Sadler's Lectures

Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
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Jul 21, 2025 • 22min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Evaluation of One's Own Discourse - 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 discussions bearing upon something he takes as an important index for our development, namely the changes in our discourse. He looks a number of different aspects of this, one of which is the topics that we focus on talking about with others in philosophy. He also thinks that we should avoid using philosophy for making a display in social gatherings, and that we need to curb contention, anger, arrogance, and exasperation. 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 19, 2025 • 12min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Taking Minor Failings Seriously - 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 why it is important not to give ourselves a pass or make excuses when we fail in minor ways, if the goal is to make moral progress. He develops an analogy to building projects. If the goal is to build rough structures, it is fine to make the foundation out of any old stuff, but if one wants to build a valuable building, more careful planning and materials are needed 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 18, 2025 • 12min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Consistency As Progress - 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 can use consistency as a sign and also a means of making moral progress. He argues that we are either making progress or falling back, so this means that we need to keep choosing to commit to a life of virtue, and that we need to maintain discipline and training. 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 17, 2025 • 14min

Plutarch, On Awareness Of Progress In Virtue - Problems With Stoic Views - 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 criticisms of the standard Stoic position on virtue and vice, which is that every person is either virtuous or vicious, with no middle state. The Stoics (with some exceptions like Epictetus) also seem to think that there is no such thing as "making progress" towards virtue and away from vice. You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Plutarch'sOn Awareness Of Progress In Virtue here - https://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 16, 2025 • 20min

Francis Bacon, Novum Oraganum - The Idols Of The Theater - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the early modern philosopher Francis Bacon's work Novum Organum, specifically the section in book 1 covering the "four idols of the human mind" This episode focuses specifically on his description of the fourth type of idol, those of the theater, which derive from either entire philosophical systems, which Bacon likens to fictions and plays, or from perverted rules of demonstration, or from too exclusive of a focus on one aspect or element of a science. Bacon divides the three kinds of philosophies he criticizes into sophistic (exemplified by Aristotle), empiric, and superstitious or theological (exemplified by Plato). You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Bacon's Novum Organum here - https://amzn.to/4jBcmui 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 14, 2025 • 15min

Francis Bacon, Novum Oraganum - The Idols Of The Market - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the early modern philosopher Francis Bacon's work Novum Organum, specifically the section in book 1 covering the "four idols of the human mind" This episode focuses specifically on his description of the third type of idol, those of the market, which derive from our use of language to communicate our thoughts and to engage in inquiry. Bacon examines what distinctive sorts of errors of these types we can fall into and how they can arise. You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Bacon's Novum Organum here - https://amzn.to/4jBcmui 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 13, 2025 • 13min

Francis Bacon, Novum Oraganum - The Idols Of The Cave - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the early modern philosopher Francis Bacon's work Novum Organum, specifically the section in book 1 covering the "four idols of the human mind" This episode focuses specifically on his description of the second type of idol, those of the cave or den, which have to do with human individuals. Bacon examines what distinctive sorts of errors of these types we can fall into and how they can arise. You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Bacon's Novum Organum here - https://amzn.to/4jBcmui 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 12, 2025 • 16min

Francis Bacon, Novum Oraganum - The Idols Of The Tribe - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the early modern philosopher Francis Bacon's work Novum Organum, specifically the section in book 1 covering the "four idols of the human mind" This episode focuses specifically on his description of the first type of idol, those of the tribe, which have to do with our shared human nature, as members of the same human race. Bacon examines what distinctive sorts of errors of these types we can fall into and how they can arise. You can find the copy of the text I am using for this sequence on Bacon's Novum Organum here - https://amzn.to/4jBcmui 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 10, 2025 • 18min

Plutarch, On Tranquility - Comparing Ourselves With Others - 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 topic of whether it is good or bad for us to compare ourselves and our lives with other people, particularly with those who are superior to us in some ways. He suggests that if we do need to compare ourselves to others, we be very realistic about how well off we typically are. 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)
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Jul 9, 2025 • 15min

Plutarch, On Tranquility - Dealing With Other's Emotions - 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 an important component of having a tranquil life, which is dealing with the emotional states that other people have, display, talk about, and act upon. We will do well not to be too concerned with other people's negative emotions, like envy, anger, malevolence, or jealousy. 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)

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