Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are continuing our study of Plato by diving into the Life of Alcibiades by Plutarch with Alex from the Cost of Glory podcast.

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Visit our PATREON page for written guides and to chat with others!

Alex is fantastic. Alex and Dcn. Garlick discuss a few preliminaries on why you should read about Alcibiades before studying Plato and why you should read Plutarch in general.

If you are not familiar with the life of Alcibiades, you are in for a treat. This man is a real-life Odysseus with all the twists and turns and unbelievable plots to merit that title. Alex will help us navigate Alcibiades’ life and pull out some important lessons, like the inherent dangers of democracy.

Also, THANK YOU for such a successful launch into Plato. We really appreciate it. Go check out our Patreon page for written guides on the great books AND a new community chat for all those who are reading Plato with us.

So join us as we prepare for our Platonic studies by examining the life of Alcibiades by Plutarch.

Keywords

Alcibiades, Plutarch, Socrates, Classics, Ancient Greece, Democracy, Philosophy, Cost of Glory, Antigone Journal, Human Nature, Alcibiades, Plutarch, Athenian politics, democracy, betrayal, piety, Spartan war, Socrates, ancient history, political strategy

#Plato #greatbooks #philosophy #christian #catholic #classics #ancientgreece #Socrates

WE ARE STARTING PLATO! Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast we are launching into our studies on Plato. We are kicking off with a roundtable of friends—a lawyer, two Phds, and an independent scholar—discussing the preliminary questions on Plato.

Questions:

1. Who was Plato?
2. Why should we read Plato?
3. Why should Christians read Plato?
4. How should we read Plato?
5. What Plato will we be reading?

We’ll also have a brief opening chat on the great books in general and why they are worth reading—which is at the heart of our mission here at Ascend. We’ll end by mapping out the next 8-9 months of episodes on Plato, which includes some of the best university professors and online voices you can find. So join us today for an excellent conversation on who is Plato and why should we read him.

Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources!

Visit our PATREON PAGE for written guides and a community chat on Plato.

Keywords: Plato, Great Books, Socrates, Philosophy, Dialogues, Education, Christian Thought, Classical Education, Literature, Intellectual Tradition

Hashtags: #Plato #Greatbooks #Socrates #Christian

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ascend and the Great Books

00:55 Introducing Plato and the Panel

05:32 The Purpose of Reading Great Books

12:05 Understanding Socrates and His Influence

21:14 Exploring Plato's Life and Philosophy

30:04 The Importance of Reading Plato

30:49 Socratic Questions and Universal Truths

33:53 Plato's Philosophical Legacy

36:15 Plato and the Spiritual Dimension

41:09 Plato's Role in Christian Thought

44:24 Philosophy and Faith: A Christian Perspective

51:19 How to Read Plato's Dialogues

01:03:49 Understanding Plato in Context

01:04:16 The Challenges of the Philosophical Life

01:05:42 The Hazards of Philosophy

01:07:18 The Demands of Knowledge

01:09:42 The Cost of Philosophical Inquiry

01:10:21 Upcoming Dialogues and Their Importance

01:13:14 Exploring First Alcibiades

01:13:44 The Euthyphro Dilemma

01:17:05 Socrates' Defense in the Apology

01:17:53 The Crito: Laws and Justice

01:18:58 The Phaedo: Death and Immortality

01:19:28 The Mino: Education and Knowledge

01:21:05 The Gorgias: Rhetoric and Morality

01:23:03 The Republic: Justice and Society

01:24:40 Reading Recommendations and Translations

01:26:04 Final Thoughts on Reading Plato

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Check out our new COMMUNITY CHAT where supporters can discuss Plato together.

In this episode of the Ascend to the Great Books podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick welcomes back Grayson Quay to discuss his new book, 'The Transhumanist Temptation.'

The conversation delves into the ideological roots of transhumanism, its implications for humanity, and the historical context that has led to its rise. Quay emphasizes the importance of teleology in understanding human nature and critiques the modern conception of freedom as it relates to technology. The discussion also touches on the challenges posed by technology, the influence of Nietzsche, and the need for a moral framework to navigate the complexities of modern life. Join us for a great conversation!

BOOK: The Transhumanist Temptation by Grayson Quay

You can read the great books with Ascend! Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.

NEXT WEEK we start our study on Plato!

Summary of Book

From the dawn of creation, the serpent’s whispered lie—“ye shall be as gods”—has echoed through history, and today it manifests itself in the growing transhumanist movement.

Our world stands at a crossroads with commercial surrogacy, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and “gender-affirming care” threatening to radically reshape human nature. Will we stand firm on ancient wisdom or risk losing our humanity altogether?

Grayson Quay deftly overturns the lies of transhumanism and cautions readers about the dystopian brave new world that has already arrived and will only get worse. And yet, he argues, transhumanism has more to do with philosophy than technology. The seeds of transhumanism were all there in the various isms of centuries past, but, under the harsh light of twenty-first-century science, they’re growing as never before.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ascend and the Great Books

01:06 Exploring Transhumanism: The Book Introduction

02:54 Inspiration Behind the Book

04:31 Defining Transhumanism and Its Ideological Roots

06:40 Target Audience and the Purpose of the Book

09:40 Historical Context of Humanism and Transhumanism

12:15 Understanding Teleology and Its Importance

17:41 The Ethics of Medicine and Technology

19:45 The Concept of Freedom in Modernity

23:47 Technology's Role in Transhumanism

27:42 The Moral Framework for Technology

30:02 The Impact of Technology on Humanity

35:40 Transhumanism and the Nature of Man

42:34 The Asymmetrical Warfare of Parenting in a Digital Age

46:44 Theological Implications of Transhumanism

54:34 Two Competing Visions of Transhumanism

Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information!