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Origins of Western Thought

Introduction

What is “the good,” and why is it that one can never step into the same river twice? This program featuring Princeton University’s Alexander Nehamas and Richard Sorabji, honorary fellow at Wolfson College, the University of Oxford, addresses core topics in ancient philosophy such as freedom and fate, permanence and change, happiness, the nature of the cosmos, and the immortality of the soul. Concepts as articulated by key figures including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, and the Milesian and Eleatic philosophers—in combination with quotations drawn from Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Physics, and other influential sources—make this program an excellent tool for building a solid understanding of Western philosophy. Part of the series Great Ideas of Philosophy I. (51 minutes)

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