Civilization #13: Aristotle and the Greek Legacy
Plato and Aristotle are considered the two most influential philosophers of Western antiquity. But there are three central paradoxes surrounding the life and work of Aristotle. He is considered a bril...
8 Apr 54min
Civilization #12: The Tyranny of Alexander the Great
We celebrate Alexander the Great as one of the greatest conquerors of history. What motivated him? Was he truly a strategic genius? What is his ultimate legacy?In this talk to his Chinese high school...
8 Apr 52min
Civilization #11: The Greatness of Philip II of Macedon
In this talk Jiang Xueqin examines how Philip II of Macedon turned his kingdom from a poor and weak nation into the military hegemony that would conquer Persia. In his youth, Philip was a hostage at T...
8 Apr 55min
Civilization #10: The Trial of Socrates and Plato's Allegory of the Cave
In 399 BCE the Athenian people condemned Socrates to drink hemlock. In this lecture to Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin examines the significance and legacy of the trial of Socrates. During...
8 Apr 42min
Civilization #9: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides as Prophets of Democracy
What made Athenian democracy so strong and vibrant? Jiang Xueqin explains that theater taught Athenians how to be democratic citizens. The three major dramatists were Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripid...
8 Apr 55min
Civilization #8: Rat Utopia and the Peloponnesian War
In his book The Peloponnesian War, Thucydides explains that the war started because Sparta saw Athens as a threat to its hegemony. In this talk Jiang Xueqin argues that the American scientist James Ca...
8 Apr 1h 9min
Civilization #7: Homer's Iliad and the Birth of Greek Civilization
The Greeks were humanity's most creative civilization. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are timeless classics, Plato's The Republic continues to inspire, and Thucydides are still read by military officers in...
8 Apr 47min
Civilization #6: Elite Overproduction and the Bronze Age Collapse
In this lecture Jiang Xueqin explores with his Chinese students why the Bronze Age collapsed.In the year 1200 BCE the world was globalized and prosperous. Nations shared people, ideas, and goods. A fe...
8 Apr 53min
