Education · All levels
Follow the logical development of philosophy from Thales to Hegel
A self-paced recorded programme for adults who want to understand classical philosophy through its original problems, arguments and texts.
- 31 recorded lessons
- 6 structured modules
- Primary-text reading guides
- Self-paced study
- 14-day refund policy
Why study the history of philosophy?
Most adults meet philosophy as a list of names, dates and famous quotations. The result is a vague sense that big questions matter, without the tools to follow an argument or explain why one thinker changed the course of the next.
This course takes a different route. It treats the history of philosophy as a connected movement of thought, from the first Greek question about the nature of things to the systematic ambitions of German idealism. Each thinker is studied as a response to a problem left by the previous tradition.
That approach gives you more than a survey. You learn to identify the question behind a doctrine, reconstruct the steps of an argument and see how concepts such as being, knowledge, virtue and freedom acquire new meaning over time.
The programme is recorded and self-paced, so you can work through the modules when your schedule allows. It is designed for readers who want a serious introduction, not a collection of inspirational fragments.
What you will be able to do
By the end of the programme, you will be able to:
- Explain why philosophy has a history
Describe how later thinkers inherit and transform the problems of earlier ones.
- Read primary texts with orientation
Identify the central question, key terms and argumentative moves in a philosophical passage.
- Trace the transition from myth to logos
Explain how the first Greek thinkers framed questions about nature, order and change.
- Compare Plato and Aristotle
Outline their accounts of ideas, form, knowledge and the good life.
- Follow the Hellenistic schools
Distinguish Epicurean, Stoic and sceptical responses to the problem of a good life.
- Understand the medieval synthesis
See how classical philosophy was received and transformed in medieval thought.
- Map the modern turn to the subject
Explain how Descartes, Hume and Kant reframed the problem of knowledge.
- Recognise the movement to Hegel
Describe how dialectic and history became central to classical philosophy's completion.
- 6
- structured modules
- 31
- recorded lessons
- 2
- introductory audio lessons
How the course teaches the history of philosophy
The course follows the logic of historical development rather than a parade of isolated opinions. Each module begins with a problem, shows how a thinker or school answers it, and then identifies the new difficulty that answer creates for the next generation.
You work with short excerpts from primary texts, supported by reading guides that explain unfamiliar terms and point to the structure of the argument. Worksheets help you reconstruct premises, conclusions and objections in your own words.
The opening audio lessons set the method. They explain what distinguishes the history of philosophy from the history of other sciences and examine three false ways of approaching the subject: pragmatic, dogmatic and sceptical. These lessons give you a map for everything that follows.
The programme
Six modules move from the first Greek thinkers to the close of the classical tradition. Each module contains recorded lessons, reading guidance and practice questions.
1Module 1 — The idea of a history of philosophyWhat it means to study philosophy historically, and how to read a primary text.5 lessons
- What it means to study philosophy historically
- The difference between the history of philosophy and the history of other sciences
- Three false approaches: pragmatic, dogmatic and sceptical
- How to read a primary text for its argument
- The logic of development from Thales to Hegel
2Module 2 — The first Greek thinkersThe birth of philosophy in Greece and the first answers to the question of being.5 lessons
- Thales and the question of the arche
- Anaximander and the boundless
- Anaximenes and the transformations of air
- Heraclitus: logos, flux and the unity of opposites
- Parmenides: being and the limits of thought
3Module 3 — Socrates, Plato and the turn to the ideaDefinition, the theory of ideas and the first systematic account of justice.5 lessons
- The Sophists and the problem of relativism
- Socrates: definition, irony and the examined life
- Plato's early dialogues: what is virtue?
- The theory of ideas and the allegory of the cave
- Plato's Republic: justice in the soul and the city
4Module 4 — Aristotle and the classical systemLogic, causation, ethics and the organisation of philosophical knowledge.5 lessons
- Categories and the structure of reality
- The four causes
- Form and matter, potential and actual
- The syllogism and scientific demonstration
- Ethics: virtue as a mean
5Module 5 — Hellenistic schools and the medieval bridgeEpicurean, Stoic and sceptical paths, and the reception of classical thought in medieval philosophy.5 lessons
- Epicurus: pleasure, friendship and the fear of death
- Stoicism: nature, duty and the control of judgment
- Scepticism: suspension of judgment and tranquillity
- Neoplatonism: the One and the ascent of the soul
- Augustine and Aquinas: faith and reason in the history of philosophy
6Module 6 — Modern philosophy and the movement to HegelThe turn to the subject, the limits of experience and the dialectical completion of classical philosophy.6 lessons
- Descartes: doubt, the cogito and clear ideas
- Spinoza: substance, necessity and freedom
- Leibniz: monads and the best of all possible worlds
- Locke, Berkeley and Hume: experience and its limits
- Kant: the Copernican turn and the limits of reason
- Hegel: dialectic, history and the end of the classical journey
What you get
- 31 recorded lessons
Video and audio lessons across six modules.
- Six structured modules
A clear sequence from the first Greek thinkers to Hegel.
- Primary-text reading guides
Short excerpts with explanations of key terms and arguments.
- Argument-reconstruction worksheets
Practice turning a passage into premises, conclusions and objections.
- Self-check questions
Questions after each lesson to test your understanding.
- Two introductory audio lessons
A method-focused start on what the history of philosophy is.
- A final integration guide
A summary map of the whole journey from Thales to Hegel.
- Ongoing access
Study at your own pace, with a 14-day refund policy.
How the course works
The programme is fully recorded and self-paced. There are no live sessions, no fixed timetable and no need to be online at a particular time. You move through the modules in order or return to individual lessons when a question becomes relevant to your own reading.
Each lesson combines spoken explanation with written material. Reading guides introduce the primary text, worksheets give you a place to reconstruct the argument, and self-check questions help you notice what you have understood and what needs another pass.
After payment you receive access to the course area. The material stays available, so you can revisit lessons, worksheets and reading guides whenever you need them. The course is designed for steady study rather than a single sitting.
Is this course for you?
This course is for you if…
- Adults who want a serious introduction to the history of philosophy.
- Readers who have tried primary texts and want help following the argument.
- Professionals and students who want to think more clearly about concepts and evidence.
- Anyone curious about the passage from the first Greek thinkers to Hegel.
- People who prefer a structured, self-paced programme to scattered lectures.
Probably not a fit if…
- Readers looking for a short collection of inspirational quotations.
- Anyone who wants live discussion groups or one-to-one tuition.
- People seeking therapy, religious instruction or a quick life fix.
- Students who need a formal qualification rather than a study programme.
- Those who prefer summaries over reading short primary-text excerpts.
After the course
You will have a working map of classical philosophy. You will be able to place a thinker in the sequence of problems and responses, explain what changed at each major turn and use the vocabulary of the tradition with more precision.
You will also have practiced a method you can carry into further reading. When you open a philosophical text, you will know how to look for the question, the key distinction, the argument and the objection that keeps the conversation moving.
The aim is not to memorise a catalogue of opinions. It is to develop a more disciplined way of thinking about being, knowledge, ethics and history, and to understand why the journey from Thales to Hegel still shapes how these questions are asked.
Questions before you start
How much time should I plan per week?
Most learners set aside two to four hours a week. The course is self-paced, so you can spread the six modules over six to eight weeks or take longer if you want to read the primary-text excerpts closely.
Do I need prior knowledge of philosophy?
No. The programme begins with the method and the first Greek thinkers. Reading guides explain unfamiliar terms, and the lessons assume no previous coursework in philosophy.
How do I get access after payment?
After payment you receive access to the course area, where all recorded lessons, reading guides and worksheets are available. There are no live sessions to schedule.
What is the refund policy?
You can request a refund within 14 days of purchase if the course is not right for you. The refund policy applies to the full course.
What format are the lessons in?
Lessons are recorded video and audio with written reading guides, worksheets and self-check questions. You can pause, repeat and return to any lesson.
Does the material stay available?
Yes. Your access does not expire, so you can revisit the lessons and materials after you finish the programme.
Do I need to read ancient Greek?
No. The course uses primary texts in translation and provides guidance on the key terms and the structure of each passage.
Is this a religious or therapeutic course?
No. It is a history of classical philosophy. It does not offer therapy, religious instruction or personal coaching.
Can I start at any time?
Yes. The course is self-paced and has no fixed start date. You can begin as soon as you have access.
Begin the journey from Thales to Hegel
A structured, self-paced way to read the classical tradition and learn how its arguments fit together.