Sadler's Lectures
Sadler's Lectures
Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
Michel de Montaigne, Essays - On Repenting - Why He Rarely Repents - Sadler's Lectures
19 minutes Posted Sep 16, 2026 at 1:45 pm.
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This lecture discusses key ideas from the Renaissance-era philosopher, critic, and essayist Michel De Montaigne's work Essays, specifically his essay On Repentance (Du Repentir). This one focuses on Montaigne's own explanations about why he tends not to feel repentance, and has only a few regrets. A significant part of this stems from several somewhat unusual aspects of his own mindset. He acknowledges that he can desire to be completely different, even condemn himself objectively, but this shouldn't be called "repentance" any more than grieving that he isn't an ideal person (or someone close).
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