"Know Thyself" - the key to Plato's Yoga of Philosophy

Plato emphasizes the Delphic exhortation “know thyself” in several of his dialogues and in the First Alcibiades, which was considered by ancient Platonists as the best dialogue to begin the study of the philosophy of Plato, the phrase plays an especially important part. There are many reasons why the watchword was considered to be essential for those setting out on the path of wisdom – not the least of them, because it helps us to avoid the illusion that we know more than we actually do. In the tradition this illusion was known as “the double ignorance” – that is to say our ignorance of our ignorance – and almost the first task that falls to Socrates in the dialogue is to show, with careful tact, that the young Alcibiades is suffering from this condition.

We will read a few pages from the dialogue and see why this is called by Socrates, a most dangerous predicament. We can discuss how important this is at the outset of the philosophic path, but also we can consider why the Delphic exhortation (which, it is said, was displayed to all who entered the oracular sanctuary of Apollo) might be a continuing watchword for those who press onward beyond the first steps of that path.