What did "materialism" actually mean to the ancients, and how does it differ from our modern scientific understanding? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Max Wade (Ph.D., Boston College) to bridge the gap between ancient Greek ontology and modern philosophical debates.
We dive deep into the "weirdness" of ancient thought, exploring why the Stoics believed in physical gods and why the Epicureans were the only true ancient materialists. Dr. Wade challenges the secularized modern reading of Socrates and Plato, revealing how their theories of divine design were actually a reactionary response to pre-Socratic natural philosophy.
In this episode, we discuss: The Miriology of Being: Why the relationship between parts and wholes is the key to unlocking ancient ontology. Active vs. Passive Matter: The crucial distinction that separates Platonists, Aristotelians, and Stoics from the Epicureans. The "Swerve": Why materialism and determinism were considered incompatible in the ancient world. Plato’s Atlantis & Egyptian Wisdom: Why reading Plato literally misses his point about the soul's forgetfulness and eternal truth. Marxism & Hegel: How modern materialism is often a misreading of ancient concepts through a German Idealist lens.
About Our Guest: Dr. Max Wade is a scholar of ancient philosophy whose dissertation focused on Plotinus’ Ontology of Artifacts. Follow his work at maxway.substack.com.
Links and Social Media: twitter: @varnvlog blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social You can find the additional streams on Youtube
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