Open Door Philosophy

Send us a textIt's time we say goodbye. This is the final episode of Open Door Philosophy. We had such a wonderful time doing it and thank everyone so deeply for listening. We pull back the curtain on this last episode and discuss the journey, so please join us one last time. Contact us via email at opendoorphilosophy@gmail.comOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a textIs the self a soul that is immortal? Is the self a thinking thing or a bundle of perceptions? The Existentialists take this question and place at the center the importance of choice. The self emerges through our experiences and the choices we make. Join us as we discuss Kierkegaard and Sartre in this final episode on The Self. Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a textAncient philosophers believed the self was an immortal soul. This began to shift in the late 16th century when the concept of the self began to radically change to a more abstracted, biological self. Join us as we look at Rene Descartes and David Hume's theories on the self. Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a textWhat is the self? Something immaterial? Something like a soul? Or perhaps consciousness? Is it you? Join us for this episode as we look to ancient explanations of the self from Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Hinduism.  Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a textAh love, a many splendored thing. At first you are attracted to their looks, but then you realize there's something more to them, something beautiful within, their beautiful soul. Join us for this third and final part on Plato's Symposium where we review the speech of Socrates. Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a textAre you destined to be with someone? Is there a soul-mate out there, somewhere, just for you? Is love something that comes upon us, or is it something we cultivate within ourselves? Join us for this second episode on Plato's Symposium where we discuss the speeches of Aristophanes and Agathon.  Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a textWhat is love? Can it inspire us to be better? Can it bring harmony to opposites? These are of the most enduring questions we have, so much so that Plato wrote an entire dialogue about it called Symposium. Join us for this episode in which we give some background and discuss the first three speeches on love!Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a Text Message.We finish our overview of The Oxford Four with Mr. Parsons' favorite, Mary Midgley. She wrote on the topic of metaphilosophy, championed a pluralistic view of morality, and raged against scientism and reductionism. AND she had swaggy hats!Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a Text Message.She protested WWII and abortion. She was the pupil of Ludwig Wittgenstein and the eventual conservator of his work. She turned moral philosophy on it's head with her paper Modern Moral Philosophy. She was a Catholic convert. And she's Andrew's philosophical hero. Join us this week for another installment of the Oxford Four series, this time featuring Elizabeth Anscombe. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a Text Message.Ever heard of the Trolly Problem? Of course you have, even if you don't know you have. This episode we turn our attention to Philippa Foot, the originator of the famous thought experiment, but she was know for so much more. Her moral philosophy focusing on natural goodness helped usher in the revival of virtue ethics in the second half of the 20th century. Join us as we explore this member of the Oxford Four, Philippa Foot. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a Text Message. Dive into the fascinating world of Iris Murdoch, one of four trailblazing women who revolutionized philosophy at Oxford University before and during World War II. These extraordinary friends reshaped philosophical thought with their groundbreaking ideas. In this episode, we explore Murdoch's impressive literary achievements and delve into her profound moral philosophy which centers around love. Join us for an engaging discussion on the life and legacy of a philosophical giant whose influence continues to resonate today. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Send us a Text Message.People do not have any virtues, and people do not have any vices. You wouldn't be blamed for thinking this is a surprising take, but our guest Christian Miller thinks this is the case. Join us as Dr. Miller walks us through the argument in this captivating interview that canvases the landscape of character and virtue. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Roughly 1800 years ago, the most powerful person in the world wrote a book. Actually, back then it was only his journal, but today it is considered one of the great books of world wisdom. Known simply as Meditations, the emperor of the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius, for ten years wrote most mornings about the challenges he was to face and how he intended to approach them through the lens of his stoic philosophy. For generations since, millions have found a bit of themselves in the reflections of Marcus Aurelius, and being that he was the emperor of Rome make the problems all the more relatable, for if the most powerful person in the world might experience such difficulties, why not I? Join us as we present our fourth annual celebration of the philosopher king Marcus Aurelius.Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Can morality be entirely relative to an individual to a cultural standard? Does the diversity of moral beliefs across cultures undermine the existence of objective moral principles? Does the fact that human sacrifice once existed in one culture but looked down upon but another disprove the fact that there are objective morals? Or if we accept that moral subjectivism exists, is there a way to justify or make moral claims? Join us for this episode on moral relativism. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Last weekend, as I was driving down the interstate in Houston, I noticed, not for the first time, a billboard that claims, “Signs, Miracles, and Wonders! Every Sunday at 11:00 AM.” I turned towards my wife and quipped, “I didn't realize you could schedule them.” But in all seriousness, how should one express such things to others, something like a miracle or a sign? If language is how we report the world, how does one speak of their public or private experience of God? Is someone who has a religious experience able to speak authoritatively about what has been revealed to them? And if so, how are we to determine if their important revelation is legitimate? Is religious experience a type of proof of God and a justification of belief? Clearly we have lots of questions. Join us as we wrap up our series on Religious Experience. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

In the book of Exodus, God appears to the biblical patriarch Moses in the form of a burning bush, and tells him he is to lead the Isrealites, enslaved by the Egyptians, to freedom. In the Bhagavad Gita, the source of all things, lord Krisha, appears to prince Arjuna as his charioteer and helps him understand his identity and potential on the eve of a major battle. These appearances by gods, however, are not reserved just for the spiritual heroes of old. Millions of people around the world report having similar religious experiences where they encounter God in a variety of ways, are gifted spiritual powers, or their souls are washed clean and they are made new again. What exactly is a religious experience? Under what circumstances do they occur? And what should their meaning be in our life? Can we even speak of them in any sort of meaningful way? Join us for this first in a two part series on religious experience. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

What's the most important question in philosophy? Our guest Jack Symes believes it to be the question of God's existence, no matter where you fall on the belief spectrum.  In this episode, Jack discusses with us his latest book, Philosophers on God: Talking about Existence which directly address this question. What is the origin of the universe? What are the most powerful arguments for and against the existence of God? What do thinkers outside of the Abrahamic faiths have to say about such questions? And why is Adam Sandler still making movies? Join us as we discuss these questions and gain insight about the many current thinkers included in the book with Jack Symes. You can purchase Philosophers on God: Talking about Existence by following this link. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Included in this episode are feminist icons Mary Wollstonecraft and Simone de Beauvoir, champions of new ethics Mary Midgley, Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, and Elizabeth Anscombe, and contemporary powerhouse on love and other moral stances Susan Wolf. It's a lot packed into one hour! Join us for this final installment of the series: Women Who Shaped Philosophy!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Throughout the history of philosophy, women have been active, yet markedly absent from much of the scholarship. If you go into a book store or do a google search for the greatest philosophers, you would most likely see one or two women, at most on any given list. How can those two things coexist together? In Han Dynasty China, a female scholar was employed by the Emporer to write on the role of women. Plagued by the looming accusations of withcery and devil worship, a woman in the Medieval France wrote a treatise on the nature of women the empowerment in their traditional role. Across the ancient world into the Medieval Era, women were held positions of expertise from which they advised, often other women, on how to lead a good life and fulfill their social role. What did these women write about? Join us today as we discuss these philosopher queens and their contributions to philosophy.Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Throughout the history of philosophy, women have been active, yet markedly absent from much of the scholarship. If you go into a book store or do a google search for the greates philosohers, you would most likely see one or two women, at most on any given list. How can those two things coexist together? In Ancient Greece and Rome, a few women were revered as philosophical teachers. Plato occasionally included women in his famous dialogues. In Alexandria, Egypt, daughters of scholars were educated, and one rose to prominence through her public lectures. What did these women write about? Join us today as we discuss these philosopher queens and their contributions to philosophy.Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Whether concepts such as the Golden Ratio or more subjective standards of aesthetic judgments, beauty has been the subject of debate for every era of philosophical history. In the ancient world, it was the Greeks that formed much of what the ancient era would think about when considering beauty in concepts such as symmetry and ratios. The Enlightenment era philosophers of the modern period, influenced by the new emphasis on reason, grappled with the subjective nature of beauty and proposed a way that beauty could be both contextual yet universal. In the late modern and post-modern eras, women philosophers took up the question of beauty in application to themselves, attempting to find exactly how they should respond to the concept. Join us today as we look for beauty. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Beauty and aesthetics seems to be one of the least discussed branches of philosophy, yet occupied the minds of some of the greatest philosophers such as: Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Hume, just to name a few. Its appeal is immediately obvious, however, when someone asks the seemingly simple question of exactly what beauty is. The conversation that typically follows involves topics such as: what exactly are standards of beauty, if these standards are objective or entirely in the eye of the beholder, and under what circumstances do we or do we not encounter beauty. Some say beauty is rare; others that it is around us all the time if we would just look; that the outward self is just a grotesque veneer; that true beauty resides within. I mean, is the song that's playing in the background right now beautiful? The last time your and your friends got together and played Mario Party? The weekend morning that just involves a cup of coffee, a book, and a cat purring in your lap ‘cause it loves you? Whatever the perspective, it seems beauty is something that matters to us, whether we find it in a sunset, a soaring aria, or in the eyes of our loved ones. Join us as we explore the practical side of beauty in this first of a two part series on the subject.Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Welcome to Open Door Philosophy! We're happy you stopped by!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Join us as we discuss our goals and plans for Open Door Philosophy in 2024. We discuss upcoming guests, episode topics, and more!Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

In this bit of nonsense, Andrew tries to convince Mr. Parsons to learn Latin, no one is sure what whiskey is, Mr. Parsons ditches the neck ties, and there's some dissatisfaction with camera angles.  Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

In this episode, we put a bow on the year that was 2023! We look back on the podcast and this year's meaningful events in our lives. We then discuss our favorite books of 2023; No Spoilers!Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our listeners. We'll see you in 2024!Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

What do you own? Why do you own it? Are things owned individually or collectively? Do citizens own public parks and do they have an obligation to its maintenance? Can you own ideas or other intangible things like money and time? Join us for this exploratory episode on the concept of property. Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

In this bit of nonsense, we talk about Taylor's cardigans, how Mr. Parsons avoided fraud, Andrew's mysterious travel, and the difficulties of the Polish language. Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

In this episode, we delve into the rich work of political philosophy by Leo Strauss, John Rawls, and Robert Nozick. We begin with Strauss's influential ideas on liberal education, examining how he views cultural cultivation as essential for intellectual development and a bulwark against the homogenization of mass culture. Strauss's Aristotelian perspective on nurturing the individual's nature through education sets the stage for a deeper exploration of societal structures.Transitioning to Rawls, we explore his innovative 'Veil of Ignorance' and the 'Original Position', concepts that have reshaped modern understandings of justice and fairness. Rawls' principles challenge us to consider a society where every individual's rights are safeguarded and inequalities are justified only if they benefit the least advantaged.Finally, we turn to Nozick's libertarian response, which emphasizes individual rights and the minimal state. Nozick's ideas on self-ownership and consensual contracts offer a stark contrast to Rawls, presenting a viewpoint where free exchange and personal liberty are paramount.Join us as we navigate these philosophical currents, understanding how each thinker builds upon or reacts against the others, shaping our views on education, justice, and the ideal society.Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Need a bit of the ODP crew without the philosophy? Welcome to ODP Shorts!Andrew needs a haircut. Mr. Parsons football team is struggling. Andrew thinks David Beckham is a fine American. And Taylor reviews former Houston Astros Jerseys.  Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

At one point in history, European countries were ruled by monarchs.  The Catholic Church also exerted a great deal of control. And our physical explanations for why nature is comprised the way it is relied on  metaphysical explanations reliant on God. Then enter the Enlightenment. Thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were instrumental in this transition from Medieval conceptions of the divine rights of kings and original sin to that of representative governments, rights, and human nature. Join us as we explore this trifecta of  influential philosophers. We also talk about what is our Roman Empire, build-a-bear, and asparagus. Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

Welcome to a very spectral, spooky episode of Open Door Philosophy! Since this episode releases on Halloween, we thought how better to celebrate than talk about our spookiest philosophers! You'll have to listen to find out who they are though, because suspense is the name of the game!Contact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com

We know war happens all the time, unfortunately.  Caught up in war are states and individuals who wish for others to see their actions as reasonable, for the best, and ultimately just. But it seems war involves many actions which are considered wrong in other circumstances, killing another human being for example.  Most people will agree that self-defense is justifiable, but how far does that defense go before it becomes vengeance? And a particular difficulty for aggressor states is that they must have just cause to be the instigator of warfare.  In this episode we turn to the Greeks and the Peloponnesian War, as well as the Medieval giants of Augustine and Aquinas who develop something quite important: Just War Theory. When should war be waged? How should it be conducted? And in it's conclusion, how should the victor treat the defeated. Join us as we explore Just War TheoryOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Philosophy is a notoriously massive subject, and for someone unfamiliar, it might be difficult to figure out where to start. Do you look for a famous name on the bookshelf? Try to choose a subject? Start with self-help? Maybe join a book club? In this episode, we answer a listener question by exploring how to get started in philosophy by recounting our own experiences and plotting a course. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

The Shawnee, a native American tribe, tells a tale of brother crow and brother buffalo which imparts the wisdom of balance: to only hunt the buffalo when it is necessary for food and skins, but to remember that each creature is our brother and sister too. Tales like this one are not uncommon in many indigenous cultures around the world. Through an illustrative story set in nature, they transmit the ethical, epistemological, and metaphysical beliefs of the tribe from one generation to the next on topics such as virtue and vice, creation and purpose, life, death, and what comes after. Yet the collective body of knowledge and beliefs of such tribes are not considered philosophy, but are rather placed in an adjacent and loosely defined category called “wisdom traditions.” And this label is hardly reserved for indigenous knowledge systems. Buddhism, Humanism, Taoism, Transcendentalism, Confucianism and Quakerism have all been called wisdom traditions by some. In what way do wisdom traditions differ from philosophy? Are they considered “lesser than” or are they on equal ground but utilize different ways of knowing? Is the term subversively pejorative? Or does its separate status identify something uniquely different and profoundly important?Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

On first listen, you might think this episode is about the Tao Te Ching. We thought it would be too, but it became a meandering conversations about the origin of authority, premises that lead to conclusion, justification, wisdom versus reason, and social media. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

It's pretty common in the self-help age we live in, with piles of well meaning books and as many podcast as the stars, to pursue happiness. But often the focus is on what we can change or tweak in our life to obtain it rather than what exactly it is. What is happiness? Perhaps if we identify what happiness is, we can create a foundation on which to build.Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Love is a driving factor in our decisions. People plan their lives around who they love: they stay close to their parents, take a completely random job to stay with their spouse, and save hundreds of thousands of dollars for their future children's education. But just as the people we love drive our decisions, so do what activities we love. Famously, Paul Gauguin ran away from his wife and children, culture and country to pursue his love of painting in Tahiti. The composer Piotor Tchaikovsky gave up a potentially lucrative career as a civil servant to study composition. Less dramatically however, we make these decisions all the time in our lives. We sacrifice our time to read, our bodies to play sports, or our sleep to go watch Taylor Swift concerts. We do these activities because we love them. And this love, many philosophers argue, gives our life meaning. But do all activities, even ones that are trivial but that we might enjoy, contribute to meaning? Can humans love any task? If not, what is the criterion and who makes it? And why should we care? Join us today as we unpack the paradox between love and meaning. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Around 2500 years ago in Ancient Greece, Empedocles contemplated the essential questions of the universe, including the role of love and strife. Empedocles is known as a pre-Socratic philosopher, although he was primarily a poet. In his surviving works, On Nature and Purifications, Empedocles posits that the cosmic powers of Love and Strife govern the four indestructible elements of the universe. Love unifies the elements with each other and draws like to like. Since then, philosophers, poets, and thinkers have contemplated what love is and how it impacts human existence and the function of the universe. From the Platonic dialogues to 20th century literature, thinkers have chronicled their thoughts on love.  So why are philosophers so concerned with love? Is love that important that it commands centuries of attention from nearly every philosophical thinker? In many ways, love is what binds us together as humans and gives motivation to our lives. Today, we will explore love and its role in human life. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Roughly 3700 years ago, in the fertile crescent of mesopotamia, the first Western epic was composed. The character Gilgamesh, and his friend Enkidu, have many adventures battling mighty beasts. But when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is thrown into, what we would today call, an existential crisis, as Gilgamesh grapples with themes such as friendship and love, mortality, free will and fate, and the search for meaning. Since that time, literature has been consistently used as a vehicle to explore philosophical themes, whether that be the ancient Greeks through the Iliad and the Odyssey, or the modern existentialist.  But why is this? Aren't philosophical treatises sufficient? There's something about literature as an alternative avenue to philosophical thought. Rather than a treatise with syllogisms, points and counterpoints, thought experiments and the like, great literature allows us to contemplate some of life's greatest mysteries with a little life breathed into it through colorful characters, allegorical tales, intricate metaphors, or captivating dialogues. Through this vehicle, philosophical literature challenges readers to ponder the nature of truth, the meaning of happiness, and the complexities of human relationships.But can literature be considered philosophy? Does it do a disservice to the philosophical enterprise? And ultimately, what is its value to human experience? Join us as we explore the connection between philosophy and literature. Episode ResourcesThe Myth of Sisyphus - Albert Camus The Stranger - Albert CamusUtopia - Thomas MooreThe Divine Comedy (Inferno) - DanteSilence - Shusaku EndoHamlet - ShakespeareThe Decameron - Giovanni BoccaccioThe Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. TolkienOn Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean VuongThe Little Life - Donna TartOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Ludwig Wittgenstein was born in 1889 into a wealthy and aristocratic family in Austria. He was a brilliant child, and he was educated at some of the best schools in the country.After graduating from Cambridge University, Wittgenstein began a career in mathematics and logic. He quickly made a name for himself as a brilliant thinker, and he published several important works on these subjects.In the early 1900s, Wittgenstein began to turn his attention to philosophy. He was particularly interested in the philosophy of language, and he published several important works on this subject. Join us as we look into his major theories and work. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

One of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, British philosopher Bertrand Russell's reach is inescapable.  He was a true polymath, with interests in mathematics, logic, philosophy, politics, and social reform. And he was also a controversial figure, often outspoken in his criticism of the status quo. Join us as we ask, who was Bertrand Russell?Episode ResourcesA History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand RussellThe Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand RussellProblems of Philosophy by Bertrand RussellOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Join us for this exploration of the concept of hope from a philosophical perspective. What is hope? Can hope ever be justified?  What are the uses of hope? And what do different philosophical schools say about hope? Plus a visit to the bookshelf!The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet: John GreenLife is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way: Kieran SetiyaOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

The philosophy of Transcendentalism  advocated for living simply, evaluating tradition, and cultivating your inner-self. Join us as we explore some of the practices that Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson participated in attempting to cultivate the soul. We also discuss the new Snapchat AI. Apologies for the poor audio track. Episode ResourcesTranscendentalism and The Cultivation of the Soul by Barry M. AndrewsNature and Other Essays by Ralph Waldo EmersonWalden, Civil Disobedience, and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Surely despair is a state of mind we all experience from time to time, and once through it we never want to experience such a state again. The Danish philosopher and father of Existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard, believed that despair was a universal feature of existence. In other words, none of us are getting out of it, and it's also not a temporary state, but something we endure all the time. Fear not though, Kierkegaard has an answer. Join us as we explore is text The Sickness Unto Death as well as catch up on things and offer a very patched together recounting of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Episode ResourcesThe Sickness Unto Death - Søren KierkegaardKierkegaard, a Very Short Introduction -Patrick Gardiner Philosopher of the Heart: The Restless Life of Søren Kierkegaard - Clare CarlisleOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Who doesn't love a little Marcus Aurelius? Join us for our third annual visit with our old philosophical friend, Marcus. He hasn't change much, but maybe we have. Also tune in for another installment of ChatGPT versus Mr. Parsons and Taylor orchestrated by the gamemaster Andrew, as well as a visit to the bookshelf! Good times had by all. Episode ResourcesMeditations by Marcus Aurelius (Hays Translation)Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Waterfield Translation)Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Hinduism is the oldest continuous eastern philosophy in the world. In this episode we look at a bit of it's history, some of it's main beliefs, the influential Bhagavad Gita, and offer some practical application. Episode ResourcesThe Bhagavad Gita Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

The Four Noble Truths, The Eight Fold Path, the interdependent nature of all things, and licking honey from a razor blade. Buddhism has a tremendous following world wide, but with such notoriety comes many misconceptions, or at least misguided approximations, from those who do not practice or live in a region where it is widely practiced. Join us this episode as we focus on some of the more philosophical claims Buddhism makes such as the nature of suffering.Episode ResourcesOld Path White Cloud :Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha by Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist Ethics: A Philosophical Exploration by Jay GarfieldEpisode 112, The Philosophy of Buddhism with Jay Garfield, The Panpsycast PodcastOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

One of the three great Chinese philosophical traditions, join us as we explore Confucianism. What is the gentleman? What does it mean to be benevolent? And why follow the rites?Episode ResourcesThe Analects Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name."Thus begins one of the most famous and mysterious claims in philosophy from one of the two primary texts of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Join us as we explore the philosophy of Taoism which values balance, flexibility, and non-attachment in this first of a four part series on Eastern Philosophy!Episode ResourcesTao Te Ching - Feng/English TranslationOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

It's our 50th episode, and we decided to celebrate by answering your questions! Do we have free will? What's a philosophical tv show/movie we like?  What got us into philosophy, and what keeps us there? And more! Plus a little retrospective, some looking forward, and a lot of laughs!Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com