Best Quixotic Tom Podcasts (2025)

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HoP 479 Gideon Manning on Cartesian Medicine 33:57

Play Pause

4d ago33:57

33:57

An interview exploring Descartes' interest in medicine, how his medical ideas relate to his dualism, and his influence on medical science.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 478 This Gland Is Your Gland: Cartesian Science 24:16

18d ago24:16

24:16

From comets to blood transfusions, embryology, and the debate over the pineal gland: Descartes’ impact on science, especially medicine.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 477 The Mind Has No Sex: Cartesianism and Gender 20:44

1M ago20:44

20:44

Why Cartesianism appealed to women and became the inspiration for a pioneering feminist, Poullain de la Barre; and why Cartesianism was not the only option for women philosophers of the age.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 476 What He Should Have Said: the Early Cartesians 26:07

2M ago26:07

26:07

Early Cartesians including Cordemoy and de La Forge develop but also challenge Descartes’ ideas, defending atomism and occasionalism.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 475 Ariane Schneck on Elisabeth and Descartes 34:33

2M ago34:33

34:33

We finish our look at Elisabeth of Bohemia and Descartes by talking to Ariane Schneck about their correspondence, focusing on the mind-body problem and the passions.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 474 States of the Union: Descartes on the Passions 19:20

4M ago19:20

19:20

What do emotions reveal about the connection between mind and body? We turn to Descartes’ correspondence with Elisabeth and his On the Passions to find out.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 473 As Rational As You: Elisabeth of Bohemia 21:44

4M ago21:44

21:44

A royal scholar and philosopher sets aside the tribulations of her family to debate Descartes over the relation between mind and body and the nature of happiness.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 472 Less Cheer, More Knowledge: Descartes’ Ethics 20:31

5M ago20:31

20:31

Descartes’ “provisional” morality and his views on free will and virtue.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 471 Unclear and Indistinct Ideas: Debating the Meditations 21:51

5M ago21:51

21:51

Descartes’ Meditations caused controversy as soon as it appeared. In this episode we look at criticisms including the “Cartesian Circle,” and how Descartes answered them.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 470 Gary Hatfield on Descartes' Meditations 36:09

6M ago36:09

36:09

We're joined in this episode by a leading expert on one of the most famous works of philosophy ever written: Descartes' Meditations.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 469 Ghost in the Machine: Cartesian Dualism 24:30

6M ago24:30

24:30

The word “Cartesian” is synonymous with a radical contrast between mind and body. What led Descartes to his dualism, and how can he explain vital activities in humans and animals having rejected the Aristotelian theory of soul?By Peter Adamson

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HoP 468 Perchance to Dream: Descartes’ Skeptical Method 29:29

6M ago29:29

29:29

How Descartes fashioned a “method” to repel even the strongest and most radical forms of doubt, with the cogito argument as its foundation.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 467 Written in Mathematics: Descartes’ Physics 27:32

7M ago27:32

27:32

For Descartes body is purely geometrical. So how does he understand features we can perceive, like color, and causation between bodies?By Peter Adamson

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HoP 466 Well Hidden: Descartes’ Life and Works 20:13

7M ago20:13

20:13

How René Descartes’ understanding of his own intellectual project evolved across his lifetime.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 465 Modern Times: France and the Netherlands in the 17th Century 27:02

8M ago27:02

27:02

A look at the political and religious ferment that made up the historical context of philosophy in 17th century France and the Netherlands.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 464 Howard Hotson on the Republic of Letters 42:13

8M ago42:13

42:13

In this interview we learn more about the Republic of Letters: its importance for the history of ideas, it geographic breadth, who was involved, and the contributions of figures including Leibniz and Hartlib.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 463 Doctors without Borders: the Republic of Letters 23:36

9M ago23:36

23:36

How scholars around Europe created an international network of intellectual exchange. As examples we consider the activities of Mersenne, Peiresc, Leibniz, Calvet, and Hartlib.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 462 Freedom to Philosophize: Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy 36:34

9M ago36:34

36:34

What is Enlightenment, anyway?By Peter Adamson

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HoP 461 - Eileen Reeves on Galileo and the Telescope 43:04

10M ago43:04

43:04

We finish our look at philosophy in the Reformation era with an interview about Galileo's use of a revolutionary technology: the telescope.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 460 - Trial and Error - Galileo and the Inquisition 18:59

10M ago18:59

18:59

The philosophical issues at the heart of the notorious condemnation of Galileo and Copernican astronomy.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 459 - Cardinal Rule - Robert Bellarmine 19:36

11M ago19:36

19:36

Though most famous for his role in persecuting Galileo, Robert Bellarmine was a central figure of the Counter-Reformation, especially in his political thought.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 458 - Outsider Philosophy - The Cheese and the Worms 22:15

11M ago22:15

22:15

Carlo Ginzburg’s innovative historical study The Cheese and the Worms looks at the ideas of an obscure 16th century miller, suggesting how popular culture might be integrated into the history of philosophy.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 457 - Take Your Medicine - Oliva Sabuco and Camilla Erculiani 19:53

12M ago19:53

19:53

Natural philosophy and medicine in the work of two unorthodox thinkers of the late sixteenth century, both of them women.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 456 - Touch Me With Your Madness - Cervantes’ Don Quixote 25:39

12M ago25:39

25:39

Why do critics consider Don Quixote the first “modern” novel, and what does it tell us about the aesthetics of fiction?By Peter Adamson

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HoP 455 - Tom Pink on Francisco Suárez 35:26

1y ago35:26

35:26

We're joined by Tom Pink, who tells us about Suárez on ethics, law, religion, and the state.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 454 - By Appointment Only - Political Philosophy in the Second Scholastic 16:58

1y ago16:58

16:58

Suárez and other Iberian scholastics ask where political power comes from and under what circumstances it is exercised legitimately.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 453 - The Price is Right - Law and Economics in the Second Scholastic 17:50

1y ago17:50

17:50

Vitoria, Molina, Suárez and others develop the idea of natural law, exploring its relevance for topics including international law, slavery, and the ethics of economic exchange.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 452 - Better Than Nothing - Metaphysics in the Second Scholastic 18:06

1y ago18:06

18:06

Did the metaphysics of Francisco Suárez mark a shift from traditional scholasticism to early modern philosophy?By Peter Adamson

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HoP 451 - Could’ve, Would’ve, Should’ve - Free Will in the Second Scholastic 20:44

1y ago20:44

20:44

What was Luis de Molina trying to say about human free will with his doctrine of “middle knowledge,” and why did it provoke such controversy?By Peter Adamson

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HoP 450 - Depicting What Cannot Be Depicted - Philosophy and Two Renaissance Artworks 25:11

1+ y ago25:11

25:11

To celebrate reaching 450 episodes, Peter looks at the philosophical resonance of two famous artworks from the turn of the 16th century: Dürer’s Self-Portrait and Michelangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 449 - Anna Tropia on Jesuit Philosophy 34:31

1+ y ago34:31

34:31

We learn from Anna Tropia how Jesuit philosophy of mind broke new ground in the scholastic tradition.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 448 - Secondary Schools - Iberian Scholasticism 20:01

1+ y ago20:01

20:01

The “School of Salamanca,” founded by Francisco Vitoria, and the commentators of Coimbra are at the center of a movement sometimes called the “Second Scholastic.”By Peter Adamson

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HoP 447 - Andrés Messmer on Spanish Protestantism 29:04

1+ y ago29:04

29:04

Yes, there were Spanish Protestants! Andrew (Andrés) Messmer joins us to explain how they drew on humanism and philosophy to argue for their religious agenda.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 446 - Not Doubting Thomas - the Aquinas Revival 25:20

1+ y ago25:20

25:20

Cajetan, Bañez and other thinkers make Aquinas a central figure of Counter-Reformation thought; we focus on their theories about analogy and the soul.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 445 - Band of Brothers - the Jesuits 22:21

1+ y ago22:21

22:21

Ignatius of Loyola’s movement begins modestly, but winds up having a global impact on education and philosophy.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 444 - The Dark Night Rises - Spanish Mysticism 23:13

1+ y ago23:13

23:13

Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross push the boundaries of individual spirituality and offer philosophically informed accounts of mystical experience.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 443 - Marketplace of Letters - Iberian Humanism 21:47

1+ y ago21:47

21:47

Fray Luis de Leon, Antonio Nebrija, Beatriz Galindo and other scholars bring the Renaissance to Spain.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 442 - Scott Williams on Disability and the New World 43:27

1+ y ago43:27

43:27

In this interview we learn about the main issues in modern-day philosophy of disability, and the relevance of this topic for the European encounter with the Americas.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 441 - Lambs to the Slaughter - Debating the New World 20:54

1+ y ago20:54

20:54

Bartholomé De las Casas argues against opponents, like Sepúlveda, who believed that Europeans had a legal and moral right to rule over and exploit the indigenous peoples of the Americas.By Peter Adamson

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The New Eon - A Chat with Tim Benson 1:19:50

1+ y ago1:19:50

1:19:50

In this initial interview with musician, author and old friend, Tim Benson, we review some of the main themes of his new book, "The New Eon", which, building on the work of David Hawkins, advances that we are on the cusp of a historically unprecedented time. Check out Tim's site here:https://theneweon.org/what-is-an-eon-...His work is also availabl…

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HoP 440 - Longitudinal Studies - Exploration and Science 17:31

1+ y ago17:31

17:31

Iberian expeditions to the Americas inspire scientists, and Matteo Ricci’s religious mission to Asia becomes an encounter between European and Chinese philosophy.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 439 - Cancel Culture - The Inquisition 24:07

1+ y ago24:07

24:07

How religious persecution and censorship shaped the context of philosophy in Catholic Europe in the sixteenth century.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 438 - Don't Give Up Pope - Catholic Reformation 18:26

2y ago18:26

18:26

How the Counter-Reformation or Catholic Reformation created a context for philosophy among Catholics, especially in Spain, Portugal, and Italy.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 437 - Jennifer Rampling on Renaissance Alchemy 34:59

2y ago34:59

34:59

An expert on Renaissance alchemy tells us how this art related to philosophy at the time... and how she has tried to reproduce its results!By Peter Adamson

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HoP 436 - Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores - Robert Fludd 19:29

2y ago19:29

19:29

Our last figure of the English Renaissance undertakes daring investigations of chemistry, medicine, agriculture, and cosmology – and gets accused of magic and Rosicrucianism.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 435 - Metal More Attractive - William Gilbert and Magnetism 17:54

2y ago17:54

17:54

The cosmological and methodological implications of breakthroughs in the understanding of magnetism and electricity at the turn of the 17th century.By Peter Adamson

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The End of Thinking - A Chat with James Tunney 1:10:00

2y ago1:10:00

1:10:00

In a conversation that in some way draws many of our previously discussed themes to a point, James Tunney and I consider the manner in which contemporary modes of culture and technology are driving us not merely to a diminuition of thinking, but, perhaps even its loss altogether.Please check out James' work here:https://www.jamestunney.com/…

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HoP 434 - The Eye Sees Not Itself But By Reflection - Theories of Vision 20:00

2y ago20:00

20:00

Changing ideas about eyesight, light, mirror images, and refraction – and the skeptical worries they may have inspired.By Peter Adamson

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HoP 433 - Nature’s Mystery - Science in Renaissance England 19:58

2y ago19:58

19:58

How scientists of the Elizabethan age anticipated the discoveries and methods of the Enlightenment (without necessarily publishing them).By Peter Adamson

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HoP 432 - If This Be Magic, Let It Be an Art - John Dee 21:52

2y ago21:52

21:52

Science, intrigue, exploration, angelic seances! It's the life and thought of Elizabethan mathematician and magician John Dee.By Peter Adamson