The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition
TV Show · Documentary

These lectures offer a coherent and beautifully articulated introduction to the great philosophic conversation of the ages. They cover an enormous range of seminal thinkers and perspectives, but always from the vantage point of the enduring questions: What can we know? How ought we to act? How should we order our life together?

2004 · 30m
Starring Daniel N. Robinson

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1
    From the Upanishads to Homer
    Before ancient Greek civilization, the world hosted deep insights into the human condition but offered little critical reflection. Homer planted the seeds of this reflection.
    30m
  • EPISODE 2
    Philosophy—Did the Greeks Invent It?
    Discover how and why the ancient Greeks were the first to objectify the products of their own thoughts and feelings and be willing to subject both to critical scrutiny.
    30m
  • EPISODE 3
    Pythagoras and the Divinity of Number
    How can we comprehend the very integrity of the universe and our place within it, if not by way of the most abstract relations?
    29m
  • EPISODE 4
    What Is There?
    How many kinds of stuff make up the cosmos? Might everything, in fact, be reducible to one kind of thing?
    30m
  • EPISODE 5
    The Greek Tragedians on Man’s Fate
    The ancient philosophers were only part of the rich community of thought and wonder that surrounded the world's first great dramatists and their landmark depth psychologies.
    29m
  • EPISODE 6
    Herodotus and the Lamp of History
    Can history actually teach us? Herodotus looked at what he took to be certain universal human aspirations and deficiencies and concluded that indeed history could.
    29m

Related

Cast & Crew

  • D‌N
    Daniel N. Robinson
    Host

About

The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition

Documentary

These lectures offer a coherent and beautifully articulated introduction to the great philosophic conversation of the ages. They cover an enormous range of seminal thinkers and perspectives, but always from the vantage point of the enduring questions: What can we know? How ought we to act? How should we order our life together?

Information

Studio
The Great Courses
Released
2004
Rated
TV-PG

Languages

Audio

English (AAC), English (United States)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
  • Español (México)
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
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  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
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  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
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Latin America and the Caribbean

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  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
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  • Virgin Islands, British
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  • Venezuela (Español)

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  • Estados Unidos (Español México)