Promoting Platonic
wisdom for all

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Platonic wisdom for the modern world

The Foundation for Platonic Studies is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the study and application of the wisdom found in the works of Plato and the broader Platonic tradition. We believe that such wisdom has the power to illuminate the human condition and provide guidance for navigating the challenges of the modern world. By supporting scholarship, education, and public engagement, we aim to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of Platonic thought and its enduring relevance to contemporary life.

John Dillon, MRIA,FBA, Regius Professor of Greek (Emeritus), Trinity College Dublin, a world authority on the later Platonists, serves as our Patron.

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Charitable objects

Our constitution defines our charitable objects as:

  • The promotion of the study of the writings and wisdom of Plato and the Platonic tradition in Ireland and internationally;
  • The creation of a greater awareness in Ireland and internationally of the importance of Plato and the Platonic tradition to human affairs at all levels including their relevance to the challenges facing the modern world.

Note on Platonic tradition: In the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428 – 348 BCE), we all have a rich philosophical inheritance. The Academy founded by Plato lasted over 900 years. The ‘Platonic Tradition’ includes not only the works of Plato, but the works of the great thinkers who lived before and after Plato: these include Parmenides, Heraclitus, and other so-called Pre-Socratics, as well as Plato’s student, Aristotle, the second century AD figure, Plotinus and the Renaissance philosopher and translator Marsilio Ficino.

Our Values

Our values flow from the four Platonic Virtues; accordingly, we aspire to be guided in all we do by wisdom, sound mindedness, justice, and courage. We look to:

Wisdom

Wisdom to guide us to make decisions with a view to what is best for all concerned, putting aside limited or short-term considerations in favour of universal ones

Sound Mindedness

Sound mindedness to ensure that our decisions are not distorted by personal and/or partial considerations;

Justice

Justice to help us hold to our objectives, be clear about these and avoid being drawn into activities not aligned with them;

Courage

Courage to hold to our objectives and see our undertakings through to completion no matter what challenges we face or what opposition we encounter.

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Charity trustees

The Foundation for Platonic Studies is governed by a Board of Trustees .

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David Horan

Trustee
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William Fox

Trustee
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Margot Camp

Trustee
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John Meltzer

Trustee
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Lilly Corbett

Trustee
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Brian McGeough

Trustee
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Sandra O’Neil

Trustee
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