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Modern WisdomMay 15, 2021

#321 - Dr Alexander Lee - The Story Behind Machiavelli's Philosophy

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for #321 - Dr Alexander Lee - The Story Behind Machiavelli's Philosophy on Modern Wisdom.

Guest: Alexander Lee

Notable books mentioned: The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, Francesco Petrarca, Discorsi by Niccolò Machiavelli, The Art of War by Sun Tzu

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The Prince cover
Mentioned at 8:37
The Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli

The host discusses Machiavelli's significant departure from traditional political thought, particularly regarding the nature of rulership and virtu…

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Francesco Petrarca cover
Mentioned at 26:54
Francesco Petrarca

The host mentions Francesco Petrarca to highlight Machiavelli's literary influences and the contrasting approaches to writing for posterity. Petrar…

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Discorsi cover
Mentioned at 31:49
Discorsi
Niccolò Machiavelli

The host discusses how Machiavelli's work, particularly the 'Discorsi', was intended for a specific audience and moment in time, rather than for po…

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Episode summary, books & quotes

#321 - Dr Alexander Lee - The Story Behind Machiavelli's Philosophy mentions The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, Francesco Petrarca, Discorsi by Niccolò Machiavelli, and The Art of War by Sun Tzu with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

The PrinceFrancesco PetrarcaDiscorsiThe Art of War
Guest: Alexander Lee
Episode summary
Alexander Lee is a renaissance historian at the University of Warwick and an author. Niccolo Machiavelli is one of the most famous political philosophers of all time. His work is often considered ruthless, brutal and manipulative, but who was the man behind the words? Alexander has just written one of the most insightful and comprehensive biographies of Machiavelli ever, so let's return to 15th century Florence and find out what Niccolo was really like, how he continually failed in his own political career, why he threw up on an old woman after having sex with her, the truth underpinning his views on human nature and much more...
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Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for #321 - Dr Alexander Lee - The Story Behind Machiavelli's Philosophy on Modern Wisdom.

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  • The conversation centers on Machiavelli's influence on politics.
  • A second recurring theme is Machiavelli's military philosophy.
  • Referenced books include The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli and Francesco Petrarca.
  • The strongest audience signal points to Students of political philosophy and history and Students of political philosophy and literature.
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Which books are mentioned in #321 - Dr Alexander Lee - The Story Behind Machiavelli's Philosophy?

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, Francesco Petrarca, and Discorsi by Niccolò Machiavelli are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Machiavelli's influence on politics(2)Machiavelli's military philosophy(1)Machiavelli's philosophical influences(1)Machiavelli's political philosophy(1)
Mention sentiment
Critical Analysis(2)Deep Dive(2)Passing Reference(1)
Audience signals
Students of political philosophy and historyStudents of political philosophy and literatureStudents of political philosophy and military historyStudents of political theory and history

Books Mentioned

The Prince cover
The Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli
Best for Students of political philosophy and historyOften cited around Machiavelli's political philosophy

“In The Prince, he really works out all the implications of this. Unfortunately, he's writing against a very specific set of political circumstances.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Students of political philosophy and history
Key quote: “In The Prince, his most famous work, I should say notorious work, he suggests that a prince who wishes to stay in power should, as well as having an independent military force of his own citizens, he should be parsimonious, and he should be very calm, and he should be very prudent.”
The host discusses Machiavelli's significant departure from traditional political thought, particularly regarding the nature of rulership and virtue. This leads to a deeper examination of Machiavelli's ideas as presented in 'The Prince', emphasizing the pragmatic approach he advocates for rulers.
ASIN: 1954839278
Buy on Amazon
Francesco Petrarca cover
Francesco Petrarca
Best for Students of political philosophy and literatureOften cited around Machiavelli's philosophical influences

“One of Machiavelli's favourite authors was a guy called Francesco Petrarca, who was an incredibly important poet, second only to Dante in importance.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference
For: Students of political philosophy and literature
Key quote: “One of Machiavelli's favourite authors was a guy called Francesco Petrarca, who we know in English as Petrarch.”
The host mentions Francesco Petrarca to highlight Machiavelli's literary influences and the contrasting approaches to writing for posterity. Petrarca's efforts to curate his legacy serve as a backdrop to discuss Machiavelli's immediate political objectives.
ASIN: 1479364916
Buy on Amazon
Discorsi cover
Discorsi
Niccolò Machiavelli
Best for Students of political philosophy and historyOften cited around Machiavelli's influence on politics

“The Discorsi is nominally an explanation of how one should read the first ten books of Livy's history of Rome, but it analyzes how states become great and stay great.”

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Sentiment: Critical Analysis
For: Students of political philosophy and history
Key quote: “I think he probably would have been surprised at the fact that he has had such an enduring appeal, that he had a readership lasting five centuries after his death.”
The host discusses how Machiavelli's work, particularly the 'Discorsi', was intended for a specific audience and moment in time, rather than for posterity. This highlights the misconceptions surrounding Machiavelli's intentions and the misinterpretation of his philosophy over the centuries.
ASIN: B09K1YFFG2
Buy on Amazon
The Art of War cover
The Art of War
Sun Tzu
Best for Students of political philosophy and military historyOften cited around Machiavelli's military philosophy

“Many of the early readers of The Art of War recognized his view of military tactics, although it is hugely popular as a book.”

View mention details
Sentiment: Critical Analysis
For: Students of political philosophy and military history
Key quote: “Machiavelli argues vigorously throughout his life for a citizen militia.”
The host discusses Machiavelli's belief in the effectiveness of a citizen militia as presented in 'The Art of War.' They highlight the contrast between Machiavelli's idealism and the practical failures of such militias in historical contexts.
ASIN: B0DVZD5HF3
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Machiavelli cover
Machiavelli
Best for Students of political theory and historyOften cited around Machiavelli's influence on politics

“Machiavelli, his life and times in brand new paperback edition will be linked in the show notes below.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Students of political theory and history
Key quote: “Although he often did things which were questionable, he was far from being this infallible political genius that we may think of.”
The host discusses Machiavelli's significant impact on Western political thought and the common misconceptions surrounding his character. They emphasize the contrast between Machiavelli's perceived genius and his actual flawed humanity.
ASIN: 1954839278
Buy on Amazon

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