Shows / History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
Peter Adamson, Professor of Philosophy at the LMU in Munich and at King's College London, takes listeners through the history of philosophy, "without any gaps". www.historyofphilosophy.net
Episodes
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 093 - Pythagorean Theorems - Iamblichus
Iamblichus fuses Platonism with pagan religious conviction and sets the agenda for Neoplatonism in generations to come.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 092 - King of Animals - Porphyry
Porphyry defends vegetarianism and the harmony of Plato and Aristotle
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 091 - James Wilberding on Nature and Neoplatonism
James Wilberding joins Peter to examine what Plotinus and Porphyry contributed to the philosophy of nature
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 090 - A Decorated Corpse – Plotinus on Matter and Evil
Plotinus struggles to explain the presence of suffering, evil and ugliness in a world caused by purely good principles – and tells us what role we should play…
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 089 - On the Horizon - Plotinus on the Soul
For Plotinus, Soul is on the border between the physical and intelligible realms. Can he convince us to identify ourselves with its highest part?
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 088 - Simplicity Itself - Plotinus on the One and Intellect
Plotinus posits an absolutely transcendent first principle, the One. What is it (or isn’t it), and how does it relate to Intellect?
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 087 - A God is My Co-Pilot - the Life and Works of Plotinus
Peter introduces Plotinus, the greatest philosopher of late antiquity and the founder of Neoplatonism
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 086 - Serafina Cuomo on Ancient Mathematics
How did the mathematics of figures like Euclid and Archimides relate to ancient philosophy? Peter finds out in an interview with Serafina Cuomo
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 085 - Sky Writing - Astronomy, Astrology, and Philosophy
Ptolemy uses philosophy in the service of studying the stars, while philosophers of all persuasions evaluate the widespread practice of astrology.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 084 - Silver Tongues in Golden Mouths - Rhetoric and Ancient Philosophy
Themistius, Quintilian, Lucian and other authors tell us about the connections between rhetoric and late ancient philosophy
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 083 - Not Written in Stone – Alexander of Aphrodisias
Alexander of Aphrodisias writes the greatest ancient commentaries on Aristotle and tries to demolish the Stoic teaching on fate
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 082 - Lost and Found – Aristotelianism after Aristotle
Peter looks at the history of Aristotelianism up the time of the Roman Empire and the beginning of commentaries on his works
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 081 - Jan Opsomer on Middle Platonism
Jan Opsomer helps Peter to understand principles, Plato interpretation, and Plutarch in a wide-ranging discussion of Middle Platonism
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 080 - Delphic Utterances - Plutarch
Plutarch was a historian, a priest of Apollo, and a Platonist
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 079 - To the Lighthouse - Philo of Alexandria
Philo of Alexandria uses Platonism to understand the Bible of Moses
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 078 - Middle Men - the Platonic Revival
Pioneering thinkers Eudorus, Alcinous, and Numenius fuse Pythagoreanism with Platonism and pave the way for Plotinus.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 077 - Caesarian Section – Philosophy in the Roman Empire
In late antiquity, Aristotelianism and Platonism made a comeback, and pagan philosophy developed alongside Judaism and Christianity.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 076 - R.J. Hankinson on Galen
Jim Hankinson tells Peter about the life, work and philosophical contributions of Galen
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 075 - The Joy of Sects - Ancient Medicine and Philosophy
Hellenistic doctors discover the nerves and argue about method; Galen passes judgment
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 074 - Tony Long on the Self in Hellenistic Philosophy
Leading Hellenistic philosophy scholar Tony Long talks to Peter about the self, ethics and politics in the Stoics, Epicureans and Skeptics
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 073 - Healthy Skepticism - Sextus Empiricus
Sextus Empiricus pushes skepticism to its limits with his uncompromising Pyrrhonism
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 072 - Raphael Woolf on Cicero
Peter discusses Cicero's method and philosophical allegiances with Raphael Woolf
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 071 - Rhetorical Questions - Cicero
Cicero, inspired by the skepticism of the New Academy, uses his literary talents to present the wisdom of the Greeks
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 070 - The Know-Nothing Party - the Skeptical Academy
The Skeptical Academy attacks Stoic claims that certain knowledge is possible
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 069 - Beyond Belief - Pyrrho and Skepticism
Peter begins to examine ancient Skepticism, beginning with Pyrrho's life and doctrines, or lack thereof
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 068 - John Sellars on the Roman Stoics
John Sellars joins Peter to discuss the Roman Stoics and their "art of living"
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 067 - The Philosopher King - Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius' Meditations are a classic of Stoicism written by the most powerful philosopher who ever lived
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 066 - You Can Chain My Leg - Epictetus
Epictetus, greatest of the Roman Stoics, tells you how to set yourself free
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 065 - Anger Management - Seneca
Seneca wields his rhetorically charged Latin to advance Stoic ethical theory
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 064 - David Sedley on Stoicism
David Sedley discusses the Stoic school and its evolution
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 063 - Like a Rolling Stone - Stoic Ethics
The Stoic ethical theory insists that perfection is possible, and that moral responsibility is compatible with determinism
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 062 - We Didn’t Start the Fire - the Stoics on Nature
The Stoic cosmos: suffused with divinity, surrounded by void, and endlessly repeating
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 061 - Nobody’s Perfect - the Stoics on Knowledge
The Stoics set out and defend an ambitious theory of knowledge, where it is possible to avoid all error
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 060 - Walking on Eggshells - the Stoics on Logic
Introducing the early Stoics, Zeno, Cleanthes and Chrysippus, and their innovations in logic
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 059 - James Warren on Epicureanism
James Warren chats with Peter about the pleasures of Epicureanism
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 058 - Reaping the Harvest - Lucretius
In "On the Nature of Things" Lucretius sets Epicureanism into Latin poetic verse
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 057 - Nothing to Fear - Epicureans on Death and the Gods
The Epicureans reassure us against the terrors of death and punishment by the gods
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 056 - Am I Bothered? - Epicurean Ethics
Pleasure is the good, according to Epicurus. But how do we live most pleasantly?
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 055 - The Constant Gardener - Epicurus and his Principles
Epicurus sets out an empiricist theory of knowledge and atomist physics, in support of hedonism
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 054 - Instant Gratification - the Cyrenaics
The Cyrenaics, the ultimate pleasure seekers of ancient philosophy
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
Filling the Gaps - a Brief History of Nothing
A recording of Peter's lecture delivered on Oct 25, 2011, at the Arts and Humanities festival on "The Power of Stories" at King's College London.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 053 - Beware of the Philosopher - the Cynics
Diogenes and the other Cynics “deface the currency” by exposing the hypocrisy of Greek society.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 052 - Fighting Over Socrates - the Hellenistic Schools
Introducing the Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans and Cynics, the schools of the Hellenistic age
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 051 - The Next Generation - the Followers of Plato and Aristotle
The Old Academy and Theophrastus carry on the legacy of Plato and Aristotle
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 050 - MM McCabe and Raphael Woolf on Aristotle on Plato
Peter's colleagues MM McCabe and Raphael Woolf join him for a special 50th episode interview, to discuss Aristotle's reactions to his teacher Plato
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 049 - Stage Directions - Aristotle's Rhetoric and Poetics
In the Rhetoric and Poetics, Aristotle explores persuasive speech and engages with ancient tragedy
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 048 - Constitutional Conventions - Aristotle's Political Philosophy
Aristotle's Politics responds to Plato's Republic and sets out its own ideas about the ideal state, the types of political constitution, and the role of women…
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 047 God Only Knows: Aristotle on Mind and God
Drawing on the De Anima, On the Heavens, Physics and Metaphysics, Peter tackles Aristotle’s theory of mind and its relation to his theology.
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 046 - Dominic Scott on Aristotle's Ethics
Dominic Scott discusses Aristotle's method in his Nicomachean Ethics
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 045 - The Second Self - Aristotle On Pleasure And Friendship
What place does Aristotle leave for pleasure and friendship in his vision of the good life?
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 044 - The Goldilocks Theory - Aristotle's Ethics
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics on happiness and virtue
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 043 - Classified Information - Aristotle's Biology
In his zoology, Aristotle divides and defines all kinds of animals, and so invents the science of biology
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 042 - Soul Power - Aristotle's De Anima
Aristotle's theory of soul: its functions and how it relates to the body
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 041 - Richard Sorabji on Time and Eternity in Aristotle
Richard Sorabji discusses time, eternity and mosquitos in Aristotle's Physics
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 040 - Let's Get Physical - Aristotle's Natural Philosophy
Aristotle's Physics explains change, time and place with the help of his actuality/potentiality distinction
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 039 - Form and Function - Aristotle's Four Causes
The four types of explanation: formal, material, efficient and final cause
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 038 - Down To Earth - Aristotle on Substance
Aristotle's critique of Platonic Forms and defense of his own metaphysics
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 037 - Hugh Benson on Aristotelian Method
Hugh Benson discusses Aristotle's ideas about arriving at knowledge
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 036 - A Principled Stand - Aristotle's Epistemology
Knowledge according to Aristotle's Posterior Analytics
- History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 035 - The Philosopher's Toolkit - Aristotle's Logical Works
Aristotle's invention of logic in the Organon (especially Categories, On Interpretation, Prior Analytics)