The Presocratics

The Presocratics were 6th and 5th century BCE Greek thinkers who introduced a new way of inquiring into the world and the place of human beings in it. They were recognized in antiquity as the first philosophers and scientists of the Western tradition.  (1)

Aristotle's School at Athens


The Philosophy Department of King's College, London offers a constantly growing collection of audio discussions.  Philosophers discussed include:

  • Thales
    • In this episode, Peter Adamson of King's College London introduces the podcast as a whole, and the thought of the early Greek philosophers called the Presocratics. He also discusses the first Presocratic philosopher, Thales of Miletus. 
  • Anaximander & Anaxamines
    • Peter discusses two very early Greek philosophers, both from Miletus: Anaximander and Anaximines.  
  • Xenophanes
    • Peter talks about the Greek gods in Homer and Hesiod, and the criticism of the poets by the Presocratic philosopher Xenophanes.
  • Pythagoras
    • Peter Adamson of King’s College London discusses the Pre-Socratic philosopher Pythagoras, as well as Pythagoreanism and the role of mathematics in ancient philosophy.
  • McCabe on Heraclitus
    •  Peter's colleague Professor MM McCabe joins him in the first interview of the series of podcasts, to talk about Heraclitus.
  • Heraclitus
    • Additionally, Peter discusses the Pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus, and tries to discover whether it's possible to step into the same river twice.
  • Parmenides
    •  Peter  discusses the "father of metaphysics," Parmenides, and his argument that all being is one
  • Zeno & Melissus
    • The paradoxes of Zeno and the arguments of Melissus develop the ideas of Parmenides and defend his Eleatic monism.
  • the Atomists
    • Peter discusses the Atomists Democritus and Leucippus, and how they were responding to the ideas of Parmenides and his followers.
  • Anaxagoras
    • Peter discusses Anaxagoras, one of the greatest Pre-Socratics, and focuses on his theory of universal mixture ("everything is in everything") and the role played by mind in Anaxagoras' cosmos.
  • Empedocles
    • Peter discusses the Presocratic philosopher Empedocles and his principles: Love, Strife, and the four “roots,” or elements.
  •  Schofield on the Presocratics
    • World-leading expert Malcolm Schofield of Cambridge University speaks to Peter about the development of Presocratic philosophy, from the Milesians to Parmenides and the reactions he provoked.
  • Hippocrates
    • Early Greek medicine up until Hippocrates, and its relation to Pre-Socratic philosophers like Empedocles.
  • The Sophists
    • Peter discusses the sophists, teachers of rhetoric in ancient Athens, looking especially at the contributions of Protagoras and Gorgias.



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