Isocrates, Thucydides, and the Relationship between Rhetoric and Knowledge

Isocrates, Thucydides, and the Relationship between Rhetoric and Knowledge

Author: Political Theory 101 April 15, 2020 Duration: 1:27:20
Edmund and Benjamin explore rhetoric, drawing on a variety of Greek thinkers. The Greek theorists' attitudes to rhetoric stem from their attitudes to knowledge. Is the crowd wise? Can rhetoric share wisdom with the crowd? Or is rhetoric where wisdom comes to die? https://www.patreon.com/politicaltheory101

Ever wondered how the ideas that shape our world actually work? Political Theory 101 digs into the concepts and arguments that form the foundation of our political lives, moving beyond the daily headlines to examine the deeper currents of thought. Each episode takes a single idea-like justice, liberty, or power-and unpacks it, tracing its history and exploring its modern implications. You’ll hear clear explanations of complex philosophers and texts, making centuries of debate accessible and relevant to contemporary issues. This isn't about partisan talking points; it's about understanding the frameworks that different ideologies use to justify their views. The podcast is a resource for anyone looking to build a more informed perspective, whether you're a student, an engaged citizen, or simply curious about why societies are organized the way they are. While the show remains freely available to all listeners, its continued production is supported by a community of patrons. You can find Political Theory 101 across major streaming platforms, ready to add some depth to your playlist and provide a richer vocabulary for understanding the forces that govern us.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 96

Political Theory 101
Podcast Episodes
Kant, Fichte, and the Liberal Origins of Nationalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:48
Edmund and Benjamin discuss Kant's autonomy-heavy moral theory, emphasising Kant's reluctance to apply his moral theory to politics. This, however, did not stop Fichte, who called for a "self-sufficient" German nation-st…
Machiavelli, Smith, and the Separation of Politics and Morality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:10
To escape the subordination of politics to theology under the church, Machiavelli creates a new kind of strictly political normativity, leaving morality behind. We examine why Machiavelli had to do this, and how this lea…
Williams, Rawls, and Legitimation Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:29
In our follow-up to our previous episode on "crisis", Edmund and Benjamin talk about how legitimacy works. They start with the disagreement between Bernard Williams and John Rawls over whether legitimacy is an "internal"…
Gamble, Streeck, and Theories of Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:26
Edmund and Benjamin discuss theories of crisis, comparing Reinhart Koselleck's old-school theory to more recent contributions from Andrew Gamble and Wolfgang Streeck. They also chat about 20th century crises and how our…
Mearsheimer, Wendt, and International Relations Theory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:50
Edmund and Benjamin discuss the four schools of international relations theory--realism, liberalism, Marxism, and constructivism. They consider the influence of materialism and idealism on the schools, along with the rol…
Cicero, Seneca, and the Transition from Republic to Empire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:22
Edmund and Benjamin dig into Roman history, focusing on shifts in the legitimation stories as the republic becomes an empire. They discuss the evolution of the Platonic academy in the Roman period and spend some time wit…
Fanon, Burke, and Theories of Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:41
Edmund and Benjamin compare and contrast Edmund Burke and Frantz Fanon. Both theorists were critical of commercial society, but adopted very different strategies for opposing it based on entirely different theories of ch…
MacKinnon, Rousseau, and the Origins of Inequality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:39
Edmund and Benjamin discuss the many different origin stories of inequality, drawing on Catharine MacKinnon and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Edmund on power: https://edmundjwilson.com/2019/11/01/on-power-tech-the-state-and-cla…