RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
In this ten-lecture course sponsored by Steve Berger and Kenneth Garschina, intellectual historian David Gordon guides students through a survey of the greatest thinkers, and evaluates these scholars by their arguments for and against the idea of Liberty.Download the complete audio of this event (ZIP) here.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Intellectual history • Political philosophy • Analysis of thinkers from Plato to Rothbard • Concepts of liberty and justice • Social contract theory • Empiricism and rationalism • Historical and philosophical critiqueThis podcast, titled "The History of Political Philosophy: From Plato to Rothbard," is a ten-lecture series guided by intellectual historian David Gordon, examining major thinkers in political philosophy through the lens of their arguments about liberty. An overarching theme is the exploration of political philosophies from various eras, scrutinizing each thinker’s contributions to discourse on justice, governance, human nature, and the state. The series begins with foundational figures from classical antiquity, such as Plato and Aristotle, discussing their perspectives on the ideal state, justice, and human behavior.
It progressively moves through the medieval and enlightenment periods, considering the works of Thomas Aquinas and Thomas Hobbes, respectively, exploring ideas such as the synthesis of religious principles with Aristotelian philosophy and the construction of the social contract theory. Furthermore, the podcast delves into the rise of classical liberalism through the works of John Locke, emphasizing government by consent, and John Stuart Mill's concept of individual liberty.
The podcast explores the divergence from classical liberalism with philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, focusing on social contract theory and critiques of society’s influence on humanity. It also covers Immanuel Kant's republicanism and G.W.F. Hegel’s complex perspective on civil society and sovereignty. The series concludes with discussions on modern libertarian thought through the works of Robert Nozick and Murray Rothbard, debating concepts like property rights and the role of the state. This podcast offers an intellectual journey through various epochs of political thought, scrutinizing diverse views on liberty, governance, and societal structure.
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1. Plato 2007-Jun-04 |
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2. Aristotle 2007-Jun-05 |
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3. Thomas Aquinas 2007-Jun-05 |
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4. Thomas Hobbes 2007-Jun-06 |
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5. John Locke 2007-Jun-06 |
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6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 2007-Jun-07 |
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7. Immanuel Kant and G.W.F. Hegel 2007-Jun-07 |
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8. John Stuart Mill, Lysander Spooner and Herbert Spencer 2007-Jun-08 |
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9. John Rawls 2007-Jun-08 |
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10. Robert Nozick and Murray Rothbard 2007-Jun-09 |