Greg Jenner

You're about to listen to You're Dead to Me. Episodes will be released on Fridays, wherever you get your podcasts. But if you are in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes 28 days earlier than anywhere else. First, on BBC Sounds. Hello, and welcome to You're Dead to Me, the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history seriously. My name is Greg Jenner.

I'm a public historian, author, and broadcaster, and today we are dusting off our philosophy textbooks and going back nearly 2,400 years to ancient Greece to learn all about one of history's greatest beardy chin-strokers, Aristotle. And to help us tell our virtue ethics from our empiricism, we have one top-notch teacher and one very eager pupil.

I'm a public historian, author, and broadcaster, and today we are dusting off our philosophy textbooks and going back nearly 2,400 years to ancient Greece to learn all about one of history's greatest beardy chin-strokers, Aristotle. And to help us tell our virtue ethics from our empiricism, we have one top-notch teacher and one very eager pupil.

In History Corner, she's Professor of Classics at Durham University and a Fellow of the British Academy. You might have heard her on Radio 4's Natalie Haynes stand-up for the classics or Radio 4's Great Lives. Maybe you've read one of her many books, including Aristotle's Way, How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life, and her most recent book, Facing Down the Furies.

In History Corner, she's Professor of Classics at Durham University and a Fellow of the British Academy. You might have heard her on Radio 4's Natalie Haynes stand-up for the classics or Radio 4's Great Lives. Maybe you've read one of her many books, including Aristotle's Way, How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life, and her most recent book, Facing Down the Furies.

And you'll know her from our episode on Mr Triangle himself, Pythagoras. It's Professor Edith Hall. Welcome back, Edith.

And you'll know her from our episode on Mr Triangle himself, Pythagoras. It's Professor Edith Hall. Welcome back, Edith.

OK, we'll get into that later. And in Comedy Corner, he's a writer, comedian, presenter, producer and podcaster. He's a polymath. Maybe you've listened to his incredible podcasts. No such thing as a fish. And his new show, We Can Be Weirdos, or his new kids' book, Impossible Things.

OK, we'll get into that later. And in Comedy Corner, he's a writer, comedian, presenter, producer and podcaster. He's a polymath. Maybe you've listened to his incredible podcasts. No such thing as a fish. And his new show, We Can Be Weirdos, or his new kids' book, Impossible Things.

And you'll definitely remember him from our episode of You're Dead to Me all the way back in Series 1 on young Napoleon. It's Dan Schreiber. Welcome back, Dan.

And you'll definitely remember him from our episode of You're Dead to Me all the way back in Series 1 on young Napoleon. It's Dan Schreiber. Welcome back, Dan.

So last time out, Dan, we had you back in 18th century France and Corsica, and we were following the travails of a young man called Napoleone. Yes. How do you feel about ancient Greece? Is this a comfort area for you?

So last time out, Dan, we had you back in 18th century France and Corsica, and we were following the travails of a young man called Napoleone. Yes. How do you feel about ancient Greece? Is this a comfort area for you?

All right, that brings us to the first segment of the podcast. This is the So What Do You Know? This is where I have a go at guessing what you, our lovely listener, might know about today's subject. And Aristotle is one of the most famous Western philosophers of all time. He's one of the most famous names in all of history. Maybe you're picturing a beardy guy in a robe.

All right, that brings us to the first segment of the podcast. This is the So What Do You Know? This is where I have a go at guessing what you, our lovely listener, might know about today's subject. And Aristotle is one of the most famous Western philosophers of all time. He's one of the most famous names in all of history. Maybe you're picturing a beardy guy in a robe.

Maybe he's lecturing a bottle-blonde Alexander the Great because you've seen the movie Alexander where all the Macedonians were Irish for some strange reason. Perhaps you've encountered Aristotelian ethics through the wonderful sitcom The Good Place. You may have seen Aristotelian quotes all over Facebook and Instagram. He's very quotable.

Maybe he's lecturing a bottle-blonde Alexander the Great because you've seen the movie Alexander where all the Macedonians were Irish for some strange reason. Perhaps you've encountered Aristotelian ethics through the wonderful sitcom The Good Place. You may have seen Aristotelian quotes all over Facebook and Instagram. He's very quotable.

But who was this philosopher who changed intellectual life in the West forever? How did he get to be so brainy and so important? And what do you do when a king orders you to tutor his frat boy son? Let's find out. Right, Professor Edith, let's start at the beginning. Where and when was Aristotle born? What was his family situation like?

But who was this philosopher who changed intellectual life in the West forever? How did he get to be so brainy and so important? And what do you do when a king orders you to tutor his frat boy son? Let's find out. Right, Professor Edith, let's start at the beginning. Where and when was Aristotle born? What was his family situation like?

Yeah. And so what is... What does that mean? It actually means victory in battle. Yeah, because Nike is the goddess of victory. That's the one. And Marcus means war? Fight. Fight. Die. So a GP who's actually pretty hardcore.