Ward Farnsworth is Dean and John Jeffers Research Chair at the University of Texas School of Law. He formerly was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at the Boston University Law School. He’s the author of The Socratic Method and The Practicing Stoic. Highlights * The Socratic method as an orientation of mind, is different from the orientation of mind that we use by default and therefore challenging. It's a humbler, more inquisitive frame of mind, a path toward intelligence. * “A life, a good life is a life with pleasure.” Socrates would ask, “What if a life had a lot of p ..read more

This episode is the final part of the Plato’s Academy Centre course on the Socratic Method. In this lesson, we will be learning about the positive philosophy of Socrates and his use of irony. If you've enjoyed it, please check out these simple ways you can support the Plato's Academy Centre. Socrates' fellow Athenians were frustrated and fascinated by him in equal measures. Right down to the present day, students of philosophy have shared a similar experience when reading Plato's dialogues. Socrates was a complex character. We'll conclude by discussing one of the enduring puzzles about him: hi ..read more

Above is an audiobook excerpt from David Fideler’s Breakfast with Seneca: A Stoic Guide to the Art of Living. Special thanks to W. W. Norton & Company and Tantor Media & HighBridge Audio. In Breakfast with Seneca, philosopher David Fideler mines Seneca's classic works in a series of focused chapters, clearly explaining Seneca's ideas without oversimplifying them. Best enjoyed as a daily ritual, like an energizing cup of coffee, Seneca's wisdom provides us with a steady stream of time-tested advice about the human condition - which, as it turns out, hasn't changed much over the past 2,0 ..read more

This episode is part of the Plato’s Academy Centre course on the Socratic Method. In this lesson, we will be learning about how cognitive therapists spot common cognitive distortions and how these compare to common logical fallacies. In the previous lesson, we looked at how cognitive therapists use Socratic Questioning today to help clients evaluate their beliefs in terms of evidence and helpfulness. They also help clients examine the "logic" of their beliefs. This is a slightly trickier approach, although closer in some regards to what Socrates and other philosophers were doing. Plato's Acade ..read more

Dr. Sean Lyons is Professor of Leadership and Management and Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph. Dr. Lyons’s main area of research concerns intergenerational differences and their impacts on workplace dynamics and managing people. He is co-author of the book Generational Career Shifts: How Matures, Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials View Work and co-editor of Managing the New Workforce: International Perspectives on the Millennial Generation. His research on generations has been featured in a number of ..read more

In this episode, Donald discusses the life and philosophy of Diogenes the Cynic with Jean-Manuel Roubineau, associate professor of ancient history at Rennes 2 University. Prof. Roubineau specializes in Greek antiquity, the historical anthropology of sport, and the history of social inequalities. He is the author of several books, including The Dangerous Life and Ideas of Diogenes the Cynic. Plato's Academy Centre Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Highlights * Prof. Roubineau’s background and rese ..read more

Diane Kalen-Sukra is the founder of Kalen Academy, an interactive online school for civic leaders and engaged citizens, which she launched after retiring as a city manager. She is also an acclaimed author, speaker and coach. Diane’s most popular book “Save Your City: How Toxic Culture Kills Community & What To Do About It”  takes readers on a successful journey from Bullyville to Sustainaville, which includes a visit to classical antiquity, calling for a renaissance of civic values and civic education as vital to fostering the type of culture that can sustain us, our democracy and our ..read more

What can we learn about emotional resilience from Plutarch’s classic On Peace of Mind? Practical advice from Plutarch on putting values into action, cognitive distancing, cultivating gratitude, and more. This is the full audio recording of Donald’s presentation from the Plato’s Academy Centre Philosophy and Resilience event on 20th May 2023. As there were some glitches with the streaming software, Donald re-recorded the whole presentation and the sound has been edited and quality improved. The recording also includes Lalya Lloyd’s reading of a passage from Plutarch, which contains a verse from ..read more

Matthew Sharpe is Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University, Australia. He has taught philosophy for over two decades, and is the author of multiple books, including most recently Stoicism, Bullying, and Beyond (in press, 2022), The Other Enlightenment (in press, 2022), and (with Michael Ure), Philosophy as a Way of Life: History, Dimensions, Directions (Bloomsbury, 2021).  He is also the cotranslator of Pierre Hadot, Selected Writings: Philosophy as Practice (Bloomsbury, 2021), and someone whose work continues to centre upon ancie ..read more

William O. Stephens is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Creighton University in Nebraska.  His interests include ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Stoicism as a way of life, Stoicism and popular culture, ethics, animals, and the environment.  He is the author of several books on philosophy, including Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Stoic Ethics: Epictetus and Happiness as Freedom and, more recently, Epictetus’s 'Enchiridion': A New Translation and Guide to Stoic Ethics. He will be speaking at the forthcoming Plato’s Academy Centre virtual conference commemorating Mar ..read more