
Practical Philosophy: The Greco-Roman Moralists
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Narrated by:
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Luke Timothy Johnson
About this listen
It's easy to forget that philosophy means "love of wisdom," not "love of thinking." In addition to philosophy that tells you how to think well, the field also provides guidance on how to live well - solid advice on how to be a good father or friend, or how to grow old gracefully, or to know what true happiness is.
Greek and Roman thinkers such as Marcus Tullius Cicero, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Dio Chrysostom, and Plutarch of Chaeronea devoted their lives not to metaphysics and epistemology but to the appreciation and practice of morality and virtue, values, and character. They give us - in plain, straightforward language - rules designed to help us progress as people.
These 24 inspiring lectures introduce you to the sages who, as a group, represent the "missing page" of the history of philosophy. Although their names are sometimes familiar to us, as in the case of Cicero and Plutarch, their philosophy is not. Studying these thinkers offers some surprising ways to think about philosophy.
For example, they believed the heart of philosophy is the question of how to live well as a human being. It is how you act, not what you think, that is most important. Virtue and morality are the keys to living a good life. And philosophers should practice what they preach (although, as you'll discover, the Greco-Roman moral philosophers certainly had flaws).
From Cicero's deep sense of civic duty to Marcus Aurelius's pursuit of wisdom and dedication to the common good, this course offers ample opportunity to hear, in their own words, the philosophers' prescriptions for healthier living.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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From the 17th to 18th centuries, bold thinkers cast off the authority of ancient traditions and embraced reason as the primary tool for understanding the world. These rationalists, or early modern philosophers, included René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz—visionaries whose answers to profound questions remain relevant today. Early Modern Philosophy: Descartes and the Rationalists covers the key philosophers of this period in 12 fascinating half-hour lectures, presented by award-winning teacher James D. Reid, Professor of Philosophy at Metropolitan State University.
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Great Introduction and overview
- By Shawn Klein on 01-16-25
By: James D. Reid, and others
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Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins
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The 24 revealing lectures of Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World reconstruct over a dozen biographies from the classical world—most of them little-known, some of them quite unlikely heroes. With Professor Emeritus Gregory Aldrete as your expert guide, you will meet the ambitious travel writers, dedicated engineers, careful cartographers, diligent farmers, woman philosophers, devoted wives, skilled military generals, African rebels, Persian kings, and impressive athletes who stood out among their peers centuries ago.
By: Gregory S. Aldrete, and others
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The Dead Sea Scrolls
- By: Gary A. Rendsburg, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary A. Rendsburg
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
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Whether complete or only fragmentary, the 930 extant Dead Sea Scrolls irrevocably altered how we look at and understand the foundations of faith and religious practice. Now you can get a comprehensive introduction to this unique series of archaeological documents, and to scholars' evolving understanding of their authorship and significance, with these 24 lectures. Learn what the scrolls are, what they contain, and how the insights they offered into religious and ancient history came into focus.
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A comprehensive overview of the Qumran Scrolls
- By Jacobus on 09-25-13
By: Gary A. Rendsburg, and others
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A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
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Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
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Stories not included, only discussed
- By Julie Newman on 01-15-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
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Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
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Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
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I wanted to like this course
- By Diane Tincher on 08-06-18
By: Mark Leary, and others
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Understanding the Old Testament
- By: Professor Robert D. Miller II, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Robert D. Miller II
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
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The Old Testament is one of the foundational texts of Western civilization, and is among the most impactful and widely read books in world history. In 24 enthralling lectures, Professor Miller guides you through a core selection of the major books of the Old Testament, inviting you to probe their meaning and relevance in incisive and thought-provoking commentary. In Understanding the Old Testament, you’ll take a revelatory look at this epically impactful document, finding its deeper historical and religious meanings, as well as its sublime literary treasures.
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This is not what I was hoping for...
- By A person healing on 05-09-20
By: Professor Robert D. Miller II, and others
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Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
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Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
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One of my top 3 favorite courses!
- By Jessica on 12-28-13
By: Ken Albala, and others
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Communism in Power
- From Stalin to Mao
- By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Original Recording
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Trace the growth of communism from Stalin’s consolidation of power to the establishment of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, China, Korea, Vietnam, and elsewhere in Communism in Power: From Stalin to Mao. These 12 half-hour lessons shed intriguing light on a revolutionary movement that played an outsized role in the 20th century and continues to shape 21st-century geopolitics.
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A book of grudges
- By Axel D. Magnuson on 05-09-23
By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, and others
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Aristotle for Everybody
- Difficult Thought Made Easy
- By: Mortimer J. Adler
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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“Almost all of the philosophical truths that I have come to know and understand I have learned from Aristotle,” says Mortimer J. Adler. This easy-to-listen-to exposition of Aristotle’s thoughts about nature, human actions, and the conduct of life confirms convictions that most of us hold, though we may not be fully aware of them. This is because Aristotle’s philosophical insights are grounded in the common experience we all possess and because they illuminate the common sense we all rely on.
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A great primer in classical philosophy
- By britishtar on 02-14-15
What listeners say about Practical Philosophy: The Greco-Roman Moralists
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- Werner
- 11-27-18
nice but requires attention
I struggled sometimes even though I enjoyed it. it really felt like I was losing half of what was taught and that made me feel less inclined to keep going. I think it requires more attention and learning than I wanted to give.
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- Brian
- 04-30-22
An overlooked chapter of Western philosophy!
An overlooked chapter of Western philosophy! Definitely going to read these ancient writers when I can.
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- James S
- 01-10-15
Broad and deep on The Stoics
I have listened to nearly all of Professor Johnson's Great Courses lectures
He will leave you with a deep understanding of the The Stoics. Your appetite will be whetted so that you can most into the practice of this ancient philosophy to live a life of wisdom and not just knowledge.
And then to experience the correctly understood Happiness these phi slippers strived for.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Jack
- 03-14-22
A really solid intro to Greco-Roman moralists
A very good starting point for someone interested in starting their journey into the world of Greco-Roman moralists. Recommend!
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- JK
- 04-20-22
EXCELLENT, philosophy in the Hellenistic era.
This again, is by far one of the best Great Courses lectures I have listened to.
Professor Johnson is passionate and deeply committed to present the subject matter to his students.
He has command of the issues and makes the lectures fly by.
It opened up a whole new world for me, which I intend to explore in more detail.
My thanks to all involved, JK.
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- Anonymous User
- 05-04-23
Beautifully done
Many great courses are bland in contrast to LTJ’s memorable and jovial tone. He’s able to squeeze humor into this dense lump of information like you’re listening to a friend. Highly recommend his other courses as well.
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- Curdy
- 12-24-13
Wonderful introduction to practical philosophy
If you could sum up Practical Philosophy: The Greco-Roman Moralists in three words, what would they be?
Character, Practice, Habits
What does Professor Luke Timothy Johnson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Very passionate reader, really enjoyed his style.
Any additional comments?
I would have loved this course to be twice as long as it was. The content is a great mix between historical context, philosophical ideas and practical tips. I found the book to be both inspiring and challenging. Although I was already familiar with the topic, I learned a lot. Highly recommended.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Jolene
- 05-10-18
A Solid Presentation
Although brief, the class does an acceptable job of discussing the major points of interest for anyone wanting to obtain a solid foundation of Greco-Roman moral philosophy.
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- Bill LaFever
- 06-21-18
Great Book!
I really like this teacher. Concise, fair, and good voice. I really wish the book hadn’t ended. I learned a lot.
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- Joshua
- 03-29-15
Philosophy As Self-Improvement
It's refreshing to hear of Philosophy As Seeking Wisdom as opposed to Philosophy As Endless Semantic Quibbling. Johnson's lectures outline the moral thinking of several important philosophers while putting them in the context of their time and place. His reading is excellent.
The only complaint I have is that most of the individuals covered are Stoics. I would've liked to hear Johnson spend a lecture or two on Epicurus, or perhaps a famous Cynic like Diogenes.
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5 people found this helpful