The Ancient Philosophy Podcast

In this episode, I discuss Xenophanes, an early Greek philosopher, and his criticisms of traditional religious myths about the gods. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College in Michigan. 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.subs...

In this episode, I discuss the famous Pythagorean doctrine of the music of the heavenly spheres: what our source is for this doctrine, what the view is, and why Aristotle disagreed with it. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College in Michigan. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcast. There is a YouTube channel available wi...

In this episode, I consider whether Plato wrote an earlier version of his masterpiece, the Republic, which is sometimes called the Ideal City or the Proto-Republic. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College in Michigan. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcast. There is a YouTube channel available with video episodes. I have...

In this episode, I speak with Ermioni Prokopaki about Plato's Theaetetus. We discuss the central problem that animates the dialogue as well as how it fits into Plato's overall philosophy, but the largest part of our interview, just like the largest part of the Theaetetus, is concerned with whether knowledge is perception.  Host: Doug Campbell, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy...

In this episode, I discuss and reflect on Marguerite Deslauriers’ article, "Sexual Difference in Aristotle’s Politics and His Biology," which was published in Classical World in 2009. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Alma College in Michigan. You can subscribe to The Ancient Philosophy Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcast. There is a YouTube channel available with vid...

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 U...

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...

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 Podcas...

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....

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...

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 Depar...

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/ancientphiloso...

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...

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 h...

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://buymea...

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:/...

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...

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...

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 (...

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 (Spoti...

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...

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...

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 al...

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: h...

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:...