Comments Page

Mr. (Dr.?) Adamson -

I have been greatly enjoying your very insightful and informative pod casts. As a Fedex driver, I probably take the "listening while driving" trend to the extreme. I love the mostly objective way you are handling Aristotle. He can be a rather divisive figure. I also wanted to let you know what a kick I get out of your running gags featuring Blue Giraffes and silent film superstars. Every time you add another tongue-in-cheek gag out of left field (for instance: Hiawatha) I chuckle most heartily. I am really looking forward to continued episodes.

           Thanks again,

            Dan, Montana, USA

Hi Peter

Thank you so much for all the hard work you are putting into your podcasts. I've been listening to them mostly down at the allotment, while weeding my vegetables. If I get a bit distracted by a tough dandelion, I can always listen again! As an academic myself (in a completely unrelated area) I understand how much effort you must be putting into this and it's a joy to receive the gift of learning something new just for the pleasure of learning. I hope you're enjoying your break and you deserve plenty of impact factor when REF comes round.

Louise

Hey, love your podcast! Very informative.

I'm just wondering, where does the music in the intro of your podcast come from?

- Kenneth, Norway

Just a note to say thanks, from a fairly new listener in Philadelphia. I first discovered these podcasts while on vacation at the Jersey shore recently and spent many hours walking up and down the boardwalk listening to installments...what a pleasure!  Looking forward to many more episodes...I've some catching up to do!

Prof. Adamson,

I would just like to add my sincere thanks for your outstanding series of podcasts.  I was visitng Mel Thompson's web site and followed a link he provided to your site.  Like finding buried treasure!!!!!!

I find philosophy simply fascinating and have read various books on the subject and although they were thought provoking and interesting I found many "gaps" in their presentation.

I had to smile when I read in a previous comment about how your soothing voice puts the writer to sleep.  I have to admit that at times I do the same thing. 

Once again, thank you for providing us all with this outstanding series and of course for filling in those "gaps."

Listening from the mountains of Spain,

Vic~

Prof. Adamson:

     Just wanted to thank you and your crew for the podcasts.  I'm taking a distance-education Great Books-based program, so I find myself reading a lot of philosophy.  There's a survey course on what they call the Great Conversation and the Great Ideas (and other Great Things), but after that all you get is short biographical notes and lots of time with the works themselves.  And since I'm focusing on rhetoric (thus far), I don't even necessarily read the whole work. I get a chapter here, an act there and lots of dialogues, Aristotle and Augustine.  I've done extra on the side to get more context, but your podcasts have provided a dimension -- the dimension, really -- that I was missing.  I'm only up to 17 so far because I play them twice each, once on the way to work and once on the way home.  I also find them very valuable just because they help me focus on life and bigger, more interesting issues than what I deal with during the day. I used to race around the curves in my Mini and listen to hard rock, now I race around the curves and listen to the History of Philosophy.  There can be no higher praise than knocking rock 'n' roll off my radio.  Thanks again.  joe f.

Hi Peter,

Thanks so much for these podcasts, they're brilliant. I did the intercalated philosophy bsc at kings a couple of years ago and this is a great way to keep a bit of philosophy going and fill in the many 'gaps'.

It's also the perfect way to end a busy day, I look forward to curling up and dozing off to a podcast each night, ( though I only get a couple of minutes at a time as they send me straight to sleep ( relaxing and interesting, not boring-perfect cure for insomnia)

So i really hope you keep them going, if you do a full history of philosophy I'll learn everything i want to know and at my speed can look forward to a couple of years of good sleeps!

Cate

Peter,

I came to your podcast after listening to you on the Philosopher's Zone and I love it.

I have the good fortune of driving 2 hours a day through the countryside to work, and your podcast has made the trek even more enjoyable. There is an amazing synergy between the rolling hills of rural Australia and a discussion on Greek philosophy.

Dear Professor Adamson,

May I say how much I have been enjoying your podcasts and how useful I have found them. As well as refreshing my knowledge of Plato and introducing some of the dialogues I don't know as I ought, it promises some exciting new avenues into areas of which I am wholly ignorant. 

I thought you might like to know that alongside Nigel Warburton's Philosophy Bites  your podcasts are also becoming part of my A-Level teaching and that my students are making use of them to get insights and opinions I have not offered. I merely provide a sheet of timed questions and some headphones and set them off. Happily several have then gone on to listen to all those others not immediately relevant. 

Keep up the good work.

James

Dear Peter,

Thank you for your wonderful podcasts on philosophy.

Have you considered starting an online philosophy course that could organise our

thinking and enjoyment of philosophy, and study for a certificate or diploma?

Studying for a qualification helps to focus reading, thinking and exploration of ideas,

and a systamatic study would be so enjoyable.

Would you please consider an online course, as some of us may be home based,

and there are so few and inaccessable philosophy courses to study.

Thank you. I will enjoy all your podcasts.

Derik

I just discovered this podcast as I was reading the Meno in preparation for an online seminar. I, like many in my age group, received a more specialized, career-focused higher education which neglected much of the liberal arts curriculum. I was introduced to the "Great Books" several years ago when I uncovered some of Mortimer Adler's great books study guides at the bottom of a pile of sale books at a used book shop.

Listening to your podcast has added much enjoyment to my daily walks with my dogs. They are informative and entertaining, yet have enough depth to encourage one to reflect on the content and, at least in my case, generate enough interest in the content to seek out the selections and read them for myself.

I own a small independent bookstore and I appreciate your suggestions for further reading. I also have been wanting to start a discussion group on some of these classic texts and your podcast will certainly be helpful.

Furthermore, I am excited about the thoroughness of your coverage of the History of Philosophy, the concept of "without any gaps", helps to put the ongoing conversation of man in greater perspective. I am especially looking forward to your discussion of Islamic thought.

So, thank you for taking the time and effort to provide this wonderful resource. I have become and will remain a faithful listener.

Joni Montover
ParagraphsBooks.com

Dear Peter,

Just thought I would write in and thank you for your podcast. Its something I really look forward to each week.

I studied classics at school way back (did a summer school in greek at Kings) and still like to read around in the subject. That is how I initially stumbled upon your great series. However I am looking forward to other periods - I am guessing that the classical and late-antiquity periods will take a while.

By the way does no gaps mean that you will be wandering into theological history pagan v christian thought..and will Aristotle or at least his philosophical ghost be popping up now and then at least as far as the late Middle Ages/Renaissance?

Thanks for the podcasts and my only quibble is that the sound could be improved by some basic soundproofing of the rooms you are in...eggboxes or even a sweater fixed to the wall?!!

Top marks for this stimulating and entertaining podcast - a real delight!

Saibancho

I recently found this podcast / audio book of The Republic: http://www.learnoutloud.com/Catalog/Philosophy/Political-Philosophy/Pla…

It's 12 hours long but probably a good way for many of your listeners to be exposed to the full text. The narration is excellent, however I don't know which translation it is. I was amused when it was stated that in the transition from the small ideal society to the larger model one of the extra requirements would be 'call girls'!

Do you know of any other similar recordings of philosophical works that have the advantage of being either free or particularly good?

p.s. I recently left a new comment of which I am quite pleased on the Facebook discussion re Zeno :-)

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=163670583644929&topic=702

Hello, Peter.

I'm 19 years old and have recently developed a passing interest in philosophy. Before I go ahead and start to learn on a more in-depth level about particular philosophers, I'm trying to develop a good core knowledge of the whole subject. That way, I can choose which aspects appeal to me the most and find some more specialised material on them.

Your podcast series is a brilliant starting point for me, since you talk in a way that even somebody, like me, who is not a student in the subject can understand. You don't assume that the person listening to the podcast is already educated in philsosphy like some of the other resources that I have found do.

I cannot thank you enough for taking time out of your day to record this series week, after week, after week. Please continue with this ambitious project and don't leave it unfinished. You genuinley are helping a lot of people. Not all of them may let it be known, but you definitely have a big audience there.

Thanks again.

~ Paul

P.S. Do you think that 'A History of Western Philisophy' by Russell Bertrand is a decent book for somebody wanting to get a general solid understanding of the whole history of western philsophy, like me? If not, do you know of any other books that may be suitable? Thanks.

Peter,

I've recently found your podcast and have been trying to catch up. I'm on the Hippocrates podcast now. They really are wonderful. Thank you for doing this!

I have a question. I noticed on the webpages for the Presocratics you recommended a few books. I was wondering if you have any opinion on one book that I used for my Ancient Greek philosophy class in the early 90's: An Introduction to Early Greek Philosophy by Robinson. I'm a bit disappointed that he doesn't consider Thales to be the first true Presocratic. It was written around 1970-do you think that it is still a good resource or should I look into one of the newer books?

Hi Peter,

Thanks for these podcasts. I listen to them if I wake up in the middle of the night. It would be cruel to say they send me to sleep, but they often do, having satisfied some question that is ringing around my head.

I don't think I'd ever have the time to catch up with all this stuff myself. Your style leads us gently along, and having them as podcasts means that I can replay bits I didn't quite get.

I'm thrilled with the Plato's vision of Winged Horses pulling chariots - very left/right brain and will be using the analogy in one of my youtube drawing videos soon - I'll give you a mention, for what it's worth. www.youtube.com/users/shooraynerdrawing

Keep up the good work, and could you ask for an extra microphone on interviews? They sound like they are done in the room next door!

All the best

Shoo Rayner www.shoorayner.com

I have recently heard A.C. Grayling say that he found philosophy via the Charmides, and also that Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics could be read by a 12 year old.

Since my daughters 12th birthday is coming up, and I can occasionally persuade her to read 'serious' books, I was wondering what would be the 'best' text to give her.

Obviously it should be able to catch her interest and not to long.

Thanks

Just wanted to say how immensely enjoyable and thought-provoking this series has been; many thanks to Peter and all who make it possible. I particularly value the contributions from MM McCabe. If there is a philosophy equivalent to the Oscars, this series deserves to win every award.

Hi Peter

Thank you for your excellent podcasts, they've been very helpful with my greek philosophy revision.

It seems to me that a key part of Plato's argument that virtue=knowledge, is the idea that with true knowledge we would see the virtuous action is always the best course for us.

I was wondering if you could advise on the best place to look for a good account of Plato's arguments for this claim?

Thanks 

Dear Professor Adamson,

May I use your comments page to request that the Department of Philosophy breaks its silence about recent developments at King's College London, the attempt to sack Professor Lappin and his colleagues., and the whole process of 'consultation'? How many members of your Department have taken early retirement? Was it the decision of members of the Department to take early retirement which saved Professor Lappin, or was there a real change of policy? Did the saving of Professor Lappin and his colleagues ensure that other posts in other Departments at King's had to be cut? Is it an accident that Sir Richard Trainor is on the Council of the AHRC at the time when they make 'The Big Society' a funding project?

I know that Departments rarely discuss this sort of thing. But surely philosophers, and Professors of Ethics, are best placed to guide the rest of us. Despite your efforts to teach the history of philosophy, it is for arbitrary cuts that King's College London is best known worldwide. The UK journalist Iain Pears has provided cogent arguments that these cuts do not save money, and reveal how far King's is run by managers with a very strange agenda. King's refuses to enter into dialogue with Pears, presumably hoping he will go away. But to an outsider like myself he seems to be reasonable. 

May I urge you to ask your colleagues in the Department of Philosophy to think about this aspect of their public interaction? 

This is seriously brilliant and so generous of you. What is the good? I'll tell you. This is the good.

Have any philosophical problems been finally solved?

I saw this question here today: http://bit.ly/f9qhte but it has been concerning me for a while :-)

Hi Peter

I am really loving the podcasts so far.

It is a really ambitious project you have set yourself but I think it absolutely needs to be done.

I have so far especially appreciated the podcasts on the pre-socratics. I know a fair bit about Plato and Aristotle but haven't really had much occasion to study the pre-socratics except in passing.

While I will listen with interest to the coming podcasts on Plato and Aristotle, since there are many of their works I'm not familiar with, I am especially looking forward to when you get to the Hellenistic period and Late antiquity.

Hope to hear many more podcasts from you, and I hope the project continues (it will take years I think).

Hi Peter,

Thanks so much for these podcasts. They make my driving time so much more interesting.

Do you take requests? While you are on Plato, I’d like to know more about the other denizens of his Academy. The nice thing about these podcasts is learning about all the second tier figures and people who don’t make it into regular surveys. (I’d somehow missed Xenophanes until now.) So I’m wondering now about the second tier figures who were right there with Plato, interacting with him on a daily basis.

Just a suggestion. Thanks

Rob

As you requested in your very generous and very prompt response to my email, I will repeat my question in this format:

Kant - admittedly as a complete one-off throw-away remark in the Critique of Pure Reason - offers an allegorical interpretation of the classical four elements. Earth is the principle of permanence, stability, fire of influence, interaction, air and water media, respectively inaccessible and accessible, where the interaction takes place. How justified is such an interpretation, does it have any pedigree at all, maybe in late antiquity .?..  

You did not request it, but I will also repeat my complements: wonderfully informative and listenable-to podcasts, cannot wait for more.

Peter,

Great podcast!  With all the turmoil in Africa and Middle East these days, can you talk about in one of your podcast, what you think Plato/Socrates would say about these new regimes?  

Thanks

Peter,

thank you so much for your efforts and for sharing your extensive knowledge.  Your podcasts are very well prepared, articulated and entertaining.  I look forward to each new episode with zeal.

Peter,
no doubt you have noticed that all line breaks are removed when posing comments.
Do you have somebody you can ask to fix this?

Peter,

I love the podcast and can't wait for the next episode to come out. I would say that once a week isn't often enough. How about Monday and Thursday releases?

Also, a little niggle, after checking the website three times a day for a week, today (14th Feb) the latest episode 20 says that it was posted on the 6th Feb. This leads to self-doubt!

Keep up the good work! (Just work even harder!)