Video and Podcast Resources On Plato's Ion, Euthyphro, Apology, And Crito
16 video lectures and 16 podcast lectures on four short platonic dialogues
Plato wrote a number of shorter dialogues which are reflective not only of his own philosophical viewpoint but also of his teacher and friend Socrates’ own views and character. Four of these are texts on which over the years I have produced both short video lectures and corresponding downloadable podcast lectures, covering all of the key ideas, arguments, and distinctions made in those dialogues. I use these as resources for my own students, but learners worldwide (and even some fellow instructors) have used them as aids in their own studies.
There are quite a few shorter dialogues that I’d like to get to producing similar resources on in the future, in particular the Laches (about courage), the Lysis (about friendship), and Charmides (about temperance), all three of which, like the Ion and Euthyphro, are what get called aporetic dialogues (that is, dialogues where they don’t manage to determine or define the main topic, but do learn some things along the way). But those will have to wait for another time.
For the present, what I have available are lectures on these four dialogues. There is a common overarching thematic that is shared by these, as well as by two other dialogues, the Meno and the Phaedo. The Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo are sometimes bundled together as “the last days of Socrates”, the time of his trial, imprisonment, and execution. There is a good reason to include the Ion and Meno in that group, since in those two we get to see precisely how Socrates created an animus against him on the part of the “older accusers” mentioned in the Apology.
So there you have them. 16 video lectures and 16 corresponding podcast lectures leading you through these four works. I hope that you find them to be useful resources if you choose to study these great short Platonic dialogues!
The Ion
"Speaking Well" and Knowledge | watch video | listen to podcast
Do Poets Have Knowledge? | watch video | listen to podcast
Poetry and Divine Inspiration | watch video | listen to podcast
The Euthyphro
What Gods and Humans Disagree About | watch video | listen to podcast
The Euthyphro Dilemma | watch video | listen to podcast
Piety as a Part of Justice | watch video | listen to podcast
The Apology
Socrates' Divine Mission | watch video | listen to podcast
Socrates' Older Accusers | watch video | listen to podcast
Socrates' Defense Against Corrupting the Young | watch video | listen to podcast
Socrates' Defense Against Charges of Impiety | watch video | listen to podcast
Socrates' Gadfly Analogy | watch video | listen to podcast
Why Socrates Does Not Fear Death | watch video | listen to podcast
The Crito
Crito's Arguments with Socrates | watch video | listen to podcast
Socrates on Living According to Principle | watch video | listen to podcast
Socrates on The Many and the Wise | watch video | listen to podcast
The Laws' Arguments | watch video | listen to podcast