Proclus on the Republic's tripartite soul

The unific soul and its three powers in Platonic philosophy

Although Plato considered the soul (the real self of each one of us) as an essentially indivisible unity, he also puts forward a conception of it as embracing a multiplicity of modes of action. A most important exploration of the nature of the human self is to be found in his Republic in which an examination of consequences to the soul of living justly and unjustly is unfolded. At the beginning of the second book of the Republic Socrates suggests that, since the soul is too small and too close for us to look at easily, he and his fellow thinkers should explore the workings of a republic because, he claims, it is an analogue of the soul and its multiple "parts" or modes.

This evening we'll read extracts from Proclus' commentary on the Republic in which he discusses the nature of the parts, the way that they work as a whole, and the virtue (or excellence) which each part must be directed towards if the just and happy life is to be lived. If we have time we'll also look at Proclus' explanation of Pythagorean harmony in terms of the three parts of the soul.

No previous experience of formal philosophy is required.

Entrance in free, but donations between £3-5 will be welcomed.

A PDF download of the extract we will be reading is available on our website together with further details of this and other Prometheus Trust's activities: www.prometheustrust.co.uk (the PDF is on the "London Monday Evenings" page.)

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