The Mathematicians Podcast

Episode 42 - Boethius - A Fork in the Road


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The Romans are here, in ROME! Discover the dramatic rise and fall of the Roman Empire, its lasting global impact, and the fascinating (and sometimes contentious) question of who inherited its crown. Then, meet Boethius, the last classical scholar, whose time on death row led to The Consolation of Philosophy. This episode unpacks his brilliant philosophy of causation, free will, and how god knows the future without pre-determining our choices. We'll explore Aristotle's Sea Battle paradox, Boethius's own #LogicalInnovations (like De hypotheticis syllogismis), and his monumental effort to translate Greek mathematics and #Philosophy, shaping the entire medieval intellectual landscape. Get ready for #AncientHistory, deep #PhilosophyPodcast, and the "sneaky maths" that saved #WesternThought! Keywords: #Boethius #ConsolationOfPhilosophy #RomanEmpire #LateAntiquity #MedievalPhilosophy #TemporalLogic #FreeWill #Causation #Providence #Fate #Quadrivium #HistoryOfMaths #HistoryPodcast

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The Mathematicians PodcastBy Ben Cornish