Flourish FM Epsiode #7: Applying the Ancient Greek philosophy of flourishing to our lives today
In this episode we talked to Professor Angie Hobbs about how we can apply the ancient Greek philosophy of flourishing to our lives today.
Angie gained a degree in Classics and a PhD in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. After a Research Fellowship at Christ’s College, Cambridge, she moved to the Philosophy Department at the University of Warwick; in 2012 she was appointed Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, a position created for her. She now holds a position with this title at the University of Warwick. Her chief interests are in ancient philosophy and literature, and ethics and political theory from classical thought to the present, and she has published widely in these areas, including Plato and the Hero (C.U.P). Her most recent publication for the general public is Plato’s Republic: a Ladybird Expert Book. She contributes regularly to radio and TV programmes and other media around the world, including 24 appearances on In Our Time on BBC Radio 4. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Athens Democracy Forum, the Houses of Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and Westminster Abbey and been the guest on Desert Island Discs, Private Passions and Test Match Special.
Angie was a judge of the Man Booker International Prize 2019 and was on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council 2018-9 for Values, Ethics and Innovation.
Twitter @drangiehobbs
Key conversation points:
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- Why flourishing is about the best actualization and fulfillment of all our faculties.
- Why flourishing means living the best life, both individually and as communities.
- The values and virtues that best help us fulfill our faculties.
- The relevance and importance of Plato’s and Aristotle’s accounts of flourishing to the world today and how we live.
- Flourishing and the wholeness of our lives, in terms of lifespan, our characters, and our relations with others.
- Why flourishing gives you a secure framework of what it means to live a full, rich human life, both for yourself and your community.
- The role and importance of social connection in flourishing, particularly friendships and community connection.
- The dark side of flourishing.