Resiliency Rounds

Can art and poetry lead us astray from the path of truth? In this episode, we summarize Socrates' critical take on poetry and the arts as outlined in Book 10 of Plato's Republic. Socrates argues that mimesis, or artistic representation, is a distorted reflection of reality that can misguide citizens by amplifying their passions over rational thought. Using a clever analogy of a basketball shoe, we break down the varying levels of understanding and the distinct roles of creators, users, and advertisers. Furthermore, we scrutinize Socrates' critique of Homer's epics and their potential to incite irrational behavior, setting the stage...

What if the moral compass of an entire society could be shaped by its art and education? Join us as we uncover Socrates' provocative stance on poetry in the ideal republic, as laid out in Book 10 of Plato's Republic. We start by navigating the philosophical terrain of justice versus injustice through the lens of the Republic, positing it as a macrocosm of the soul's rational, spiritual, and appetitive elements. With a detailed discussion of the divided line and cave analogies, we highlight the relentless pursuit of true knowledge and the good. The crucial role of early education in shaping...

Could the principles of musical harmony reflect the nature of the ideal state and the philosopher king? Join us as we explore the philosophical depth of Plato's Republic, where we argue against Thrasymachus's cynical views on justice and journey through the formation of a society in perfect accord with the soul's three elements. We discuss how a just life, guided by wisdom, rather than honor or appetite, is not just more profitable but vastly more fulfilling. The conversation crescendos with the intriguing ways democracy, oligarchy, and tyranny can be heard in Pythagorean scales—each political mode echoing a distinct musical ch...

Could a tyrant lurk within the recesses of your own mind? Prepare for a philosophical odyssey that explores the descent from democracy to tyranny of the soul. As your guides, Eddie and Aneesh navigate the intricate passages of Plato's Republic, where Socrates himself wrestles with the shadows of unnecessary pleasures and the dark, lawless drives that threaten to unseat reason. This episode dissects the generational metamorphosis from the oligarchic individual to the democratic and finally, the tyrannical person, revealing how societal and familial pressures sculpt our inner despots. Together, we unravel the emergence of tyranny within, pitting it against...

Could the very freedoms we cherish in democracy unwittingly lead us into the hands of tyranny? In this episode Eddie and Aneesh traverse the philosophical landscape of Socratic thought, unraveling the complex threads between unbridled freedom and the rise of tyrannical power.  We dissect the democratic allure of liberty and how it can, ironically, enslave us to our basest desires. This is a thought-provoking examination of the transformation from democracy to tyranny, spotlighting the vital role of civic education and the perils of demagoguery in this precarious shift.

As we navigate the intricate relationship between personal desires a...

Could your cherished democratic freedoms be the very seeds that grow a tyrannical overlord? We pull back the curtain on Socrates' view of political evolution, dissecting the paradoxical journey from democracy to tyranny. Amidst the hustle of personal freedoms, we often neglect the virtues that safeguard our society, inadvertently paving the way for despots. In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh describe the bustling 'supermarket of constitutions' that is democracy, and the vulnerabilities it harbors. Listen to the Socratic description of democracy's ironic downfall, where an excess of choice and the relentless pursuit of wealth foster conditions ripe for a...

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh continue their discussion of defective constitutions - the oligarchy. 

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh discuss the Timocracy and the societal decay caused by honor-seeking for its own sake.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss what it means to be worthy or unworthy of the Dialectician.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss the intellectual training of the Guardians and how subjects like Mathematics, Astronomy, Harmonics, and Geometry, coupled with Dialectic discussion, train truth-seeking.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh explore Plato's cave allegory.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh explore the analogies of the Sun and the Divided Line.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh reflect on the fate of philosophers in conventional society; as well as their potential ascendancy under the right conditions.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss the philosophical nature and it's mishandling as "useless" by conventional minds.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss the concept of the Philosopher King.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh discuss the Republic's rules of engagement.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh discuss Socratic ideas about men, women, and child-rearing in the Republic.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss Justice within the individual Soul.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss the Virtues of the Just City.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh discuss the role of the Guardians in preventing the corrupting effects of wealth, poverty, and ambition in the Just City.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh discuss the Noble Lie and how it can be applied at the individual level.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh talk about how the arts and exercise are used to train our Guardians, and how temperance inspires and indurates them to  the versatile challenges of Life.

Credits:
'The Ecstasy of Gold' by Ennio Morricone
'Purple Haze' by Jimi Hendrix
'Wherever I May Roam' by Metallica
'Paint It Black' by Rolling Stones

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh begin the exploration of the Guardians and their training.

We discuss how the choice of a luxurious life leads to war within ourselves and among others. Thus, the making of your guardians is of utmost importance.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh discuss Socrates' defense of perfect Justice by thought experiment and the creation the Just city.

In this episode Eddie and Aneesh discuss the comparison between perfect Justice and perfect Injustice. 

The link to 'The Great Conversation' episode on The Rabbit Hole Ramble podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rabbit-hole-ramble/id1570669017?i=1000541614120

Is it really true that 'nice guys finish last?' Eddie and Aneesh complete their discussion of Book I of the Republic by Plato.

Eddie and Aneesh discuss the "might makes right" argument of Thrasymachus.

Eddie and Aneesh delve into Plato's Republic and the Socratic exploration of Justice.

Eddie and Aneesh complete their discussion on the Apology, also known as, the Trial of Socrates. They discuss how Socrates explains Virtue and its rightful position over money, reputation, and death.

Eddie and Aneesh discuss the Apology, also known as, the Trial of Socrates. They discuss how Socrates addresses the societal bias that led to his unjust indictment.

Eddie and Aneesh discuss the implications of Euthyphro. The secret to right-action is rational thinking and not blind adherence convention or dogma.

Are our choices right because they are endorsed by society? Or, are they endorsed by society because they are right? We embark upon the Foundations of Moral Obligation with a discussion about the first reading, Euthyphro by Plato.

In this episode, Eddie and Aneesh contemplate the life experiences of Admiral James Stockdale. Known as the 'Philosophical Fighter Pilot,' his trials and triumphs as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War inspired the creation of a highly sought-after and esteemed course on philosophical leadership - The Foundations of Moral Obligation (also known as 'the Stockdale Course').

You can read his essay, 'Courage Under Fire' here:
StockdaleCourage.pdf (hoover.org)

The Foundations of Moral Obligation reading list:
Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, & Crito 
Plato: Republic
Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics
K...

Welcome back to Resiliency Rounds.
Eddie and Aneesh start off the new season with a casual conversation about Season 1, Duty, Purpose, the Platonic Virtues, Burnout, Moral Injury, and the Foundations of Moral Obligation course.

The Foundations of Moral Obligation reading list:
Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, & Crito 
Plato: Republic
Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics
Kant: On Enlightenment
John Stuart Mill: On Liberty
Thucydides: Melian Dialogue
Charter of the United Nations
Kant: Perpetual Peace
Tolstoy: Death of Ivan Ilych
Elie Weisel: Night 
Epicurus: Letter to Meneoceus

What is Good? How do we distinguish what is desirable from what is right? And how should we balance the the Good of the individual with the Good of all?

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What is Wisdom? How is it different than Knowledge? What is the role of Wisdom in the search for Purpose and the pursuit of "a Good Life."

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Aneesh and Eddie discuss the virtue of Temperance and it's role in self-mastery, virtue, and a well-lived life.

Introduction credit: "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). Published 1875.
Recited by Morgan Freeman, December 2013, Charlie Rose Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7q_vACVwq0

Send comments & feedback: resiliencyrounds@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter: @ResiliencyR
Subscribe and share!