History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps

HoP 289 - A Wing and a Prayer - Angels in Medieval Philosophy

Be surprised by how many philosophical problems arise in connection with angels (how many can dance on the head of a pin is not one of them).

HoP 288 - Men in Black - The German Dominicans

Dietrich of Freiberg, Berthold of Moosburg, John Tauler and Henry Suso explore Neoplatonism and mysticism.

HoP 286 - On the Money - Medieval Economic Theory

Changing ideas about money, just price, and usury, up to the time of Buridan, Oresme, and Gregory of Rimini.

HoP 284 - Seeing is Believing - Nicholas of Autrecourt’s Skeptical Challenge

The debate between Nicholas of Autrecourt and John Buridan on whether it is possible to achieve certain knowledge.

HoP 283 - Jack Zupko on John Buridan

Peter speaks to Jack Zupko about John Buridan's secular and parsimonious approach to philosophy.

HoP 281 - Monica Green on Medieval Medicine

An interview with Monica Green reveals parallels between medicine and philosophy in the middle ages.

HoP 276 - Back to the Future - Foreknowledge and Predestination

Scotus, Ockham, and Bradwardine ask how we can be free if God knows and chooses the things we will do in the future.

HoP 270 - Render unto Caesar - Marsilius of Padua

In his book Defender of the Peace, Marsilius of Padua develops new theories of representative government, rights, and ownership.

HoP 269 - Our Power is Real - The Clash of Church and State

Giles of Rome and Dante on the rival claims of the church and secular rulers.

HoP 268 - To Hell and Back - Dante Alighieri

Italy’s greatest poet Dante Alighieri was also a philosopher, as we learn from his Convivio and of course the Divine Comedy.

HoP 267 - After Virtue - Marguerite Porete

Marguerite Porete is put to death for her exploration of the love of God, The Mirror of Simple Souls.

HoP 266 - Tom Pink on the Will

A conversation with Tom Pink about medieval theories of freedom and action.

HoP 265 - Time of the Signs - the Fourteenth Century

An introduction to philosophy in the 14th century, focusing on two big ideas: nominalism and voluntarism.

HoP 264 - Giorgio Pini on Scotus on Knowledge

Peter hears about Duns Scotus' epistemology from expert Giorgio Pini.

HoP 263 - One in a Million - Scotus on Universals and Individuals

Scotus explains how things can share a nature in common while being unique individuals.

HoP 262 - On Command - Scotus on Ethics

Scotus argues that morality is a matter of freely choosing to follow God’s freely issued commands.

HoP 260 - Once and for All - Scotus on Being

Duns Scotus attacks the proposal of Aquinas and Henry of Ghent that being is subject to analogy.

HoP 258 - Here Comes the Son - The Trinity and the Eucharist

Philosophy is pushed to its limits to provide rational explanations of two Christian theological doctrines.

HoP 257 - Martin Pickave on Henry of Ghent and Freedom

An interview with Martin Pickavé on voluntarism in Henry of Ghent.

HoP 256 - Frequently Asked Questions - Henry of Ghent

Henry of Ghent, now little known but a leading scholastic in the late 13th century, makes influential proposals on all the debates of his time.