Latest / Lifelong Learning With A. A. Khatana
14 Why Do Words Change Their Meanings in Times of Crisis?
Long before modern political science existed, the ancient Greeks relied on epic myths to explain why nations went to war. Thucydides challenged this poetic tradition by arguing that the real drivers of human conflict are not angry gods, but the predictable forces of fear, self-interest, and raw power.In this episode, we explore how Thucydides pioneered an empirical, clinical approach to understanding human societies. Drawing on his experience as an exiled Athenian general, he studied the Peloponnesian War much like a physician studies a disease. We discuss how his analysis of crowd…
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