Sadler's Lectures

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I'm that YouTube Philosophy Guy! Find more than 1,000 videos in my main channel. Support my video and podcast work! https://www.patreon.com/sadler Due to popular demand - and with the work underwritten by my Patreon supporters - I have started converting my videos into MP3 files listeners can lis…

Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler


    • Dec 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 14m AVG DURATION
    • 1,563 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Sadler's Lectures podcast is an exceptional exploration of philosophical writings and history, expertly delivered by Professor Sadler. With a perfect blend of knowledge, entertainment, and engagement, this podcast offers fantastic content that is both insightful and enjoyable. Professor Sadler's in-depth understanding of the material shines through in his accurate command of the subject matter. I cannot recommend this podcast highly enough for anyone interested in philosophy or history.

    One of the best aspects of The Sadler's Lectures podcast is Professor Sadler's ability to convey complex philosophical concepts in a way that is accessible and engaging. He has a talent for breaking down intricate ideas into understandable terms, making it easier for listeners to grasp the material. Additionally, his enthusiasm and passion for the subject matter are palpable, which adds an extra layer of excitement to each episode. Furthermore, Professor Sadler's extensive knowledge not only includes the philosophical writings themselves but also provides historical context, enhancing the overall understanding and appreciation of the topics discussed.

    While it is challenging to find any flaws in The Sadler's Lectures podcast, one potential drawback could be its focus on specific works or philosophers. While Professor Sadler covers a wide range of topics within philosophy and history, there may be some notable omissions depending on individual preferences. However, given the vastness of these fields, it is understandable that not every work or philosopher can be covered comprehensively within the podcast series.

    In conclusion, The Sadler's Lectures podcast stands out as an exceptional resource for those interested in philosophical writings and history. Professor Sadler's expertise and passion shine through each episode as he delivers insightful content with clarity and enthusiasm. Whether you are a seasoned philosopher or simply curious about exploring these subjects further, this podcast provides an excellent balance between intellectual depth and entertainment value. Without a doubt, The Sadler's Lectures podcast deserves high praise for its outstanding content and delivery.



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    Latest episodes from Sadler's Lectures

    Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue - Meaning and Use of Language - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2025 6:25


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th and 21st century philosopher and moral theorist, Alasdair MacIntyre's work After Virtue It focuses upon chapter 2, specifically on his discussion of the distinction between the meaning and the use of moral language, using several examples. This will become particularly important in his analysis of Emotivism as a moral theory in the following chapter. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get MacIntyre's After Virtue here - amzn.to/2RiplGT

    Martin Luther King, Letter From A Birmingham Jail - Racial Justice As An End

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2025 20:24


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century African-American philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work "Letter From A Birmingham Jail" This episode examines King's conception of "racial justice" as a goal or end for non-violent action. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Letter From A Birmingham Jail here - https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

    Martin Luther King, Letter From A Birmingham Jail - Non-Violent Action As A Means

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 25:59


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century African-American philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work "Letter From A Birmingham Jail" This episode examines King's discussion of how non-violent direct action is supposed to work, and what effects it is intended to have on aggressors, the larger public, and the oppressed community To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Letter From A Birmingham Jail here - https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

    Martin Luther King, Letter From A Birmingham Jail - Just And Unjust Laws

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2025 27:47


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century African-American philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work "Letter From A Birmingham Jail". This episode examines King's discussion and reinterpretation of the classical distinction between just and unjust laws. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Letter From A Birmingham Jail here - https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

    Martin Luther King, Letter From A Birmingham Jail - Racism, Inequality, and Segregation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2025 19:18


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century African-American philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work "Letter From A Birmingham Jail" This episode examines King's depiction and analysis of racism and segregation as fundamentally wrong and illegitimate forms of inequality in America To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Letter From A Birmingham Jail here - https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

    3 Philosophers Walk Into A Bar Fight: Understanding & Managing Anger Using Ideas From Philosoph

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2025 16:40


    This is the recording from my invited talk on philosophical resources for understanding and managing anger, which was part of my alma mater Lakeland University's Thinkhaus talk series, given up at the Mead Public Library in Sheboygan, WI. The original recording from 2017 was made by a local high school AV club, which unfortunately didn't do a great job with sound, lighting, video, or editing, so I didn't release it at the time, but I've subsequently remastered it to improve all of those. In the talk, I discuss how ideas drawn from Plato, Aristotle, and Epictetus can help us to deal productively with the anger that we inevitably encounter or experience. Specifically, from Plato we learn how to identify the sorts of conflicts that are likely to lead to anger, from Aristotle how to assess our own anger responses, and from Epictetus how to shift our feeling of anger into a different feeling by reminding ourselves of why people do things that we take as wrong or offensive.

    How Difficult Is It To Find An Aristotelian Friend? - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 18:45


    This is my relatively short talk given during the 2025 Plato's Academy multidisciplinary conference: The Philosophy of Love And Relationships. I was invited to approach the topic of the difficulties involved in the highest, fullest, and most paradigmatic form of friendship that Aristotle In the course of my presentation, I discuss the importance and influence of the distinction between three different kinds of friendship based on utility, pleasure, and the good or noble. I note that this distinction does not capture every sort of relationship or friendship Aristotle discusses. Then we briefly look at each of these three sorts of friendship, and discuss some of the difficulties involved in developing and sustaining the highest form of friendship. We then discuss the question of how virtuous Aristotle would require us to be in order to be a partner in the highest type of friendship, the answer to which is that we don't need to have all of the virtues, and we could be on our way to developing them. After that, we turn briefly to three later thinkers who engage with Aristotle's ideas and take them a bit further on the matter of friendship, looking for useful resources for understanding how we can best approach this matter of a true or genuine friendship The thinkers and works I reference and discuss in this presentation include: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Eudemian Ethics Cicero, On Friendship Seneca, Letters 3, 9, 109 Plutarch, On Having Many Friends, How To Tell A Flatterer From A Friend

    What Is Aristotelian Prohairesis? - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 20:17


    This lecture, discussing the nature of "moral choice" or "deliberate choice" in Aristotle's moral theory, was delivered during the 7th Felician Ethics Conference at Felician College (Rutherford, NJ). In it, I discuss what I label the "Standard Interpretation" of prohairesis, which ties it explicitly to deliberation about means towards ends -- an interpretation stemming from focusing on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics book 3 discussion of prohairesis. I then discuss a number of passages from across Aristotle's body of work which provide a broader context for understanding what prohairesis could be. I conclude by arguing that the Standard Interpretation, while correct in what it asserts, is far too restrictive to account for these other passages, so that prohairesis must be understood as a complex and more fundamental concept in Aristotelian moral theory.

    Epictetus on Keeping Prohairesis in Accordance With Nature

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2025 24:48


    This is the invited presentation I provided for the attendees of the Stoicon-X Brisbane conference in Australia held in October 2019. It discusses Epictetus' advice to remind ourselves that we want to maintain or keep our "prohairesis" - our faculty of choice - in accordance with nature. For those who would like more information about Epictetus' conception of prohairesis, or about the Stoic notion of "in accordance with nature", I have two longer talks: Stoicism and "In Accordance With Nature" | A Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship Lecture - https://youtu.be/NyHUMD2_ghQ?si=Ge0aYdjR-jFXFoi6 Prohairesis in Epictetus' Stoic Moral Theory - Midwest Seminar in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy - https://youtu.be/EWS4QR1PM58?si=Gx_HNZfsuar8wsbf

    How Does A Stoic Deal With Grief? A Modern Stoicism Conversation - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 20:14


    This is the recording of my short presentation and the Q&A at the second Conversations With Modern Stoicism event, hosted in June 2025 by Phil Yanov. Asked to give a short and provocative presentation about an issue that arises in the everyday applications of Stoicism, we decided on the topic of grief and grieving I first discuss what we can call a "standard Stoic take" on grief, which they understand as belonging to the broader emotional category of pain or distress, and therefore being something bad for us. We then look briefly at some of the treatments of grief and grieving in Epictetus and Seneca. Texts mentioned in this talk: Marcus Aurelius' Meditations - https://amzn.to/3osPFNF Epictetus' Discourses and Enchiridion - https://amzn.to/37G6bE0 Seneca's Letters - https://amzn.to/3dZQrNk Cicero's Tusculan Disputations - https://amzn.to/3L1WoxY

    Real Workplace Stoicism - Virtues, Duties, Fitting In, & Fixing Things - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 26:55


    This is the talk I was invited to provide for Stoicon-X New England 2020. I take the recent case of a fired Lidl communications worker who claimed that he was unjustly fired on account of his Stoicism. I use this case as a starting point to discuss what sorts of conduct would actually be characteristic of a follower of Stoicism in the workplace, and what resources and advice Stoic philosophy can provide us. Texts mentioned in this talk: Marcus Aurelius' Meditations - https://amzn.to/3osPFNF Epictetus' Discourses and Enchiridion - https://amzn.to/37G6bE0 Seneca's Letters - https://amzn.to/3dZQrNk Cicero's On The Ends - https://amzn.to/3mmgJMB

    Karl Marx And Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto - Communist Criticism Of Other Socialisms

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2025 22:42


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 19th century philosophers and social theorists, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, articulated in their work The Communist Manifesto. This episode examines the Marxist critique of other forms of Socialism articulated in the third part of the Communist manifesto, as well as the Marxist argument that only their program can adequately address the condition of the Proletariat To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Communist Manifesto free online here https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/

    Karl Marx And Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto - Party, Proletariat, & Communist Project

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2025 26:41


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 19th century philosophers and social theorists, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, articulated in their work The Communist Manifesto. This episode examines what Marx and Engels envision the role of the Communist Party to be in relation to leadership of, and the development of class consciousness in, the Proletariat. They also address some of the objections made against the Communist program, and set out what their particular goals are. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Communist Manifesto free online here https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/

    Karl Marx And Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto - The Emergence Of The Proletariat

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2025 20:38


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 19th century philosophers and social theorists, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, articulated in their work The Communist Manifesto. This episode examines Marx and Engel's description of the formation and emergence of the revolutionary class in industrial capitalism, the Proletariat To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Communist Manifesto free online here https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/

    Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto - Class Conflict & The Rise Of The Bourgeoisie

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2025 19:39


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 19th century philosophers and social theorists, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, articulated in their work The Communist Manifesto. This episode examines Marx and Engel's conception of class struggle and history in the Communist Manifesto, particularly the rise of the bourgeoisie from a minor class in earlier historical periods to the dominant class in the modern industrial period. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Communist Manifesto free online here https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/

    Divine Justice, Mercy, and Intercession: The Innovative Structure of Anselm's Prayers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2025 25:26


    Divine Justice, Mercy, and Intercession: The Innovative Structure of Anselm's Prayers by Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler

    Is God's Justice Unmerciful in Anselm's Cur Deus Homo? - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2025 20:23


    This is my portion of a panel discussion, reading my paper a panel presentation, "Is God's Justice Unmerciful in St. Anselm's Cur Deus Homo?," delivered at the 2014 American Catholic Philosophical Association, hosted by the Institute for Saint Anselm Studies Can God be entirely and supremely just and also entirely merciful, without these two characteristics ending up in contradiction with each other? Anselm of Canterbury considers this question in several places in his works and provides rational resolutions demonstrating the compatibility of divine justice and mercy. This paper considers Anselm's treatment of the problem in the Cur Deus Homo, noting distinctive features of his account, highlighting the seeming incompatibilities between mercy and justice, and setting out his resolution of the problem. Get Anselm's Works - https://amzn.to/2ZnZRcu

    St. Anselm on Marriage, Congugal Love, and Sexual Desire

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 23:30


    This lecture is a talk given at the 5th Saint Anselm conference, sponsored by the Institute for Saint Anselm Studies at Saint Anselm College in April 2014. I discuss Anselm's views on marriage, conjugal love, sexual desire, activity, and pleasure. Anselm lives and writes just before a flowering of monastic writing upon marriage and conjugal love, and has only fragmentary discussions of these topics, but his broader moral theory -- as we can find it not only in his treatises, but also in his Letters, Prayers, the De Similitudinibus, and the Dicta Anselmi -- actually has much to tell us about these subjects Get Anselm's Works - https://amzn.to/2ZnZRcu

    An Anselmian Account of the Grounding of Morality - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2025 23:25


    In this talk, given in the course of Franciscan University of Steubenville's 2013 Annual Conference on Christian Philosophy, I set out what could be St. Anselm's response to the guiding question of the conference: "Must Morality be Grounded on God". In typical Anselmian manner, I say, Yes and No, and go on to discuss how Anselm would envision the possibility of a purely secular de-Christianized morality on the basis of his moral theory, and explain reasons why for Anselm any adequate moral theory and practice would preclude such an approach. I focus on God as the ontological ground of value, contributions Christian revelation and reflection make to moral theory, and what ongoing practical engagement with God and the Christian community provides to moral practice. Get Anselm's Works - https://amzn.to/2ZnZRcu

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - Ethics of Emergencies - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2025 11:52


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book The Virtue of Selfishness, in particular the chapter "The Ethics of Emergencies" This focuses specifically on her discussion about what an emergency is, why bad ethics results from taking emergency cases as normative, and when one ought to be willing to risk one's own life or values for during an emergency To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/43pJmjU

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - Love and Friendship as Selfish - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2025 16:15


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book The Virtue of Selfishness, in particular the chapter "The Objectivist Ethics" This focuses specifically on her discussion of how love and friendship are properly understood selfish or self-centered relations to other people To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/43pJmjU

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - Values and Virtues - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2025 16:05


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th Century rational egoist philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book, The Virtue Of Selfishness. It focuses specifically upon her discussion of the virtues she recognizes - rationality, productivity, pride, independence, integrity, honesty, and justice. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/4oUuym3

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - How Should A Rational Egoist Behave - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025 13:37


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th Century rational egoist philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book, The Virtue Of Selfishness. It focuses specifically upon her views about how a rational egoist ought to behave and structure their life, choices, and relationships. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/4oUuym3

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - Consciousness, Animals, and Humans - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 20:23


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th Century rational egoist philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book, The Virtue Of Selfishness. It focuses specifically upon her discussion of the difference between other animals and human beings, which has to do with the range and types of consciousness we have. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/4oUuym3

    Divine Justice, Mercy, and Intercession- The Innovative Structure of Anselm's Prayers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 25:26


    Divine Justice, Mercy, and Intercession- The Innovative Structure of Anselm's Prayers by Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - Life as a Basis for Rational Egoism - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 14:21


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th Century rational egoist philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book, The Virtue Of Selfishness. It focuses specifically upon her views about values and their grounding in Life (which for humans means a distinctively human life, not merely survival). To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/4oUuym3

    Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness - Criticisms of Non-Rational Ethics - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 15:18


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand's book The Virtue of Selfishness, in particular the chapter "The Objectivist Ethics" This focuses specifically on her discussion of what she terms "non-rational" ethics, by way of contrast to her own rational egoist or "objectivist ethics". She examines what she calls the "mystic", "social", and "subjectivist" ethics, and criticizes what she views as the "false dichotomy of altruism". To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness - https://amzn.to/43pJmjU

    Why Stoics Should Not Be Indifferent to the Indifferents -

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 16:18


    my invited talk at the first Stoicon-X Brasil online conference. Due to technical issues, I provided a live presentation (translation provided by participants) to the conference. In this presentation, I briefly present the Stoic doctrine of the indifferents (adiaphoria), namely that Stoics view many things as neither good nor bad, but are indifferent. Some indifferents may be "preferred" or "rejected", which means that they have some positive or negative value, but not the sort of that makes us virtuous or vicious, happy or miserable. The Stoics teach that we should not be entirely indifferent to the indifferents, for several important reasons. The use (khresis or usus) of indifferents is not something indifferent, and as Epictetus tells us, is something we ought to be careful about. The virtues, as Seneca and Cicero clarify, bear upon indifferents. Texts mentioned in this talk: Marcus Aurelius' Meditations - https://amzn.to/3osPFNF Epictetus' Discourses and Enchiridion - https://amzn.to/37G6bE0 Seneca's Letters - https://amzn.to/3dZQrNk Cicero's On The Ends - https://amzn.to/3mmgJMB

    Early Christian Thinkers On Anger - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 15:58


    This is my relatively short talk given during the 2025 Plato's Academy multidisciplinary conference: The Philosophy and Psychology of Anger, during which I discuss some of the useful insights and practices early Christian thinkers (2nd-5th Century CE) can provide us. These don't require one to be committed to Christianity and can be applied by a wide range of people. I begin with a passage from Pierre Hadot's book Philosophy As A Way Of Life: "[Christians] believed they recognized spiritual exercises, which they had learned through philosophy, in specific scriptural passages . . . The reason why Christian authors paid attention to these particular biblical passages, was that they were already familiar, from other sources, with the spiritual exercises of prosokhē, meditation on death, and examination of the conscience.” What Hadot calls “spiritual exercises” gets called by a variety of other terms by other thinkers. Foucault's "technologies of the self", Nussbaum's "therapeutic arguments", as well as the more general "philosophical practices" many of us reference in our work and study. What we can say about these early Christian thinkers is that many had a philosophical education, had opportunities to engage with pagan philosophical schools, some of which had pretty strong religious stances, with precursor and contemporary Jewish thought, and with a variety of other disciplines like rhetoric, medicine, literature, political theory, law, history, music, etc. There was already a strong interest in issues about anger already raised and debated in ancient philosophy including: vicious anger, can anger have useful role, dangers of indulging or excusing anger, anger and courage or justice, types or levels of anger, divine anger. Early Christian thinkers rely upon or incorporating broadly Platonic psychology, and ethical conceptions drawn from Platonist, Stoic, and Aristotelian schools, but within a framework Christianity provides. The thinkers I reference and discuss in this presentation include: 2nd-4th Century CE: Clement of Alexandria 150 – c. 215 AD, Tertullian 155 – c. 220, Origen 185 – c. 253, Lactantius 250 – c. 325 4th 5th century CE: Basil of Caesarea 330 – 379, Gregory of Nyssa 335, Evagrius Ponticus 345–399 AD, John Chrysostom 347-407, Ambrose 339-397, Jerome 342–347-420, Prudentius 348-413?, John Cassian 360 – 435, Augustine of Hippo 354-430 Some of the key scriptural passages they tend to engage most heavily with include: A number of discussions of anger in Pre-Christian Jewish scriptures, particularly in the Psalms, Proverbs, and Sirach The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Paul's Letter To Ephesians, and the Letter of James There is a stress on identifying and dealing with vices that involve anger, but also on developing virtues of Patience, Humility, Mercy, and Forgiveness. They also adopt, develop, and discuss a number of useful practices for lessening, understanding, or dealing with anger.

    The Scope of Genuine Courage In Stoicism - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 10:05


    This is a talk I was invited to provide to the inaugural 2021 Stoicon-X Military conference, held online. I chose as my topic the scope of genuine courage, a topic of considerable importance but also frequent misunderstandings within professions like that of the military. In this talk I discuss what courage is and what it is for, the scope of courage, including its constituent virtues, and finally the relationship between courage and the other virtues.

    How Should Stoics Respond When Bad Things Happen To Other People - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2025 14:38


    This is the recording of my short presentation and the Q&A at the second Conversations With Modern Stoicism event, hosted in July 2023 by Phil Yanov. Asked to give a short and provocative presentation about an issue that arises in the everyday applications of Stoicism, I chose to focus on a common mistake and distortion of Stoic philosophy and practice. Quite a few people think that Stoicism means that a person shouldn't exhibit or feel care, concern, or compassion for others who experience something that they view and react to as "bad". There are indeed some passages from Stoic authors that one can take out of context to justify such a stance. But when Stoicism is rightly understood, and when we look at other, equally authoritative passages, we see that the authentic Stoic position is to be compassionate and concerned with others.

    Rainer Maria Rilke on Solitude, Slowing Down, and Making Space - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2025 21:25


    This is a podcast of a guest sermon, given by invitation to the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Catskills. A guest sermon invited by the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Catskills, Aug 9, 2015. In it, I discuss Rainer Maria Rilke's conception of "solitude" (Einsamkeit), and its relevance to our contemporary lives. Explaining how the two dimensions of slowing down temporally and making space spatially figure into the development of solitude as Rilke describes it, I suggest that in our own era, time has become the more scarce resource. You can read a transcript of the sermon here: https://www.academia.edu/14942470/Solitude_Slowing_Down_and_Clearing_Space

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Knowledge As A Cause Of Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 12:45


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part, question 27, "The Causes Of Love", and examines his discussions in article 2, which centers on whether and how knowledge can be a cause of love. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    "Whoever is Angry with His Brother” Early Christian Insights on Anger - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 20:28


    This is a podcast of a guest sermon, given by invitation to the Unitarian Universalist Community of Rock Tavern. In it, I discuss anger as a common problem not only of our own times, but of all times. Christian teachings on anger present us with some "hard sayings," and several 4th century thinkers -- John Cassian, Augustine of Hippo, and John Chrysostom -- are very helpful for understanding how to live with and live out these difficult requirements. A transcript of the sermon is available here: https://www.academia.edu/14942379/_And_Whoever_is_Angry_With_His_Brother_Early_Christian_Insights_A

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Likeness As A Cause Of Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 12:38


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part, question 27, "The Causes Of Love", and examines his discussions in article 3, which centers on whether and how likeness (similitudo) is a cause of love, particularly between similar people. He addresses the issue raised by the classical proverb "potter against potter" and discusses several different modes of likeness To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - The Causes Of Love - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 13:56


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part, question 27, "The Causes Of Love", and examines his discussions in articles 1 and 4, which center on the issues whether goodness in some sense is a cause of love and whether any other passion is the case of love. Aquinas' answers are that in every case, some good is the cause of love, even seemingly in the case of hatred, which presumes love as well. He also clarifies that love is at the root of all the other passions, although is specific cases, love can be also caused by a specific passion. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Love, Dilection, Charity, and Friendship - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2025 15:14


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part of the second part, question 26 "Of Love", and examines his discussions in articles 3-4, which center on different senses or modalities of love (amor). He makes a distinction between four terms: love, dilection (dilectio), friendship (amicitia) and charity (caritas), and discusses the differences in their application, and then examines the distinction between love of friendship and love of concupiscence (which also applies to friendships based on pleasure or utility) To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Love, The Appetites, and Passion - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2025 15:38


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part of the second part, question 26 "Of Love", and examines his discussions in articles 1-2, which center on determining where love is within the things and specifically within human being. Thomas will frame this in terms of nature and natural love, the sensitive concupiscible appetite and love as a passion, and the intellectual appetite or will and love as an act To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - God Loving Some Things More - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 16:15


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part, question 20, "God's Love", and examines his discussions in articles 3-4, which center on the issues of whether God loves some things more than others or not, and whether God loves better things more than others. For Thomas, this centers upon a distinction about ways in which one can love more or less. One way has to do with the act of will itself, i.e. willing good to another. The other has to do with the good that is willed to the other. God can and does will more or better goods for certain things than others, so God can love some things more than others in that respect. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - God's Love For Other Things - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2025 16:30


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part, question 20, "God's Love", and examines his discussion in article 2, which examines the question whether God loves things other than God. Thomas considers four main lines of reasoning that would say that God either doesn't love other things or only loves some other things but not others. He then clarifies that God wills good to all things that exist, giving them the very being and goodness that they possess, so God loves all things insofar as they are. This doesn't mean that he loves all things to the same extent or in the same ways. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Whether Love Is In God - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2025 16:00


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part, question 20 "God's Love", and examines on his discussion in article 1, which addresses the issue whether love is in God. Aquinas considers several arguments against love being in God and addresses each of them. He also explains how it is that love is in God by looking at how the will tends towards the universal or common good through love. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

    Heloise and Abelard - Letters 5-6 - Struggling Against Passion - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2025 19:31


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the sequence of letters between two great Medieval intellectuals, lovers, and religious Heloise D'Argenteuil and Peter Abelard It focuses specifically on the fifth and sixth letters, which are by Heloise and Abelard respectfully. In these letters both of the married lovers have opted for leaving their previous amorous and conjugal love behind and shifting their attention to God. They also both admit their ongoing struggles to see this commitment through consistently. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Read Heloise and Abelard's Letters - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

    Heloise and Abelard - Letter 4 - Love, Despair, and Repentance - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2025 13:38


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the sequence of letters between two great Medieval intellectuals, lovers, and religious Heloise D'Argenteuil and Peter Abelard It focuses specifically on the fourth letter, which is by Heloise. In this letter Heloise reaffirms her love for her husband Abelard, and asserts that life will have little value or attraction for her after he dies. She explains what emotions she experiences, and the despair she feels about their situation, and then discusses the conflicts within her heart and mind that stand in the way of genuine and consistent repentance on her part To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Read Heloise and Abelard's Letters - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

    Heloise and Abelard - Letter 3 - Love, Virtue, Duty, and God - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 18:01


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the sequence of letters between two great Medieval intellectuals, lovers, and religious Heloise D'Argenteuil and Peter Abelard It focuses specifically on the third letter, which is by Abelard. It discusses Heloise's proposal that although they have taken monastic vows, they can rightly enjoy some married life together through writing letters to each other, and Abelard's rejection of that suggestion. He tell her that they both must turn to God and make Christian perfection their goal, even if that means leaving their amorous relationship behind, and he tells her that by his own confessions, he intends to change her love into contempt or hatred for him. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Read Heloise and Abelard's Letters - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

    Heloise and Abelard - Letter 2 - Married Love and Religious Life - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 16:56


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the sequence of letters between two great Medieval intellectuals, lovers, and religious Heloise D'Argenteuil and Peter Abelard It focuses specifically on the second letter, which is by Heloise. It discusses the arguments that she advances in the letter, which center on her view that they can continue to enjoy their married relationship through writing letters to each other, even though after Abelard's castration both of them took religious vows and began monastic life. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Read Heloise and Abelard's Letters - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

    Heloise and Abelard - Letter 1 - A History Of Abelard's Calamities - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 23:13


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the sequence of letters between two great Medieval intellectuals, lovers, and religious Heloise D'Argenteuil and Peter Abelard It focuses specifically on the first letter, which is by Abelard. It discusses the consolation Abelard attempts to provide his fried by recounting the story of his life, which includes his romantic, intellectual, and sexual involvement with Heloise, their marriage, his castration, and their taking religious vows and entering monastic life. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Read Heloise and Abelard's Letters - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

    Seneca, Letter 109 - Fellowship And Wise People - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2025 17:45


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca's Letters, this one looking at Letter 109 It focuses specifically on whether or not a wise person, according to the Stoics, would want or need to be involved with other people, particularly other wise people, to which his answer (perhaps surprisingly to some) is yes. He provides some reasonings for the position he articulates on this, including how the wise person, despite in a strict sense not needing anything or anyone else, will nevertheless desire to share their life with others, and will also benefit from the advice and fellowship of other wise people. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Seneca's Letters - amzn.to/2Myx6os

    Seneca, Letter 99 - Consolation For Loss Of A Child - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2025 18:32


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca's Letters, this one looking at Letter 99 In this letter, after a brief introductory paragraph, Seneca reproduces a letter sent to a different correspondent Marullus when he had lost a young child. Although Seneca says that his goal is not to console but rather to offer criticism, he in effect does both of these, offering a number of considerations that can prove helpful to a person who is grieving the loss of a loved one. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Seneca's Letters - amzn.to/2Myx6os

    Seneca, Letter 6 - Friendship, Progress, and Sharing Knowledge - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 14:11


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca's Letters, this one looking at Letter 6 It focuses specifically on how we make moral progress, and that we ought to want to share that progress with our friends. He also clarifies that when we learn something we ought to want to share that as well with our friends. A better way to do this than simply learning precepts is to spend time with those who we think have made progress and developed understanding, so we can see how they actually live their lives To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Seneca's Letters - https://amzn.to/2Myx6os

    Seneca, Letter 3 - True and False Friendship - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 13:33


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca's Letters, this one looking at Letter 3 It focuses specifically on Seneca discussing a paradox of calling someone a friend but not trusting them with information. This leads Seneca to say that his correspondent, Lucilius doesn't seem to know what genuine friendship really is or involves, and to make a distinction between the common but mistaken use of the term "friend" and the proper sense of the term. He also suggests that many make mistakes by first loving someone and trusting them as a friend and only later on forming a correct judgement of them as a person, when the order of this ought to be reversed. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Seneca's Letters - https://amzn.to/2Myx6os

    Soren Kierkegaard The Present Age - Silence, Speaking, and Chatter - Sadler's Lectures

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2025 18:30


    This lecture discusses key ideas from the 19th century philosopher, essayist, and theologian, Søren Kierkegaard's review essay "The Present Age" contained in his review of Two Ages: The Age of Revolution and the Present Age It focuses specifically on what Kierkegaard calls the "nullification of the passionate disjunction between being silent and speaking', which is "chattering". To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get a copy of the Two Ages here - amzn.to/3eShxHv

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