Top Ideas from the World of Books

<p>“The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.”</p><p>~ Alfred North Whitehead</p><p>I’ve been enjoying my Plato Project where I’ve decided to read through the Complete Works of Plato. I’ve re ... Show More

I’m making the wild assumption that you like books. Perhaps that’s because you like what’s inside of books - the stories, ideas, information, history. But do you ever just stop and think about the book itself? The physical book that you hold in your hand?Joel J Miller has a book ... Show More

The goal of this dialogue is to define the Sophist. We’ve seen the Sophist pop up in Greek Tragedy and Comedy and it’s never a pretty picture. They are often contrasted with the Philosopher, the true lover of wisdom, and are denigrated as those who have the appearance of wisdom. ... Show More

In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we start off looking at that time the United States government banned pre-sliced bread… Really. Next up, we have a brief message from a sponsor, Blinkist, which gives you the key ideas from more than 3,000 bestselling nonfiction books in j ... Show More

<p>The novel “Our Evenings,” by Alan Hollinghurst, follows a gay English Burmese actor from childhood into old age as he confronts confusing relationships, his emerging sexuality, racism and England’s changing political climate in the late 20th and early 21st century. It’s the st ... Show More

In this episode, Jacke talks to author David Denby about his new book, Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer, a group biography (loosely inspired by Lytton Strachey's Eminent Victorians) that describes how four larger-than-life figures upended the restrained culture of ... Show More

The co-author of the African run of the History of Philosophy Podcast (and new book) joins us to go over philosophical works from 2200-1400 BCE: "The Instruction of Ptahhotep," "The Instruction Addressed to King Merikare," "The Great Hymn to the Aten," "The Dispute Between a Man ... Show More

In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we begin by discussing a random quick fact involving the curious old practice of mailing children. We then move on to discussing the show’s first sponsor, RXBar. For 25% off your first order, visit https://rxbar.com/brainfood and enter the ... Show More

<p>The Old Testament, Part 1 of 10. 1207 BCE. Two world empires. And between them, an unassuming strip of seacoast land that has been at the center of history, ever since.<br /> <br /> Episode 15 Quiz<br /> <a href= "https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-015/">https://literaturea ... Show More

Dive deep into a diverse range of fascinating topics in this episode! We start with language, exploring the meaning and nuances of "All's well that ends well" and the weary feeling of "lassitude." Then, we tackle the complex future of Artificial Intelligence, equipping you with e ... Show More

<p>On this episode we dive into one of the strangest and most enigmatic books ever written: <strong>The Red Book</strong>. This is a book so infamous that it was kept locked away for fifty years after Carl Jung's death, raising concerns that it might prove that the world renowned ... Show More

Today we talk about the collection of journals known as Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. We mark the differences between Stoicism, modern Stoic ethics, and the journals of Marcus Aurelius. We talk about the divine logos, indifferents, and how metaphysical assumptions ladder up int ... Show More

In today's world of specialization, Alan Lightman is that rare individual who has accomplished remarkable things in two very different realms. As a physicist with a Ph.D. from Cal Tech, he's taught at Harvard and MIT and advised the United Nations. As a novelist, he's written awa ... Show More