the Philosophy of Plato by Michael Aquino

In this episode, we journey from the shadows of the cave to the blinding light of the Forms. We explore how Plato—student of Socrates, founder of the Academy, and heir to the Egyptian mysteries—created a philosophical system that would define the soul, the state, and the divine for millennia.We begin with fourth-century Athens: a world of rationalism, humanism, and idealized perfection. We trace Plato's influences—from the Egyptian neteru to the Pythagorean obsession with number—and we ask: Was Plato the greatest synthesizer of ancient wisdom, or did he fundamentally misunderstand the traditions he inherited?From the Theory of Forms to the Allegory of the Cave, from the tripartite soul to the philosopher-king, from the Republic to the Laws—we trace the profound legacy of Platonic thought and ask: Are we living in Plato's cave, or have we escaped?🎧 ABOUT THE RUBY TABLETThe Ruby Tablet Podcast is a philosophical and spiritual journey through the essays of the Temple of Set, exploring the great traditions of human thought—from ancient Egypt to the present day. Each episode is a deep dive into the ideas that help shape the Self and fan the Black Flame.🔮 In Our Next Episode:We turn to Aristotle—Plato's star pupil who rejected the Forms and built his own empire of logic, ethics, and science. How did the "mind of the Academy" become the father of empiricism? And why did his philosophy become the foundation of medieval theology?🔗 Sources & Reading List:Essay #4: The Philosophy of Plato (Aquino VI°, V2 - 102 - 4) Reading List: #5, #12, #16📚 Recommended Reading:Plato, The Republic (trans. Allan Bloom or G.M.A. Grube)Plato, The Dialogues (especially Phaedo, Meno, Symposium)Plato, The LawsA.E. Taylor, Plato: The Man and His WorkW.K.C. Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, Volumes 4-5Francis Cornford, Plato's Theory of Knowledge💬 Join the Discussion:What do you think? Is the physical world a shadow, or is it real in its own right? Would you want to live in Plato's Republic? And does the Temple of Set have the right to claim Plato as an ancestor?Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Which philosophy speaks more to you—the cave or the light?📺 Subscribe for more episodes exploring the hidden currents of philosophy, history, and the occult tradition.🔔 Hit the bell to be notified when Episode #5 drops: The Philosophy of Aristotle.#Plato #Philosophy #TheRepublic #TheoryOfForms #AllegoryOfTheCave #TempleOfSet #LeftHandPath #TheRubyTablet #GreekPhilosophy #Socrates #SelfDeification #OccultPhilosophy #EsotericWisdom #Academy #Justinian #PhilosopherKing #Teleology #ImmortalSoul #Set #Xeper #WisdomTraditions #ClassicalPhilosophy #AncientWisdom #PhilosophyPodcast #TheForms #TheCave #Virtue #Justice #PlatonicAcademy #EgyptianWisdom #Pythagorean #Neoplatonism #Hermeticism