Plato Part ☃

 Phaedo

Bonus: 

 

Better Philosophy than Plato

Summary: Non sequitur.

Commentary:

I hate these so much.

And they are right, Simmias, in thinking so, with the exception of the words 'they have found them out'; for they have not found out either what is the nature of that death which the true philosopher deserves, or how he deserves or desires death. But enough of them:—let us discuss the matter among ourselves: Do we believe that there is such a thing as death?

To be sure, replied Simmias.

OH HERE WE GO 

Is it not the separation of soul and body? And to be dead is the completion of this; when the soul exists in herself, and is released from the body and the body is released from the soul, what is this but death?

Just so, he replied.

Yes, there is no other logical definition of death for an ancient Greek person. "When your heart stops beating for more than an hour" or whatever is clearly not reasonable. 

There is another question, which will probably throw light on our present inquiry if you and I can agree about it:—Ought the philosopher to care about the pleasures—if they are to be called pleasures—of eating and drinking?

Certainly not, answered Simmias.

And what about the pleasures of love—should he care for them?

By no means.

And will he think much of the other ways of indulging the body, for example, the acquisition of costly raiment, or sandals, or other adornments of the body? Instead of caring about them, does he not rather despise anything more than nature needs? What do you say?

I should say that the true philosopher would despise them.

DESPISING IS CARING!

Would you not say that he is entirely concerned with the soul and not with the body? He would like, as far as he can, to get away from the body and to turn to the soul.
    
Quite true.

THAT IS DEFINITELY CARING!

 I'm just gonna read this for 15 minutes a day until I'm done. That was the rule, right? Should be done by the end of the week. 

 

Phaedo, part ‽

 Phaedo

Bonus: 

Sure, we'll go with that.

Summary: When were you when Socrates was kill?

Commentary: I will now amuse myself through this shitshow by putting random characters in the titles. 

Phaedo by Plato (~400 BC) translated by Benjamin Jowett

 Phaedo

Bonus: 

Same CJ

Summary: Two dudes talk about Socrates's death.

Commentary:

Phaedo was the one I didn't finish, not Crito. Ughhh. (My battery is dying and I forgot a charger?)

Trying the Crito Again

 I wonder if it'd be better in another translation. (It was not, at least of the ones I had quick access to. Might float by a book store to get a modern one.) My FiL is apparently too drunk to walk home, so we're giving him a ride. 

Fruits of Solitude Reflection

 I AM OFFICIALLY DONE BOOK 1 OF THE HARVARD CLASSICS!

Beyond that, I learned that it's better to just stick with one book (even one like this) than trying to use it as filler in between. I remember basically nothing before the last few chunks of the first book. Second, a little better.

All in all, I think what sticks with me across both books is that you should try to be a decent person, and you'll probably be happier in the long run if you do.

I flipped through my posts, and that seems to come up a lot. And I like it.

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 23 281-299 (Of Charity)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 23 281-299 (Of Charity)

Bonus: 

Can we get an Onion musical?

Summary: Charity is good. If you don't do charity, you're an inhuman monster.

Commentary: 

283. They that feel nothing of this, are at best not above half of Kin to Human Race; since they must have no Bowels, which makes such an Essential Part thereof, who have no more Nature. 

 If you don't do charity, you ain't human, because you ain't shit!

292. An Universal Remedy against Discord, and an Holy Cement for Mankind.

This is why people who volunteer are less miserable.

 

 

 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 22 271-280 (Of Refining upon Other Men’s Actions or Interests)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 22 271-280 (Of Refining upon Other Men’s Actions or Interests)

Bonus: 

Not a good game.

Summary: Don't be so judgey.

Commentary: 

271. This seems to be the Master-Piece of our Politicians; But no Body shoots more at Random, than those Refiners.

The Refiners have a high fire rate, but poor aim.

274. If an able Man refines upon the Proceedings of an ordinary Capacity, according to his own, he must ever miss it: But much more the ordinary Man, when he shall pretend to speculate the Motives to the able Man’s Actions: For the Able Man deceives himself by making t’other wiser than he is in the Reason of his Conduct; and the ordinary Man makes himself so, in presuming to judge of the Reasons of the Abler Man’s Actions.

This is the William Penn version of the Dunning Kruger effect.