A History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps, Volume 2: Philosophy in the Hellenistic and Roman Worlds

Peter Adamson's History of Philosophy without any gaps series of podcasts is one of the most ambitious educational works on the web. It aims to do nothing less than take listeners through the entire history of philosophy 'without any gaps'. It assumes no prior knowledge making it ideal for beginners. This is the second volume to make these witty, and highly accessible, podcasts available in book form. Philosophy in the Hellenistic and Roman Worlds offers a tour through a period of eight hundred years when some of the most influential of all schools of thought were formed. From the counter-cultural witticisms of Diogenes the Cynic to the political philosophy of Augustine, the book gathers together all aspects of later ancient thought in a way that is a pleasure to read. Part I. Hellenistic philosophy. Fighting over Socrates: the Hellenistic schools Beware of the philosopher: the Cynics Instant gratification: the Cyrenaics The constant gardener: the principles of Epicurus Am I bothered?: Epicurean ethics Nothing to fear: Epicureans on death and the gods Reaping the harvest: Lucretius Walking on eggshells: Stoic logic Nobody's perfect: the Stoics on knowledge We didn't start the fire: the Stoics on nature Like a rolling stone: Stoic ethics Anger management: Seneca You can chain my leg: Epictetus The philosopher king: Marcus Aurelius Beyond belief: Pyrrho and skepticism The know-nothing party: the skeptical academy Rhetorical questions: Cicero Healthy skepticism: Sextus Empiricus The joy of sects: ancient medicine and philosophy The best doctor is a philsopher: Galen Part II. Pagan philosophy in the Roman Empire. Caesarian section: philosophy in the Roman Empire Middle men: the Platonic revival To the lighthouse: Philo of Alexandria Delphic utterances: Plutarch Lost and found: Aristotelianism after Aristotle Not written in stone: Alexander of Aphrodisias Silver tongues in golden mouths: rhetoric and ancient philosophy Sky writing: astronomy, astrology, and philosophy A god is my co-pilot: the life and works of Plotinus Simplicity itself: Plotinus on the one and intellect On the horizon: Plotinus on the soul A decorated corpse: Plotinus on matter and evil King of animals: Porphyry Pythagorean theorems: Iamblichus Domestic goddesses and philosopher queens: the household and the state The Platonic successor: Proclus A tale of two cities: the last pagan philosophers For a limited time only: John Philoponus Part III. Christian philosophy in the Roman Empire. Father figures: ancient Christian philosophy Please accept our apologies: the Greek Church Fathers Fall and rise: Origen Three for the price of one: the Cappadocians Naming the nameless: the Pseudo-Dionysius Double or nothing: Maximus the Confessor Practice makes perfect: Christian asceticism Spreading the word: the Latin Church Fathers Life and time: Augustine's Confessions Papa don't teach: Augustine on language Help wanted: Augustine on freedom Heaven and earth: Augustine's City of God Me, myself, and I: Augustine on mind and memory Born again: Latin Platonism Fate, hope, and clarity: Boethius. Peter Adamson offers an accessible, humorous tour through a period of eight hundred years when some of the most influential of all schools of thought were formed: from the third century BC to the sixth century AD. He introduces us to Cynics and Skeptics, Epicureans and Stoics, emperors and slaves, and traces the development of Christian and Jewish philosophy and of ancient science. Chapters are devoted to such major figures as Epicurus, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, Plotinus, and Augustine. But in keeping with the motto of the series, the story is told 'without any gaps,' providing an in-depth look at less familiar topics that remains suitable for the general reader. For instance, there are chapters on the fascinating but relatively obscure Cyrenaic philosophical school, on pagan philosophical figures like Porphyry and Iamblichus, and extensive coverage of the Greek and Latin Christian Fathers who are at best peripheral in most surveys of ancient philosophy. A major theme of the book is in fact the competition between pagan and Christian philosophy in this period, and the Jewish tradition also appears in the shape of Philo of Alexandria. Ancient science is also considered, with chapters on ancient medicine and the interaction between philosophy and astronomy. Considerable attention is paid also to the wider historical context, for instance by looking at the ascetic movement in Christianity and how it drew on ideas from Hellenic philosophy. From the counter-cultural witticisms of Diogenes the Cynic to the subtle skepticism of Sextus Empiricus, from the irreverent atheism of the Epicureans to the ambitious metaphysical speculation of Neoplatonism, from the ethical teachings of Marcus Aurelius to the political philosophy of Augustine, the book gathers together all aspects of later ancient thought in an accessible and entertaining way. Peter Adamson offers an accessible, humorous tour through a period of eight hundred years when some of the most influential of all schools of thought were formed: from the third century BC to the sixth century AD. He introduces us to Cynics and Skeptics, Epicureans and Stoics, emperors and slaves, and traces the development of Christian and Jewish philosophy and of ancient science. Chapters are devoted to such major figures as Epicurus, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, Plotinus, and Augustine. But in keeping with the motto of the series, the story is told 'without any gaps, ' providing an in-depth look at less familiar topics that remains suitable for the general reader. For instance, there are chapters on the fascinating but relatively obscure Cyrenaic philosophical school, on pagan philosophical figures like Porphyry and Iamblichus, and extensive coverage of the Greek and Latin Christian Fathers who are at best peripheral in most surveys of ancient philosophy. A major theme of the book is in fact the competition between pagan and Christian philosophy in this period, and the Jewish tradition also appears in the shape of Philo of Alexandria.0Ancient science is also considered, with chapters on ancient medicine and the interaction between philosophy and astronomy. Considerable attention is paid also to the wider historical context, for instance by looking at the ascetic movement in Christianity and how it drew on ideas from Hellenic philosophy. From the counter-cultural witticisms of Diogenes the Cynic to the subtle skepticism of Sextus Empiricus, from the irreverent atheism of the Epicureans to the ambitious metaphysical speculation of Neoplatonism, from the ethical teachings of Marcus Aurelius to the political philosophy of Augustine, the book gathers together all aspects of later ancient thought in an accessible and entertaining way "Classical Philosophy is the first of a series of books in which Peter Adamson aims ultimately to present a complete history of philosophy, more thoroughly but also more enjoyably than ever before. He offers an accessible, humorous, and detailed look at the emergence of philosophy with the Presocratics, the probing questions of Socrates, and the first full flowering of philosophy with the dialogues of Plato and the treatises of Aristotle. The story is told 'without any gaps', discussing not only such major figures but also less commonly discussed topics like the Hippocratic Corpus, the Platonic Academy, and the role of women in ancient philosophy. Within the thought of Plato and Aristotle, the reader will find in-depth introductions to major works, such as the Republic and the Nicomachean Ethics, which are treated in detail that is unusual in an introduction to ancient philosophy. Adamson looks at fascinating but less frequently read Platonic dialogues like the Charmides and Cratylus, and Aristotle's ideas in zoology and poetics. This full coverage allows him to tackle ancient discussions in all areas of philosophy, including epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, ethics and politics. Attention is also given to the historical and literary context of classical philosophy, with exploration of how early Greek cosmology responded to the poets Homer and Hesiod, how Socrates was presented by the comic playwright Aristophanes and the historian Xenophon, and how events in Greek history may have influenced Plato's thought."--Publisher's description Peter Adamson's History of Philosophy without any gaps series of podcasts is one of the most ambitious educational works on the web. It aims to do nothing less than take listeners through the entire history of philosophy 'without any gaps'. It assumes no prior knowledge making it ideal for beginners. This is the second volume to make these witty, and highly accessible, podcasts available in book form. __Philosophy in the Hellenistic and Roman Worlds__ offers a tour through a period of eight hundred years when some of the most influential of all schools of thought were formed. From the counter-cultural witticisms of Diogenes the Cynic to the political philosophy of Augustine, the book gathers together all aspects of later ancient thought in a way that is a pleasure to read.