Meet ancient Greece's original hedonist.
Unlike later philosophers who preached asceticism, Aristippus embraced luxury, courted kings, and still kept his freedom. A student of Socrates who chose pleasure over asceticism, he founded a school of thought that spread through generations of his family. This conversation explores how Aristippus balanced the pursuit of pleasure with self-mastery, challenging both the austerity of his critics and our modern assumptions about ancient philosophy.
(05:11) Wining And Dining
(15:29) Desire and Risk
(21:49) You Need Philosophy
(25:42) The Cyrenaics
(36:38) Respect Aristippus's Consistency
(41:54) His Daughter and Rejecting Social Convention
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Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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