What Plato Can Teach Us About the Crises of the 21st Century — with Professor Angie Hobbs

In this special episode of Explaining History, I’m joined by Professor Angie Hobbs to discuss her new book Why Plato Matters Now. Together we explore Plato’s life and thought, and the urgent relevance of his ideas in today’s world. From the dangers of oligarchy and the corruption of language, to the decline of truth, the rise of the demagogue, and the path to tyranny, we trace Plato’s insights into politics, war, and human nature. We also consider Plato’s view of conflict and how, even amidst division, he believed our better selves could prevail. This is a conversation about philosophy as a living guide to confronting the crises of the 21st century.

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