Greg Jenner
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
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?
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?
What do you think he does with his time, you know, 13, 14? Was there any sports at the time? Oh, yeah.
What do you think he does with his time, you know, 13, 14? Was there any sports at the time? Oh, yeah.
He's absolutely excelling everywhere. And so his brother-in-law and his sister spot the talent and go, this kid needs proper training, right? Absolutely.
He's absolutely excelling everywhere. And so his brother-in-law and his sister spot the talent and go, this kid needs proper training, right? Absolutely.
So Aristotle rocks up to Plato's Academy. He's going to learn from this superstar philosopher. And Plato had been taught by Socrates.
So Aristotle rocks up to Plato's Academy. He's going to learn from this superstar philosopher. And Plato had been taught by Socrates.
And he studies a variety of things at the academy, right? So it's not just philosophy, it's astronomy, natural science. Well, he studies lots of things that Plato really wouldn't have approved of.
And he studies a variety of things at the academy, right? So it's not just philosophy, it's astronomy, natural science. Well, he studies lots of things that Plato really wouldn't have approved of.
So he writes about lyric poetry. He writes about drama. He writes about epic, which I guess is the Iliad, the Odyssey. He writes about comedy, but we don't have it. Which is devastating to me because you and I both love comedy. We don't have his book on comedy.
So he writes about lyric poetry. He writes about drama. He writes about epic, which I guess is the Iliad, the Odyssey. He writes about comedy, but we don't have it. Which is devastating to me because you and I both love comedy. We don't have his book on comedy.
I think he thought he was an appropriate wit. In 348, a big thing happens to him. The death of Plato, 348 BCE. His tutor, his great intellectual figurehead dies. And again, the idyllic life comes crashing down around him. And you might assume that he gets the gig, teaching at the academy, takes over running the school.
I think he thought he was an appropriate wit. In 348, a big thing happens to him. The death of Plato, 348 BCE. His tutor, his great intellectual figurehead dies. And again, the idyllic life comes crashing down around him. And you might assume that he gets the gig, teaching at the academy, takes over running the school.