Christine de Pizan: Europe’s First Professional Woman of Letters
In this episode, we explore the remarkable life of Christine de Pizan (1364–c. 1430), an Italian-born writer who defied medieval conventions to become the first professional woman of letters in Europe...
1 Feb 31min
Hildegard of Bingen: The Sibyl of the Rhine
In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Hildegard of Bingen (c. 1098–1179), a German Benedictine abbess who stands as one of the most significant figures of the High Middle Age...
1 Feb 37min
Boethius: The Last Roman, The Wheel of Fortune, and The Consolation of Philosophy
In this episode of pplpod, we explore the tragic life and enduring intellect of Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, the 6th-century statesman and philosopher often described as the "Last of the Romans...
1 Feb 39min
Augustine of Hippo: Sinner, Saint, and Architect of the West
In this episode of pplpod, we delve into the life of Aurelius Augustinus, known to history as Augustine of Hippo—a figure whose writings defined the course of Western Christianity and philosophy. Born...
1 Feb 35min
René Descartes: The Soldier Who Dreamt Up Modern Philosophy
In this episode of pplpod, we dissect the life and legacy of René Descartes (1596–1650), the French polymath widely celebrated as the father of modern philosophy and science,. From his early days as a...
1 Feb 33min
Baruch Spinoza: The Renegade Who Gave Us Modernity
In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Baruch Spinoza, a pivotal 17th-century thinker who was permanently expelled from the Amsterdam Jewish community in 1656 for his "abominable heresies"...
1 Feb 32min
Francis Bacon: The Father of Empiricism, The Corrupt Chancellor, and the Frozen Chicken
In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the complex life of Francis Bacon (1561–1626), the English philosopher and statesman who Thomas Jefferson counted among the "three greatest men that have ever l...
1 Feb 35min
Jonathan Swift: The Dean of Satire, “Gulliver,” and the Irish Patriot
In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Jonathan Swift, the Anglo-Irish cleric and author regarded as the greatest satirist of the Georgian era. We examine his trademark "Swiftian" irony fou...
1 Feb 28min
