Episode 347: Plato's Noble Lie and the Question of Heroic Belief

From Plato’s Republic all the way to the trope of the faithless priest, there’s a rich tradition of thought focused on heroic modes of unbelief—elites who mislead others in a self-sacrificial manner in order to promote social stability. In this episode, we ask, Is it noble to tell people a lie that seems to make them happier?