Sadler's Lectures

Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
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Feb 1, 2026 • 14min

Jeremy Bentham, Offenses Against Onself - Common Reasons To Punish Same Sex Relations

This lecture discusses key ideas from the Utilitarian philosopher, Jeremy Bentham's work, Offenses Against Oneself, a posthumously published part of his Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Here we examine some of the common reasons people give in his times and society for prohibiting or punishing male-male sexual relationships and activity. He considers first whether there is any harm caused, then whether it is an "offense against the peace" in any manner, and then whether male-male sexual activity is "enervating" that is, weakening to those who engage in it. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 1500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Bentham's Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation -amzn.to/2Z470Bq
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Jan 30, 2026 • 14min

From The Eight Capital Vices To The Seven Deadly Sins - Poets, Mystics, and A Few Questions

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk discusses the treatments of the seven deadly sins by poets ranging from Prudentius to Chaucer and Dante, and by mystics like St. John of the Cross. We also conclude by examining a few additional topics raised by questions from the audience. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
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Jan 28, 2026 • 14min

From The Eight Capital Vices To The Seven Deadly Sins - The Shift To The Seven Sins

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk discusses how the eight capital vices get transformed into the schema of the seven deadly sins. A key person in that transformation is the Benedictine monk and pope Gregory I, who makes pride into the root of the seven deadly sins To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
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Jan 26, 2026 • 9min

From The Eight Capital Vices To The Seven Deadly Sins - The Original Eight Capital Vices

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk discusses the origin of the eight capital vices that precede the schema of the seven deadly sins. We look first at Evagrius Ponticus and then at John Cassian, both important monastic writers. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
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Jan 25, 2026 • 11min

From The Eight Capital Vices To The Seven Deadly Sins - Introducing The Topic - Sadler's Lectures

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk introduces the topic and discusses briefly how the conceptions of eight capital vices and seven deadly sins become so important within western culture. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
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Jan 24, 2026 • 33min

Soren Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments As Gilsonian Christian Philosophy - Sadler's Lectures

This is the recording of my presentation of my paper, "Kierkegaard’s Philosophical Fragments as Gilsonian Christian Philosophy," during the International Etienne Gilson Society satellite session at the American Catholic Philosophical Association 2015 conference. The recording also includes some lively discussion in the Q&A portion following my reading of the paper. In the paper, I discuss key features of Gilson's conception of Christian philosophy developed during the 1930s debates about the topic, examine why Kierkegaard would seem to be an unlikely prospect for Gilsonian Christian philosophy, but then argue that Kierkegaard's work Philosophical Fragments actually does fit Gilson's conception of Christian philosophy quite well. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Soren Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments - https://amzn.to/4bQbwtk
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Jan 22, 2026 • 11min

Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Does Love Wound The Lover? - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part of the 2nd part, question 28 "The Effects Of Love", and examines his discussions in article 5, which centers on a question raised not only by literary tropes but also by the Song of Songs. Does the passion of love in some way wound or harm the lover? Thomas notes that love produces a "melting" or receptiveness in the lover, which if the object of love is present can lead to enjoyment, but if not can lead to strong desire and to the sadness of languor. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ
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Jan 21, 2026 • 15min

Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Zeal As An Effect Of Love - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part of the 2nd part, question 28 "The Effects Of Love", and examines his discussions in article 4, which centers on the question of "zeal" (zelus in Latin, zēlos and zēlotupia in Greek) and whether it is or is not an effect of love. The answer to this depends on what sense of "zeal" we have in mind, and that depends on whether the person feel love of concupiscence or love of friendship. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ
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Jan 19, 2026 • 12min

Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Ecstacy As An Effect Of Love - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part of the 2nd part, question 28 "The Effects Of Love", and examines his discussions in article 3, which centers on whether or not ecstasy is something that love produces as an effect. For Thomas as it turns out, it all depends on how we understand that term. If we have in mind an affective state that in some way sets them outside their normal rational faculties, then this does occur in some cases. But if we mean something more literal, being placed outside ourselves in some way, ecstasy is indeed an effect of love, in particular the love of friendship To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ
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Jan 18, 2026 • 13min

Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae - Mutual Indwelling As An Effect Of Love - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the medieval Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, 1st part of the 2nd part, question 28 "The Effects Of Love", and examines his discussions in article 2, which centers on the question whether mutual indwelling (mutua inhaesio) is an effect of love. Thomas considers several arguments that seem to rule against this being the case, then distinguishes between how it can be understood with respect to the apprehensive and appetitive powers, and how the latter works with love of concupiscence and love of friendship. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae - amzn.to/2ITcKYQ

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