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.” The series looks at the ideas, lives and historical context of the major philosophers as well as the lesser-known figures of the tradition. Visit the website here.
- HoP 396 - Lorraine Daston on Renaissance Science
Comets! Magnets! Armadillos! In this wide-ranging interview Lorraine Daston tells us how Renaissance and early modern scientists dealt with the extraordinary events they called "wonders". - HoP 395 - Music of the Spheres - Johannes KeplerJohannes Kepler fuses Platonist philosophy with a modified version of Copernicus’ astronomy.
- HoP 394 - Best of Both Worlds - Tycho BraheResponses to Copernicus in the 16th century, culminating with the master of astral observation Tycho Brahe.
- HoP 393 - The World Doesn’t Revolve Around You - CopernicusHow revolutionary was the Copernican Revolution?
- HoP 392 - John Sellars on Lipsius and Early Modern StoicismJohn Sellars returns to the podcast to discuss Lipsius' work on Seneca and the early modern Neo-Stoic movement.
- HoP 391 - Everything is Mine and Nothing - Lipsius and the Revival of StoicismJustus Lipsius draws on Seneca and other Stoics to counsel peace of mind in the face of political chaos, but also writes a work on how such chaos can be avoided.
- HoP 390 - Born to Be Contrary - Toleration in the NetherlandsAmidst religious conflict in the Netherlands, Dirck Coornhert pleads for religious toleration and freedom of expression.
- HoP 389 - The Acid Test - Theories of MatterSchegk, Taurellus, Gorlaeus, and Sennert revive atomism to explain chemical reactions, the composition of bodies, and the generation of organisms.
- HoP 388 - Just Add Salt - Paracelsus and AlchemyParacelsus adapts the tradition of alchemical science for use in medicine, and in the process overturns the scientific theories of Aristotle and Galen.
- HoP 387 - Helen Hattab on Protestant PhilosophyAn interview with Helen Hattab on the scope and impact of scholastic philosophy among Protestants.
- HoP 386 - Perhaps Not Wrong - Cornelius AgrippaWas Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa a dark magician, a pious skeptic, or both?
- HoP 385 - I Too Can Ask Questions - Protestant ScholasticismIn a surprise twist, some Protestant thinkers embrace the methods of scholasticism, and even find something to admire in the work of Catholic authors like Aquinas.
- HoP 384 - We Are Not Our Own - John CalvinJohn Calvin's views on predestination and the limits of human reason.
- HoP 383 - Slowly But Surely - Huldrych ZwingliThe Swiss theologian Zwingli launches the Reformation in Switzerland, but clashes with Luther and more radical Protestants.
- HoP 382 - No Lord but God - the Peasants’ War and Radical ReformationFaced with massive political upheaval and the rise of the Anabaptists, Luther argues for a socially conservative version of the Reformation.
- HoP 381 - More Lutheran than Luther - Philip MelanchthonLuther’s close ally Melanchthon uses his knowledge of ancient philosophy and rhetoric in the service of the Reformation.
- HoP 380 - Take Your Choice - Erasmus vs Luther on Free WillErasmus clashes with Martin Luther over the question whether our wills are free or enslaved to sin.
- HoP 379 - Lyndal Roper on LutherHow radical was Luther? We find out from Lyndal Roper, who also discusses Luther and the Peasants' War, sexuality, anti-semitism, and the visual arts.
- HoP 378 - Faith, No More - Martin LutherHow Luther’s doctrine of justification by faith alone and his attack on the Church relate to the history of philosophy.
- HoP 377 - One Way or Another - Northern ScholasticismTrends in Aristotelian philosophy in northern and eastern Europe in the fifteenth century, featuring discussion of the “Wegestreit” and the nominalist theology of Gabriel Biel.
- HoP 376 - Books That Last Forever - ErasmusThe “learned piety” of Desiderius Erasmus, the greatest figure of northern humanism.
- HoP 375 - Paul Richard Blum on Nicholas of CusaLearned ignorance, coincidence of opposites and religious peace: Paul Richard Blum discusses the central ideas of Nicholas Cusanus.
- HoP 374 - Opposites Attract - Nicholas of CusaThe radical negative theology of Nicholas of Cusa, and his hope of establishing peace between the religions of the world.
- HoP 373 - Lords of Language - Northern HumanismRudolph Agricola, Juan Luis Vives and other humanist scholars spread the study of classical antiquity across Europe and mock the technicalities of scholastic philosophy.
- HoP 372 - Strong, Silent Type - the Printing PressThe impact of the printing press on the history of philosophy, and its role in helping to trigger the Reformation.
- HoP 371 - European Disunion - Introduction to the ReformationHow humanism and scholasticism came together with the Protestant Reformation to create the philosophy of 15-16th century Europe.
- HoP 370 - Ingrid Rowland on Rome in the RenaissanceFor our finale of the Italian Renaissance series we're joined by Ingrid Rowland, to speak about art, philosophy, and persecution in Renaissance Rome.
- HoP 369 - The Harder They Fall - Galileo and the RenaissanceDid Galileo’s scientific discoveries grow out of the culture of the Italian Renaissance?
- HoP 368 - Boundless Enthusiasm - Giordano BrunoGiordano Bruno’s stunning vision of an infinite universe with infinite worlds, and his own untimely end.
- HoP 367 - Brian Copenhaver on Renaissance MagicOur guest Brian Copenhaver joins us to explain how Ficino and other Renaissance philosophers thought about magic.
- HoP 366 - The Men Who Saw Tomorrow - Renaissance Magic and AstrologyFicino, Pico, Cardano, and other Renaissance thinkers debate whether astrology and magic are legitimate sciences with a foundation in natural philosophy.
- HoP 365 - Spirits in the Material World - Telesio and Campanella on NatureWas the natural philosophy of Bernardino Telesio and Tommaso Campanella the first modern physical theory?
- HoP 364 - Guido Giglioni on Renaissance MedicineAn interview with Guido Giglioni, who speaks to us about the sources and philosophical implications of medical works of the Renaissance.
- HoP 363 - Man of Discoveries - Girolamo CardanoThe polymath Girolamo Cardano explores medicine, mathematics, philosophy of mind, and the interpretation of dreams.
- HoP 362 - Just What the Doctor Ordered - Renaissance MedicineConnections between philosophy and advances in medicine, including the anatomy of Vesalius.
- HoP 361 - The Measure of All Things - Renaissance Mathematics and ArtThe humanist study of Pythagoras, Archimides and other ancient mathematicians goes hand in hand with the use of mathematics in painting and architecture.
- HoP 360 - Dag N. Hasse on Arabic Learning in the RenaissanceAn interview with Dag Nikolaus Hasse on the Renaissance reception of Averroes, Avicenna, and other authors who wrote in Arabic.
- HoP 359 - There and Back Again - Zabarella on Scientific MethodJacopo Zabarella outlines the correct method for pursuing, and then presenting, scientific discoveries.
- HoP 358 - Of Two Minds - Pomponazzi and Nifo on the IntellectPietro Pomponazzi and Agostino Nifo debate the immortality of the soul and the cogency of Averroes’ theory of intellect.
- HoP 357 - David Lines on Aristotle's Ethics in the RenaissanceAn interview with David Lines on the role of Aristotle in Renaissance ethics.
- HoP 356 - I’d Like to Thank the Lyceum - Aristotle in Renaissance ItalyAristotle’s works are edited, printed, and translated, leading to new assessments of his thought among both humanists and scholastics.
- HoP 355 - Town and Gown - Italian UniversitiesThe blurry line dividing humanism and scholastic university culture in the Italian Renaissance.
- HoP 354 - Greed is Good - Economics in the Italian RenaissanceLeon Battista Alberti, Benedetto Cotrugli, and Poggio Bracciolini grapple with the moral and conceptual problems raised by the prospect of people getting filthy rich.
- HoP 353 - The Good Place - Utopias in the Italian RenaissanceTommaso Campanella’s “The City of the Sun” and other utopian works of the Italian Renaissance describe perfect cities as an ideal for real life politics.
- HoP 352 - The Teacher of Our Actions - Renaissance HistoriographyBruni, Poggio, Machiavelli, and Guicciardini explore political ideas and historical method in works on Roman and Italian history.
- HoP 351 - Quentin Skinner on MachiavelliLeading Machiavelli scholar Quentin Skinner joins Peter to discuss morality, history, and religion in the Prince and the Discourses.
- HoP 350 - The Sentence - Machiavelli on RepublicanismPeter celebrates reaching 350 episodes by explaining a single sentence in Machiavelli's "Discourses."
- HoP 349 - No More Mr Nice Guy - MachiavelliMachiavelli’s seminal work of political advice, "The Prince," tells the ruler how to be strong like a lion and cunning like a fox.
- HoP 348 - The Sweet Restraints of Liberty - Republicanism and Civic HumanismDid “civic humanism” really make republicanism a newly dominant political theory in the Italian Renaissance?
- HoP 347 - Bonfire of the Vanities - SavonarolaThe prophetic preacher Girolamo Savonarola attacks pagan philosophy and puts forward his own political ideas, before coming to an untimely end.
- HoP 346 - Cecilia Muratori on Animals in the RenaissanceAn interview with Cecilia Muratori, an expert on the surprisingly modern ideas about non-human animals that emerged in the Renaissance.
- HoP 345 - What a Piece of Work is Man - Manetti and Pico on Human NaturePico della Mirandola and Giannozzo Manetti praise humans as the centerpiece of the created world. But what about the other animals?
- HoP 344 - The Count of Concord - Pico della Mirandola
Pico della Mirandola argues for the harmony of the ancient authorities, draws on Jewish mysticism, and questions the value of humanist rhetoric. - HoP 343 - As Far as East from West - Jewish Philosophy in Renaissance ItalyJewish philosophers in Renaissance Italy, focusing on Leone Ebreo’s Dialogues of Love, the Averroism of Elijah del Medigo, and Italian Kabbalah.
- HoP 342 - Denis Robichaud on Plato in the RenaissanceAn interview with Denis Robichaud on how, and why, Plato was read in the Italian Renaissance.
- HoP 341 - True Romance - Theories of LoveFicino describes a “Platonic” love purified of sexuality, prompting a debate carried on by Pico della Mirandola, Pietro Bembo, and Tullia d’Aragona.
- HoP 340 - Footnotes to Plato - Marsilio FicinoMarsilio Ficino’s revival of Platonism, with a focus on his proofs for the soul’s immortality in his magnum opus, the Platonic Theology.
- HoP 339 - I’d Like to Thank the Academy - Florentine PlatonismThe blossoming of Renaissance Platonism under the Medici, who supported the scholarship of Poliziano, Ficino, and Pico della Mirandola.
- HoP 338 - All About Eve - the Defense of WomenRefutation of misogyny in Moderate Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella.
- HoP 337 - More Rare Than the Phoenix - Italian Women HumanistsCassandra Fedele, Isotta Nogarola, and Laura Cereta seek fame and glory through eloquence and learning.
- HoP 336 - We Built This City - Christine de PizanChristine de Pizan's political philosophy, epistemology, and the refutation of misogyny in her "City of Ladies".
- HoP 335 - Sabrina Ebbersmeyer on Emotions in Renaissance PhilosophyAn interview with Sabrina Ebbersmeyer about the relation of emotion to reason and the body, and panpsychism, in the Renaissance.
- HoP 334 - Chance Encounters - Reviving Hellenistic philosophyThe rediscovery of Epicurus, Lucretius, and Sextus Empiricus spreads challenging ideas about chance, atomism, and skepticism.
- HoP 333 - Difficult to Be Good - Humanist EthicsHumanists from Bruni and Valla to Pontano and Castiglione ask whether ancient ethical teachings can still help us learn how to live.
- HoP 332 - Jill Kraye on HumanismJill Kraye returns to the podcast to discuss the nature of humanism, its relation to scholasticism, and its legacy.
- HoP 331 - Literary Criticism - Lorenzo Valla
Lorenzo Valla launches a furious attack on scholastic philosophy, favoring the resources of classical Latin. - HoP 330 - Republic of Letters - Italian HumanismColuccio Salutati and Leonardo Bruni combine eloquence with philosophy, taking as their model the refined language and republican ideals found in Cicero.
- HoP 329 - Greeks Bearing Gifts - Byzantine Scholars in ItalyBessarion and George Trapenzuntius, rival scholars from the Greek east who helped inspire the Italian Renaissance.
- HoP 328 - Old News - Introduction to the Italian RenaissanceA first look at the themes and figures of philosophy in the Italian Renaissance.
- HoP 327 - Michele Trizio on Byzantine and Latin Medieval PhilosophyThe series on Byzantium concludes as Michele Trizio discusses the mutual influence of Byzantium and Latin Christendom.
- HoP 326 - Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - the Later Orthodox TraditionWhen the Byzantine empire ended in 1453, philosophy in Greek did not end with it. In this episode we bring the story up to the 20th century.
- HoP 325 - Platonic Love - Gemistos PlethonWas Gemistos Plethon, the last great thinker of the Byzantine tradition, a secret pagan or just a Christian with an unusual enthusiasm for Platonism?
- HoP 324 - United We Fall - Latin Philosophy in ByzantiumThomas Aquinas finds avid readers among Byzantines at the twilight of empire, and is used by both sides of the Hesychast controversy.
- HoP 323 - Through His Works You Shall Know Him - Palamas and HesychasmGregory Palamas and the controversy over his teaching that we can go beyond human reason by grasping God through his activities or “energies”.
- HoP 322 - Do the Math - Science in the Palaiologan RenaissanceMathematics and the sciences in Byzantium, focusing on scholars of the Palaiologan period like Blemmydes and Metochites.
- HoP 321 - Judith Herrin on Byzantium and IslamHistorian Judith Herrin joins us to talk about competition and mutual influence between Islam and Byzantium.
- HoP 320 - People of the South - Byzantium and IslamIntellectual exchange between Christians and Muslims, and the later flowering of Syriac literature including the philosopher Bar Hebraeus.
- HoP 319 - Georgia on My Mind - Petritsi and the Proclus RevivalThe Neoplatonist Proclus gets mixed reviews from Christians, as Nicholas of Methone refutes him but the Georgian philosopher Ioane Petritsi helps to revive his thought.
- HoP 318 - Oliver Primavesi on Greek ManuscriptsPeter's Munich colleague Oliver Primavesi tells us how Greek manuscripts are used to establish the text of authors like Aristotle.
- HoP 317 - Made by Hand - Byzantine ManuscriptsWithout handwritten copies produced by Byzantine scribes, we would know almost nothing about ancient philosophy. How and why were they made?
- HoP 316 - Just Measures - Law, Money, and War in ByzantiumLegal and economic thought in Byzantium: the sources of the law’s authority, the relation of church and civil law, just price, and just war.
- HoP 315 - Wiser Than Men - Gender in ByzantiumThe role of women in Byzantine society and the complex attitudes surrounding eunuchs: did they make up a “third gender”?
- HoP 314 - Katerina Ierodiakonou on Byzantine CommentariesA chat about commentaries on Aristotle from Byzantium with guest Katerina Ierodiakonou.
- HoP 313 - Queen of the Sciences - Anna Komnene and her CirclePrincess Anna Komnene makes good use of her political retirement by gathering a circle of scholars to write commentaries on Aristotle.
- HoP 312 - Past Masters - Byzantine HistoriographyThe larger meaning of history in the chronicles written by Michael Psellos, Michael Attaleiates, Anna Komnene, and Niketas Choniates.
- HoP 311 - The Elements of Style - Rhetoric in ByzantiumPsellos and other experts in rhetoric explore how this art of persuasion relates to philosophy.
- HoP 310 - Purple Prose - Byzantine Political PhilosophyByzantine political thought from the time of Justinian down to the Palaiologos dynasty wrestles with the nature and scope of imperial power.
- HoP 309 - Hooked on Classics - Italos and the Debate over Pagan LearningThe trial of John Italos and other signs of Byzantine disquiet with the pagan philosophical tradition.
- HoP 308 - Dominic O'Meara on Michael PsellosDominic O'Meara speaks to Peter about Michael Psellos, focusing especially on his political philosophy.
- HoP 307 - Consul of the Philosophers - Michael PsellosMichael Psellos and his attitude towards pagan philosophy and the political life.
- Bonus Episode - Glenn Adamson on Material IntelligencePeter's twin brother Glenn Adamson discusses the philosophical implications of craft.
- HoP 306 - Collectors’ Items - Photius and Byzantine CompilationsPhotius, “the inventor of the book review,” and other Byzantine scholars who preserved ancient learning.
- HoP 305 - Andrew Louth on John of DamascusPeter is joined by Andrew Louth for a discussion of John of Damascus and his theological use of philosophy.
- HoP 304 - Behind Enemy Lines - John of DamascusJohn of Damascus helps to shape the Byzantine understanding of humankind and the veneration of images, despite living in Islamic territory.
- HoP 303 - Don’t Picture This - IconoclasmIs it idolatry to venerate an icon of a saint, or of Christ? The dispute leads the Byzantines to ponder the relation between an image and its object.
- HoP 302 - On the Eastern Front - Philosophy in Syriac and ArmenianEastern Christian philosophy outside of Constantinople, focusing on translation and exegesis in the languages of Syriac and Armenian.
- HoP 301 - The Empire Strikes Back - Introduction to Byzantine PhilosophyWe begin to look at the third tradition of medieval philosophy, in which the heritage of classical antiquity is preserved and debated by the Byzantines.
- HoP 300b - The Relevance of Medieval Philosophy TodayPeter King, Catarina Dutilh Novaes, and Russ Friedman discuss their approaches to medieval philosophy, and its contemporary relevance.
- HoP 300a - The Relevance of Ancient Philosophy TodayRachel Barney, Christof Rapp, and Mark Kalderon join Peter to discuss the importance of ancient philosophy for today's philosophers.
- HoP 299 - Robert Pasnau on Substance in ScholasticismBob Pasnau joins Peter to discuss ideas about substance from Aquinas down to the time of Locke, Leibniz and Descartes.
- HoP 298 - Renaissance Men - Ramon Llull and PetrarchThe Renaissance ideals of humanism and universal science flourish already in the medieval period, in the works of Petrarch and Ramon Llull.
- HoP 297 - The Prague Spring - Scholasticism Across EuropeNew ideas and and new universities in Italy and greater Germany including Vienna and Prague, where Jan Hus carries on the radical ideas of Wyclif.
- HoP 296 - Morning Star of the Reformation - John WyclifJohn Wyclif refutes nominalism and inspires the Lollard movement, which anticipated Reformation thought with its critique of the church.
- HoP 295 - The Most Christian Doctor - Jean GersonJean Gerson’s role in the political disputes of his day, the spread of lay devotion and affective mysticism, and the debate over the Romance of the Rose initiated by Christine de Pizan.
- HoP 294 - Isabel Davis on Sexuality and Marriage in ChaucerPeter is joined by Isabel Davis to discuss marriage, sex and chastity in Chaucer, focusing on the Wife of Bath's speech.
- HoP 293 - The Good Wife - Gender and Sexuality in the Middle AgesMedieval attitudes towards homosexuality, sex and chastity, and the status of women. Authors discussed include Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, and Chaucer.
- HoP 292 - Say it With Poetry - Chaucer and LanglandPhilosophical themes in Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” and “Troilus and Criseyde,” as well as Langland’s “Piers Plowman.”
- HoP 291 - Alle Maner of Thyng Shall be Welle - English MysticismJulian of Norwich’s Shewings and the Cloud of Unknowing lay out challenging paths to knowledge of, and union with, God.
- HoP 290 - Martin Pickavé on Emotions in Medieval PhilosophyMartin Pickavé returns to the podcast to talk about theories of the emotions in Aquinas, Scotus and Wodeham.
- HoP 289 - A Wing and a Prayer - Angels in Medieval PhilosophyBe surprised by how many philosophical problems arise in connection with angels (how many can dance on the head of a pin is not one of them).
- HoP 288 - Men in Black - The German DominicansDietrich of Freiberg, Berthold of Moosburg, John Tauler and Henry Suso explore Neoplatonism and mysticism.
- HoP 287 - Down to the Ground - Meister EckhartThe scholastic and mystic Meister Eckhart sets out his daring speculations about God and humankind in both Latin and German.
- HoP 286 - On the Money - Medieval Economic TheoryChanging ideas about money, just price, and usury, up to the time of Buridan, Oresme, and Gregory of Rimini.
- HoP 285 - Dominik Perler on Medieval SkepticismThe medievals were too firm in their beliefs to entertain skeptical worries, right? Don't be so sure, as Peter learns from Dominik Perler.
- HoP 284 - Seeing is Believing - Nicholas of Autrecourt’s Skeptical ChallengeThe debate between Nicholas of Autrecourt and John Buridan on whether it is possible to achieve certain knowledge.
- HoP 283 - Jack Zupko on John BuridanPeter speaks to Jack Zupko about John Buridan's secular and parsimonious approach to philosophy.
- HoP 282 - Portrait of the Artist - John BuridanThe hipster’s choice for favorite scholastic, John Buridan, sets out a nominalist theory of knowledge and language, and explains the workings of free will.
- HoP 281 - Monica Green on Medieval MedicineAn interview with Monica Green reveals parallels between medicine and philosophy in the middle ages.
- HoP 280 - Get to the Point - Fourteenth Century PhysicsOckham, Buridan, Oresme and Francis of Marchia explore infinity, continuity, atomism, and the impetus involved in motion.
- HoP 279 - Quadrivial Pursuits - the Oxford CalculatorsBradwardine and other thinkers based at Oxford make breakthroughs in physics by applying mathematics to motion.
- HoP 278 - Sara Uckelman on ObligationsSara Uckelman soundly defeats Peter in the medieval logical game of "obligations."
- HoP 277 - Trivial Pursuits - Fourteenth Century LogicThe scholastics discuss the ambiguity of terms, the nature of logical inference, and logical paradoxes, and play the game of “obligations.”
- HoP 276 - Back to the Future - Foreknowledge and PredestinationScotus, Ockham, and Bradwardine ask how we can be free if God knows and chooses the things we will do in the future.
- HoP 275 - Keeping it Real - Responses to OckhamWalter Burley flies the flag for realism against Ockham and other nominalists.
- HoP 274 - Susan Brower-Toland on Ockham's Philosophy of MindAn interview with Susan Brower-Toland covering Ockham's views on cognition, consciousness, and memory.
- HoP 273 - What Do You Think? - Ockham on Mental LanguageHow the language of thought relates to spoken and written language, according to William of Ockham.
- HoP 272 - A Close Shave - Ockham’s NominalismOckham trims away the unnecessary entities posited by other scholastics.
- HoP 271 - Do As You’re Told - Ockham on Ethics and Political PhilosophyWilliam of Ockham on freedom of action and freedom of thought.
- HoP 270 - Render unto Caesar - Marsilius of PaduaIn his book Defender of the Peace, Marsilius of Padua develops new theories of representative government, rights, and ownership.
- Democracy and the History of PhilosophyPeter muses on recent political events in light of the history of philosophy.
- HoP 269 - Our Power is Real - The Clash of Church and StateGiles of Rome and Dante on the rival claims of the church and secular rulers.
- HoP 268 - To Hell and Back - Dante AlighieriItaly’s greatest poet Dante Alighieri was also a philosopher, as we learn from his Convivio and of course the Divine Comedy.
- HoP 267 - After Virtue - Marguerite PoreteMarguerite Porete is put to death for her exploration of the love of God, The Mirror of Simple Souls.
- HoP 266 - Tom Pink on the WillA conversation with Tom Pink about medieval theories of freedom and action.
- HoP 265 - Time of the Signs - the Fourteenth CenturyAn introduction to philosophy in the 14th century, focusing on two big ideas: nominalism and voluntarism.
- HoP 264 - Giorgio Pini on Scotus on KnowledgePeter hears about Duns Scotus' epistemology from expert Giorgio Pini.
- HoP 263 - One in a Million - Scotus on Universals and IndividualsScotus explains how things can share a nature in common while being unique individuals.
- HoP 262 - On Command - Scotus on EthicsScotus argues that morality is a matter of freely choosing to follow God’s freely issued commands.
- HoP 261 - To Will or Not to Will - Scotus on FreedomScotus develops a novel theory of free will and, along the way, rethinks the notions of necessity and possibility.
- HoP 260 - Once and for All - Scotus on BeingDuns Scotus attacks the proposal of Aquinas and Henry of Ghent that being is subject to analogy.
- HoP 259 - Richard Cross on Philosophy and the TrinityMedieval discussions of the Trinity charted new metaphysical territory, as we see in this interview with Richard Cross.
- HoP 258 - Here Comes the Son - The Trinity and the EucharistPhilosophy is pushed to its limits to provide rational explanations of two Christian theological doctrines.
- HoP 257 - Martin Pickave on Henry of Ghent and FreedomAn interview with Martin Pickavé on voluntarism in Henry of Ghent.
- HoP 256 - Frequently Asked Questions - Henry of GhentHenry of Ghent, now little known but a leading scholastic in the late 13th century, makes influential proposals on all the debates of his time.
- HoP 255 - Andreas Speer on Medieval AestheticsDoes medieval art tell us anything about medieval theories of aesthetics? Peter finds out from Andreas Speer.
- HoP 254 - Love, Reign Over Me - The Romance of the RoseSex, reason, and religion in Jean de Meun’s completion of an allegory of courtly love, the Roman de la Rose.
- HoP 253 - Let Me Count the Ways - Speculative GrammarThe “modistae” explore the links between language, the mind, and reality.
- HoP 252 - Neverending Story - the Eternity of the WorldAquinas, Bonaventure, and the so-called “Latin Averroists” take up the question of whether the universe has always existed, and settle once and for all which comes first, the chicken or the egg.
- HoP 251 - Masters of the University - “Latin Averroism"Did Siger of Brabant and Boethius of Dacia, who have been called “Latin Averroists” and “radical Aristotelians,” really embrace a doctrine of “double truth”?
- HoP 249 - Paris When it Sizzles - the CondemnationsTwo rounds of condemnations at Paris declare certain philosophical teachings as heretical. But what were the long term effects?
- HoP 248 - Scott MacDonald on AquinasScott MacDonald joins Peter to discuss Thomas Aquinas' views on human knowledge.
- HoP 247 - Onward, Christian Soldiers - Just War TheoryAquinas follows medieval legal thinkers in defining the conditions under which war may be justified, and proposes his famous doctrine of double effect.
- HoP 246 - What Pleases the Prince - The Rule of LawNatural law and political legitimacy in thirteenth century thinkers up to and including Thomas Aquinas.
- HoP 245 - What Comes Naturally - Ethics in Albert and AquinasNatural and supernatural virtue and happiness in Thomas Aquinas and his teacher, Albert the Great.
- HoP 244 - Everybody Needs Some Body - Aquinas on Soul and KnowledgeThomas Aquinas makes controversial claims concerning the unity of the soul and the empirical basis of human knowledge.
- HoP 243 - The Ox Heard Round the World - Thomas AquinasAn introduction to Thomas Aquinas, his views on faith and reason, and his famous “five ways” of proving God’s existence.
- HoP 242 - Therese Cory on Self-Awareness in Albert and AquinasTherese Cory tells Peter what Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas thought about self-awareness.
- HoP 241 - The Shadow Knows - Albert the Great’s MetaphysicsAlbert the Great’s theory of being and his attempt to explain what changes in the human mind when we come to see God in the afterlife.
- HoP 240 - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral - Albert the Great’s Natural PhilosophyAlbert the Great earns his nickname “universal doctor” by devoting himself to the whole of nature, from geology and botany to the study of human nature.
- HoP 239 - Catarina Dutilh Novaes on Medieval LogicWas medieval logic "formal"? Peter finds out from Catarina Dutilh Novaes.
- HoP 238 - Binding Arbitration - Robert KilwardbyRobert Kilwardby is infamous for his ban on teaching certain philosophical ideas at Oxford, yet made contributions in logic and on the soul.
- HoP 237 - Begin the Beguine - Hadewijch and Mechthild of MagdeburgTwo Beguine authors, Hadewijch and Mechthild of Magdeburg, deploy the tropes of courtly love in vernacular writings about their mystical experiences.
- HoP 236 - None for Me, Thanks - Franciscan PovertyBonaventure and Peter Olivi respond to critics of the Franciscan vow of poverty, in a debate which produced new ideas about economics and rights.
- HoP 235 - Juhana Toivanen on Animals in Medieval PhilosophyMedieval ideas about what animals do and do not have in common with humans, and how we should treat them.
- HoP 234 - Your Attention Please - Peter OliviPeter Olivi proposes that awareness occurs not through passively being affected by things, but by actively paying attention to them.
- HoP 233 - Stairway to Heaven - BonaventureBonaventure argues that human knowledge depends on an illumination from God.
- HoP 232 - Charles Burnett on MagicCharles Burnett tells Peter about the role of magic in medieval intellectual life.
- HoP 231 - Origin of Species - Roger BaconRoger Bacon extols the power of science based on experience and uses a general theory of "species" to explain light and vision.
- HoP 230 - A Light That Never Goes Out - Robert GrossetesteTranslator, scientist and theologian Robert Grosseteste sheds light on the cosmos, human understanding, and the rainbow.
- HoP 229 - Do the Right Thing - Thirteenth Century EthicsThe scholastics explore Aristotle’s ethical teaching and the concept of moral conscience.
- HoP 228 - It's All Good - The TranscendentalsPhilip the Chancellor introduces the transcendentals, a key idea in medieval metaphysics and aesthetics.
- HoP 227 - Stayin’ Alive - Thirteenth Century PsychologyJohn Blund and William of Auvergne draw on Aristotle and Avicenna to argue that the soul is immaterial and immortal.
- HoP 226 - Full of Potential - Thirteenth Century PhysicsRichard Rufus and anonymous commentators on Aristotle explore the nature of motion, time, infinity and space.
- HoP 225 - No Uncertain Terms - Thirteenth Century LogicThe terminist logicians William of Sherwood and Peter of Spain classify the various ways that language can relate to the world.
- HoP 224 - Kent Emery on Institutions of LearningKent Emery joins Peter to discuss the effects of monastic and university culture on medieval philosophy.
- HoP 223 - Straw Men - The Rise of the UniversitiesThe emergence of universities in Paris, Oxford, Bologna and elsewhere provide the main setting for medieval philosophy in the 13th century and beyond.
- HoP 222 - Rediscovery Channel - Translations into LatinGreek and Arabic sources are rendered into Latin in a translation movement that will revolutionize medieval philosophy.
- HoP 221 - Leading Light - Hildegard of BingenThe life, visions, political intrigues and scientific interests of Hildegard of Bingen.
- HoP 220 - Caroline Humfress on the Roots of Medieval LawA discussion about Roman law and its reception in the medieval period, with ancient law expert Caroline Humfress.
- HoP 219 - Law and Order - Gratian and Peter LombardGratian and Peter Lombard help bring scholasticism to maturity by systematizing law and theology.
- HoP 218 - Two Swords - Early Medieval Political PhilosophyThe “Investiture Contest” between church and state and the first major work of medieval political philosophy, John of Salisbury’s Policraticus.
- HoP 217 - Andrew Arlig on Parts and WholesAndrew Arlig joins Peter to discuss medieval discussions of mereology (the study of parts and wholes).
- HoP 216 - One of a Kind - Gilbert of Poitiers on IndividuationGilbert of Poitiers proposes a unique way to explain how each individual is the individual it is.
- HoP 215 - The Medieval PodcastersIn this special episode, Peter chats with the hosts of the History of the Crusades, History of Byzantium, and British History podcasts.
- HoP 214 - The Good Book - Philosophy of NatureAs early medieval science blossoms, Bernard Silvestris and Alan of Lille personify Nature in their philosophical prose-poems.
- HoP 213 - On the Shoulders of Giants - Philosophy at ChartresThe controversial role of Chartres in the philosophical Renaissance of the twelfth century.
- HoP 212 - Like Father, Like Son - Debating the TrinityDiscussion, debate and denunciation of philosophical attempts to explain the Trinity in Abelard, Richard of St Victor and Bernard of Clairvaux.
- HoP 211 - Learn Everything - the VictorinesHugh of Saint Victor and other scholars of the same abbey combine secular learning with spirituality.
- HoP 210 - John Marenbon on Peter AbelardJohn Marenbon returns to the podcast to discuss Abelard's views on necessity and freedom..
- HoP 209 - It’s the Thought that Counts - Abelard’s EthicsPeter Abelard sets out an innovative ethical theory that identifies intentions as the core of moral life.
- HoP 208 - Get Thee to a Nunnery - Heloise and AbelardPeter Abelard and Heloise prove themselves to be fascinating thinkers as well as star-crossed lovers.
- HoP 207 - All or Nothing - The Problem of UniversalsAbelard and other logicians of the 12th century argue over the status of universals: are they words or things?
- HoP 206 - Eileen Sweeney on AnselmAnselm expert Eileen Sweeney discusses his approach to philosophy and the devotional aspect of his works.
- HoP 205 - Somebody's Perfect - Anselm's Ontological ArgumentThe most famous argument in medieval philosophy is Anselm's proof of God's existence. But how is it supposed to work?
- HoP 204 - A Canterbury Tale - Anselm's Life and WorksAnselm offers more than his famous ontological argument, including a subtle account of human freedom.
- HoP 203 - Virgin Territory - Peter Damian on Changing the PastPeter Damian takes up a question with surprising philosophical implications: can God restore virginity to a woman who has lost it?
- HoP 202 - Philosophers Anonymous - the Roots of ScholasticismLittle-known authors prepare the way for scholasticism with glosses on logic, metaphysical debate, and a poem about a cat.
- HoP 201 - Stephen Gersh on Medieval PlatonismStephen Gersh (who was Peter's doctoral advisor!) joins him to discuss the sources and influence of Platonism in the Middle Ages.
- HoP 200 - Jill Kraye and John Marenbon on Medieval PhilosophyWe celebrate reaching episode 200 with a special double interview on the problem of defining medieval philosophy.
- HoP 199 - Much Ado About Nothing - Eriugena's PeriphyseonEriugena delves into the Greek tradition to produce his masterpiece of metaphysics and theology, the Periphyseon.
- HoP 198 - Grace Notes - Eriugena and the Predestination ControversyJohn Scotus Eriugena debates free will with his rival Gottschalk, arguing that God predestines the saved but not the damned.
- HoP 197 - Charles in Charge - The Carolingian RenaissanceAlcuin leads a resurgence of interest in philosophy and the liberal arts at the court of Charlemagne.
- HoP 196 - Arts of Darkness - Introduction to Medieval PhilosophyPeter launches the series of podcasts on philosophy in medieval Latin Christendom with a look ahead at what’s to come.
- HoP 195 - Anke von Kügelgen on Contemporary Islamic ThoughtAnke von Kügelgen joins Peter to discuss developments over the last century or so, including attitudes towards past thinkers like Avicenna, Averroes and Ibn Taymiyya.
- HoP 194 - Iran So Far - After ṢadrāFrom Sabzawārī in the 19th century to Seyyed Hossein Nasr today, Iranian thinkers promote and respond to the thought of Mullā Ṣadrā.
- HoP 193 - All for One and One for All - Muḥammad 'Abdūh and Muḥammad IqbālMuḥammad 'Abdūh and Muḥammad Iqbāl challenge colonialism and the traditional religious scholars of Islam.
- HoP 192 - The Stronger Sex - Women Scholars and IslamFatema Mernissi and others challenge the long-standing (but not complete) exclusion of women from the intellectual traditions of Islam.
- HoP 191 - The Young Ones: Encounters with European Thought18th and 19th century intellectuals in India and the Ottoman empire, from Shāh Walī Allāh to the Young Turks, continue Islamic traditions and grapple with European science.
- HoP 190 - Turkish Delights - Philosophy under the OttomansKātib Çelebi defends cigarettes and coffee, in just one of several philosophical and religious debates in the Ottoman empire.
- HoP 189 - Subcontinental Drift - Philosophy in Islamic IndiaIdeas spread to Mughal India from Iran, and prince Dārā Shikūh seeks to unite the wisdom of the Upanishads with the Koran.
- HoP 188 - Sajjad Rizvi on Mulla SadraSajjad Rizvi talks to Peter about Mullā Ṣadrā's views on eternity, God's knowledge and the afterlife.
- HoP 187 - Return to Sender - Mulla Sadra on Motion and KnowledgeMullā Ṣadrā proposes that all things are like sharks: in constant motion.
- HoP 186 - To Be, Continued - Mulla Sadra on ExistenceMullā Ṣadrā, greatest thinker of early modern Iran, unveils his radical new understanding of existence.
- HoP 185 - Follow the Leader - Philosophy under the SafavidsPhilosophy in Safavid Iran, and a look back at earlier philosophy among Shiites.
- HoP 184 - Robert Wisnovsky on Commentary CultureRobert Wisnovsky joins Peter to discuss the enormous body of unstudied philosophical commentaries in the later Eastern Islamic world.
- HoP 183 - Family Feud - Philosophy at ShirazThe roots of the Safavid philosophical tradition in some rather ill-tempered debates at Shīrāz.
- HoP 182 - Aftermath - Philosophy and Science in the Mongol AgePhilosophy and science survive and even thrive through the coming of the Mongols.
- HoP 181 - By the Book - Ibn TaymiyyaThe controversial jurist Ibn Taymiyya sets forth an originalist theory of law and a searching criticism of the philosophers’ logic.
- HoP 180 - Proof Positive - The Logical TraditionLater Islamic logicians try to solve the Liar Paradox and take on the advances of Avicenna's logic.
- HoP 179 - Mohammed Rustom on Philosophical SufismPeter is joined by Mohammed Rustom in a discussion about Sufi authors including Ibn 'Arabī and Rūmī
- HoP 178 - Eyes Wide Shut - Rumi and Philosophical SufismThe Persian poet Rūmī and mystical philosopher al-Qūnawī carry on the legacy of Sufism.
- HoP 177 - To Be or Not to Be - Debating Avicenna’s MetaphysicsAvicenna’s distinction between essence and existence triggers a running debate among philosophers and theologians.
- HoP 176 - A Man for all Seasons - al-TusiNaṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī’s controversial career sees him adopt and then abandon Ismāʿīlism, team up with the Mongols, and offer a staunch defense of Avicenna.
- HoP 175 - Bright Ideas - IlluminationismThe Illuminationists carry on Suhrawardī’s critique of “Peripatetic” philosophy and wonder if they will be reborn as giraffes.
- HoP 174 - Leading Light - SuhrawardiSuhrawardī, founder of the Illuminationist (ishrāqī) tradition, proposes a metaphysics of light on the basis of his theory of knowledge by presence
- HoP 173 - For the Sake of Argument - Fakhr al-Din al-RaziThe hugely influential Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī weaves Avicenna and Islamic theology into complex dialectical treatments of time, God, the soul, and ethics.
- HoP 172 - All Things Considered - Abu l-Barakat al-BaghdadiAbū l-Barakāt al-Baghdādī makes up his own mind about physics and the soul, and along the way inaugurates a new style of doing philosophy.
- HoP 171 - Golden Ages - The Later Eastern TraditionsAn introduction to later developments in philosophical theology, sufism, and Illuminationism, focusing on the reception and critique of Avicenna.
- HoP 170 - Gad Freudenthal on Jewish Philosophy and ScienceLeading scholar of medieval Jewish thought Gad Freudenthal joins Peter in a concluding episode on Andalusian thought.
- HoP 169 - A Matter of Principles - Albo and AbravanelJoseph Albo and Isaac Abravanel critique Maimonides’ attempt to lay down foundations for the Jewish law.
- HoP 168 - Chariot of Fire - KabbalahThe rich symbolism of the Zohar and the spiritual practices of Abraham Abluafia feature in the mystical movement known as Kabbalah.
- HoP 167 - When Bad Things Happen to Good People - Suffering in Jewish PhilosophyThe Book of Job provokes Saadia, Maimonides, Ibn Tibbon and Gersonides to reflect on why God allows suffering.
- HoP 166 - Tamar Rudavsky on Gersonides and CrescasTamar Rudavsky joins Peter to talk about the two great medieval Jewish thinkers after Maimonides: Gersonides and Crescas.
- HoP 165 - Neither the Time Nor the Place - Hasdai CrescasḤasdai Crescas shows Aristotelian physics who’s boss, by defending alternative conceptions of time, place and infinity.
- HoP 164 - Man and Superman - Gersonides and the Jewish Reaction to AverroesThe super-commentator Gersonides and other Jews digest the ideas of Averroes.
- HoP 163 - Burnt Offerings - The Maimonides ControversyMaimonides’ works provoke a bitter dispute among Jews in France and Spain over the relation of philosophy to Judaism.
- HoP 162 - Sarah Stroumsa on MaimonidesMaimonides as a "Mediterranean thinker": Peter is joined by Sarah Stroumsa.
- HoP 161 - He Moves in Mysterious Ways - Maimonides on EternityMaimonides tries to settle the eternity of the world debate by declaring a draw.
- HoP 160 - The Great Eagle - MaimonidesThe great Jewish philosopher and legal scholar Maimonides, and the ideas in his Mishneh Torah and Guide for the Perplexed.
- HoP 159 - With All Your Heart - Ethics and JudaismBaḥya Ibn Paquda and Maimonides explore the ethical dimension of the Jewish scriptures and legal tradition.
- HoP 158 - Born Under a Bad Sign - Freedom and Astrology in Jewish PhilosophyAbraham Ibn Ezra, Ibn Daud and Maimonides consider the philosophical implications of astrology as science flourishes in the Jewish culture of Andalusia.
- HoP 157 - Choosing My Religion - Judah HalleviJudah Hallevi argues that Judaism has a better claim to belief than philosophy, Christianity, or Islam.
- HoP 156 - Sarah Pessin on Jewish NeoplatonismPeter chats with Sarah Pessin about the Neoplatonism of Jewish philosophers such as Isaac Israeli, Ibn Gabirol, and Maimonides.
- HoP 155 - Matter over Mind - Ibn GabirolNeoplatonism returns in Ibn Gabriol, who controversially holds that everything apart from God has both matter and form.
- HoP 154 - The Philosophy of History - Ibn KhaldunThe historian Ibn Khaldūn applies the methods of philosophy to understand the rise and fall of political regimes.
- HoP 153 - A Matter of Taste – Ibn Arabi and MysticismSufism, the mystical tradition of Islam, collides with philosophy in the work of Ibn ʿArabī.
- HoP 152 - Richard Taylor on AverroesAverroes scholar Richard C. Taylor joins Peter to talk about Averroes' views on the relation between Islam and philosophy.
- HoP 151 - Single Minded - Averroes on the IntellectAverroes defends the rather surprising notion that all of mankind shares a single intellect.
- HoP 150 - Charles Burnett and Dag N Hasse on Arabic Latin TranslationsA special 150th double interview episode on the transmission of philosophy from Arabic into Latin.
- HoP 149 - Back to Basics - Averroes on Reason and ReligionAn introduction to “the Commentator” Averroes, and his defense of philosophy in the Decisive Treatise.
- HoP 148 - Fantasy Island - Ibn Bajja and Ibn TufaylIntellect and alienation in Ibn Bājja and Ibn Ṭufayl, author of the philosophical desert island castaway tale “Ḥayy Ibn Yaqẓān.”
- HoP 147 - Laying Down the Law – Ibn Hazm and Islamic Legal TheoryThe development of Islamic law and jurisprudence (fiqh), and the many-sided output of the legal theorist Ibn Ḥazm.
- HoP 146 - Philosophy's Reign in Spain - AndalusiaThe flowering of philosophy among Muslims and Jews in al-Andalus (Muslim-controlled Spain and Portugal).
- HoP 145 - Frank Griffel on al-GhazaliWhy did al-Ghazālī judge "the philosophers" to be apostates? Peter finds out from Frank Griffel.
- HoP 144 - Miracle Worker - al-Ghazali against the PhilosophersIn his “Incoherence of the Philosophers,” al-Ghazālī attacks Avicenna’s theories about the eternity of the universe and insists on the possibility of miracles.
- HoP 143 - Special Delivery - al-GhazaliAl-Ghazālī’s search for truth leads him to philosophy, Asharite theology, and ultimately the mystical tradition of Sufism.
- HoP 142 - Dimitri Gutas on AvicennaPeter talks to Dimitri Gutas about Avicenna's sources, philosophical methods, and influence.
- HoP 141 - Into Thin Air - Avicenna on the SoulWith his Flying Man argument, Avicenna explores self-awareness and the relation between soul and body.
- HoP 140 - By All Means Necessary - Avicenna on GodAvicenna’s proof of the Necessary Existent is ingenious and influential; but does it amount to a proof of God’s existence?
- HoP 139 - By the Time I Get to Phoenix - Avicenna on ExistenceAvicenna revolutionizes metaphysics with groundbreaking ideas about necessity and contingency, and his new distinction between essence and existence.
- HoP 138 - The Self-Made Man - Avicenna's Life and WorksDespite a tumultuous life, Avicenna manages to become the most influential of all medieval philosophers.
- HoP 137 - God Willing – the AsharitesAl-Ash‘arī puts his stamp on the future of Islamic theology by emphasizing God’s untrammeled power and freedom.
- HoP 136 - Farhad Daftary on the IsmailisPeter is joined by Farhad Daftary, a leading expert on the Shiite group known as the Ismā'īlīs.
- HoP 135 - Undercover Brothers – Philosophy in the Buyid AgeMiskawayh, al-‘Amiri, al-Tawhidi, the Brethren of Purity and Ismaili missionaries bring together philosophy with Persian culture, literature and Islam.
- HoP 134 - Balancing Acts - Arabic Ethical LiteratureDrawing on Galen and Aristotle, philosophers from al-Kindi to Miskawayh compose ethical works designed us to achieve health in soul, as well as body.
- HoP 133 - Strings Attached - Music and PhilosophyPeter turns DJ, with some actual music interspersed with discussion about theories of music in Arabic philosophical texts.
- HoP 132 - Eye of the Beholder - Theories of VisionIbn al-Haytham draws on the tradition of geometrical optics to explain the mystery of human eyesight.
- HoP 131 - Deborah Black on al-Farabi's Epistemology
Deborah Black joins Peter to talk about al-Farabi's innovations concerning knowledge and certainty. - HoP 130 - State of Mind - al-Farabi on Religion and PoliticsAl-Fārābī combines Islam and Greek sources to present the ideal ruler as a philosopher who is also a prophet.
- HoP 129 - The Second Master - al-FarabiPeter begins to look at the systematic rethinking of Hellenic philosophy offered by al-Farabi, focusing on his logic and metaphysics.
- HoP 128 - Aristotelian Society - the Baghdad SchoolA group of mostly Christian philosophers transpose the practices of antique Aristotelian philosophy to 10th century Baghdad.
- HoP 127 - Peter E Pormann on Medicine in the Islamic WorldA double dose of Peters, as Pormann joins Adamson to discuss medicine and philosophy in the Islamic world.
- HoP 126 - High Five - al-RaziThe doctor and philosopher Abu Bakr al-Razi sets out a daring philosophical theory involving five eternal principles: God, soul, matter, time and place.
- HoP 125 - Reasoned Belief - Saadia GaonSaadia Gaon draws on Greek philosophy and Islamic theology to provide a rational account of Jewish belief.
- HoP 124 - The Chosen Ones - Judaism and PhilosophyThe roots of Jewish philosophy in the Islamic world, focusing on the Rabbinic background in the Mishnah and Talmud, and the thought of early figures like Isaac Israeli.
- HoP 123 - Philosopher of the Arabs - al-KindiAl-Kindī uses Hellenic materials to discuss the eternity of the world, divine attributes, and the nature of the soul.
- HoP 122 - Founded in Translation - From Greek to Syriac and ArabicGreek philosophy and science make their way into the Islamic world via Syriac and Arabic translations and interpretations.
- HoP 121 - This is a Test - the MutazilitesA first look at the philosophical contributions of Islamic theology (kalām) and its political context, focusing on the Muʿtazilites Abū l-Hudhayl and al-Naẓẓām.
- HoP 120 - The Straight Path - Philosophy in the Islamic WorldThe rise of Islam creates a new context for philosophy not only among Muslims, but also Jews and Christians. .
- HoP 119 - John Marenbon on BoethiusJohn Marenbon joins Peter to discuss Boethius' solution to the problem of divine foreknowledge.
- HoP 118 - Fate, Hope and Clarity - BoethiusBoethius ushers in the medieval age with expert works on Aristotle, subtle treatises on theology, and the Consolation of Philosophy, written while he awaited execution.
- HoP 117 - Born Again - Latin PlatonismApuleius, Victorinus, Martianus Cappella, Macrobius and Calcidius present and interpret Platonic teachings for readers of Latin.
- HoP 116 - Charles Brittain on Augustine's On the TrinityIn a final episode on Augustine, Charles Brittain joins Peter to discuss On the Trinity.
- HoP 115 - Me, Myself and I - Augustine on Mind and MemoryIn On the Trinity Augustine explores the human mind as an image of God.
- HoP 114 - Sarah Byers on Augustine's EthicsPeter speaks with Sarah Byers about the Stoic influence on Augustine's ethics and theory of action.
- HoP 113 - Heaven and Earth - Augustine’s City of GodIn his City of God Augustine traces the histories and philosophical underpinnings of two “cities,” one devoted to worldly glory, the other to heavenly bliss.
- HoP 112 - Help Wanted - Augustine on FreedomAugustine defends free will, but rejects the Pelagian claim that we can be good without God's help.
- HoP 111 - Papa Don't Teach - Augustine on LanguageAugustine argues that words are signs, but not signs that can bring us to knowledge.
- HoP 110 - Life and Time - Augustine's ConfessionsIn the Confessions Augustine weaves autobiography with reflections on the nature of God, man, and time.
- HoP 109 - Spreading the Word - the Latin Church FathersTertullian, Lactantius, Jerome and Ambrose use and abuse Hellenic philosophy.
- HoP 108 - George Boys-Stones on the Greek Church FathersGeorge Boys-Stones joins Peter to discuss philosophy in the Bible and the Greek Fathers.
- HoP 107 - Practice Makes Perfect - Christian AsceticismChristian ascetics like Antony, Macrina and Evagrius create a new ethical ideal by pushing the human capacity for self-control to its limits.
- HoP 106 - Double or Nothing - Maximus the ConfessorThe early Byzantine thinker Maximus uses Aristotle to defend the orthodox view of Christ's two natures
- HoP 105 - Naming the Nameless - the Pseudo-DionysiusA mysterious author calling himself Dionysius fuses Neoplatonism with Christianity
- HoP 104 - Let's Talk Turkey - the CappadociansBasil of Caesarea, his brother Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus use philosophy to help the poor and to defeat their theological opponents
- HoP 103 - Fall and Rise - OrigenOrigen of Alexandria weaves Platonic ideas into new and controversial theological ideas
- HoP 102 - Please Accept Our Apologies - the Greek Church FathersIrenaeus, Clement and Justin Martyr consider the relevance of philosophy for Christianity
- HoP 101 - Father Figures - Introduction to Ancient Christian PhilosophyAn overview of what the Church Fathers contributed to ancient philosophy
- HoP 100 - Michael Trapp and Caroline Humfress on Ancient Culture and PhilosophyA special double interview celebrates reaching 100 episodes by looking at the cultural status of philosophy in the ancient world
- HoP 099 - Richard Sorabji on the CommentatorsRichard Sorabji joins Peter to discuss the ancient commentators on Aristotle
- HoP 098 - For a Limited Time Only - John PhiloponusJohn Philoponus refutes Aristotle’s and Proclus’ arguments for the eternity of the universe, and develops new ideas in physics.
- HoP 097 - A Tale of Two Cities - The Last Pagan PhilosophersJulian the Apostate and the philosophers of Athens and Alexandria try to keep pagan philosophy alive in the late Roman empire
- HoP 096 - Dominic O'Meara on NeoplatonismDominic O'Meara speaks with Peter about political philosophy and mathematics in Neoplatonism
- HoP 095 - Anne Sheppard on Ancient AestheticsAnne Sheppard joins Peter to discuss aesthetics from Plato to Proclus
- HoP 093 - Pythagorean Theorems - IamblichusIamblichus fuses Platonism with pagan religious conviction and sets the agenda for Neoplatonism in generations to come.
- HoP 092 - King of Animals - PorphyryPorphyry defends vegetarianism and the harmony of Plato and Aristotle
- HoP 091 - James Wilberding on Nature and NeoplatonismJames Wilberding joins Peter to examine what Plotinus and Porphyry contributed to the philosophy of nature
- HoP 090 - A Decorated Corpse – Plotinus on Matter and EvilPlotinus 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 in that world.
- HoP 089 - On the Horizon - Plotinus on the SoulFor Plotinus, Soul is on the border between the physical and intelligible realms. Can he convince us to identify ourselves with its highest part?
- HoP 088 - Simplicity Itself - Plotinus on the One and IntellectPlotinus posits an absolutely transcendent first principle, the One. What is it (or isn’t it), and how does it relate to Intellect?
- HoP 087 - A God is My Co-Pilot - the Life and Works of PlotinusPeter introduces Plotinus, the greatest philosopher of late antiquity and the founder of Neoplatonism
- HoP 086 - Serafina Cuomo on Ancient MathematicsHow did the mathematics of figures like Euclid and Archimides relate to ancient philosophy? Peter finds out in an interview with Serafina Cuomo
- HoP 085 - Sky Writing - Astronomy, Astrology, and PhilosophyPtolemy uses philosophy in the service of studying the stars, while philosophers of all persuasions evaluate the widespread practice of astrology.
- HoP 084 - Silver Tongues in Golden Mouths - Rhetoric and Ancient PhilosophyThemistius, Quintilian, Lucian and other authors tell us about the connections between rhetoric and late ancient philosophy
- HoP 083 - Not Written in Stone – Alexander of AphrodisiasAlexander of Aphrodisias writes the greatest ancient commentaries on Aristotle and tries to demolish the Stoic teaching on fate
- HoP 082 - Lost and Found – Aristotelianism after AristotlePeter looks at the history of Aristotelianism up the time of the Roman Empire and the beginning of commentaries on his works
- HoP 081 - Jan Opsomer on Middle PlatonismJan Opsomer helps Peter to understand principles, Plato interpretation, and Plutarch in a wide-ranging discussion of Middle Platonism
- HoP 080 - Delphic Utterances - PlutarchPlutarch was a historian, a priest of Apollo, and a Platonist
- HoP 079 - To the Lighthouse - Philo of AlexandriaPhilo of Alexandria uses Platonism to understand the Bible of Moses
- HoP 078 - Middle Men - the Platonic RevivalPioneering thinkers Eudorus, Alcinous, and Numenius fuse Pythagoreanism with Platonism and pave the way for Plotinus.
- HoP 077 - Caesarian Section – Philosophy in the Roman EmpireIn late antiquity, Aristotelianism and Platonism made a comeback, and pagan philosophy developed alongside Judaism and Christianity.
- HoP 076 - R.J. Hankinson on GalenJim Hankinson tells Peter about the life, work and philosophical contributions of Galen
- HoP 075 - The Joy of Sects - Ancient Medicine and PhilosophyHellenistic doctors discover the nerves and argue about method; Galen passes judgment
- HoP 074 - Tony Long on the Self in Hellenistic PhilosophyLeading Hellenistic philosophy scholar Tony Long talks to Peter about the self, ethics and politics in the Stoics, Epicureans and Skeptics
- HoP 073 - Healthy Skepticism - Sextus EmpiricusSextus Empiricus pushes skepticism to its limits with his uncompromising Pyrrhonism
- HoP 072 - Raphael Woolf on CiceroPeter discusses Cicero's method and philosophical allegiances with Raphael Woolf
- HoP 071 - Rhetorical Questions - CiceroCicero, inspired by the skepticism of the New Academy, uses his literary talents to present the wisdom of the Greeks
- HoP 070 - The Know-Nothing Party - the Skeptical AcademyThe Skeptical Academy attacks Stoic claims that certain knowledge is possible
- HoP 069 - Beyond Belief - Pyrrho and SkepticismPeter begins to examine ancient Skepticism, beginning with Pyrrho's life and doctrines, or lack thereof
- HoP 068 - John Sellars on the Roman StoicsJohn Sellars joins Peter to discuss the Roman Stoics and their "art of living"
- HoP 067 - The Philosopher King - Marcus AureliusMarcus Aurelius' Meditations are a classic of Stoicism written by the most powerful philosopher who ever lived
- HoP 066 - You Can Chain My Leg - EpictetusEpictetus, greatest of the Roman Stoics, tells you how to set yourself free
- HoP 065 - Anger Management - SenecaSeneca wields his rhetorically charged Latin to advance Stoic ethical theory
- HoP 063 - Like a Rolling Stone - Stoic EthicsThe Stoic ethical theory insists that perfection is possible, and that moral responsibility is compatible with determinism
- HoP 062 - We Didn’t Start the Fire - the Stoics on NatureThe Stoic cosmos: suffused with divinity, surrounded by void, and endlessly repeating
- HoP 061 - Nobody’s Perfect - the Stoics on KnowledgeThe Stoics set out and defend an ambitious theory of knowledge, where it is possible to avoid all error
- HoP 060 - Walking on Eggshells - the Stoics on LogicIntroducing the early Stoics, Zeno, Cleanthes and Chrysippus, and their innovations in logic
- HoP 059 - James Warren on EpicureanismJames Warren chats with Peter about the pleasures of Epicureanism
- HoP 058 - Reaping the Harvest - LucretiusIn "On the Nature of Things" Lucretius sets Epicureanism into Latin poetic verse
- HoP 057 - Nothing to Fear - Epicureans on Death and the GodsThe Epicureans reassure us against the terrors of death and punishment by the gods
- HoP 056 - Am I Bothered? - Epicurean EthicsPleasure is the good, according to Epicurus. But how do we live most pleasantly?
- HoP 055 - The Constant Gardener - Epicurus and his PrinciplesEpicurus sets out an empiricist theory of knowledge and atomist physics, in support of hedonism
- HoP 054 - Instant Gratification - the CyrenaicsThe Cyrenaics, the ultimate pleasure seekers of ancient philosophy
- Filling the Gaps - a Brief History of NothingA 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.
- HoP 053 - Beware of the Philosopher - the CynicsDiogenes and the other Cynics “deface the currency” by exposing the hypocrisy of Greek society.
- HoP 052 - Fighting Over Socrates - the Hellenistic SchoolsIntroducing the Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans and Cynics, the schools of the Hellenistic age
- HoP 051 - The Next Generation - the Followers of Plato and AristotleThe Old Academy and Theophrastus carry on the legacy of Plato and Aristotle
- HoP 050 - MM McCabe and Raphael Woolf on Aristotle on PlatoPeter's colleagues MM McCabe and Raphael Woolf join him for a special 50th episode interview, to discuss Aristotle's reactions to his teacher Plato
- HoP 049 - Stage Directions - Aristotle's Rhetoric and PoeticsIn the Rhetoric and Poetics, Aristotle explores persuasive speech and engages with ancient tragedy
- HoP 048 - Constitutional Conventions - Aristotle's Political PhilosophyAristotle'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 and slaves
- HoP 047 God Only Knows: Aristotle on Mind and GodDrawing on the De Anima, On the Heavens, Physics and Metaphysics, Peter tackles Aristotle’s theory of mind and its relation to his theology.
- HoP 046 - Dominic Scott on Aristotle's EthicsDominic Scott discusses Aristotle's method in his Nicomachean Ethics
- HoP 045 - The Second Self - Aristotle On Pleasure And FriendshipWhat place does Aristotle leave for pleasure and friendship in his vision of the good life?
- HoP 044 - The Goldilocks Theory - Aristotle's EthicsAristotle's Nicomachean Ethics on happiness and virtue
- HoP 043 - Classified Information - Aristotle's BiologyIn his zoology, Aristotle divides and defines all kinds of animals, and so invents the science of biology
- HoP 042 - Soul Power - Aristotle's De AnimaAristotle's theory of soul: its functions and how it relates to the body
- HoP 041 - Richard Sorabji on Time and Eternity in AristotleRichard Sorabji discusses time, eternity and mosquitos in Aristotle's Physics
- HoP 040 - Let's Get Physical - Aristotle's Natural PhilosophyAristotle's Physics explains change, time and place with the help of his actuality/potentiality distinction
- HoP 039 - Form and Function - Aristotle's Four CausesThe four types of explanation: formal, material, efficient and final cause
- HoP 038 - Down To Earth - Aristotle on SubstanceAristotle's critique of Platonic Forms and defense of his own metaphysics
- HoP 037 - Hugh Benson on Aristotelian MethodHugh Benson discusses Aristotle's ideas about arriving at knowledge
- HoP 036 - A Principled Stand - Aristotle's EpistemologyKnowledge according to Aristotle's Posterior Analytics
- HoP 035 - The Philosopher's Toolkit - Aristotle's Logical WorksAristotle's invention of logic in the Organon (especially Categories, On Interpretation, Prior Analytics)
- HoP 034 - Mr. Know It All - Aristotle's Life And WorksAristotle's career, corpus and unparalleled influence
- HoP 033 - Last Judgments - Plato, Poetry and MythPlato's attack on the poets and his own use of myth in the Republic and other dialogues
- HoP 032 - Frisbee Sheffield on Platonic LoveFrisbee Sheffield discusses Plato's erotic dialogues, including the Symposium
- HoP 031 - Wings of Desire - Plato's Erotic DialoguesLove, friendship and philosophy in the Symposium, Phaedrus and Lysis
- HoP 030 - A Likely Story - Plato's TimaeusA divine craftsman makes the cosmos from triangles in Plato's Timaeus
- HoP 029 - What's in a Name? - Plato's CratylusPhilosophy of language and Heraclitean flux in Plato's Cratylus
- HoP 028 - Fiona Leigh on Plato's SophistFiona Leigh discusses Plato's revised theory of Forms in the Sophist
- HoP 027 - Second Thoughts - Plato's Parmenides and the FormsThe Third Man Argument and other criticisms of Forms in the Parmenides
- HoP 026 - Ain't No Sunshine - The Cave Allegory of Plato's RepublicThe Divided Line, Form of the Good, and Cave in Plato's Republic
- HoP 025 - Soul and The City - Plato's Political PhilosophyPlato's Republic defends and defines justice at the level of the ideal city and the person
- HoP 022 - I Know Because The Caged Bird Sings - Plato's TheaetetusKnowledge, relativism, and memory in the Theaetetus
- HoP 020 - Virtue Meets Its Match - Plato's GorgiasEthics against immoralism in a Socratic masterpiece.
- HoP 019 - Know Thyself - Two Unloved Platonic DialoguesVirtue and knowledge in Plato's Charmides and Euthydemus
- HoP 016 - Method Man - Plato's SocratesSocratic virtue, ignorance and irony in the Platonic dialogues Socrates' claim that no one does wrong willingly
- HoP 015 - Socrates without Plato - the Portrayals of Aristophanes and XenophonSocrates according to the comic poet Aristophanes and the historian Xenophon
- HoP 014 - Making the Weaker Argument the Stronger - the SophistsRhetoric and relativism in Protagoras, Gorgias and other sophists
- HoP 013 - Good Humor Men - the HippocraticsHippocrates and the relation between early Greek medicine and philosophy
- HoP 012 - Malcolm Schofield on the PresocraticsMalcolm Schofield on Heraclitus, Parmenides and other early Greek philosophers
- HoP 011 - All You Need Is Love, and Five Other Things - EmpedoclesLove, Strife and the four elements in Empedocles
- HoP 010 - Mind Over Mixture - AnaxagorasIs everything mixed with everything? Anaxagoras on Mind and the cosmos
- HoP 008 - You Can't Get There From Here - Zeno And MelissusZeno's paradoxes and Melissus develop the Eleatic philosophy
- HoP 004 - The Man With The Golden Thigh - PythagorasPythagoras and mathematics in ancient philosophy
- HoP 003 - Created In Our Image - Xenophanes Against Greek ReligionThe gods in Homer and Hesiod, and the critique of Xenophanes
- HoP 002 - Infinity and Beyond - Anaximander and AnaximenesTwo early Pre-Socratics claim that the world is made of air, and the infinite
- HoP 001 - Everything is Full of Gods - ThalesIn this first episode, Peter discusses the goals of the series and Thales, the first Greek philosopher.