Peter Adamson
Peter Adamson is Professor of Late Ancient and Arabic Philosophy at LMUMunich and Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at King's CollegeLondon. A leading historian of philosophy whose work encompasses Greek,Islamic, medieval, and global philosophical traditions, Professor Adamson isinternationally recognized both for his scholarly contributions and for hispioneering public engagement with philosophy through digital media andpublishing.
Educated at Williams College and the University of Notre Dame, ProfessorAdamson specializes in ancient philosophy, philosophy in the Islamic world,Neoplatonism, and medieval thought. His scholarship is distinguished by itscommitment to presenting philosophy as a continuous and interconnectedintellectual tradition that transcends geographical, linguistic, and religiousboundaries. Through both his academic writing and public-facing work, he hasconsistently sought to expand the philosophical canon beyond narrowlyEurocentric narratives.
Professor Adamson is the author of major studies including Al-Kindīand al-Rāzī in the “Great Medieval Thinkers” series, as well as TheArabic Plotinus: A Philosophical Study of the Theology of Aristotle. He hasalso edited and co-edited numerous influential scholarly volumes, including TheCambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy and Interpreting Avicenna:Critical Essays, both of which have become foundational works in the studyof Islamic philosophy.
He is perhaps best known globally as the creator and host of theenormously influential History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps project, apodcast and book series that presents the history of philosophy as acomprehensive and continuous story stretching across ancient Greece, theIslamic world, medieval Europe, India, China, and Africana traditions. Sinceits launch in 2010, the project has reached millions of listeners worldwide andtransformed public engagement with philosophy by combining scholarly rigor withaccessibility and intellectual breadth.
The podcast series later developed into a major multi-volume publicationproject with Oxford University Press, including volumes on classicalphilosophy, philosophy in the Islamic world, Indian philosophy, Byzantinethought, Africana philosophy, and medieval philosophy. His work hasconsistently emphasized the importance of understanding philosophy inmulticultural and historical perspective.
In addition to his scholarly publications, Professor Adamson is a frequentcontributor to public intellectual life through lectures, broadcasts, andinterviews. He has appeared regularly on BBC Radio and other internationalmedia platforms discussing ancient, medieval, and Islamic philosophy.
At Tokat, he teaches the history of Islamic philosophy not as an isolatedacademic discipline, but as a living tradition that stretches across cultures,languages, and civilizations.
