Plato's Letters: Ariel Helfer on the Political Challenges of the Philosophic Life

The Greek philosopher Plato is famous for writing his teachings in the form of dialogues. But there are additionally a series of seven letters attributed to Plato. Over the centuries much ink has been spilt in arguments over their authenticity. My guest today argues that these letters are actually epistolary philosophical novel which are if nothing else a “ripping great yarn”.

“In the pages of Plato’s letters,” writes Ariel Helfer, “we find Plato the teacher, the counselor, the ally, the statesman; intrigue and faction in the court of a tyrant; grand political hopes dashed as famous utopian dreams become living nightmares—it is a stunningly dramatic and dynamic portrait of Plato and his philosophy.” An alll this is set in the exotic setting of Hellenized Sicily during the 5th century BC, which has a cultural and political complexity that makes the head spin uncontrollably. 

Ariel Helfer is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wayne State University, and the most recently editor and translator of Plato’s letters in an edition titled Plato’s Letters: The Political Challenges of the Philosophic LIfe . He was last on Historically Thinking to discuss Plato’s dialogue Alcibiades, and the broader subject of political ambition, in a conversation that was published on September 30, 2020.

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Chapters

1. Introduction and Background — 00:22
2. The Authenticity Debate of Plato's Letters — 03:25
3. Arguments for Authenticity and Unity — 11:27
4. Textual History and Preservation — 18:36
5. Historical Context: Plato in Syracuse — 26:19
6. Themes in the Letters — 33:55
7. Letter One: A Dramatic Opening — 40:51
8. Letter Six: Philosophy, Law, and Playfulness — 47:35
9. Philosophy vs. History: Different Perspectives — 56:24
10. The Herculaneum Scrolls and Future Discoveries — 1:03:20