Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

• Plato's Phaedo Explained with Dr. Christopher Frey Part II

  The Phaedo is a beautiful dialogue! Join Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Christopher Frey, McFarland Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tulsa, as they conclude their exploration of Plato’s Phaedo, a profound dialogue capturing Socrates’ final hours and his arguments for the soul’s immortality. Reading schedule and more!Collection of guides on the great books!In this episode, Dcn. Garlick and Dr. Frey dive into the second half of the text (72e–118a), unpacking the recollection and affinity arguments, objections from Simmias and Cebes, the concept of misology, the final cause argument, the myth of the afterlife, and Socrates’ enigmatic final words.Episode SegmentsRecollection Argument (72e–77a)Socrates argues that learning is recalling preexistent knowledge of forms: “Coming to know something… is actually recollecting.”Sense experience, like seeing equal sticks, triggers recollection of perfect forms.This suggests the soul exists before birth.The argument for forms is distinct from recollection.Affinity Argument (78b–80b)The soul resembles forms, being “divine, immortal, intelligible, uniform,” unlike the mutable body: “The body is… mortal, multiform, dissolvable.”Forms are simple and unchanging: “Beauty itself doesn’t change… It would have to be something that isn’t visible.”Riveting Image and the Philosophical Life (83d)Pleasures and pains “rivet the soul to the body and to weld them together."Socrates remains calm while others weep, embodying philosophical discipline: “He’s the philosopher… They’re too sunk, they’re too mired in that bodily.”Objections by Simmias and Cebes (84c–88b)Simmias’ harmony view posits the soul as an effect of bodily organization.Cebes’ cloak objection suggests the soul may wear out: “Why couldn’t there be a last time which… the soul does eventually wear out?”Socrates counters that the soul causes life, not the body.Misology and the Value of Argument (88c–89e)Socrates warns against misology, hating reasoned argument: “There’s no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.”Final Cause Argument (95b–107a)Socrates’ autobiography reveals dissatisfaction with materialist explanations, seeking purpose.The soul’s essential life ensures immortality: “The soul is alive itself in a way that it can’t be taken away… As the fire cannot actually receive coldness, neither can the soul actually receive death.”Myth of the Afterlife (107d–114c)Describes a stratified earth with hollows and Tartarus.Souls face judgment or purgation.Details may not be literal but encourage virtue.Socrates’ Death and Final Words (114d–118a)Socrates drinks hemlock, called a “pharmacon."Final words suggest death as healing: “Crito, we ought to offer a cock to Asclepius… The malady for which he wants to be cured is embodied life itself.”Inspires hope, especially for Christians: “If someone like Socrates… can enter it with this much fortitude… how much greater should our hope be?”Key TakeawaysThe Phaedo’s arguments—recollection, affinity, and final cause—build a case for the soul’s immortality, though not airtight, urging a philosophical life: “The philosophical life is one in which you have to be comfortable with...

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• Plato's Phaedo Explained with Dr. Christopher Frey Part I

  Today on Ascend: the Great Books Podcast, we are discussing Plato's Phaedo, or in ancient times, it had the subtitle of On the Soul. It tells of the death of Socrates and his various arguments for the immortality of the soul. The Phaedo is a complicated dialogue. It's a long dialogue, but it's very beautiful and very much worth the effort. So it merits a slow, attentive, and subtle read.And to help us with this type of read, we are joined by Dr. Christopher Frey, a fantastic thinker who really is going to hold our hand and walk us through these various arguments of the immortality of soul. We're going to discuss the first part this week (up to the theory of recollection) and the second part next week.So is it beautiful? Yes. Is it difficult? Also, yes, but it's very much worth your time. So join us today for an excellent conversation on Plato's Phaedo with Dr. Christopher Frey.Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our READING SCHEDULE and more.Check out our COLLECTION of written guides on the great books.Keywords: Plato, Phaedo, Socrates, immortality, philosophy, body and soul, great books, ancient philosophy, dialogue, deathThank you for joining us!

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• On the Death of Socrates: Introducing Plato's Phaedo

  Today, we are introducing Plato's Phaedo, "on the soul," with Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute and with Athenian Stranger. We'll discuss why to read the great books, why we read Plato, how you should read Plato, and why to read the Phaedo.We then do a deep dive into the opening of the Phaedo, especially on the setting and the myth of Theseus-where a subtle, attentive read unearths a beautifully rich allusion. We'll end with some advice for first time readers of the Phaedo. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.Visit our COLLECTION of written guides on the great books!NEXT TWO WEEKS we'll be joined by Dr. Christopher Frey of the University of Tulsa who will walk us argument by argument through the Phaedo. He's fantastic, don't miss them!Thank you to all who support the podcast!ALSO if you want some rich spiritual lessons rooted in the Christian tradition and the great books, go check out Dcn. Garlick at THE ASCENT.

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• The Crito by Plato with Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos

  In this episode, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos dive into Plato’s Crito, a dialogue set in Socrates’ prison cell as he awaits execution. They explore Socrates’ refusal to escape, his debt of gratitude to Athens, and the tension between philosophy and the polis’s poetic traditions. Through engaging analysis, they unpack the dialogue’s themes of justice, piety, and civic obligation, offering insights for first-time readers and drawing parallels to modern liberal democracy.Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos, Assistant Professor of Humanities at Wyoming Catholic College, joins the episode. With a BA from St. John’s College and a PhD in politics from the University of Dallas, he brings expertise in Plato, having written his dissertation on the philosopher.Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!Visit our COLLECTION of written guides on the works of Plato!Summary:The questions explored about Plato’s Crito reveal key themes of justice, piety, gratitude, and the tension between philosophy and the polis. Socrates’ imprisonment, set against Athens’ cultural life governed by the poetic myth of Theseus, underscores the conflict between philosophical inquiry and the city’s traditional piety, highlighting philosophy’s precarious role in a society shaped by poetry. His dream of a woman prophesying his arrival in Phthia, echoing Achilles’ fates, reframes his acceptance of death as a philosophical heroism, prioritizing justice over survival. Crito’s arguments for escape, rooted in emotional appeals to public opinion and familial duty, contrast with Socrates’ rational defense of his obligation to Athens, articulated through the laws as a debt of gratitude that cannot be repaid, distinguishing his view of the city as a fatherland from modern social contract theory’s individualistic framework. The laws’ warning that escape would “destroy” the polis emphasizes the necessity of upholding civic order, while Athens’ allowance of philosophy, despite its antagonism, parallels liberal democracy’s permissive yet flawed support for diverse pursuits. The references to the Corybantes and God at the dialogue’s end subtly integrate divine sanction with rational argument, affirming Socrates’ serene commitment to justice as both a philosophical and spiritual act, challenging first-time readers to consider the interplay of individual conscience, civic duty, and divine order in navigating moral dilemmas.Check out YOUTUBE page and our COLLECTION of guides!

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• Plato's Apology Part II with Fr. Justin Brophy, OP

  In this episode of the Ascend the Great Books podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Father Justin Brophy, OP, delve into the second part of Plato's Apology, exploring Socrates' defense during his trial. They discuss the significance of Socrates' thoughts on death, virtue, and the role of philosophy in life. The conversation also touches on the influence of Saint Justin Martyr, the relationship between pagans and philosophy, and the concept of the daemon as a guiding force in Socrates' life. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule and prior great books!Check out our COLLECTION of written guides on the great books.The episode emphasizes the importance of living a virtuous life and the challenges posed by political life, ultimately highlighting Socrates' role as a gadfly in Athenian society. Keywords: Plato, Socrates, Apology, philosophy, virtue, Justin Martyr, death, polis, daemon, gadfly, Socrates, philosophy, politics, virtue, democracy, Apology, death, unexamined life, hope, justiceFrom the guide: 30. What should we learn from the Apology overall?In Plato’s Apology, Socrates delivers a profound defense against charges of impiety and corrupting the youth, presenting himself as a divinely appointed gadfly to awaken Athens to wisdom and virtue, despite the city’s resistance to his philosophical mission. He distinguishes his authentic philosophy, driven by a true eros for wisdom and obedience to the God, from sophistry and poetic inspiration, emphasizing that the unexamined life is not worth living. Facing a close guilty verdict and death sentence, Socrates refuses to grovel, asserting that a just man cannot be harmed by a worse one, as only unjust acts can scar the soul. He concludes with hope, urging the jury to trust that “a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death, and that his affairs are not neglected by the gods,” leaving a legacy that challenges Athens and shapes Western civilization. The Apology thus portrays Socrates’ trial as a defense of philosophy itself, highlighting its transformative power and inevitable tension with the democratic polis.

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