Philosophy on the Fringes

In this episode, Megan and Frank investigate the Enneagram. Is the Enneagram a legitimate science of personality? What even is personality? And how much of our lives does personality determine? Join them as they examine the classic book, "Discovering Your Personality Type: The Essential Introduction to the Enneagram" by Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson. Other thinkers discussed include: Aristotle, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, and John Doris.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson - Discovering Your Personality TypeEmpirical Approaches to Moral Character (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Pseudoscience and the Demarcation Problem | Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyBeyond Good and Evil by Friedrich NietzscheSituationism, Moral Improvement, and Moral Responsibility | The Oxford Handbook of Moral PsychologyVirtue Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: O6ZNDALO7DL2LNHE

In this episode, Megan and Frank investigate the strange phenomenon of past life memories. Are past life memories evidence for reincarnation? Is what we remember a good guide to who we are? And how might a single identity span different lifetimes? Thinkers discussed in this episode include Plato, Pythagoras, Thomas Reid, J.M.E. McTaggart, and Michael Sudduth.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Timaeus by PlatoDiogenes Laërtius: PythagorasThe Next Dalai Lama: Preparing for Reincarnation and Why It Matters to IndiaClaire White, Robert M. Kelly & Shaun Nichols, Remembering Past LivesThomas Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of ManChildren Who Report Memories of Past Lives - Division of Perceptual StudiesThe Case of James Leininger_ An American Case of the Reincarnation TypeJim Tucker - Response to Sudduth's “James Leininger Case Re-Examined”The Science of Reincarnation—VIRGINIA MagazineThe Philosophy of Dr. McTaggart.S2, Episode 6: The Self and Survival (Mar. 27th, 2018) – Hi-Phi NationNew evidence shows false memories can be created | UW News-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: ZMHYPZTDWFJ3QXU2

In this episode, Megan and Frank discuss the philosophical dimensions of prehistory. What and when is the “prehistoric”? How was prehistory "discovered", and what explains our fascination with it? Is ancient archeology safe from our biases? And how did archaic man's meaning-making differ from our own? Thinkers discussed include: Colin Renfrew, Hegel, Charles Taylor, Mircea Eliade, and Wittgenstein.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Prehistory: The Making of the Human Mind - Colin RenfrewHegel's Lectures on the Philosophy of HistoryCave of Forgotten Dreams - Official Trailer | HD | IFC FilmsBewitched by an Elf Dart: Fairy Archaeology, Folk Magic and Traditional Medicine in Ireland - DowdA Secular Age — Harvard University PressTheory and Observation in Science (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)From things to thinking: Cognitive archaeology - Currie & KillinCognitive Archaeology and the Minimum Necessary Competence Problem - Killin & Pain An Ape's View of the Oldowan - Wynn & McGrewNeuroscience, evolution and the sapient paradox - Colin RenfrewSapient paradox: Why humans got stuck in prehistory -Gossip Trap- Big ThinkThe Myth of the Eternal Return | Princeton University PressEliade_Mircea_The_Sacred_and_The_profane_1963Wittgenstein - Notebooks, 1914 - 1916, 2nd Edition | Wiley-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: AAO0Q7IZMGVTLFJH

In this episode, Megan and Frank examine astrology. What is astrology, and why do people practice it? What are the strongest objections to astrology? Should astrology count as a science? If not, why not? What can the case of astrology teach us about the role of science in a democratic society? And why does the ancient practice of reading the stars prompt us to ponder the deepest aspects of human experience? Thinkers discussed include: Aristotle, Cicero, Ptolemy, Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, Imre Lakatos, Paul Feyerabend, Carl Sagan, Ian James Kidd, and Massimo Pigliucci.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Philosophy of Science and the Occult | State University of New York Press (first section is an invaluable resource, containing the 1975 manifesto, Feyerabend's critique, and articles summarizing statistical studies disconfirming astrology)Cabrera - Evidence and explanation in Cicero's On DivinationLacusCurtius • Ptolemy — TetrabiblosLacusCurtius • Cicero — De Divinatione: Book IA double-blind test of astrology | NatureReadings in the Philosophy of Science: From Positivism to Postmodernism (See for short selections from Popper, Kuhn, and Lakatos)Ian James Kidd - Why did Feyerabend Defend Astrology? Integrity, Virtue, and the Authority of Science (An excellent paper that very much informed our discussion of the science & society question)M. Pigliucci - Was Feyerabend Right in Defending Astrology? A Commentary on Kidd-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: YYRPW29K1IDMU76F

In this episode, Megan and Frank investigate ghosts and hauntings. Are ghosts some kind of spirit, physical beings, or something in between? Is there a natural explanation for ghostly encounters? And what can ghosts teach us about the depths of human experience? Thinkers discussed include: Descartes, Philip Goff, and Beverley Clack.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Ghosts of Philosophy LaBossiere | A Philosopher's BlogVictorian ectoplasm-producing mediums: freaks or fakes? | Children's books | The GuardianPhilip Goff, Ghosts and Sparse PropertiesThe wisdom of ghosts - Clack | Religious Studies | Cambridge CoreBraude, Immortal Remains: The Evidence for Life After Death Podemore, et al. - Phantasms of the LivingThe Best Ghost Story - by Alexander J. ZawackiLEGION OF THE DAMNED - ghostwalkbrighton.co.ukTime | Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyMegan Fritts, Arresting Time's Arrow: Death, Loss, and the Preservation of Real Union-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: KKPO6KMRESVX1ZQD

In this episode, Megan and Frank examine hypnosis. What evidence is there that hypnosis is a real phenomenon, and why does hypnosis have a dubious reputation? Does hypnosis alleviate pain, or just mask it? What is the nature of hypnotic consciousness? And does hypnosis prove there's no true self? Thinkers discussed include: William James, Ernest and Josephine Hilgard, Derek Parfit, Sigmund Freud, and Tim Bayne.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Uncovering the new science of clinical hypnosisThe Morpheus Clinic for HypnosisHypnobirthing - Google BooksHypnosis and Conscious States: The Cognitive Neuroscience PerspectiveHypnosis to quit smoking: What to knowNeural functional correlates of hypnosis and hypnoanalgesia: Role of the cingulate cortexHypnotic Suggestion and the Modulation of Stroop InterferenceHypnosis in the Relief of PainMary Haight, Hypnosis and the Philosophy of MindHypnotism and Mesmerism | VoxHypnosis in History - American Hypnosis AssociationHidden observer - Oxford ReferenceHidden Observer APA DictionaryThe split brain: A tale of two halves | NatureDerek Parfit. Here's why he mattered. | VoxTim Bayne, Hypnosis and the unity of consciousnessTim Bayne - The Unity of Consciousness | Oxford Academic (oup.com)Bilingual “I Hear a Pickle/ Oigo Un Pepinello” (kidizen.com)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: DC5U47IEPMLOLTFG

In this episode, Megan and Frank tackle the growing trend of "hacking" one's biology to increase longevity and possibly attain immortality. Are biohackers right to fear death, though? Would immortality be desirable? And is the human condition worth preserving? Thinkers discussed include: Epicurus, Bernard Williams, Schopenhauer, John Martin Fischer, Martha Nussbaum, and J.R.R. Tolkien.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:What Is Biohacking And How Does It Work? – Forbes HealthChallenging Bryan Johnson On His “Never Die” Biohacking Protocol (youtube.com)Letter to Menoeceus by Epicurus (mit.edu)Is Death Bad for You? by Shelley Kagan (chronicle.com)Williams on Immortality.pdf (nd.edu)John Martin Fischer Response to WilliamsGift of Ilúvatar | The One Wiki to Rule Them All | FandomNussbaum - Mortal immortalsSchopenhauer - The vanity of existenceBrooke Alan Trisel, Human extinction and the value of our effortsBeing and Becoming in Modern Physics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Megan Fritts, Arresting Time's Arrow: Death, Loss, and the Preservation of Real Union-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: DEKZTEGOGV2Q0TH7

In this episode, Megan and Frank continue their discussion of myths and mythology. Join them as they further explore different approaches to interpreting and understanding myth. How have creation myths differed across cultures? Should myth be regarded as an allegory? Is the point of myth to justify society's norms? Is myth a tool for exploring the subconscious aspects of our minds? And do we have any use for myth in the modern world? Thinkers discussed include Joseph Cambell, Carl Jung, Karl Popper, and Mary Midgley.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Powell - A Short Introduction to Classical Myth (earlhaig.ca) (Chs. 2-3 for an excellent overview of theories of myth)Classical Mythology - Prof. Vandiver (A great lecture series we learned a lot from)Myth in Human History - Grant Voth (Another great lecture series we drew from)Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology (quoted a few times in the episode)Teaching Jung - Kelly Bulkeley; Clodagh Weldon (Ch. 5 by Robert Segal was very helpful!)Campbell's "Other" Monomyth - The Hero's Journey: Life's Great AdventureA Secular Age — Charles Tayllor Conjectures & Refutations - Karl PopperThe Myths We Live By - Mary Midgley-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: LRDE4XFUJKAMEDIZ

In this episode, Frank and Megan discuss myths and mythology. What role has myth played in philosophy? What's the relationship between myths, history, and truth? And did the ancients really believe their myths? Join us as we engage with thinkers such as Thales of Miletus, Plato, Aristotle, Herodotus, Augustine, Paul Veyne, and R.G. Collingwood. This is the first part of a two-part episode.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Powell - A Short Introduction to Classical Myth (earlhaig.ca) (Main source for claims about history of word "mythos" and its use in Plato/Herodotus/Aristotle. Highly recommended!)Hesiod - Theogony Thales - Fragments Lehoux - All things are full of gods": naturalism in the classical worldR. G. Collingwood - The Idea of HistoryThe Herodotus - The Histories (See also BBC "In Our Time" podcast episode on Herodotus)Thucydides - The History of the Peloponnesian War (See also BBC "In Our Time" podcast episode on Thucydides)Plato's Myths - (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Plato - GorgiasJulia Annas - Plato's Myths of Judgement (Discusses Aristotle critique of Plato's geography in the myth in the Phaedo)Paul Veyne - Did the Greeks Believe in Their Myths?Dana L. Burgess - Review of Veyne's "Did the Greeks Beleive in Their Myths?"Augustine - Two Books on Genesis-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: VYYZJBODHJSDWNZP

On this episode, Frank and Megan discuss the nature of luck. Are people lucky because good things happen to them, or do good things happen to them because they are lucky? Can we make our own luck, or is it outside of our control? Is even virtue itself subject to the whims of fortune? And if everything is determined, is anything truly lucky? -----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:What is 'lucky girl' syndrome and does it actually work?The Natural History of Pliny, Vol I., by Pliny the Elder.The Apology, by PlatoThe Prince, by Nicolo MachiavelliThe Oedipus Trilogy, by SophoclesThomas Nagel - Moral LuckBernard Williams - Moral LuckHales (2016) - Why Every Theory of Luck is WrongStoutenburg (2019) - In defense of an epistemic probability account of luck-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: OE1WRYCSDRS6SLYG

On this episode, Frank and Megan discuss near death experiences (NDEs). Are NDEs evidence that the mind is separate from the body? Are there any plausible skeptical explanations that explain the data? What might NDEs tell us about particular spiritual and religious worldviews? And could NDEs have something to teach us about humanity's deepest hopes and fears?-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands - The LancetNear-Death Experiences Evidence for Their Reality - PMC (nih.gov)Dell'Olio, Do near-death experiences provide a rational basis for belief in life after death? B. Mitchell-Yellin & J. M. Fischer, The Near-Death Experience Argument Against Physicalism: A Critique R. G. Mays & S. B. Mays, Near-Death Experiences: Extended Naturalism or Promissory Physicalism? A Response to Fischer's ArticleJ.M. Fischer, University Professor Lecture: Near-Death Experiences: The Stories They TellG.R. Habermas, Evidential Near‐Death ExperiencesA. J. Ayer – ‘What I Saw When I Was Dead' Afterlife (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)K. Augustine - Hallucinatory Near-Death Experiences » Internet InfidelsSusan Blackmore Near-Death Experiences: In or out of the body? (discussion of Sagan's explanation)Lehoux - The Trouble with Taxa | What Did the Romans Know? An Inquiry into Science and Worldmaking (discussion of garlic and magnets)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: I0NNKBBUOCKXBD02

On today's episode, Frank and Megan are going to the gridiron to talk about football. What are the metaphysical identity conditions for sports teams? What makes a rule a good rule? Why is steroid use banned, but special training encouraged? Is the Super Bowl a distinctly American ritual? Will data analysts replace coaches? And does the extreme injury risk of football make it America's most immoral pastime?-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Take Your Eye Off the Ball 2.0 | Triumph BooksThe Only Good Reason to Ban Steroids in Baseball: To Prevent an Arms Race - The AtlanticFull Body Swimsuit Now Banned for Professional Swimmers - ABC News (go.com)How The NFL Uses Analytics, According To The Lead Analyst Of A Super Bowl Champion (forbes.com)4th down aggressiveness increasing rapidly across NFL | AP NewsNFL running backs meet to discuss position's depressed wages | NFL | The GuardianCollective Force of Head Hits Increases Odds of CTE, Study Says - The New York Times (nytimes.com)BU Finds CTE in Nearly 92 Percent of Ex-NFL Players Studied | The Brink | Boston UniversityEstimating the prevalence at death of CTE neuropathology among professional football players | NeurologyStudy finds CTE in 40 percent of athletes who died before 30 - ABC News (go.com)Could CTE in the NFL Be Solved by OSHA? - Global Sport MattersShip of Theseus | Definition, Examples, & Solutions | BritannicaVirtue Ethics and Consequentialism in Early Chinese Philosophy (pp. 101-117)Pragmatism and Reference (pp. 195-6 discusses the Browns/Ravens case)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: RZMGXZY5O2AIXNTQ

In this episode, Megan and Frank explore the hidden philosophical insights of alchemy. Some of the questions they discuss include: what is the history and nature of alchemy?; is alchemy more like magic, or science? what does the practice of alchemy tell us about the alchemical view of the natural world?; what was the philosopher's stone?; and is the spirit of alchemy still alive today?-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:The Secrets of Alchemy, Principe (uchicago.edu)The Alchemy Reader - From Hermes Trismegistus to Isaac Newton (cambridge.org)A preliminary reassessment of Newton's alchemy (Chapter 11) - The Cambridge Companion to NewtonThe Case Against Perfection - Michael Sandel - The AtlanticAnti-Aging Techniques Taken to Extreme by Bryan Johnson - BloombergPhilosophy Between the Lines: The Lost History of Esoteric Writing, Melzer (uchicago.edu)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: 5J75WDQQ28SJKVBZ

On today's episode, Megan and Frank work up the liquid courage to tackle one of philosophy's most notorious recruiters: alcohol. Are we different people when we're inebriated, or simply more free to act on our deepest desires? Was the prohibition movement justified? Is wine-tasting all bogus, or are sommeliers detecting something real? And does alcohol induce mystical experiences?-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Symposium by Plato (mit.edu)Cassius Dio, Roman History 49.36Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle (mit.edu) (Book 2)That One Should Disdain Hardships: The Teachings of Roman Stoic Drunkenness: Losing Our Grip on Reason | Choosing Freedom A Kantian Guide to LifeKirsten Ditterich-Shilakes, “Muse in a Stem Glass Art, Wine, and Philosophy”Quill Kukla, “Nonideal Theory of Sexual Consent” |Watch Prohibition | Ken Burns | PBSThe 1800s: When Americans Drank Whiskey Like it was WaterAmericans are drinking more now than when Prohibition became lawKevin W. Sweeney, "Is There Coffee or Blackberry in My Wine?"A.C. Noble |The Wine Aroma Wheel Official WebsiteOphelia Deroy, "The Power of Tastes: Reconciling Science and Subjectivity"Managing Diacetyl (“Buttery” Flavor) Production During MLFBarry C. Smith, “The Objectivity of Tastes and Tasting”Wine-tasting: it's junk science | Wine | The GuardianThink wine connoisseurship is nonsense? Blind-tasting data suggest otherwiseA New Study Answers The Question: Does Blind Wine Tasting Work? William James, “The Varieties of Religious Experience”-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: EZOCM133QSX3TAVC

In this episode, Megan and Frank discuss the concept of secularism. How should we think about the emergence of, and reasons for, modern secular cultures? Do secular societies create secular citizens? How did the ancient conception of the secular/sacred distinction differ from the contemporary separation of church and state? What challenges does secularism face today? And can the secular realm exist alongside the sacred?-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Liberalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Etymology of "Saeculum" - WiktionaryA Secular Age — Charles Taylor | Harvard University PressSecularism: A Very Short Introduction - Andrew Copson - Oxford University Press (oup.com)French Secularism Leaves Little Room for Religion - The AtlanticBelgium to become second EU country to recognize Buddhism | ReutersJohn Locke, A Letter concerning Toleration (uchicago.edu)Obama's 2006 Speech on Faith and Politics - The New York Times (nytimes.com)Public Reason (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Patrick Deneen: The New Right's Man in the Ivory Tower - POLITICOSlowdown in the Rise of Religious Nones (gallup.com)‘New Age' beliefs common among religious, nonreligious Americans | Pew Research CenterReligious and mystical experiences common among Americans - Institute for the Bio-Cultural Study of Religion (ibcsr.org)“The Secret” to Success? The Psychology of Belief in Manifestation - Lucas J. Dixon, Matthew J. Hornsey, Nicole Hartley, 2023 (sagepub.com)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: U2OPXUSOE40ZLA10

In a special follow-up to episode 6 on extra-terrestrial life, Megan and Frank examine the Fermi Paradox. The Fermi Paradox holds that the observable universe ought to (on a set of plausible assumptions) contain evidence of extra-terrestrial life. Yet, no such life has ever been credibly observed. What, if anything, best explains our seemingly significant celestial solitude? Beyond the Fermi Paradox, they also explore two other questions: is ET life compatible with various religious worldviews? And are alien abduction reports a kind of religious experience? -----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Ezra Klein | What the Heck Is Going On With These U.F.O. Stories? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)The Great Silence (2018) - Milan M. Ćirković - Oxford University Press (oup.com) (The book we draw heavily from in the episode)Milan M. Ćirković - Fermi's Paradox - The last challenge for copernicanism? (An article which covers most of the main themes of the 2018 book)Milan M. Cirkovic - Our Attitude Toward Aliens Proves We Still Think We're Special - Nautilus (Short, popular piece on Fermi Paradox)David Wilkinson (2013) - Science, Religion, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence | Oxford Academic (oup.com)Whitmore, J. (1995). Religious Dimensions of the UFO Abductee Experience ("UFO abductions seem to be primarily an American phenomenon; although several important cases have been reported outside the U.S., some argue that abductions are mainly confined to this country.", p. 81)Plotinus (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)The Experience Machine | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (utm.edu)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: HU4PAS2LONZMNQOU

The kids are alright… or are they? On today's episode, Megan and Frank cover the following topics: is childhood a morally horrible stage of life? What does the “good life” look like for a kid? Should children get the right to vote for elected officials? Can young children understand philosophical questions and reasoning? And if so, should we be bringing philosophy to the youth?-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Paul, LA. - Transformative Experience - Oxford University Press (oup.com)Kazez, J. - Old Age as a Stage of Life - Journal of Applied Philosophy - Wiley Online LibraryFerracioli, L. - Carefreeness and Children's Wellbeing - Journal of Applied Philosophy - Wiley Online LibraryCicero — De Senectute [On Old Age] (uchicago.edu)Mill, J.S. - On Liberty (Ch. 3)Sandel, M. - the Case Against Perfection - The AtlanticBig Ideas for Little Philosophers (penguinrandomhouse.com)Social Contract Theory | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Feminist Critique)Nussbaum, M. - Frontiers of Justice (Ch. 2, "Disabilities and the Social Contract)Rowlands, M. - Contractarianism and Animal RightsWiland, E. - Should Children Have the Right to Vote? Brennan, J. - Against Democracy | Princeton University PressAristotle - Nicomachean Ethics (Bk. 1, Sect. 3)Philosophy for Children (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Do Kids Have a Fundamental Sense of Fairness? - Scientific American Augustine - Confessions, (Bk. 1, Ch. 7)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: LBJAOXPIK1VAALIR

Why did early modern philosophers posit legions of blissful aliens to help solve the problem of evil? Is life essentially terrestrial? Does SETI count as a scientific enterprise? If Martians could talk, would we ever be able to understand them? Join Megan and Frank as they philosophize about our friends from the final frontier!-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Defense Department announces new UFO task force - CBS NewsKukla, A. (2001). ETI: On the prospects and pursuitworthiness of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence - ScienceDirect Plutarch • On the Face in the Moon (Part 1 of 4) (uchicago.edu)Lucretius - On the Nature of Things by Lucretius (mit.edu)Pearce, K. - Space Aliens and Skeptical Theism (blog.kennypearce.net)Draper, P. (1989) Pain and Pleasure: An Evidential Problem for Theists on JSTORCrowe, M. (2017). William and John Herschel's Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life | SpringerLinkFantastically Wrong: Why the Guy Who Discovered Uranus Thought There's Life on the Sun | WIREDThere Is Only One Other Planet In Our Galaxy That Could Be Earth-Like, Say Scientists (forbes.com)Rare Earth hypothesis: Why we might really be alone in the universe | Astronomy.comPseudoscience and the Demarcation Problem | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (utm.edu)Frank Cabrera, String Theory, Non-Empirical Theory Assessment, and the Context of Pursuit - PhilPapersA More Parsimonious Explanation for UFO Abduction on JSTOR75 Years Ago, 'War Of The Worlds' Started A Panic. Or Did It? : The Two-Way : NPRWhitmore, J. (1995). Religious Dimensions of the UFO Abductee Experience ("UFO abductions seem to be primarily an American phenomenon; although several important cases have been reported outside the U.S., some argue that abductions are mainly confined to this country.", p. 81)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: CWK7B5OYQTUXZOER

From Tinder to FarmersOnly, dating apps not only help us meet the love of our life, they also raise new philosophical questions! Does an endless stream of potential partners arrest our romantic agency? Is it morally wrong to care about looks? Why do these apps function like games--and has this gameplay forced our digital love lives into a functional flop? Join Frank and Megan as they discuss all these questions, as well as their own experiences, or lack thereof, in the world of online dating.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Key findings about online dating in the U.S. | Pew Research CenterKierkegaard - The Seducer's Diary | Princeton University PressExistentialism is a Humanism, Jean-Paul Sartre 1946 (marxists.org)Is It Bad to Prefer Attractive Partners? - William D'Alessandro (see social science references contained therein)C. Thi Nguyen - How Twitter gamifies communication - PhilPapersParadox of Hedonism | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (utm.edu)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: XZ0M3FIAMJSIK86P

Is there a goddess of Victory? A deity governing the sea? What about a god of the door hinge? In this episode, Megan and Frank discuss polytheism—the belief in many gods—from both historical and philosophical perspectives. They try to show that examining polytheism can help us think more clearly about the concept of “god”.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:City of God (St. Augustine) (newadvent.org)Xenophanes (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)The Internet Classics Archive | The Republic by Plato (mit.edu)LacusCurtius • Cicero — De Natura Deorum I.1‑19 (uchicago.edu)LacusCurtius • Cicero — De Divinatione: Book II (uchicago.edu)Stoic Philosophical Theology and Graeco‐Roman Religion | God and Cosmos in Stoicism | Oxford Academic (oup.com)Estate Planning in Hellenic Antiquity: Aristotle's Last Will and TestamentThe Internet Classics Archive | Metaphysics by Aristotle (mit.edu)On Counting Gods | TheoLogica: An International Journal for Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Theology (uclouvain.be) (by Dale Tuggy)Eric Steinhart, On the plurality of gods - PhilArchiveDavid Lewis, Philosophical Papers, Volume 1 - PhilPapers (page xi)Gravity and Grace - 1st Edition - Simone Weil - Routledge BookDialogues Concerning Natural Religion, by David Hume (Part 5)Monotheism - Monotheism in world religions | Britannica Oration of Constantine (Eusebius) (newadvent.org)-----------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: ZYVY5ICVVNMBBD3H

What philosophical lessons can we draw from the action movie Road House? In this episode, Megan and Frank do philosophy alongside Patrick Swayze's legendary character Dalton, examining the nature of pain, the limits of pacifism, and whether one can find the meaning of life while being a bouncer.Footnotes: 1) Road House is NOT a family friendly movie. 2) Prior viewing of Road House is not required for listening. Clips of some of the scenes we discuss can be found here:Road House (1/11) Movie CLIP - Three Simple Rules (1989) HD - YouTubeRoad House (2/11) Movie CLIP - Pain Don't Hurt (1989) HD - YouTubeJcPenny's Came Here Because of Me.wmv - YouTube-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------BibliographyThe Internet Classics Archive | The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (mit.edu) (Ch. 4)The Internet Classics Archive | The Enchiridion by Epictetus (mit.edu)Is the Sage Free from Pain? (wku.edu) by Jan Edward GarrettJeremy Bentham: An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (utilitarianism.com) (Ch. 5)Pacifism | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (utm.edu)Nietzsche's Moral and Political Philosophy (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Opioids and the Brain - How do changes in the brain begin? - PursueCareFrontiers | Cognition and Pain: A Review (frontiersin.org)Congenital Insensitivity to Pain Overview - GeneReviews® - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)-------------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: LOEVGA6IP8O5FQSV

Is Bigfoot carelessly categorized amongst the less credible cryptids? Megan and Frank discuss the possibility of the existence of this hairy hominid, debate the weight of evidence from eye-witness testimony, and try to get to the bottom of why Frank just can't believe. -----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com-----------------------Bibliography:Hunting Monsters: Cryptozoology and the Reality Behind the Myths , Naish, Darren - Amazon.com (Ch. 4)If Bigfoot Were Real - Scientific American Blog Network (by Darren Naish)The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Natural History of Pliny, Volume II., by Pliny the Elder. (Book VII, Ch. 2)Amazon.com: How to Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age: 9781259922558: Schick, Theodore, Vaughn, Lewis: Books (Ch. 5)Genetic analysis of hair samples attributed to yeti, bigfoot and other anomalous primates | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (royalsocietypublishing.org)Evolutionary history of enigmatic bears in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region and the identity of the yeti | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (royalsocietypublishing.org)Jane Goodall on How to Change Minds and Why She Isn't Ruling Out Bigfoot | GQKnowledge: A Very Short Introduction by Jennifer Nagel (Ch. 6)-------------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signsLicense code: GXITJWQZJVEP5XV8

What is a resolution? Are popular New Year's resolutions too self-centered? What can the ancients teach us about maintaining our resolutions and avoiding temptation? And is the very practice of making New Year's resolutions irrational? These are just some of the questions we explore in this episode.-----------------------Hosts' Websites:Megan J Fritts (google.com)Frank J. Cabrera - Research (google.com)Email: philosophyonthefringes@gmail.com------------------------Bibliography:New Year's Resolutions Statistics And Data – Forbes HealthThe resolution solution: Longitudinal examination of New Year's change attempts - ScienceDirectAuld lang Syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self‐reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers - Norcross - 2002 - Journal of Clinical Psychology - Wiley Online LibraryA Medieval Man's New Year's Resolutions (medievalists.net)-------------------------Cover Artwork by Logan Fritts-------------------------Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/neon-signs License code: 0TQXA2M8GGXGEUKZ