Philosophy is often thought of as proceeding via elaborate conceptual systems. But sometimes, a choice phrase is all you need to get you thinking.
The great and the good-enough
We live in a society dominated by the aspiration to greatness, where the ancient ethical ideal of "the good life" is often framed in terms of wealth, fame and power. The notion that we might settle for a "good-enough life" seems oddly countercultural - but this week we're explori ...Show more
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosophy of love. In Plato’s Symposium a character called Aristophanes tells a story about Love. He says that once, near the beginning of time, there were three types of human, one male, one female and one that was part man and part woman. Ea ...Show more
#36 The Truth About Love: Beyond the Stereotypes and Clichés
In this episode, I talk about love and what it means in a broad sense. I discuss how it is expressed as an emotion, where and when it applies, who it applies to, how it affects your life, and the essential value it has. I talk about the common idea of love, which is romanticism, ...Show more
Ryan and Todd trace the history of how thinkers have dealt with the problem of love--the varying definitions of love, the view of love's role in society, and love's philosophical importance. They begin with Plato's Symposium, touch on the New Testament, explore the role of love i ...Show more