And the Hi, I'm Peter Adamson, and you're listening to the History of Philosophy Podcast, brought to you with the support of the philosophy department at King's College London and the

LMU in Munich, online at history of philosophy.net.

Today's episode, As Far as East from West, Jewish philosophy in Renaissance Italy.

Never underestimate the ability of philosophers to be puzzled by things that don't at first glance

seem particularly puzzling.

Take the question of desire.

What could be a more familiar everyday phenomenon?

I mean, I don't know about you, but I desire things all the time.

Almond Guasants, philosophy books, a few million dollars to cover other sugary expenses. all the time, on M

Guasants, philosophy books, a few million dollars to cover other sugary expenses.

So you'd think it would be obvious to me and everyone what desire is.

A rough working definition might be something like wanting something you don't have.

That sounds plausible and comes with the backing of no less an authority than Plato.

In his symposium, he has Socrates tell of how his instructor in matters of love,

theatima, taught him that Eros, passionate love or desire,

is constantly in need because it involves striving after something beautiful

that one lacks.

So for instance, the gods have no love or desire for wisdom

because they are already wise.

The true lover of wisdom, the philosopher,

is someone who knows that wisdom is precious but has not managed to attain it yet.

Plausible or not though this way of thinking about desire faces some difficulties.

...