Video And Podcast Resources On Cicero's On The Ends
explorations and explanations of ancient schools of ethics
When I teach Introduction to Philosophy or Ethics courses to undergraduate students, I like to adopt a historically-focused and ordered approach. When it comes to the ancient philosophy portion, that means not only having them read and learn about selected texts from Plato and Aristotle, but also texts from two other majorly important schools, the Epicureans and the Stoics.
In the last five or so years, one main work I have used to introduce my students to these two schools and their ideas is Cicero’s On Ends (AKA On The Ends, On Moral Ends, or by its Latin original title, De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum). It is a long work, divided into five books, only two of which I have my student read, but all of which are valuable.
In books 1 and 3, Cicero has a character who belongs to the school in question present what he takes to be the key teachings of the school. Torquatus represents the Epicureans, and Cato the Younger represents the Stoics. In books 2 and 4, Cicero goes on to present his own criticisms of those schools’ positions, and in book 5, he considers a position that combines aspects of Platonism and Aristotelianism.
Since I generally only teach books 1 and 3, at this point in time I have produced lecture videos and podcast episodes on just those two books as resources for my students.
On The Ends book 1
Epicureans on Pleasure as the Basis | watch video | listen to podcast
Pleasure, Pain, and Moral Virtue | watch video | listen to podcast
Pleasure and Removal of Pain | watch video | listen to podcast
Mental and Bodily Pleasures | watch video | listen to podcast
Wisdom, Desires, and Pleasures | watch video | listen to podcast
Temperance, Desires, and Pleasures | watch video | listen to podcast
Courage, Desires, and Pleasures | watch video | listen to podcast
Justice, Desires, and Pleasures | watch video | listen to podcast
Epicurean Friendship | watch video | listen to podcast
On The Ends, Book 3
Primary Impulses of Human Nature | watch video | listen to podcast
What Is In Accordance With Nature | watch video | listen to podcast
Virtue as the Good | watch video | listen to podcast
Virtue and Preferred Indifferents | watch video | listen to podcast
Indifferents Preferred, Rejected, and Neutral | watch video | listen to podcast
Appropriate Acts or Duties (Officia) | watch video | listen to podcast
Wisdom and Other Arts | watch video | listen to podcast
I’m hoping in the near future to produce significantly more of both types of resources, eventually covering all the key ideas from the entire work. For now, though, I only have the 16 videos and 16 corresponding downloadable podcast episodes available.