Plato’s Ghost Stories - What the Ancient Greek Philosopher Said About Spirits

Join us as we explore the ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s fascinating beliefs about ghosts. Plato lived in the 5th century BCE, yet he already held insightful theories about the supernatural nature of spirits and life after death. In this video, we’ll discuss how ghosts feature prominently in ancient Greek myths and culture. Spiritual beings like gods and heroes interacted with the dead, demonstrating a deep cultural connection to the afterlife. We’ll then give an overview of Plato’s philosophy and his focus on the immortal soul. Though Plato did not dedicate a full text to ghosts, he referenced them across writings like Phaedo. We’ll highlight his key beliefs, including: Ghosts exist as spirits of the dead They linger on Earth due to unfinished business They have a vaporous form without a solid body Ghosts can reveal knowledge of past, present and future events They maintain aspects of their living personalities Importantly, Plato