Monthly Archives: February 2021

Philosophers “preparing themselves for dying.” Plato’s Phaedo

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Tommy Collison

I spent part of the weekend rereading Plato’s Phaedo ahead of the next Interintellect salon and an upcoming conversation I’m having with Agnes Callard on the book. It was both my first time rereading a Classic, and it’s also an … Continue reading →

Posted in The Great Books, The Last Days of Socrates | Leave a comment

Thursday links

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Tommy Collison

The links post, Patrick writes, is an underrated artifact. One of the reasons for starting this blog was that I was interested in following the current debate around the classics. Here’s the New York Times: On top of the problems … Continue reading →

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What should I ask Agnes Callard?

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Tommy Collison

Agnes Callard and I are putting together a discussion on Plato and the Classics, potentially to be hosted on Clubhouse. Professor Callard is an Associate Professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Philosophy and the author of the 2018 … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews | 11 Comments

Why does The Iliad remind me of the Marvel franchise?

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Tommy Collison

This post sort of contains spoilers. I co-host a series of discussions on the Great Books on the Interintellect (with the incomparable David McDougall). We’re hosting two “sections” to accommodate demand, which is a nice thing to be able to … Continue reading →

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“Good lives are made so by discipline.” Morals in Antigone (Sophocles)

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Tommy Collison

This post contains spoilers. “Antigone in front of the dead Polynices” by Nikiforos Lytras, 1865. Antigone is a short play, first performed circa 450 BCE, that deals with open-ended questions around the power of the state, divine law versus moral law, and … Continue reading →

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