Sadler's Lectures
Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
I'm that YouTube Philosophy Guy! Find more than 3,000 videos in my main channel. Support my video and podcast work! https://www.patreon.com/sadler or https://www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM
Learn more about this podcast channel - https://youtu.be/qRvL0gqlyrw and https://gregorybsadler.substack.com/p/the-sadlers-lectures-podcast
Due to popular demand - and with the work underwritten by my Patreon supporters - I have been converting my videos into MP3 files listeners can listen to anywhere they want!
I have a second podcast, Mind & Desire, publishing original episodes on a variety of topics in philosophy, which you can find here - https://gregorybsadler.substack.com/podcast
Learn more about this podcast channel - https://youtu.be/qRvL0gqlyrw and https://gregorybsadler.substack.com/p/the-sadlers-lectures-podcast
Due to popular demand - and with the work underwritten by my Patreon supporters - I have been converting my videos into MP3 files listeners can listen to anywhere they want!
I have a second podcast, Mind & Desire, publishing original episodes on a variety of topics in philosophy, which you can find here - https://gregorybsadler.substack.com/podcast
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 8, 2025 • 16min
Plutarch, On Tranquility - Desiring Or Trying To Do Everything - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Tranquility
This episode focuses specifically on his discussion of one mistake that many people make that gets in the way of their enjoying their lives, namely desiring or attempting to do every kind of activity they consider important or valuable in their one life. Many activities are incompatible with each other, so selecting one means selecting against the others that incompatible. Plutarch advises us to follow the Delphic maxim "know yourself".
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Tranquility here - https://amzn.to/3GkzgYS
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
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jul 7, 2025 • 16min
Plutarch, On Tranquility - Focusing On Past, Present, and Future - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Tranquility
This episode focuses specifically on our relation to time and the times of past, present, and future. Foolish people don't appreciate the present, because they focus too much on the future that may never come about. They also don't make good use of their memory of the past to continue enjoying things and experiences that are no longer here, Alternately, they ruminate on bad things from the past, keeping them moored in bad memories. The wise live a life that integrates past and present productively as they move into the future.
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Tranquility here - https://amzn.to/3GkzgYS
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
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jul 5, 2025 • 14min
Plutarch, On Tranquility - Focusing On What's Good In Our Lives - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Tranquility
This episode focuses specifically on his advice that we ought to direct our focus to what is actually good in our lives, and respond to those things with a sense of joy and appreciation (kharis). If we look at our lives, we actually have a number of good things either in the present or even in the past
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Tranquility here - https://amzn.to/3GkzgYS
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
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jul 3, 2025 • 16min
Plutarch, On Tranquility - Life As Mixed Good And Bad - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Tranquility
This episode focuses specifically on the importance of recognizing that life will be a mix of good and bad things, rather than primarily good things, as some people unrealistically desire, hope, or expect it to be. He advocates for harmonizing the two together into an overall good life, and discusses each person as having not just one but two spirits or fates.
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Tranquility here - https://amzn.to/3GkzgYS
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
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

26 snips
Jul 2, 2025 • 13min
Plutarch, On Tranquility - Making Use Of Things And Circumstances - Sadler's Lectures
Dive into Plutarch's insights on achieving inner peace by embracing life's uncertainties. Discover the clever metaphor of life as a game of dice, emphasizing adaptability and wise engagement with circumstances. Explore the bee analogy, showcasing how we can extract sweetness from adversity, turning challenges into opportunities for growth. Reflect on Stoic philosophies that encourage resilience, urging listeners to view obstacles as stepping stones to a more fulfilling life.

Jul 1, 2025 • 16min
Plutarch, On Tranquility - Tranquility, Lifestyle, and Occupations - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Tranquility
This episode focuses specifically on a mistake that a number of people make in thinking about what will produce happiness, tranquility, or contentment for them, namely living a certain lifestyle or having a particular occupation. If one does not have one's mindset, assumptions, desires, habits in order, one simply brings the reason for one's lack of tranquility from whatever previous lifestyle or occupation one had into the new lifestyle or occupation one adopts.
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Tranquility here - https://amzn.to/3GkzgYS
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
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jun 29, 2025 • 17min
Plutarch, On Being A Busybody - Developing Self-Control Over Curiosity - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Being A Busybody
This episode focuses specifically on he importance of developing self-control (enkrateia) in order to curb excessive and harmful curiosity. We do this in general through habituation, training, and to some degree learning or study. He also provides in-depth discussion of a number of specific practices we can use in that process of moving ourselves into self-control and towards virtue.
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Being A Busybody here - https://amzn.to/3IcyoX5
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 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jun 28, 2025 • 15min
Plutarch, On Being A Busybody - Curiosity And Lack Of Self-Control - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Being A Busybody
This episode focuses specifically on his discussions bearing on the role lack or loss of self-control (akrasia in Greek) plays in the sort of problematic curiosity he criticizes in this work. Plutarch claims that lack of self control is just as evident in this curiosity as it is in adultery. He also discusses some of the bad effects for the curious person, including being distrusted by others
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Being A Busybody here - https://amzn.to/3IcyoX5
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 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jun 27, 2025 • 15min
Plutarch, On Being A Busybody - Redirecting Curiosity to Better Topics - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Being A Busybody
This episode focuses specifically on one of the general practices he suggests to wean oneself away from this vice, namely deliberately redirecting one's attention from the usual objects of morbid curiosity towards better, or at least less bad objects. A person ought to focus on their own problems and troubles, not those of others, but they can also focus on the secrets of the natural world. If that's not interesting enough, and one needs something bad to stimulate, one can read those in histories or tragedies, rather than prying into the secrets of one's neighbors and contemporaries.
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Being A Busybody here - https://amzn.to/3IcyoX5
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 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Jun 25, 2025 • 14min
Plutarch, On Being A Busybody - Curiosity, Secrecy, and Privacy - Sadler's Lectures
This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Being A Busybody
This episode focuses specifically on one of the features of the sort of curiosity or inquisitiveness central to being a busybody, namely that the person exhibiting it attempts to dig into other people's secrets, to find out bad things they would rather keep private, motivated by the desire and enjoyment of knowing those things and bringing them to light. He points out that this sort of curiosity can be not only unseemly or shameful, but also quite dangerous to those motivated by it
You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch's On Being A Busybody here - https://amzn.to/3IcyoX5
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 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler
(Amazon links are associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)


