Rhetoric: How persuasive are you?

Many of us own jewellery or other items that are gold coloured, but do you own anything that is made from real gold? Gold is a precious metal, which means that there is a limited supply in the world. This not only makes it expensive, but also means that it holds a relatively stab ... Show More

In recent generations many people have chosen to stop drinking alcohol. Surveys from the UK suggest that 16 to 24-year-olds are more likely to be non-drinkers than the older generations. Many people are sharing their experience of drinking less alcohol or being completely sober o ... Show More

Anyone who has had their heart broken will know how horrible it feels. But did you know that the pain you feel is not just imaginary – it registers in the same part of the brain that processes physical pain. So, why do we feel this pain? And if it feels so bad, what is the point ... Show More

Today we talk about why philosophy is taken for granted, the crazed cult leader of ancient Greek philosophy, Pythagoras, the annoying dark cloud of deductive reasoning, Parmenides and the super hero Empedocles. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your hel ... Show More

<p>Humans have wrestled with questions about identity and purpose for millennia. So it’s no surprise that the insights of people who lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago have stood the test of time. This week, philosopher Tamar Gendler explores how three great thinkers f ... Show More

Today we discussed the "Out of Africa" theory, the adversity of early humans, the term "Pre-Socratic", the first philosopher Thales, the meanest philosopher Heraclitus and Democritus, the godfather of the theory of atomism. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this wit ... Show More

James Grant, lecturer in philosop-hy, University of Oxford gives his first lecture in the Aesthetics series on Plato's philosophy of Art. 

Second lecture in the 2011 John Locke Lecture Series. Philosophy is a demanding intellectual discipline, with many facets: logic, epistemology, philosophy of nature and science, metaphysics, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of art, rhetoric, philosophy of language and min ... Show More

Philosophy can sometimes be an exercise in abstract, "pure" reason, unsullied by the demands of the body or the contingencies of history. But this week we're placing history and corporeality front and centre, with a look at the intimate lives of four eminent philosophers, and ask ... Show More

Rhetoric and relativism in Protagoras, Gorgias and other sophists 

Hippocrates and the relation between early Greek medicine and philosophy 

Today, we’re going to delve for the first time into one of Nietzsche’s influences. Heraclitus is known for his sayings such as “Everything flows”, and “One cannot step into the same river twice.” Heraclitus lived during a time before philosophy was well-defined as a discipline, a ... Show More

Pythagoras and mathematics in ancient philosophy