ARTIDOTE

Dr. John Sellars is a lecturer in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, and is a leading expert in ancient philosophy, with a particular focus on Stoicism. In this interview, we'll be delving into the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, discussing its relevance to modern life, and exploring how we can apply its teachings to our daily lives. We'll also be discussing Sellar

Ruth Millington’s wonderful book uncovers the hidden figures behind art history’s masterpieces. We tend to forget that each great artist, whether from the past or present, has their own unique muse who inspires them, gives them energy and influences their creativity. For Picasso it was Dora Maar; for Rodin it was Camille Claudel; for Frida Kahlo it was her illness. Those muses

In this episode, Adriana Barton - a journalist and former staff reporter at Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail - tells Vashik Armenikus how we can get reconnected with the healing powers of music.  She tells us about the power of music by combining medical studies, discoveries by pioneering neuroscientists, and research from biology and anthropology. She also tell

In this episode Vashik Armenikus sits down with philosopher David Fideler, who wrote a brilliant book called Breakfast with Seneca. Seneca was a stoic philosopher who is widely recognised as the most humane writer of the Stoic tradition. He teaches us to live with freedom and purpose. In Breakfast with Seneca , David Fideler explores Seneca’s ideas in a series of focused cha

Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet whose wisdom continues to echo and inspire souls around the world.  Every person who has read at least a single line written by Rumi knows that his verse can heal one's heart.  We wouldn't have known about Rumi and these mystical powers if not for talented translators like Haleh Liza Gafori. Her recent beautiful translation of Rumi's p

How to lead a meaningful life?  How can we lead a good life and enjoy happiness in a world without a providential God? "In Think Least of Death, Pulitzer Prize–finalist Steven Nadler connects Spinoza’s ideas with his life and times to offer a compelling account of how the philosopher can provide a guide to living one’s best life." All the show notes  👉 https://a

Stalin was an avid and voracious reader. In his recent book, Professor Geoffrey Roberts tells us about the life of Joseph Stalin through the books that the dictator read, collected, annotated, and banned.This book draws an extraordinary vivid portrait of Stalin as an intellectual who could never satiate his curiosity; who ardently believed in ideas; and who believed in mysterious p

This episode’s guest is Rachel Corbett, the author of a brilliant book called You Must Change Your Life, which tells the story of the brief and intense relationship between renowned sculptor Auguste Rodin and the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. In 1902, Rainer Maria Rilke was a delicate young visitor from Prague in Paris, he was broke and suffering from writer’s block. He was commissi

Exercise is our modern obsession. The way we choose to exercise can tell us so much about our culture, our ambition or our mindset. Ancient Greeks, for example, used to discuss philosophy at their gyms and believed that the intelligence of the mind needs to be in equilibrium with the fitness of the body. In this wonderful book, ‘Sweat: A History of Exercise’, Bill Hayes explore

In our age of immediacy John Ruskin’s ideas remain important more than ever. He can teach us how to see beauty, how to gain control over attention span and how to genuinely care about nature. He was a visionary who predicted many of the challenges we are facing today, such as climate change and culture of distraction. Through his writings we can learn how to become better and liv