enjoyed it when PBS first presented it and I enjoy it now. What a clear and professional way of presenting something that could be so difficult to transmit to the general public. Thank you.

[@marykinsella417]

A 😊

[@stevencoutinho7138]

Finally, an accessible way to understand the teachings of Plato et al. Why don't we have series anymore on TV that discuss the deepest questions of our existence? No people who come close to Alan Watts, Krishnamurti, etc etc...

[@sonnynamouz6647]

Best presentation of Plato...thanks Thema Lavine

[@MelissaR784]

She passed away in 2011.

[@ernestomenendez-conde6017]

Just amazing!!!!

[@tombouie]

Quite impressive, thank you.

[@Star_Dusting]

Please post more ❤

[@markv7458]

We need more professors like her today.

[@laluna5548]

Beautiful!

[@TheBigFella]

Outstanding synthesis ❤

[@sheddybhulji8196]

Bravo..fantastic video

[@bindurao3463]

Thanks a million

[@Coffisino]

truly my favorite video in yt

[@SCB-dd4io]

Great stuff!

[@m.elsadiazdiaz6556]

just brilliant

[@joelfigueroa7513]

Great job listening to the republic on KZbin and she's is nailing

[@yimernone4387]

Thank you Madam !

[@yetty4032]

Wow mind blowing thank you for sharing .because I don't like to read but now this knowledge is wonderful . ❤❤❤thank you

[@donaldwhittaker7987]

Dr lavine is terrific

[@JPChartiergutterpup]

She is fantastic!!

[@robertjennings397]

Dr lavine’s home is amazing.

[@Thomasyouareclearandbeau-td4ox]

You are the best scholar 👩‍🏫 in world and beautiful person inside out x

[@ericlewis3681]

Brilliant!

[@Demosophist]

I was her teaching assistant when I was in grad school, and she was also on my PhD dissertation committee, though not the chair.

[@pierrebernard5922]

Bravo thanks you !

[@DCFunBud]

She made philosophy live for people, young people especially. I used to watch her in high school.

[@Levi_170]

Beautiful

[@quintonbroster2994]

Here for the algorithm, thank you for this

[@royrush5374]

I've just discovered I'm a Sophist. Brilliant vid!

[@marissadower-morgan3313]

Wonderful

[@108carmencita]

Thelma is just Great!!

[@dennismorris7573]

Extremely impressive lectures from Dr. Thelma Z. Lavine. To address the several comments below that lament such teachers/professors are modernly in short supply, I say the following: There are many excellent professors and teachers, but rather than fomenting more through apprenticeship, if you will, many institutions hire teachers on a part time basis, to fill class scheduling "needs", but not, sadly, to fill the subject matter taught with the excellence and experience it deserves. As such, teachers have become more of a commodity, and the focus away from teaching staff and toward the proliferation of countless, meaningless positions in "administration" designed primarily to keep people busy doing essentially nothing, destroys the very fabric of the educational process. A school or unversity that unerringly places its focus squarely on promoting the best and brightest for their teaching staff will ultimately develop fine teachers, lecturers and professors, as we see here. In doing, such institutions will also raise the level of education in their community and nation.

[@theologyscienceandpropheti6808]

Excellent 👌👍👌

[@dennisainscough5151]

Please upload teaching by this wonderful teacher.

[@frank327]

First time I heard of her, she's great

[@SeptemberAdam]

This is pretty good.

[@maxchen7229]

Good point!

[@naturestruck8090]

Great communicator. I couldn't speak as clearly as she did for 10 minutes.

[@SCB-dd4io]

This lady is a rock star!

[@craigstanton2376]

I wish this whole series was on dvd

[@CesarClouds]

Read the book version, great introduction to western philosophy.

[@escapefelicity2913]

we need a philosopher king no shit

[@nolancoates4856]

Very interesting 🤔

[@user-tw4xc5yp4g]

Verry good 🎓👍

[@user-rs2wy5yj8r]

Ясна та гарна подача.

[@georgetheonlyporge]

This Lady presenter is absolutely amazing! She must be a scholar and a teacher and her pupils must love her. To answer one of her questions... no, Plato's views on democracy do not make me feel uncomfortable. I share them by now. The longest part of my adult life I was a socialist, a Marxist, take from the rich and give to the poor and all that crap. I will be honest with you, Plato's idea of philosophers and professionals running a country is appealing, but I believe that a dictatorship, providing of course that the dictator is benevolent, is the most effective form of government. I realize that these days are over, so a libertarian republic should be the way forward. But the dictatorship of the masses, that's what democracy is, is a failed system destroying itself as we speak.

[@MrJafredderf]

Heraclitus also said "Do not sh&t where you eat", changing the seating arrangements in many an Epiphesian restaurant.

[@ghamessmona]

❤

[@danieldoucet8687]

I was introduced to Play-Doh before I learned to talk.

[@escovision1986]

He who controls the image Controls the mind

[@theotheoth]

Thelma is wonderful. Watching her, I can fully see how pudgy old Socrates would have "won the love of any young man of Athens".

[@anniesue4456]

This is how school teachers used to be. Thinking ... they wanted us to think. Lots of arguments. Broad ideas. NOT THEIR PERSONAL OPINIONS!!!!

[@mikeeinstein1]

They aren't like that anymore?

[@kennethhamilton4827]

I think good teachers know how to make the distinction. Broad ideas can be taught in personal ways.

[@xenoblad]

Disagreeing with Plato’s political views involved opinions. Opinions aren’t a bad thing.

[@SeptemberAdam]

Says loudmouth YOU! jackass.

[@domenictersigni999]

Thanks fellow being for sharing awareness and insights out loud here is a side not to this share :the philosophy inquiry is WHY is most humans indifferent now the mystic will explain the why they are which one are the masses at any given moment being a philosopher or mystic or the many indifferent ?

[@mannymoseley4005]

Unique view thanks.

[@vajraloka1]

Plato seriously generalized the masses.

[@user-fq4yz5ek3r]

Something to remember,ladies.. I love women,and I'm in love with this woman's mind. Physical beauty will only get you so far. God,I love smart women.

[@casteretpollux]

Where can I find part One? I appreciate this channel but please provide a list of the order of this particular series of talks.