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To understand western philosophy you must begin with Plato and his teacher Socrates. As Alfred North Whitehead said, "The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." Through the many Socratic Dialogues which Plato wrote and Plato's Republic we come to know his theory of the forms embodied in the true, the good, and the beautiful. We hear Plato's political philosophies regarding the three forms of government: aristocracy, democracy, and monarchy. And in the end we are not left with a dogmatic philosophy that we should follow, but rather a Socratic method of questioning and the familiar quotation: "An unexamined life is not worth living." LearnOutLoud.com has created this resource of Plato's works on audio, along with audio books and courses about Plato and Socrates.
The main publisher of Plato's works on audio is Agora Publications, Inc.. They are the only publisher to offer an unabridged dramatized version of Plato's Republic. This full cast dramatization of the philosophical and literary classic is available on CD and Digital Download. Agora also offers many of Plato's dialogues including Plato's Gorgias, Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Phaedo, Plato's Ion and Meno, and Plato's Symposium all available on audio download through LearnOutLoud.com. They also publish Reflections on the Mind of Plato by Professor Joseph Norio Uemura in which he examines and interprets six of Plato's dialogues.
Other audio books by Plato include an abridged version of The Republic and The Trial and the Death of Socrates both put out by NAXOS AudioBooks. Blackstone Audiobooks features The Dialogues of Plato and an unabridged edition of The Republic on audio cassette. And there is also a free audio download of Plato's Apology available from the folks at Voices in the Dark.
There are also many titles about Socrates and Plato. The very best lecture course on these two philosophers is Professor Michael Sugrue's Plato, Socrates, and the Dialogues put out by The Teaching Company on cassette and audio download. The Teaching Company also offers another Plato course on audio & video entitled Plato's Republic. Barnes & Noble's Portable Professor series offers the lecture course The Birth of Western Philosophy: Plato and Aristotle which also covers Plato's student Aristotle.
Scholar A. E. Taylor examines these Plato & Socrates in his audio books The Mind of Plato and Socrates: The Man and His Thought. For a brief introduction to Plato check out Plato In 90 Minutes. And for a free download of audio notes on Socrates check out Zaadz Notes: Socrates.
Socrates didn't believe in writing words down (lucky for us Plato did). So in true Socratic tradition, take in the wisdom of these thinkers the way that Socrates intended, by listening to it on audio.
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Apology
by Plato
Socrates's final defence and statements before and as he is condemned to death, written by Plato. |  
Apology of Socrates, Crito, and the Republic
by Plato
The great philosopher and teacher Plato is remembered today for his powerful writings. |
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The Birth of Western Philosophy
by Aryeh Kosman
The foundations of Western Philosophy rest squarely on the shoulders of Plato and Aristotle, teacher and pupil... | 
The Dialogues of Plato
by Plato
The Dialogues of Plato (427-347 B.C.) rank with the writings of Aristotle as the most important and influential philosophical works in Western thought. |
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The Final Days of Socrates
by Plato
Plato recorded the final days of his mentor, Socrates, who was tried and condemned in Athens in 399 B.C.... | 
The Mind of Plato
by A.E. Taylor
Through his own writings and inspiration of Aristotle and countless others, Plato continues to influence every area of philosophic thought, to say nothing of his enormous influence on Christian theology... |
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Plato In 90 Minutes
by Paul Strathern
In an age when philosophers had scarcely glimpsed the horizons of the mind, a boy named Aristocles decided to forgo his ambitions as a wrestler. | 
Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Phaedo
by Plato
These four dialogues present the trial, the imprisonment, and the execution of Socrates who his friend Phaedo said was “the wisest, best, and most righteous person I have ever known.” |
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Plato's Gorgias
by Plato
Gorgias of Leontini, a famous teacher of rhetoric, has come to Athens to recruit students, promising to teach them how to become leaders in politics and business. A group has gathered at Callicles' house to hear Gorgias demonstrate the power of his art. | 
Plato's Ion and Meno
by Plato
Socrates questions Ion, an actor who just won a major prize, about his ability to interpret the epic poetry of Homer. As the dialogue proceeds, the nature of human creativity emerges as a mysterious process and an unsolved puzzle. |
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Plato's Republic
by Plato
Plato was a teacher who wrote in the dialogue form as a means of challenging his students to think deeply about fundamental questions. Consider this hypothesis: Plato wrote each book of The Republic to be performed by actors playing characters such as Socrates, Glaucon, Ademantus, Thrasymachus. | 
Plato's Symposium
by Plato
The dramatic nature of Plato's dialogues is delightfully evident in the Symposium. The marriage between character and thought bursts forth as the guests gather at Agathon's house to celebrate the success of his first tragedy. |
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Reflections on the Mind of Plato
by Joseph Norio Uemura
In the twenty-four centuries that have passed since the Athenians put Socrates to death, every generation has interpreted the meaning of Plato's work differently. Joseph Uemura guides us through six dialogues in an effort to promote a dialectical quest rather than seek a final resting place. | 
The Republic
by Plato
In this monumental work of moral and political philosophy, Plato sought to answer some of the world’s most formidable questions, such as: What does it mean to be good? |
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The Republic
by Plato
In The Republic, Plato tackles the big issues of the state and the individual: how the state should be ruled, and by whom; and the way the individual should lead his life - and why... | 
The Republic: Book VII
by Plato
Behold! Human beings living in an underground den. Like ourselves, they see only their own shadows... |
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Socrates
by A.E. Taylor
Without question the finest short biography of the world's greatest philosopher, Socrates provides us with an excellent introduction to Socratic thought. Although Socrates himself left no writings... | 
The Trial and the Death of Socrates
by Plato
The Trial and the Death of Socrates remains a powerful document... |
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Zaadz Notes: Socrates
by Brian Johnson
His command takes on more significance when you understand one of the most important values in Greek culture: areté. Translated as "virtue," the word actually means something closer to "being the best you can be," or "reaching your highest human potential." |
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