The Ancient Philosophy Podcast

Epizode

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  46. Justin Vlasits: Aristotle's Criticisms of Plato's Theory of Forms 14.09.2026 1h 1min

  In this episode, I speak with Justin Vlasits about Aristotle's criticisms of Plato's theory of Forms. We begin with a brief summary of Plato's theory of Forms for those who might benefit from an introduction to it. Host: Doug Campbell, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. Interviewee: Justin Vlasits, an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcast. There is a YouTube channel available with video episodes. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase: An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1
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  45. Han Feizi and the Basics of Legalism 07.09.2026 48min

  In this episode, I discuss the basics of legalism, from ancient China, with particular attention paid to the Han Feizi. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1
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  44. Plato's Lecture on the Good 31.08.2026 1h 19min

  In this episode, I discuss Plato's famous lecture on the Good. Much of the discussion here is a reflection on Konrad Gaiser's article, "Plato's Enigmatic Lecture on the Good," which was published in Phronesis in 1980. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1
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  43. The Sisyphus Fragment 24.08.2026 49min

  In this episode, I discuss the so-called Sisyphus fragment, which contains a rare bit of atheistic philosophy from the fifth century BCE. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1  
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  42. Did Aristotle Believe in the Wandering Womb? 17.08.2026 34min

  In this episode, I discuss whether Aristotle believed in the wandering womb. The answer is 'yes, he did', but his view of the wandering womb is different from, say, Plato's, as I talk about in the episode. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1  
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  41. Rachel O'Keefe: Plotinus on Beauty 10.08.2026 1h 33min

  In this episode, I speak with Rachel O'Keefe about Plotinus' thoughts on beauty. We focus on the arguments and ideas from Enneads I.6. Note: if you are looking for an introduction to who Plotinus was, his Enneads, and his metaphysical system, check out episode 3 of this podcast for an interview with Rachel in which we dive into these topics. Host: Doug Campbell, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. Interviewee: Rachel O'Keefe, who teaches and works at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick, Canada. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcast. There is a YouTube channel available with video episodes. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1
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  40. Why Plato Thought that the Whole World Had a Soul 03.08.2026 22min

  In this episode, I discuss Plato's view that the world had a soul.  I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1
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  39. Aristotle on Human Nature 27.07.2026 44min

  In this episode, I discuss Aristotle's view, developed in the Nicomachean Ethics, that human nature is neither good nor bad. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1   
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  38. Plato's Theory of the Divided Soul 24.07.2026 55min

  On July 19, 2026, I gave a free lecture on Substack. It was entitled “The divided soul: Plato’s theory that the soul has parts.” This podcast episode is an audio recording of the lecture. I apologize for the worse-than-usual audio quality and editing. The lecture has these parts: A general discussion of the soul in ancient Greek philosophy. The so-called principle of opposites, which lies at the heart of Plato’s argument for the view that the soul has parts. The argument that the soul has parts, and a discussion of what these parts are. Plato’s definitions of justice and moderation as examples of how he applies this theory. A brief discussion of the soul-state analogy. Are all the parts of the soul immortal? The legacy of Plato's theory that the soul has parts. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1 
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  37. Heraclitus and the Unity of Opposites 20.07.2026 43min

  In this episode, I discuss Heraclitus' doctrine that scholars call "the unity of opposites." I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1   
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  36. Why Democritus Believed in the Void 13.07.2026 29min

  In this episode, I discuss what Democritus thought the void was and why he thought that it existed. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1   
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  35. Galen on the Parts of the Soul 06.07.2026 44min

  In this episode, I discuss Galen's views on the parts of the soul: what are these parts, and how do they relate to the body? I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1 
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  34. Xunzi on Human Nature 29.06.2026 38min

  In this episode, I discuss the arguments, given by Xunzi, an ancient Confucian philosopher, that human nature is evil. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1   
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  33. The Future of Ancient Science 22.06.2026 55min

  In this episode, I discuss and reflect on G.E.R. Lloyd's "Does Ancient Science Have a Future?" that was published in the Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society and was, I believe, a speech that he gave at Cambridge before that. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1 
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  32. Stylometry and the Chronology of Plato's Dialogues 15.06.2026 1h 4min

  In this episode, I discuss how scholars have used stylometry to date the composition of Plato's dialogues. I introduce and explain basic stylometric methods as well as their application in the case of Plato's dialogues in particular. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1   
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  31. Monte Johnson: The Reconstruction of Aristotle's Protrepticus 08.06.2026 2h 8min

  In this episode, I speak with Prof. Monte Johnson about the work that he has done in collaboration with Prof. Doug Hutchinson in reconstructing Aristotle's Protrepticus. The Protrepticus is a lost work by Aristotle. Most ancient texts were written, copied, and then lost. As Monte discusses in this interview, 99% of ancient Greek literature is lost. Monte Johnson and Doug Hutchinson have done very important work in (literally) piecing together an Aristotelian text that would otherwise be lost to history. We talk about the current state of the evidence, how they took (primarily) excerpts preserved by later authors and fragments of papyri, and, ultimately, how they reconstructed from them Aristotle's lost text. The first half of the interview talks about the reconstruction process; the second half talks about the arguments of the Protrepticus and what protreptic as a genre was. Host: Doug Campbell, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. Interviewee: Monte Johnson, Professor in the Department of Philosophy at UC San Diego. Monte's collaborator in this project: Professor Doug Hutchinson, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. For information related to the Protrepticus project, visit www.protrepticus.info. For the most up-to-date (2025) translation of the Protrepticus that Monte Johnson and Doug Hutchinson have produced, visit https://philpapers.org/go.pl?aid=ARIP-29.  You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and wherever else you find podcasts. There is a YouTube channel available with video episodes. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media:  https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1 
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  30. The Non-Mouthpiece View of Plato's Characters 01.06.2026 57min

  In this episode, I discuss some considerations related to whether Plato's characters should be thought of as his mouthpieces. I focus on Debra Nails' essay, "Mouthpiece Schmouthpiece," published in Who Speaks for Plato? Issues in Platonic Anonymity. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1   
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  29. The Buddha's First Noble Truth 25.05.2026 41min

  In this episode, I discuss the Buddha's first Noble Truth.  I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1 
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  28. The Origins of Organs 18.05.2026 52min

  In this episode, I discuss the origins of the concept of 'organ' in ancient Greek science and philosophy. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1 
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  27. The Basics of Skepticism 11.05.2026 47min

  In this episode, I discuss the basics of ancient skepticism as it was developed by Sextus Empiricus. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc.), as well as on YouTube. I have a Substack: platosfishtrap.substack.com. You can show your support at: https://buymeacoffee.com/ancientphilosophy I also have a book available for purchase, An Introduction to the Ethics of Social Media: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Ethics-Social-Media/dp/1647922356/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1