The weekly reading seminar goes back to the original founding of the Centre, and its aim is to bring together scholars and students to engage in close readings of core texts from Plato and the Platonic Tradition. Traditionally the text of choice in the first semester is a Platonic dialogue, and in the second semester it’s either another ancient text from the Platonic Tradition, or a modern philosophical text with Platonist influence. These seminars also feature regular presentations by participants on relevant secondary literature.
The Weekly Reading Seminar meets on Fridays from 10am-12pm over Zoom. We are currently finishing Plato’s Statesman before turning to the Crito.
Past Reading Seminar Topics
Below is a list of the texts that have occupied us in the Reading Seminar over the past years.
2022-2023
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Hippias Minor and Hippias Major
Spring Semester – Plato’s Laws 9, 10 and Statesman
2021-2022
Spring Semester – Alcinous’ Handbook of Platonism
2020-2021
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Lysis
Spring Semester – Aristotle’s Eudemian Ethics Book VII and Cicero’s De Amicitia
2019-2020
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Philebus
Spring Semester – Plato’s Republic Books 8-9
2018-2019
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Statesman
Spring Semester – Plotinus’ Ennead VI.7
2017-2018
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Republic Books 5-6
Spring Semester – Proclus’ Elements of Theology
2016-2017
Autumn Semester – Plotinus’ Ennead VI.2
Spring Semester – Plotinus’ Ennead VI.2
2015-2016
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Seventh Letter
Spring Semester – Plato’s Laws Book 10
2014-2015
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Cratylus
Spring Semester – Parmenides’ Poem
2013-2014
Autumn Semester – Plotinus’ Ennead IV.6
Spring Semester – Plato and Scepticism
2012-2013
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Symposium
Spring Semester – Plato’s Symposium
2011-2012
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Timaeus
Spring Semester – Aristotle’s De Caelo
2010-2011
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Phaedrus
Spring Semester – Plotinus’ Ennead II.5
2009-2010
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Republic Book 10
Spring Semester – Berkeley’s Siris
2008-2009
Autumn Semester – Plato’s Hippias Major
Spring Semester – Plato’s Alcibiades I