John Stuart Mill: John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty” was first published in 1859. In the 21st century this text confirms Socrates’ claim that “it is only the life of true philosophy that scorns the life of political ambition” (Plato’s Republic, 521). Mill’s thinking

– Plato: After Socrates is sentenced to death by the Athenian court, his friend Crito comes to the prison to help him escape and go to another country. Socrates responds by saying that he would accept Crito’s offer only if he can be convinced that it is right a

– Plato: Socrates questions Ion, an actor who just won a major prize, about his ability to interpret the epic poetry of Homer. How does an actor, a poet, or any other artist create? Is it by knowing? Is it by inspiration? As the dialogue proceeds, the nature of h

– Plato: Plato’s dialogues frequently cover several topics and show their connection to each other. The “Phaedrus” is a model of that skill because of its seamless progression from examples of speeches about the nature of love to mythical visions of human natur

– Plato: The dramatic nature of Plato’s dialogues is delightfully evident in the “Symposium. ” The marriage between character and thought bursts forth as the guests gather at Agathon’s house to celebrate the success of his first tragedy. With wit and insight,

Alfred North Whitehead: Whitehead presented these three lectures at Princeton University in 1929. Although 85 years have passed, his central thesis and his analysis remain remarkably current. The scientific materialism that Whitehead opposed with such vigor continues to domina