Aristotle (audio - various)

TTC The Teaching Company

Course number 408 'Ethics of Aristotle'

Father Joseph Kotershi

This is a fine introduction to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics in several short but detailed lectures, each reviewing one chapter of the Ethics, with a solid introduction at the beginning. This is an excellent standard of dry American scholarship offered by The Teaching Company - always supplying good quality learning materials. Check out their website for more details.

Download audio TTC 'Ethics of Aristotle'

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'Giants of Philosophy - Aristotle' -narrated by Charlton Heston (!)

A Knowledge Products release, their slogan being "Our country's most well-known personalities narrate the history of our civilization" This is actually a really nicely prepared audiobook with some fine details of Aristotle's life, comprehensively compiled without sensation nor ambiguity. Not the greatest fan of Heston, I was a little apprehensive but I have to admit it's great listening, he has (had) a fine speaking voice.

Download audio 'Giants of Philosophy - Aristotle'

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Paul Strathern's concise introduction to Aristotle

Download audio 'Paul Strathern - Aristotle in 90 minutes'

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The Modern Scholar: Ethics (Aristotle chapter (6) only)

Professor Peter Kreeft gives a fine basic overview of The Nicomachean Ethics in this 35 minute lecture. Not detailed but really worth a listen.

Download 'The Modern Scholar: Ethics'

Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (audio)

Written by Edward Craig, read by Maurice west.

I've not read many of the 'A Very Short Introduction' books, but they seem really very good and generally comprehensive at the same time as vividly detailed, imaginative and generally a good read. It's certainly the case for this one.

As I've not completed the book this will not serve as a review, that will be to follow. I have uploaded the book for you to check out and feel free to write a comment about it on this post or anywhere else.

Download the audiobook 'Philosophy - A Very Short Introduction'.

Plato - The Trial & Death of Socrates (audio)

[comment pending]

for now:

Download audiobook - 'Plato - The Trial and Death of Socrates'

Plato - The Republic (audio)

Here is an audiobook of Plato's famous Republic. Allegedly this is the earliest major utopia to be composed and has ever since inspired awe and controversy. Though there is so much which can be criticised, an understanding of life and politics of Plato's time especially as a young man, in addition to his personal experiences allows for deeper understanding of the arguments within this classical text. Although he actually contradicts himself on occasion and sometimes offers some pretty shallow discourse, He so impressively captured some aspects of human nature and behaviour which are still applicable today.

Download audiobook 'Plato - The Republic' in one single mp3 (iPod ready) or in multiple mp3 tracks with pdf CD booklet.

EDIT:

You can also download a podcast of Plato's Republic through iTunes at learnoutloud.com.

With audiobooks the preference can be in the reader's voice.

A History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell (audio)

Such is the influence of this book, very little need be said about it and surely it's been reviewed to death. However for those unfamiliar with it, the book represents an invaluable resource which offers a thorough and formidable overview of, as is suggested by the title, western philosophy.

The benefit of an audio version of this weighty tome is indeed just for that reason - this is no simple introduction but a fairly academic treatise upon a large number of subjects. Indeed it takes longer to work through the book when it is read to you, however with audio you can listen anywhere (if you have a portable device) and perhaps retention may be more assured. Of course to get a printed version is advised. Furthermore using them both at the same time may prove efficacious. 

The book begins with a very brief description of the science, politics, commerce, society, geography, theology, language, art, military, agrarian and judicial history of the famed Aegean Sea region which preceded and originated such thinkers as are familiar to us as the fathers of philosophy. Of course this account centers around the Ancient Greek world including the islands and city states, but also touches momentarily on earlier civilisations such as Egyptian, Babylonian, Minoan, Phonecian, Mycenaean and so on, and mentions invasions, wars and occupations which are known or conjectured to be contributory to the formation of the Classical Greece period which predates the Hellenistic era. This is a wonderful approach as it gives greater insight into visualising a context for the information contained in the later chapters.

Bertrand Russell is a strange character and indeed his influence on academic theory in English cannot be overstated. It has been noted in satirical attacks on him that as a philosopher he is somewhat anomalous since he seems to be devoid of any philosophy to speak of. If this is the case it doesn't detract from his ability to possess a profound understanding of the classical world and at least from a scholarly perspective, what amounts to mastery of his chosen fields in science and mathematics. It would appear that he was versed in Greek and Latin and of course as an aristocrat would have been in receipt of a particular type of education reserved for the elite class to which he belonged. That he used this privilege to elevate the learning of those who were bereft of such an advanced indoctrination is certainly generous, and there are works of his which are fairly candid and explicit in the separation of knowledge between the classes and the scientific techniques used in order to maintain that separation. Despite this he is indeed most known as a kind of rebel and a 'liberal', indeed he is most famous as an aristocratic peace activist. Anyway, the less said about that delineation here the better. This book is great as it is rich and complex, Russell's token humour permeates throughout and he wastes no time exposing erroneous logic in famous arguments (which is useful for those a reader fails to notice) and indeed equally giving credit where credit is due. Of course as a consequence of his personal beliefs and conditioning Russell does not come without prejudices which occasionally crop up in the text. These are only natural for a figure of such conviction and his mild arrogance typical of his class serve to give character to the story throughout.

Download audiobook 'A History of Western Philosophy' by Bertrand Russell