A History of Western Philosophy

This inaugural lecture systematically introduces the origins of Western philosophy, examining the transition from mythical to rational thought and the foundational inquiries of the Pre-Socratic thinkers into cosmology and epistemology.

A History of Philosophy | 02 The Moral Universe in the Pre-Socractics.

This lecture analyzes the historical and philosophical context of the Greek Sophists, examining their contributions to rhetoric, epistemology, and ethics within the pre-Socratic intellectual landscape. It discusses key figures and their challenges to traditional Greek thought.

This lecture systematically introduces Plato's theory of knowledge, examining the core tenets of his epistemology, including the role of the Theory of Forms and its implications for understanding truth and reality.

This lecture examines Plato's central metaphysical doctrine, the Theory of Forms, exploring its origins in Socratic inquiry and its implications for understanding reality, knowledge, and ethics within the Platonic system.

This lecture systematically analyzes Plato's conception of the divine, examining the metaphysical implications of his Forms and their relationship to a creating or ordering principle within the cosmos. It delves into primary texts to reconstruct Plato's theological framework.

This lecture investigates Plato's conception of the human soul, examining its relation to the divine and its tripartite structure as explored in texts like the Phaedo and Republic. It situates Platonic dualism within a broader philosophical history concerning mind-body relations.

This lecture delves into Plato's ethical framework, specifically examining the concept of the Forms of the Good and how virtue is understood within his broader metaphysics.

The session concludes the discussion of Plato's philosophy, transitioning into the fundamental principles of Aristotle's Metaphysics, highlighting his critique of Platonic Forms.

This lecture initiates an in-depth examination of Aristotle's Metaphysics, focusing on his theory of substance, potentiality, and actuality as foundational concepts.

Continuing the exploration of Aristotle's Metaphysics, this lecture investigates his four causes doctrine and the structure of being, elaborating on his hylomorphic theory.

This lecture centers on Aristotle's concept of the Prime Mover or Unmoved Mover, analyzing its characteristics as pure actuality and its role in the cosmos.

The session discusses Aristotle's theory of knowledge acquisition through sense perception and reason, alongside his treatise on the human soul as the form of the body.

This lecture provides an overview of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, focusing on the concepts of eudaimonia, the golden mean, and the development of moral virtues.

This lecture explores Epicurean philosophy, emphasizing its atomic theory, ethical hedonism focused on ataraxia, and its views on pleasure, pain, and friendship.

The session examines Stoicism, discussing its physics of an active and passive principle, its logic, and its ethics centered on living in accordance with nature and virtue.

This lecture surveys the various forms of ancient Skepticism, including Pyrrhonian and Academic skepticism, analyzing their arguments for suspending judgment and seeking tranquility.

This lecture traces the development of Platonic thought through Middle Platonism and introduces the core tenets of Neo-Platonism, particularly Plotinus's theory of emanation from the One.

The session explores the significant influence of Neo-Platonism on early Christian thought, examining how Church Fathers adapted or critiqued its metaphysical concepts.

This lecture specifically addresses the profound impact of Neo-Platonism on Augustine of Hippo's early philosophical and theological development, particularly his understanding of evil and God.

The lecture examines the mature Christian philosophy of Augustine, focusing on his theories of illumination, time, free will, and the city of God versus the earthly city.

This lecture introduces the landscape of early medieval philosophy, surveying key figures and themes that bridge the ancient world with the scholastic tradition, such as Boethius.