Learn with Leshley

Lyon Leshley · leshley.ca

In this series of lectures, Lyon will guide listeners on a journey of discovery through critical thinking, culture, history, language, math, and science. From the intricacies of ancient Greek philosophy to the latest breakthroughs in modern science, these lectures will provide a comprehensive education that will challenge listeners’ perspectives and inspire new insights.

139 episodes

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Episodes 138

Kanada and the Vaisesika System
24d ago · 19:43
What if I told you one of ancient India’s greatest thinkers was literally nicknamed “the atom-eater”? Kaṇāda — founder of the Vaiśeṣika school — built a systematic, almost scientific account of reality starting from indivisible particles (paramāṇu) centuries before modern chemistry. But he didn’t stop at physics. He mapped all of existence into six categories, argued that understanding reality’s true structure is the path to liberation (mokṣa), and integrated moral law into the very fabric of atomic combination. Greek atomism gave us Democritus and randomness. Kaṇāda gave us atoms and purpose.
Jaimini and the Mimamsa-Sutra: The Philosophy of Sacred Action
26d ago · 33:57
Most philosophy curriculums stop at Plato and Kant, leaving out one of the most rigorous, sophisticated, and world-altering traditions in human history. Today, we step into the world of Jaimini, an ancient Indian philosopher (4th–2nd century BCE) who asked a question so precise it launched a debate still raging today: What does it mean to act rightly—and how could we ever truly know? In this lecture, we explore Jaimini’s Pūrva-Mīmāṃsā school and his groundbreaking text, the Mīmāṃsā-Sūtra. We’ll uncover: • Why Jaimini argued that the Vedas are eternal and authorless (Apauruṣeya). • How he devel
Patanjali and the Yoga-Sutra
29d ago · 29:41
In this lecture, we explore Patañjali’s Yoga-Sūtra — one of the most rigorous philosophies of mind ever produced in the ancient world. What you’ll discover: • Why modern yoga bears almost no resemblance to what Patañjali actually wrote • The shocking truth: only 3 out of 196 aphorisms address physical postures • The core formula: citta-vṛtti-nirodha — yoga as cessation, not exercise • The Sāṃkhya dualism beneath everything: puruṣa (consciousness) vs. prakṛti (matter) • How liberation (kaivalya) means standing alone — not union, not bliss • One person or two? The scholarly puzzle behind the nam
Guatama: Founder of Nyaya- India's Science of Logic and Reasoning.
1mo ago · 34:53
How do you know what you know? Not what you believe, but what you actually know with confidence. In this lecture, we explore the life and work of Akṣapāda Gautama, the founder of the Nyāya school—one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy and ancient India’s most sophisticated system of logic. 📚 In this video, we cover: • Historical context: When and where Gautama lived • The Nyāya Sūtras: Structure and significance • The Four Pramāṇas: Valid means of knowledge (Perception, Inference, Comparison, Testimony) • The Five-Member Inference (Pañcāvayava): India’s answer to the syllogism •
Badarayana's Vedanta Sutra
1mo ago · 17:44
You’ve heard of Plato, Confucius, and Kant. But what about Bādarāyaṇa? He wrote one of the most influential texts in human history—the Vedānta-Sūtra—yet historians know almost nothing about his life. Did he even exist as a single person? Or is “Bādarāyaṇa” actually a code name for an entire school of thought? In this lecture, we peel back the layers of this 5th-century CE mystery. We explore a text so compressed that a three-word sentence can unlock the secrets of the universe—or remain completely incomprehensible. Join us as we investigate the man (or the myth) who turned the ancient Upaniṣad
Zhang Zai: The Architect of Neo-Confucian Metaphysics
1mo ago · 55:58
Zhang Zai: The Architect of Neo-Confucian Metaphysics | Philosophy Documentary In this deep dive, we explore the remarkable story of Zhang Zai (1020-1077 CE), one of the most original metaphysical minds in human history—yet a thinker most people in the West have never heard of. From ambitious young man interested in military strategy to founding master of Neo-Confucianism, Zhang Zai’s philosophical journey spans Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism before arriving at a revolutionary vision of reality built around one fundamental concept: qi. What You’ll Discover: How Zhang Zai transformed from s
Xunzi: The Architect of Confucian Order
1mo ago · 38:56
We remember the optimists in philosophy—the ones who tell us we’re fundamentally good, that virtue comes naturally. Then there’s Xunzi. This 3rd-century BCE Chinese thinker looked at human nature and said: “No. We’re selfish, envious, and left alone, we’d tear civilization apart.” While Mencius claimed we have moral “sprouts” inside us, Xunzi argued we’re born chaotic and must be transformed through deliberate effort. In this video, we explore: Why Xunzi’s “human nature is evil” claim was so shocking How ritual (li) and music reshape desire instead of suppressing it His radical naturalistic vi
Han Fei: The Architect of Legalism
1mo ago · 33:20
🏛️ Han Fei: The Philosopher Who Built Empires (And Died for His Ideas) Can you run a government without good people? Not “should you” — can you? In this deep dive, we explore the life and philosophy of Han Fei, the ancient Chinese thinker who rejected virtue as the foundation of government and built a system that unified China for over 2,000 years. His ideas created empires. His death came from the very human weakness he claimed didn’t matter in governance. What You’ll Learn: 📜 The Chaos That Birthed Legalism — How the Warring States period (475-221 BCE) of relentless warfare and social coll
Iamblichus: The Architect of Theurgical Neoplatonism
3mo ago · 37:58
Meet Iamblichus of Chalcis—the philosopher who transformed Neoplatonism forever but rarely gets the spotlight he deserves. Born around 242 CE in the Roman Empire’s eastern provinces, Iamblichus created one of the most comprehensive philosophical systems in ancient history, bridging reason and ritual, philosophy and religion, intellect and divine practice. In this video, we explore: • The turbulent 3rd-century world where Iamblichus lived (political chaos, spiritual hunger, Christianity’s rise) • His philosophical lineage: Plotinus → Porphyry → Iamblichus • Why he broke from Plotinus: the falle
The Philosophy of Confucius: Foundations of Harmony and Virtue
3mo ago · 22:16
Who Was Confucius? A 2,500-Year-Old Philosophy That Still Shapes Our World Step back over 2,500 years to a time of chaos and war in ancient China. Into this turmoil walked a man with no army, no divine mandate, and no magical powers—yet his ideas would shape the moral foundations of East Asian civilization for two and a half millennia. In this lecture, we explore the life and philosophy of Confucius (Kong Qiu, 551–479 BCE) and discover why his wisdom remains urgently relevant today. What You’ll Learn: The historical chaos that sparked Confucian thought Core concepts: Ren (benevolence), Li (rit
Aristotle: The Architect of Western Thought
3mo ago · 1:11:28
What if I told you that one man invented how we think — not just what we think about, but the very structure of rational thought itself? In this lecture, we explore the life, method, and enduring legacy of Aristotle (384–322 BCE) — the polymath who built the foundations of Western civilization. From formal logic and metaphysics to ethics and politics, Aristotle didn’t just contribute to philosophy; he created the framework that would dominate intellectual life for over two millennia. What we cover: How Aristotle went from Plato’s star student to his greatest critic The revolutionary empirical
Plato: The Architect of Western Philosophy
4mo ago · 33:16
Why are we still arguing about a guy who died 2,347 years ago? We don’t use ancient Greek medicine. We don’t build bridges with their engineering. But Plato? He’s impossible to ignore. The philosopher Alfred North Whitehead famously said all of European philosophy is just “a series of footnotes to Plato.” This lecture explores why. In this video, we cover: The Socratic Method and why it got Socrates killed The Theory of Forms — reality or beautiful madness? The Allegory of the Cave and why it still haunts us Plato’s vision of the “ideal state” (and why it’s terrifying) How a pagan philosopher
Socrates: The Man who Changed Philosophy Forever
4mo ago · 37:41
2,400 years ago, a barefoot philosopher walked the streets of Athens asking questions that would change the world. He never wrote a book. He never published a paper. He left behind zero words of his own. And yet, we’re still talking about him today. In this video, we explore the enigmatic life of Socrates - the father of Western philosophy who was tried, convicted, and executed for “corrupting the youth” and “impiety.” But what did he actually believe? Why did Athens feel threatened enough to kill him? And how does a man who wrote nothing remain more influential than almost any author in histo
The Philosophy of Mahavira: Path to Liberation through Truth and Nonviolence
5mo ago · 1:03:19
Explore the life and teachings of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism and one of history’s most influential spiritual revolutionaries. Born a prince in 599 B.C., Mahavira renounced his royal life to seek Moksha (liberation) through extreme asceticism and the pursuit of absolute truth. This video breaks down the core pillars of his philosophy: The Problem of Samsara: Understanding the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The Five Great Vows: Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya (Non-stealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity), and Aparigraha (Non-attachment). Epistemology: How Anekantavada
The Philosophy of Uddalaka Aruni: Pioneer of Indian Metaphysics
5mo ago · 55:27
Dive into the mind‑blowing story of Uddalaka Aruni, the 8th‑century BCE Vedic sage who blended rigorous observation with deep metaphysical inquiry—centuries before Socrates, Galileo or Newton. In this video we’ll explore: Who Aruni was – his life, his role as teacher of the legendary Yajnavalkya, and his place in the Kuru‑Panchala heartland of ancient India. The Great Dialogue – the iconic conversation with his son Svetaketu that introduced the timeless question “Tat Tvam Asi” (“You are that”). Key philosophical breakthroughs – the nature of change, the many‑vs‑one problem, and the radical ide
The Philosophy of Kapila: Father of Sankhya and Cosmic Evolution
5mo ago · 37:23
Imagine a time 2,500 years ago, before modern science, when a single thinker was mapping the architecture of reality with the precision of a physicist and the depth of a mystic. That thinker was Kapila. In this video, we dive deep into the life and revolutionary philosophy of Kapila, the founder of Sankhya—one of the oldest and most intellectually daring schools of Hindu thought. Often overshadowed by later traditions, Kapila’s work laid the groundwork for everything from the analytical methods of the Buddha to modern theories of consciousness and evolution. What you’ll discover: The Cosmic Da
The Philosophy of Leucippus: Father of Atomism
5mo ago · 59:46
Welcome to a deep‑dive into Leucippus, the enigmatic “father of atomism” whose daring ideas reshaped philosophy and laid the groundwork for modern science. In this video we’ll: Explore the mysterious life of Leucippus and why scholars once doubted his existence. Unpack his bold solution to the Eleatic paradoxes—how he introduced indivisible atoms moving through real void to explain motion, change, and the cosmos. Contrast Leucippus’s materialist vision with the prevailing mystical and continuous‑substance theories of his time. Show how his student Democritus expanded the theory into a full phi
The Philosophy of Yajnavalkya: Vedic Sage and Visionary Thinker
5mo ago · 1:00:39
Dive into the astonishing story of Yajnavalkya, the 700 BCE philosopher‑king who turned ancient Indian ritualism on its head and laid the groundwork for non‑dual thought. In this video we’ll explore: How Yajnavalkya challenged the priestly elite at King Janaka’s court His legendary debates with Gargi Vachaknavi and the famed Bahudakshina contest The groundbreaking neti‑neti (“not this, not this”) method for self‑inquiry The profound claim that Atman = Brahman – the true Self is identical with ultimate reality The lasting impact on the Upanishads, Advaita Vedanta, yoga, Buddhism, and modern min
Philosophy of Zeno of Elea: Paradoxes that Shaped Thought
5mo ago · 58:00
In this video we dive into the mind‑bending world of Zeno of Elea, the ancient Greek philosopher whose “impossible” puzzles have haunted thinkers for 2,500 years. From the classic Dichotomy and Achilles‑and‑the‑Tortoise to the unsettling Arrow and the lesser‑known Stadium paradox, we break down each argument step‑by‑step, explore why they mattered to Aristotle, the birth of calculus, and modern physics, and ask the big question: Can anything really move? You’ll learn: How Zeno used reductio ad absurdum to challenge everyday assumptions. The connection between his paradoxes and today’s concepts
Marcus Aurelius' Meditations — A Conversation with Translator Aaron Poochigian
5mo ago · 47:11
What does it take to translate the most powerful private journal ever written? In this episode I sit down with Aaron Poochigian — poet, classicist, and translator based in New York City — to discuss his remarkable new translation of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, out now from Liveright Publishing/W.W. Norton. We go deep into the philosophy, the man, and the translation craft: — Why Marcus wrote in Greek, not Latin — The three distinct voices hidden inside the Meditations — the Instructor, the Aspirant, and the Objector — How Stoicism actually held up against war, plague and absolute power — Mem
Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor of Rome
6mo ago · 59:29
What happens when the most powerful man in the world chooses virtue over glory? Marcus Aurelius was Emperor of Rome — absolute ruler of an empire stretching from Britain to the Euphrates. He had unlimited power, wealth beyond imagination, and the ability to do whatever he wanted with zero consequences. He chose to write notes to himself about how to be a better person. In this lecture we explore the remarkable life of Marcus Aurelius — the reluctant emperor, the Stoic philosopher, the military commander who wrote about inner peace while waging war on the Danube frontier during plague and crisi
The Philosophy of Parmenides: The Unchanged Reality
6mo ago · 1:11:44
Hey there, I’m Lyon – teacher, philosophy enthusiast, and lover of all things ancient Greece. 🎓✨ In this video we dive deep into the mind‑bending world of Parmenides of Elea, the 5th‑century BCE thinker who turned philosophy on its head by arguing that change, motion, and plurality are mere appearances. 🔹 What you’ll discover The story behind Parmenides’ legendary poem On Nature and its mythic proem. How a single premise—“What‑is‑not cannot be”—leads to a radical metaphysics: an eternal, indivisible, unchanging One. The clash between reason and the senses that sparked the oldest “appearance
The Philosophy of Empedocles: Elements Forces, and Eternal Cycles
6mo ago · 40:13
Hey everyone, it’s Lyon here! As a teacher, I love bringing ancient ideas to life, and in this video we dive into the vibrant world of Empedocles—a 5th‑century Sicilian philosopher‑poet who blended science, poetry, medicine, and mysticism into a single, unforgettable vision. 🔹 Four Eternal Roots – Discover how Empedocles’ “roots” (earth, air, fire, water) prefigure modern atomic theory and shaped Western science for two millennia. 🔹 Love & Strife – Explore the twin cosmic forces that unite and separate the elements, reconciling the paradoxes of Parmenides (static being) and Heraclitus (const
The Philosophy of Epictetus: Freedom through Stoic Wisdom
6mo ago · 1:11:54
In this video we dive deep into the life and teachings of Epictetus, the former slave whose Stoic wisdom still powers modern psychotherapy, leadership, and everyday resilience. 🔹 From Slavery to Sage – Discover how a man born into bondage rose to mentor Roman emperors and inspired generations of thinkers. 🔹 The Core Lesson: The Dichotomy of Control – Learn the simple yet transformative habit of separating what’s up to you from what isn’t, and why it’s the foundation of true freedom. 🔹 Prohairesis – Your Inner Citadel – Explore the Greek concept of volition and how it protects your mind agai
The Philosophy of Heraclitus: The Ever Changing Cosmos
6mo ago · 37:58
Step into the mind of the “Dark Philosopher of Ephesus” and discover why his ancient fragments still echo in modern physics, Buddhism, and everyday life. In this video we explore: 1️⃣ The Man Behind the Myth – Born into wealth, he abandoned aristocratic privilege and retreated into solitary contemplation, earning the nickname The Weeping Philosopher. 2️⃣ “You Cannot Step into the Same River Twice” – How Heraclitus’ doctrine of panta rhei (everything flows) reveals that both the world and our selves are in perpetual transformation. 3️⃣ Unity of Opposites – From day/night to life/death, Heraclit

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Learn with Leshley

Episodes 138

Kanada and the Vaisesika System

Jaimini and the Mimamsa-Sutra: The Philosophy of Sacred Action

Patanjali and the Yoga-Sutra

Guatama: Founder of Nyaya- India's Science of Logic and Reasoning.

Badarayana's Vedanta Sutra

Zhang Zai: The Architect of Neo-Confucian Metaphysics

Xunzi: The Architect of Confucian Order

Han Fei: The Architect of Legalism

Iamblichus: The Architect of Theurgical Neoplatonism

The Philosophy of Confucius: Foundations of Harmony and Virtue

Aristotle: The Architect of Western Thought

Plato: The Architect of Western Philosophy

Socrates: The Man who Changed Philosophy Forever

The Philosophy of Mahavira: Path to Liberation through Truth and Nonviolence

The Philosophy of Uddalaka Aruni: Pioneer of Indian Metaphysics

The Philosophy of Kapila: Father of Sankhya and Cosmic Evolution

The Philosophy of Leucippus: Father of Atomism

The Philosophy of Yajnavalkya: Vedic Sage and Visionary Thinker

Philosophy of Zeno of Elea: Paradoxes that Shaped Thought

Marcus Aurelius' Meditations — A Conversation with Translator Aaron Poochigian

Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor of Rome

The Philosophy of Parmenides: The Unchanged Reality

The Philosophy of Empedocles: Elements Forces, and Eternal Cycles

The Philosophy of Epictetus: Freedom through Stoic Wisdom

The Philosophy of Heraclitus: The Ever Changing Cosmos

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Episodes 138

Kanada and the Vaisesika System

Jaimini and the Mimamsa-Sutra: The Philosophy of Sacred Action

Patanjali and the Yoga-Sutra

Guatama: Founder of Nyaya- India's Science of Logic and Reasoning.

Badarayana's Vedanta Sutra

Zhang Zai: The Architect of Neo-Confucian Metaphysics

Xunzi: The Architect of Confucian Order

Han Fei: The Architect of Legalism

Iamblichus: The Architect of Theurgical Neoplatonism

The Philosophy of Confucius: Foundations of Harmony and Virtue

Aristotle: The Architect of Western Thought

Plato: The Architect of Western Philosophy

Socrates: The Man who Changed Philosophy Forever

The Philosophy of Mahavira: Path to Liberation through Truth and Nonviolence

The Philosophy of Uddalaka Aruni: Pioneer of Indian Metaphysics

The Philosophy of Kapila: Father of Sankhya and Cosmic Evolution

The Philosophy of Leucippus: Father of Atomism

The Philosophy of Yajnavalkya: Vedic Sage and Visionary Thinker

Philosophy of Zeno of Elea: Paradoxes that Shaped Thought

Marcus Aurelius' Meditations — A Conversation with Translator Aaron Poochigian

Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor of Rome

The Philosophy of Parmenides: The Unchanged Reality

The Philosophy of Empedocles: Elements Forces, and Eternal Cycles

The Philosophy of Epictetus: Freedom through Stoic Wisdom

The Philosophy of Heraclitus: The Ever Changing Cosmos