Sadler's Lectures

Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
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Jul 31, 2025 • 21min

David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, and Literary - The Skeptic - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Skeptic", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." The Skeptic is the longest of the four essays, and can be taken as a short presentation of Hume's own ideas about philosophy and life. The perspective of this fourth essay calls into question the perspectives of the three previous essays, and focuses not only on the difference in viewpoints on important matters between human beings, but also on why this is the case. It turns out the ascriptions of values such as beautiful or ugly, worthy or contemptible are additions to judgements about the truth or falsity of matters, and these value-ascriptions derive from a number of particular circumstances. 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 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
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Jul 30, 2025 • 13min

David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, and Literary - The Platonist - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Platonist", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." He subtitles The Platonist "the man of contemplation, and philosophical devotion", and the essay both responds to the perspectives of the two previous essays and develops a perspective that transcends them, viewing contemplation of the beauty of the universe and the benevolence of God as most valuable. 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 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
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Jul 29, 2025 • 19min

David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, and Literary - The Stoic - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Stoic", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." He subtitles The Stoic " the man of action and virtue", and the essay both responds to the perspective of the previous essay and develops a perspective that transcends it, viewing the pursuit of virtue, the active life, and the enjoyment of glory as what is genuinely valuable 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 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
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Jul 28, 2025 • 16min

David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, and Literary - The Epicurean - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Epicurean", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." He subtitles The Epicurean "the man of elegance and pleasure", and the essay elaborates a position that holds the point of life to be pleasure and enjoyment, which requires that one develop some level of virtue and select pleasures prudently. 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 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
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Jul 27, 2025 • 14min

Plato, Euthyphro - Euthyphro's Prosecution Of His Father - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses Plato's work, The Euthyphro. In that work, Socrates is headed to the court, facing trial on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth. He gets into a discussion with Euthyphro about the nature of piety and related matters. Here, we look at some of the features of the dramatic situation setting up the dialogue outside of the law court, where Socrates is about to defend himself against charges that include impiety, and Euthyphro is about to prosecute his own father for murder. Given that people are accusing Euthyphro himself of impiety for this action, he makes several arguments to support the claim that he himself is being pious in carrying out the prosecution To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler The lecture was originally recorded as this video - https://youtu.be/04pit5Bu4bU - I have improved the sound quality as much as feasible. If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase The Last Days of Socrates (including the Euthyphro) - amzn.to/2Limh8b
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Jul 26, 2025 • 13min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Dealing With One's Own Failings - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue This episode focuses specifically on how we ought to deal with our own failings, mistakes, errors, and sins (hamartia), something that we will experience fairly frequently. He maintains that we ought to look at ourselves like those who are suffering from illnesses. We also ought to be willing to admit or confess our failings, rather than concealing them, or pretending they don't really matter. You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch'sOn Awareness Of Progress In Virtue here - amzn.to/4cNYknt 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)
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Jul 25, 2025 • 13min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Admiration and Emulation - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue This episode focuses specifically on emotional responses that he takes as being important signs of progress towards virtue, if these emotional responses are directed towards the right objects. These are "emulation" (zēlos) and admiration (thaumazein), directed towards people who we view as morally better than ourselves. These responses should spur us to imitation of these You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch'sOn Awareness Of Progress In Virtue here - amzn.to/4cNYknt 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)
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Jul 24, 2025 • 16min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Past And Present Emotions - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue This episode focuses specifically on his discussion of the emotions that a person feels, which they can use as an index for determining whether they are indeed making progress. Plutarch suggests that we ought to look at our past emotional responses and compare them to present emotional responses, and that we ought to do so in two manners, examining them in themselves or in relation to others You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch'sOn Awareness Of Progress In Virtue here - amzn.to/4cNYknt 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)
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Jul 23, 2025 • 11min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Progress In Our Dreams - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue This episode focuses specifically on his short but rich discussion about how we can tell whether or not we are making progress by looking at the contents of our dreams (or at what we perceive when we are ill). If we have not genuinely succeeded in making the virtues into habits, our dream lives are likely to reflect unvirtuous desires that we have been keeping in check in our waking lives. You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch'sOn Awareness Of Progress In Virtue here - amzn.to/4cNYknt 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)
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Jul 22, 2025 • 11min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Yearning For Philosophy - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch's essay On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue This episode focuses specifically on his discussion of a yearning for philosophy, not typical academic philosophy but actual philosophy as a way of life, as an index for whether a person is making moral progress or not. He examines what this looks like in a person and how it leads them to prioritize philosophy over other matters in their lives You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch'sOn Awareness Of Progress In Virtue here - amzn.to/4cNYknt 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)

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