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S1.E1 - Know Thyself
56 Plays1 year ago
Discover how the ancient Greek mandate to 'Know Thyself,' inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, transcends time to inspire personal growth and collective understanding.
From Socrates’ groundbreaking method of questioning to the Wu-Tang Clan’s philosophy of 'Knowledge of Self,' this episode bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary relevance.
Explore how self-reflection serves as a foundation for empowerment, creativity, and resilience in the face of adversity. By unraveling these interconnected narratives, the episode invites listeners to look inward and uncover their true potential.
www.santofi.com
Special thanks to Dr. Lewit and Dr. Tully. See their information below:
https://art-museum.unimelb.edu.au/exhibitions/ancient-lives/
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Transcript
Socrates' Trial and Philosophy
00:00:06
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Picture this. Over 2,000 years ago in ancient Greece, a man stands trial accused of corrupting the youth of Athens. He didn't preach or command, but instead asked questions, prompting his followers to think deeply about their beliefs. His method laid the foundation for science and critical thinking in the Western world.
00:00:25
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Despite his profound insights, this man declared, quote, the unexamined life is not worth living, end quote. For his radical ideas, he was sentenced to death by a hemlock. It poisoned that paralyze of the body before stopping his breath. His name, Socrates.
Sanofi's Modern Interpretation
00:00:47
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At Sanofi, our first collection, Know Thyself, celebrates this philosophy. Socrates believed that knowing oneself is the first step to living meaningfully, a principle as relevant today as it was in ancient Greece. In this podcast series, we'll explore themes and ideas influenced for this collection inspired by ancient Greece, like self-examination and personal growth, connecting them to art, philosophy, and sports that inspire our designs.
The Oracle at Delphi and Self-Inquiry
00:01:19
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Know thyself. This simple yet profound phrase was inscribed at the temple of Apollo at Delphi. For the ancient Greeks, it was more than just advice. It was a way of life. The Orkwa at Delphi was said to channel Apollo's wisdom. People traveled from all over to seek answers, much like we today consult mentors, therapists, or even close friends in moments of doubt.
00:01:43
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Even modern pop culture echoes this wisdom. Remember the Oracle and the Matrix? Above her kitchen door, hung a wooden engraving in Latin. Know thyself. It was a Panhellenic temple of God Apollo at Delphi. And Panhellenic means it was open to all the Greek city-state. And people would go there to consult the Oracle on personal and on state matters. So they would go and ask these questions.
Dr. Tully on Delphi's Historical Context
00:02:10
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My name is Dr. Caroline Tully. I'm an honorary fellow in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne. I specialize in Aegean Bronze Age religion and some Iron Age religion. So that's basically the Mediterranean with a focus on the Aegean area, which is Crete and the Greek islands and mainland Greece. The oracle was a woman over the age of 50 who was uneducated and came from the village of Delphi. She wore a python, which is a a young female garment.
00:02:45
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because one story says originally the oracle was a young woman but she'd been raped and so they decided to have an older woman instead because she had less likelihood of being raped and the other explanation is the young particular garment was to indicate her
Scientific Insights into the Oracle's Trance
00:03:01
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purity. She would become possessed by the god Apollo and she would answer these questions. Sometimes what she said didn't really make much sense to the inquirer so the there was a whole lot of priests are called prophet pays who worked there at the Oracle as well and they would explain she's dead and sometimes her answers and even when the priest had explained them were quite enigmatic there was always a rumor that there was the crevice with vapors coming up and
00:03:28
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a geologist, and I think an archaeologist, certainly a geologist, they found a few years ago, and it's been published in several places, that there's actually gases emanating right underneath where the Delphic Oracle's at, and they are ethylene and ethane, and they would have put her into a psycho, ah like ah an altered psychoactive state, an altered state of consciousness. But interestingly, at other oracular sanctuaries of polo there's there hasn't been found any evidence of the psychoactive sort of drug or gases or anything like that so those other oracles who were not called pithiers the pithier is one at delphi they would not necessarily go into a trance into a drug-induced trance they just have to go into a natural trance so basically they were possessed by a polo he was really explaining what the will of zeus was so he's explaining what his father zeus had in mind
00:04:20
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One of our Know Thyself collection pieces features this phrase in ancient Greek, Notisuton.
Evolution of Delphic Maxims
00:04:26
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Below, it is mirrored in English to remind us that self-reflection is universal. On the back of the shirt, an image of the Orkwa Delphi reflects herself, symbolizing that true guidance often comes from within. Know Thyself is one of the Delphic maxim of which there are about 150. And these are sort of wise sayings that were carved around the temple.
00:04:49
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I believe the top three which are know thyself nothing in excess and this weird one called give a pledge and trouble is at hand. I believe they were carved kind of near the front door of the or the proper layer <unk>ah oh the temple and other in various other areas. They were thought to have either sort of little wisdom sayings coming from the seven stages who were these legendary philosophers or statesmen or possibly to have been you know um channeled by the Pythia about antiquity it changes over time so i know thyself originally it started off to mean you know ah you need to understand your limitations
00:05:35
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and know you're placed in the social hierarchy, Plato later, who's the philosopher later, reinterpreted to mean know your and the universe because that was thought to be some sort of reflection of the inner sort of human and things like that that had various meanings over time.
Impact of Socratic Method
00:05:57
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But the remaining, you know, if we want to think about it as as kind of a self examination and internal focus thing, we'd probably look at Plato and his interpretation as kind of know your inner self.
00:06:14
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Socrates didn't just teach philosophy, he lived it. Unlike the stereotypical thinker isolating their musings, Socrates was in the streets questioning everyone, from beggars to politicians. He sought to uncover truth by challenging assumptions, creating the method we now call the Socratic method.
00:06:34
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At the heart of Socrates' teachings was self-examination, questioning our beliefs, admitting we don't know, and striving to improve. He acknowledged his own ignorance, famously stating, quote, all I know is that I don't know, end quote. This humility drove his relentless pursuit of wisdom. The Greeks had many words for knowledge, but for Socrates, true understanding wasn't just logical, it was intuitive.
00:07:02
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He believed that by carefully analyzing problems, we could access higher truths, like beauty, goodness, and justice. Socrates' insistence on self-examination wasn't just personal, it shaped history. His method of questioning became the basis for the scientific method. Today, law schools use the Socratic method to teach students to think deeply and critically.
Wu-Tang Clan and Socratic Wisdom
00:07:28
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The idea of know thyself isn't just an ancient concept. It's a timeless truth that transcends cultures. Even in modern times, the Wu-Tang Clan, legendary pioneers of hip-hop, have carried this torch through their philosophy of knowledge of self.
00:07:47
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For Wu Tang, knowledge of self is more than just being aware of your identity. It's about understanding your history, your purpose, the forces shaping your life. In their music, they speak to a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, particularly within a cultural context where oppression and adversity often obscure one's sense of self.
00:08:08
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RZA, the mastermind behind Wu Tang, explains that knowledge itself is the foundation for growth. It means taking control of your destiny by understanding the dynamics of your mind, body, and spirit.
RZA on Self-Awareness and Survival
00:08:22
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The client's lyrics often blend ancient wisdom, spirituality, and gritty realism, showing how self-awareness is a tool for survival and transformation.
00:08:32
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In an interview with Complex, Lariza has stated, quote, in today's society, the forces against you are heavy against you. The whole goal is to get to knowledge of yourself, but people are so far from themselves that they don't believe themselves, end quote. This echo Socrates' belief that wisdom begins with self-examination. It's about peeling back the layers of illusion to uncover the truth about yourself, your environment, and the world.
00:09:01
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Much like the Orkwa Delphi guided seekers towards truth, the Wu-Tang Clan challenges their listeners to confront our struggles, we gain clarity, not only about who we are, but about the role we play in the greater harmony of life.
Socratic and Wu-Tang's Shared Philosophy
00:09:21
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Both the Wu-Tang Clan and Socrates remind us that knowing oneself is the first step to wisdom.
00:09:27
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whether you're navigating the challenges of ancient Athens or the modern life. The message is the same. Understanding who you are is necessary for fulfillment.
Preview of Greek Education Episode
00:09:38
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In our next episode, we'll be discussing how education in ancient Greece was not only used for learning about the world, but also how it was used to live one's highest potential.
00:09:49
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This is a Santa Fe production, written, narrated, and produced by Esteban Galvez. Special thanks to Dr. Caroline Tolley and Dr. Tamara Lueck at the University of Melbourne. If you liked this episode, please share it. Follow and subscribe to our newsletter on our website. You can also view and purchase our other collection pieces at our website.