Plato's Pod: The Statesman (part 1, beginning-279(c))

We begin our examination of the Statesman (to 279(c)) by drawing on themes that Plato presented first in the Theaetetus and then in the Sophist, with which we concluded our previous episode. The trilogy of dialogues treat the application and communication of knowledge by the common person, the teacher, and the leader – and perhaps we can see these ancient archetypes still very much present in modern times.

In the Statesman, the Visitor from Elea who we met in the Sophist explores the theoretical basis and historical origins of a leader’s knowledge. The Visitor again employs the method of division and collection to distinguish and classify the expertise of the ruler, and invites us to consider how such unique “self-directing” skills might, or might not, evolve over time.

When, in the most distant past, there were “no political constitutions”, what empowers the kings and statesmen to bend the arc of time to their will and lead their human herds with the theoretical knowledge they claim to have? Do we see today truth in the words that Plato wrote nearly 2,400 years ago, that “the statesmen who belong to our present era are much more like their subjects in their natures”? What distinguishes the king and the statesman from the plague of the tyrant that we still witness today?

Our discussion can go anywhere the group wishes, for which some suggested themes will be offered. Wherever our discussion leads, Plato, without a doubt, would have imagined no better way than in dialogue for knowledge – the account of the reasons why – to multiply its connections. We welcome the sharing of all perspectives, whether you are new to or experienced with Plato. Recordings of our previous episodes are at https://open.spotify.com/show/53Zvjr7avMylQgNqfqBxlk?si=ksA1Hp7TQn6BwghRqI26GA&dl_branch=1 and other popular podcast platforms.

This episode will be recorded in voice only without video, using first name as it appears on your screen profile, and podcast for those who would like to share in our knowledge. After the recording ends, participants are welcome to remain for a half hour of “Plato’s Café”, a casual discussion of your choice of themes from any of Plato’s works, or philosophy in general.

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APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK BEFORE THE MEETUP: Please visit https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqvPwkIofv4UaFldrPpbva3VSXI?e=3Y7PjP for questions and themes that we might address, as well as those explored in our previous meetups. We will also post the reading list for our next meeting which will generally be scheduled every two weeks on Sunday at 10 a.m. eastern. During our dialogue, participants are encouraged to relate their comments to Plato's text, referring to the Stephanus number for the passage so others can follow in the reading. Participants are also encouraged to read the text aloud for the meaning of the written word to resonate.

There are many translations of Plato's works available, of varying quality. Your public library will have multiple editions. A free translation of The Statesman is available at https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1738, although lacking in explanatory notes and passage reference numbers that would be useful for our discussion. Participants in our entire series might be interested in purchasing Plato: Complete Works (https://www.amazon.ca/Plato-Complete-Works/dp/0872203492/).

The Meetup will take place on Zoom. Please RSVP to access the Zoom link at your Meetup account.