Video And Podcast Resources on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics books 8-9
18 lecture videos and 18 podcast episodes to help learners understand the two books of the work focused on friendship
One of the portions of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics I’ve found that both traditional academic students and lifelong learners seem most interested in and by are the two books, numbers 8 and 9, which center around the broad topic of friendship. The Greek term Aristotle uses is philia, and it covers a wide range of relationships extending a bit beyond what we typically confine “friendship” to. I’ve been teaching these two books since my first ethics classes 25 years ago, not least since they include some very insightful analyses, distinctions, and arguments that remain highly relevant today.
Some time back, I created core concept videos discussing in depth every idea, distinction, and argument from all ten books of the Nicomachean Ethics. I also created corresponding Sadler’s Lectures podcast episodes from those videos. Many people have found them to be useful resources for fostering and furthering their own understanding of this classic text.
The 18 lecture videos and 18 corresponding podcast episodes linked to below lead you through all of the key topics of Aristotle’s treatment of friendship and other relationships worked out in books 8 and 9. If you’d like to study Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, whether for the very first time as a beginner, or going back to it to deepen your understanding, these lecture videos and podcast episodes might prove useful for you.
Book 8
What Is Friendship? | watch video | listen to podcast
Three Kinds Of Friendship | watch video | listen to podcast
Friendship Based On Utility | watch video | listen to podcast
Friendship Based On Pleasure | watch video | listen to podcast
Friendship Based On Virtue | watch video | listen to podcast
Unequal Friendships | watch video | listen to podcast
Can A Person Have Many Friends? | watch video | listen to podcast
Can Bad People Be Friends? | watch video | listen to podcast
Breakdowns and Disagreements In Friendships | watch video | listen to podcast
Political Regimes And The Household | watch video | listen to podcast
Affection Within The Family | watch video | listen to podcast
Book 9
Demands Of Multiple Friendships | watch video | listen to podcast
Can One Be Friends With Oneself? | watch video | listen to podcast
Friendship When Friends Change | watch video | listen to podcast
Friendship, Prosperity, And Hardship | watch video | listen to podcast
Self-Love And Love Of Friends | watch video | listen to podcast
Trading, Gifts, Exchange, And Friendship | watch video | listen to podcast
Good Will And Concord | watch video | listen to podcast
At this point, I have now published three of these resource pages with links to videos and podcast episodes on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. Down the line I’ll be publishing one more page of links, on books 6, 7, and 10 to finish the set.