Ed Lamb

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Summary of doctoral thesis: My DPhil project explores the themes of ageing and old age in ancient Greco-Roman philosophy and practical ethics. Human lives are not atemporal, but comprehensible in a progression of stages with their own unique obstacles to happiness. Within the history of philosophy, I am interested in articulating how conceptions of ageing and old age changed between Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and the Stoics, connecting these to their broader understanding of what it means to live a good life. I focus on Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Rhetoric and Nicomachean Ethics, Cicero's De Senectute, and Seneca's Letters, considering both an individual's experience of growing old and the relationship between generations at the societal level. The final chapters of my project consider how these ancient frameworks can shed light on contemporary experiences of ageing, amidst increased isolation and intergenerational division. I am very grateful to be supported by the AHRC, Clarendon, Worcester College, and Ertegun community to undertake this research!