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PODCAST

pplpod

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends.Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

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All Episodes

27:48

Donatella Versace: From Muse to Matriarch, The Jungle...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the life of Italian fashion icon Donatella Versace. Born in Reggio Calabria as the youngest of four children, Donatella began as her brother Gianni’s "creative partner and muse," eventually serving as Vice President of the Versace brand established in 1978. We explore how she helped define the brand's image by combining luxury with celebrity culture and is credited alongside Gianni for launching the "supermodel phenomenon" of the 1990s.We discuss the tragedy

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26:47

Ernest Shackleton: The "Boss," The Endurance, and the...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we brave the freezing Southern Ocean to examine the life of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Anglo-Irish explorer who defined the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. We trace his journey from a restless, poetry-loving merchant marine officer to a polar legend, starting with his early days on Captain Scott's Discovery expedition and his record-breaking march on the Nimrod, where he turned back just 97 miles from the South Pole to save his team from starvation,,.We dive deep into

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31:12

The Icon Behind the Sunglasses: Anna Wintour’s Reign...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we peel back the curtain on the life and career of Dame Anna Wintour, the media executive who defined the fashion industry for nearly four decades. Join us as we trace Wintour’s journey from her rebellious teenage years in 1960s London to her tenure as the "most powerful woman in publishing".We explore:• The Rise: How Wintour leveraged her early work at Harper’s & Queen and New York magazine to secure the top job at American Vogue in 1988, where she revolutionized the

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35:29

Andrew Grove: The Refugee Who Built Intel and Taught...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Andrew Grove, the man often called the "guy who drove the growth phase" of Silicon Valley. Born Gróf András István to a Jewish family in Hungary, Grove survived Nazi occupation and the turmoil of the 1956 revolution before escaping to the United States as a penniless refugee at age 20.Join us as we discuss how Grove became the third employee at Intel and eventually its CEO, transforming the startup into the world’s largest semiconductor

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29:25

Adam Weishaupt: The Professor Who Founded the Illuminati

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

Who was the real man behind history's most infamous secret society? In this episode, we explore the life of Adam Weishaupt, the German philosopher and law professor who founded the Bavarian Illuminati on May 1, 1776.Born in Ingolstadt in 1748, Weishaupt was an orphan raised by a rationalist godfather and educated by Jesuits before becoming a professor of canon law himself. We discuss how he adopted the code name "Brother Spartacus" and utilized the structure of Freemasonry to recruit members for his

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40:11

The Misunderstood Hedonist & The Pursuit of Ataraxia

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and philosophy of Epicurus (341–270 BC), the ancient Greek thinker whose name became synonymous with the pursuit of pleasure. We debunk the common myth that Epicureanism is about gluttony and excess, revealing how medieval misconceptions painted him as a patron of drunkards and whoremongers. Instead, we dive into the reality of "The Garden," his communal school in Athens where friends lived simply and discussed philosophy.Join us as we break down the

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32:44

Plotinus: The Mystic Founder of Neoplatonism

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and mind of Plotinus (c. 204/5–270 CE), the Hellenized philosopher from Roman Egypt regarded by scholars as the founder of Neoplatonism. We follow his intense quest for wisdom, tracing his journey from his studies in Alexandria under Ammonius Saccas to his participation in a failed military expedition to Persia, which he joined in hopes of learning from Indian and Persian philosophers,.We break down the core concepts of his massive literary work, the

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33:50

Proclus: The "Successor" Who Systematized Neoplatonism

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Proclus Lycius (412–485 AD), one of the last major classical philosophers of late antiquity. Known as "The Successor" for his role as head of the Neoplatonic Academy in Athens, Proclus developed one of the most elaborate systems of Neoplatonic thought, influencing figures ranging from Pseudo-Dionysius to G.W.F. Hegel,.Join us as we discuss:• The Philosopher’s Life: How Proclus abandoned a legal career in Alexandria to pursue philosophy and

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31:56

Justin Martyr: From Platonism to the "True Philosophy"

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 AD), a renowned 2nd-century philosopher, apologist, and saint. Born into a Greek family in Flavia Neapolis, Justin embarked on a restless intellectual journey through Stoicism, Peripateticism, and Pythagoreanism before finding temporary satisfaction in Platonism. We discuss the pivotal moment when an old man by the sea directed him toward the biblical prophets, leading Justin to convert and dedicate his life to

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42:40

The Last Universal Genius: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a German polymath widely considered the "last universal genius" due to his mastery of diverse fields before the era of specialization. From his independent creation of calculus to his development of the binary number system that underpins modern digital computing, Leibniz’s intellectual footprint is vast,.We discuss his famous philosophical assertion that we live in the "best of all possible worlds," a concept

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42:04

Blaise Pascal: The Prodigy of Probability, Pressure,...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the short but brilliant life of Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), a French polymath who made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, physics, and philosophy before his death at age 39. A child prodigy educated by his father, Pascal wrote a treatise on conic sections at age 16 that was so advanced René Descartes refused to believe a teenager had written it.Join us as we discuss Pascal’s journey from a young inventor to a Catholic mystic, covering:• The Mechanical

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34:18

Zeno of Elea: The Master of Paradox and the Illusion...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

If you believe you can walk across a room, Zeno of Elea has a bone to pick with you. In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the mind of the pre-Socratic philosopher who famously argued that motion, time, and space are nothing more than illusions.Born in Magna Graecia around 490 BC, Zeno was a devoted student of Parmenides and a member of the Eleatic school. He spent his life defending the concept of monism—the radical idea that all of reality is a single, indivisible entity. Rather than simply

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32:55

John Wycliffe: The Morning Star of the Reformation

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the life of John Wycliffe, the 14th-century Oxford philosopher and priest often characterized as the "Morning Star" of the English Reformation,. We explore his controversial career as a dissident who attacked the wealth of the church, argued against the temporal rule of the clergy, and called for the royal divestment of ecclesiastical property through his theory of "dominion",. Listen in as we discuss his theological battles, including his rejection of

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31:37

Christine de Pizan: Europe’s First Professional Woman...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode, we explore the remarkable life of Christine de Pizan (1364–c. 1430), an Italian-born writer who defied medieval conventions to become the first professional woman of letters in Europe. After losing her husband to the plague in 1389, Christine turned to writing to support her family, navigating the complex politics of the French royal court under King Charles VI,.Join us as we discuss:• A Feminist Pioneer: How Christine challenged the misogyny of her time, specifically attacking the

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37:19

Hildegard of Bingen: The Sibyl of the Rhine

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Hildegard of Bingen (c. 1098–1179), a German Benedictine abbess who stands as one of the most significant figures of the High Middle Ages. Known as the "Sibyl of the Rhine," Hildegard was a true polymath: a mystic, composer, philosopher, medical writer, and the founder of scientific natural history in Germany.Join us as we discuss:• A Visionary Life: How Hildegard experienced visions of the "Shade of the Living Light" from the age of

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39:47

Boethius: The Last Roman, The Wheel of Fortune, and...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the tragic life and enduring intellect of Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, the 6th-century statesman and philosopher often described as the "Last of the Romans". A bridge between the ancient classical world and the Middle Ages, Boethius rose to the pinnacle of power under the Ostrogothic King Theodoric the Great, only to lose everything to the turning "Wheel of Fortune" he famously described.Join us as we discuss:• The Rise: Boethius’s rapid ascent to the

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35:24

Augustine of Hippo: Sinner, Saint, and Architect of...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we delve into the life of Aurelius Augustinus, known to history as Augustine of Hippo—a figure whose writings defined the course of Western Christianity and philosophy. Born in 354 in Roman Africa to a pagan father and a devout Christian mother, Saint Monica, Augustine’s journey began not with holiness, but with a "hedonistic lifestyle" and a search for truth that led him first to Manichaeism,,. We discuss his early years, including his relationship with a concubine, his

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33:43

René Descartes: The Soldier Who Dreamt Up Modern...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we dissect the life and legacy of René Descartes (1596–1650), the French polymath widely celebrated as the father of modern philosophy and science,. From his early days as a mercenary in the Dutch States Army to his final, freezing days in Sweden, we explore how Descartes shattered the authority of the past to build a new foundation for human knowledge,,.Join us as we cover:• The Oven Visions: How a night spent in a stove-heated room delivered the visions that sparked his

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32:33

Baruch Spinoza: The Renegade Who Gave Us Modernity

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Baruch Spinoza, a pivotal 17th-century thinker who was permanently expelled from the Amsterdam Jewish community in 1656 for his "abominable heresies" and "monstrous deeds",. We discuss how Spinoza, who supported himself by grinding lenses, challenged religious orthodoxy by questioning the divine origin of the Hebrew Bible and arguing that ecclesiastical authority should have no role in a democratic state,. The episode dives into his complex

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35:46

Francis Bacon: The Father of Empiricism, The Corrupt...

pplpod ·

2026/02/01

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the complex life of Francis Bacon (1561–1626), the English philosopher and statesman who Thomas Jefferson counted among the "three greatest men that have ever lived".Join us as we explore how a man who was disgraced for political corruption became the "father of empiricism" and a founding figure of the scientific revolution.Key topics in this episode:• The Scientific Revolution: How Bacon rejected the "barren" philosophy of Aristotle to champion inductive

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2,458 results

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