Welcome to Plato’s Library

It is our pleasure to announce a brand new column in the Plato’s Academy Centre newsletter, called Plato’s Library.

Plato’s Library will consist of bi-weekly posts containing exclusive excerpts from recent and forthcoming books on ancient philosophy, and related subjects. We have carefully selected this passages in consultation with publishers to give you a taste of the high-value content written by leading experts in the field. Some of these passages are advance previews from books that are not yet published — so you get a sneak peek at forthcoming titles. The Plato’s Academy Centre have been able to arrange this especially for our Substack subscribers because of our strong links with senior figures in the publishing industry.

Full access to this column is for our paying subscribers only, but free subscribers will receive brief previews of the content. Below you’ll find links to three of the excerpts recently published. Please comment on Substack, letting us and the authors know what you think. Thank you, once again, for your support. The Plato’s Academy Centre is a nonprofit organization. We wouldn’t be able to achieve our goals without you, our loyal subscribers!

Thank you for reading Plato’s Academy Centre Newsletter. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Comment on these three excerpts…

How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor

THE PLATO’S ACADEMY CENTRE

Below you can read an exclusive excerpt courtesy of Princeton University Press from Michael Fontaine’s new book, How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor. Is it possible for jokes to win over a hostile room, a seemingly unwinnable argument, or even an election? According to Cicero, the answer is a resounding yes.

Read full story

Plato’s Republic: A Ladybird Expert Book

This is an excerpt from Plato’s Republic: A Ladybird Expert Book reproduced by kind permission of the author, Prof. Angie Hobbs, and her publisher, Penguin. Philosophers, sophists, and alternative facts Why is Plato so committed to the existence of knowledge? Why is he not prepared to countenance the possibility that humans might have to withhold judgement?

Read full story

From ‘365 Ways to Be More Stoic’

How would you like to learn to be more Stoic? The latest book from Tim LeBon, research director of Modern Stoicism and cognitive-behavioral therapist, is called 365 Ways to Be More Stoic. So, what, according to the Stoics, is under our direct control? Less than most of us think… The problem is we spend so much time trying to control other things.

March 2, 2023

Support our Project and get a 90-Day Free Trial

Trial Substack subscriptions exclusively for our launch subscribers

Thank you for being among our initial blog subscribers. After having recently introduced our free Substack newsletter and podcast, we are now able to announce an optional paid subscription plan.

To reward our existing subscribers, we’re delighted to offer you a free 90-day trial! This special deal is only available until 14th March – so don’t miss your chance!

Get 90-Day Free Trial

Signing up means that, in addition, you will:

Be supporting the Plato’s Academy Centre in its project goals! Spreading awareness of the modern relevance of ancient philosophy, and helping to bring philosophy back to the original location of Plato’s Academy in Athens!
Receive full access to our archives
Receive exclusive content from leading authors and academics

Friends of Plato’s Academy Centre

You also have the option of choosing to become a Founding Member of the Plato’s Academy Centre, for which we will recognize your contribution, and provide you with access to inside information on our project, and our most exclusive content.

Last year, we were proud, in addition to launching our program of virtual events, to be able to assist in organizing a historic event in Plato’s Academy Park, in collaboration with the Aurelius Foundation and Young Presidents Organization. The Greek ministers for Development and Culture gave us their support, as did the US ambassador to Greece, and we were honoured to have the mayor of Athens address our audience in Akadimia Platonos Park.

Donald Robertson, Justin Stead, Kostas Bakoyannis, Pat Cash, and Michalis Michael, at Plato’s Academy Park

We were also pleased to have our nonprofit startup covered in the press, including a feature on the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Thanks, as ever, for your support!

Donald Robertson

President of the Plato’s Academy Centre

June 14, 2022August 12, 2022

Announcing: Socratic Method Virtual Conference

How to Think Like Socrates

Virtual conference on reasoning like a Greek philosopher

If you’re interested in how Greek philosophy and the Socratic Method can help us think more clearly and live better lives today, this is the online event for you!

Tickets now available on EventBrite. Payment is by donation, an amount of your choosing, and all proceeds go toward the Plato’s Academy Centre nonprofit. Not available or in a different time zone? Don’t worry as recordings will be available afterwards to everyone booking tickets in advance.

Get your Ticket Now

What’s it all about?

We bring together a special program of world-class thinkers and renowned authors for an exclusive online event that you absolutely won’t want to miss.

Each speaker will share with you their knowledge and captivating insights into the Socratic Method, including effective and practical advice and strategies to think critically, reason more clearly, and protect yourself against misleading information and sophistry.

Program

Opening Keynote: “Socrates and Alcibiades: How to Think About Statesmanship”, Massimo Pigliucci, author of How To Be Good: What Socrates Can Teach Us About the Art of Living Well (30 min)
“Socrates as Cognitive Therapist”, Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor and Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, president of Plato’s Academy Centre (20 min)
“Socrates and Civility”, Alexandra O. Hudson, author of Against Politeness (20 min)
“How to Question Like Socrates”, Christopher Phillips, PhD, author of Socrates Cafe and Soul of Goodness, founder of SocratesCafe.com (20 min)
“Cognitive Therapy and Socratic Self-Doubt”, R. Trent Codd, III, CBT Counseling Centers; Co-author of Socratic Questioning for Therapists and Counselors (20 min)
“Street Epistemology: How to Think about Thinking”, Anthony Magnabosco, Executive Director of Street Epistemology International (20 min)
“Self-Socratic Method for Personal Growth”, Scott Waltman, PsyD, ABPP psychologist and co-author of Socratic Questioning for Therapists and Counselors (20 min)
Closing Keynote: “The Socratic Method”, Ward Farnsworth, author of The Practicing Stoic and The Socratic Method (30 min)
Q&A with Panel (20 min)

NB: Details may be subject to change without prior notification.

About Plato’s Academy Centre

The Plato’s Academy Centre is a new nonprofit, based in Greece, run by a multidisciplinary team of volunteers from around the world. Our mission is to make ancient Greek philosophy more accessible to a wider international audience and to celebrate the legacy of Plato’s Academy in Athens. Everyone is welcome to join us.

FAQ

Will recordings be available? Yes, everyone who orders a ticket in advance will automatically have access after the event to recordings of all presentations. So don’t worry if you’re unavailable at these times or located in another time zone.

Will it be too academic for me? While many of our speakers are notable academics, the sessions are aimed at a nonacademic audience.

How much does it cost? We’re making it free to register, so it’s available to the widest possible audience, but you’ll have the opportunity to make a donation, amount of your choosing. As a rough guide, tickets for a physical conference like this might normally cost €150. Your generosity helps support our nonprofit’s work and allows us to reach more people through future events. *If you do not wish to donate anything whatsoever, you may contact us directly to apply for a free ticket or simply enter the promo code NODONATION when booking.

Where can I get updates? Follow our Facebook Event page and our Twitter account for updates on this event.

Thanks

We’re grateful to our board of advisors, Orange Grove incubator, Classical Wisdom, and the Aurelius Foundation, for their support in bringing you this event. Special thanks to Phil Yanov, Gabriel Fleming, and Kasey Robertson for their help organizing the event.

March 6, 2022June 14, 2022

Announcing: Plato’s Academy Centre Virtual Conference

Ancient Philosophy Comes Alive

Virtual Conference on Greek Philosophy and the Good Life

If you’re interested in how Greek philosophy can help us live better lives today, this is the online event for you!

Tickets now available on EventBrite. Payment is by donation, an amount of your choosing, and all proceeds go toward the Plato’s Academy Centre nonprofit. Not available or in a different time zone? Don’t worry as recordings will be available afterwards to everyone booking tickets in advance.

Get your Ticket Now

What’s it all about?

We bring together a special program of world-class philosophers and renowned authors for an exclusive online event that you absolutely won’t want to miss.

Each speaker will share with you their knowledge and captivating insights into the most famous ancient philosophers, including effective and practical advice and strategies to help understand and manage the challenges of our uncertain and complex daily lives.

Speakers

Prof. Angie Hobbs, University of Sheffield; author of Plato’s Republic: A Ladybird Expert Book
Prof. Voula Tsouna, University of California, Santa Barbara; author of Plato’s Charmides: An Interpretative Commentary
Prof. Nancy Sherman, Georgetown University; author of Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience
Prof. Chloe Balla, University of Crete; author of Platonic Persuasion: From the Art of the Orator to the Art of the Statesman
Dr John Sellars, Royal Holloway, University of London; author of Hellenistic Philosophy and The Pocket Epicurean
Robin Waterfield, classicist and translator of Plato and Xenophon
Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius

NB: Presentation titles will be added shortly. Details may be subject to change without prior notification.

Who will be hosting?

Our hosts will be Donald Robertson, the president of the Plato’s Academy Centre, and Anya Leonard, the founder and director of the Classical Wisdom website.

About Plato’s Academy Centre

FAQ

Will recordings be available? Yes, everyone who orders a ticket in advance will automatically have access after the event to recordings of all presentations. So don’t worry if you’re unavailable at these times or located in another time zone.
Will it be too academic for me? While many of our speakers are notable academics, the sessions are aimed at a nonacademic audience.
How much does it cost? We’re making this event payment by donation, amount of your choosing, so it’s available to the widest possible audience. As a rough guide, tickets for a physical conference like this might cost €150. Your generosity helps support our nonprofit’s work and allows us to reach more people through future events.
Why this date? 21st May is the approximate date of the Platoneia, on which Plato’s birthday is traditionally celebrated. The event begins at 12pm EST.
Where can I get updates? Follow our Facebook Event page and our Twitter account for updates on this event.

Thanks

February 5, 2022February 4, 2022

Join our Facebook Discussion Group

Our Facebook discussion group has grown very rapidly since it was launched just a few weeks ago. We already have nearly two thousand members. You’re welcome to come and join us to discuss ancient philosophy and its relevance for modern living. Please also share the link with your friends and communities.

Join Discussion Group

If you are tech savvy, you can scan the QR code below to join immediately!

You can also follow @p latoacademycen on Twitter using the QR code below:

December 21, 2021January 17, 2022

News: Plato’s Academy Centre in 2022

The future is bright for the Plato’s Academy Centre as we look ahead to 2022. We’re happy to announce that we will begin operating officially from January as a civil non-profit association (AMKE), registered in Greece.

We’re delighted to thank and welcome our board of advisors: Prof. Christopher Gill, Prof. Katerina Ierodiakonou, Dr. John Sellars, Mick Mulroy, Tim Bartlett, Justin Stead, Pantelis Panos, Robin Waterfield, and David Fideler. Special thanks also to Tim LeBon, Mia Funk, Eugenia Manolidou, Kathryn Koromilas, Karen Duffy, Artemis Miropoulos, Massimo Pigliucci, Tom Butler-Bowdon for their interviews on the website. If you’re an author or academic who writes about Greek philosophy or literature, and interested in getting involved with our project, you’re welcome to get in touch.

We’d also like to thank the Orange Grove incubator program, an initiative of the Embassy of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, based in Athens. I’m well underway in the program and their support has been tremendous.

In collaboration with the Aurelius Foundation and YPO, Plato’s Academy Centre is organizing a series of events in Athens for September 2022, including at Akadimia Platonos.

Our first-ever virtual event is slated for Summer/Autumn 2022 – details to be announced shortly. Look out for some of your favourite authors from the field of philosophy and classics, though.

Watch this space as we revamp our website for Phase 2 of its development and look out for more announcements as they develop!

You can now follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Show your support by tweeting @platoacademycen in your posts!

Kasey Pierce
Communications Director

April 14, 2021January 10, 2022

News: Greek Ministry Announce Plans for Plato’s Academy

The promotion of the archaeological site of Plato’s Academy and the creation of the Archaeological Museum of Athens, in addition to their historical and cultural significance, create a great opportunity for the entire area…
Costas Bakogiannis, Mayor of Athens

Several news outlets today reported on an announcement by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Municipality of Athens concerning the signing of a joint development agreement for the archeological site of Plato’s Academy, in central Athens.

The plan includes two main elements:

Renovation of the archaeological site of Plato’s Academy to make it more appealing to visitors, and its promotion as an attraction of cultural and historical significance.
The announcement of an architectural competition involving submission of designs for the proposed Archaeological Museum of Athens, construction of which has already been approved by the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

The Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, is reported as saying:

The approval by the Central Archaeological Council of the studies, which concern the regeneration of the archeological site of Plato’s Academy, is an important moment for Athens and for its history.

Concerning the proposed Museum of Athens, she stated:

The new Museum will present the history of the city, through the findings brought to light by decades of archaeological research, masterpieces from the bowels of the city of Athens, which could not be exhibited elsewhere and tell their own story.

The Ministry of Culture and Sports is collaborating closely with the Municipality of Athens and the Mayor Costas Bakogiannis on this project. Their goal is to improve the quality of life for residents of Athens, especially in the Plato’s Academy suburb, while also highlighting the cultural importance of this unique archaeological site.

The Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis, added:

The promotion of the archaeological site of Plato’s Academy and the creation of the Archaeological Museum of Athens, in addition to their historical and cultural significance, create a great opportunity for the entire area that has suffered a lot in recent years, due to its abandonment. We have been given the opportunity to transform it into a place of destination and development. To upgrade the quality of life and daily life of its inhabitants and to become our starting point for a path that leads to entrepreneurship, new jobs and its modernization.

The proposals aim to:

Enhance the readability of the archaeological site and the protection and promotion of individual monuments.
Improve accessibility for the monuments and continuity between the archeological ruins and the modern park.
Upgrade the whole area to become a “green lung” and a destination for walks and leisure, with both a local flavour and wider significance.
Enhance the safety and security of visitors, public property and antiquities.

Improvements to the existing excavation sites will potentially create an opportunity for unearthing new archeological finds.

Plato’s Academy Centre

In a separate proposal, a private nonprofit initiative seeks to establish a new “Plato’s Academy Centre” adjacent to the location of Plato’s Academy Park. The centre would consist of two main elements:

An international conference centre, attracting foreign investment to the area by holding events in the vicinity of the original Plato’s Academy.
A centre for “philosophy as a way of life”, organizing events inspired by Greek culture and philosophy, in the spirit of Socratic and Platonic teachings.

The proposal is led by bestselling author Donald Robertson and has the backing of leading academics in the field of classics and philosophy.