Sadler's Lectures

Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
undefined
Aug 7, 2025 • 17min

Albert Camus, Letter To A German Friend - Letter 4: Justice and Happiness - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher, novelist, and essayist Albert Camus' four Letters To A German Friend (anthologized in Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays) Specifically it examines the fourth and final letter, which looks at the importance of attending to the demands of justice but also human happiness when considering what one owes to one's country, and whether it is worth fighting or not 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 Purchase Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays - https://amzn.to/415sfTf
undefined
Aug 6, 2025 • 19min

Albert Camus, Letter To A German Friend - Letter 3: Europe's Meaning - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher, novelist, and essayist Albert Camus' four Letters To A German Friend (anthologized in Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays) Specifically it examines the third letter, which elaborates the theme of the meaning of Europe, a matter where fascists and nationalists like the Nazis view matters one way and other Europeans view matters differently. The Nazis view Europe as something to possess and dominate, a system of resources to exploit. Camus advocates viewing Europe much as he views France, as something valuable, to which one can belong, and which has to be held to standards of justice and truth. 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 Purchase Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays - https://amzn.to/415sfTf
undefined
Aug 4, 2025 • 17min

Albert Camus, Letter To A German Friend - Letter 2: The Price Of Intelligence - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher, novelist, and essayist Albert Camus' four Letters To A German Friend (anthologized in Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays) Specifically it examines the second letter, which builds upon and expands themes from the first letter, specifically holding one's country to standards. This is connected with a refusal to subordinate or suppress intelligence in favor of a misguided patriotism. 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 Purchase Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays - https://amzn.to/415sfTf
undefined
Aug 1, 2025 • 16min

Albert Camus, Letter To A German Friend - Letter 1: Loving One's Country - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century philosopher, novelist, and essayist Albert Camus' four Letters To A German Friend (anthologized in Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays) Specifically it examines the first letter, which elaborates the theme of love for one's country. He makes a distinction between two different conceptions of love for one's country, one which subordinates all other values and realities to one's country (as the Nazis do), and one that holds one's country to higher standards (as the French do), which seems to put them at a disadvantage. 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 Purchase Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays - https://amzn.to/415sfTf
undefined
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
undefined
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
undefined
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
undefined
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
undefined
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
undefined
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)

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app