Red Letter Philosophy

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Red Letter Philosophy is a podcast about ideas that matter. There are many philosophers and philosophies in this world; some deep, many shallow.  In ancient calendars, medieval manuscripts, and modern universities, red signified something important; something that would put you in danger, should it be ignored.   As the spirit of the day ebbs and flows, the words of red letter philosophers and philosophies keep us tethered to reality and mindful of what matters.   Take up and listen, as Soz (philosophy lecturer & writer) and Mot (engineer, musician & man about town) pay mind to the most practical and profound thinkers of past and present.

Red Letter Philosophy


    • Sep 30, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 13m AVG DURATION
    • 179 EPISODES
    • 4 SEASONS


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    Latest episodes from Red Letter Philosophy

    Where Is God?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 17:31


    Where is God?  How is the distance between God and man to be measured?  In this episode we conclude a series of episodes on Divine Hiddenness.  However, this is not your mother's academic discussion.  God, evil, life, pinball, drinks, and a wee bit of reverie await you, dear listener.  Come and enjoy the show.

    Divine Hiddenness & D. Z. Phillips

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 17:10


    When we experience evil, or silence from heaven, can any answers, any consolation, be found in philosophy?  In this episode we consider this question in the light of D. Z. Phillips.

    Divine Hiddenness & C. S. Lewis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 14:49


    When we experience evil, or silence from heaven, can any answers, any consolation, be found in philosophy?  In this episode we consider this question in the light of C. S. Lewis.

    Deus Absconditus

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 13:53


    The world can seem a silent and indifferent place in the face of suffering and confusion.  Where is God?  Why should God, as some tell us, be in a whisper?  Why should God dwell in secret places?  In this episode we take up The hiddenness of God, the Deus absconditus. 

    RLP Replay: What's So Good About Good Friday?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2024 17:26


    As we continue recovering from being under the weather, we bring you one of our Easter favorites.  On this holiday episode of Red Letter Philosophy we ask the question, what's so good about Good Friday?  We also discuss the frame or boundary that is Holy Week.  In the words of Peter Kreeft, “it takes boundaries to make anything interesting.  If a picture didn't have a frame, it would trail off into vague, boring everything-ness.  Life's most dramatic moments are her two frames: entrance and exit, beginning and end, birth and death.”

    RLP Replay: The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 14:10


    This St. Patrick's Day finds us under the weather.  Rather than miss the day, we offer/bring one of our St Patrick's Day favorites.  Is St. Patrick's Day a celebration of the Irish; Irish history, Irish storytelling, Ireland herself, or is St. Patrick's Day a celebration of a saint and of the one who molded the saint?  We couldn't decide.  So, on this episode we offer you both one of Ireland's finest sons and her greatest saint.  We offer for your listening pleasure The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde.

    World In My Eyes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 11:33


    In this episode we contemplate the problems of silence and unbelief through the eyes of Jean Paul Sartre and Frederick Nietzsche.  Do these two great atheist philosophers agree, fundamentally, with the great Christian philosophers?  Take up and listen.

    RLP Holiday: Love & Death

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2024 15:18


    Every once in a while Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day; this episode is for such days.  Love and death are visitors from another world, doors in the wall of the world.  Join us as we contemplate love and death.

    Policy of Truth

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2024 12:33


    After a three month hiatus, Red Letter Philosophy returns.  The boys pick up their discussion of the problem of silence and the problem of unbelief.  In particular, they look at an intriguing argument from famed author, Andrew Klavan.

    RLP Holiday: Memento Mori

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 18:58


    Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day: a trinity of holy and deathly days.  In an increasingly secular age, these days become excuses to indulge the appetites: hedonism & ghoulishness.  However, these days are days of profundity and depth when seen in the correct light.  Join us as we contemplate mystery, death, and spirit in this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.  

    Enjoy the Silence

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2023 16:08


    Do we live on a silent planet?  Are we merely insignificant specs of dust adrift in an indifferent cosmos?  Or do we have reason to think otherwise?  We're on the road and searching for answers; join us, will you?

    The Problem of Unbelief

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 19:18


    Do you struggle with belief?  Are you disturbed by the apparent silence (or indifference) of the universe?  If so, then this is the episode for you.  Join us for a discussion of belief, silence, and much more in this first episode of season six.

    RLP Special: Death in the Grand Canyon (Refreshed)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 16:00


    The Grand Canyon is a place where the veil between this world and the next world grows thin; a place where we learn to take life, but not ourselves, seriously.  In this episode, we look again at the death and spookiness that surrounds the canyon.

    RLP Special: Chance or the Dance (Refreshed)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 16:15


    In this episode, we continue our contemplation of a mystery.  We began, two episodes ago, with G. K. Chesterton and his comment about seeing in “the light of the supernatural”.  In the last episode we continued our musings with Peter Kreeft and his comments about the sea within. Now, we come to Thomas Howard and his comments about perception & reality. 

    RLP Special: The Sea Within (Refreshed)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 12:13


    The Summer of the supernatural continues.  In this episode we revisit and refresh a pervious episode, The Sea Within.  Perhaps the supernatural isn't so far from the natural; perhaps what we call natural is supernatural from a certain point of view.

    RLP Special: Life Is a Pigsty (Refreshed)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 15:15


    Approximately five years ago we posted our first episode.  The episode was, and is, titled, Life Is A Pigsty.  In this episode, we reexamine, and elaborate upon, that first episode.  Morrissey, Chesterton, & the messiness of life, on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.

    Farewell & Adieu

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2023 20:50


    In this episode of Red Letter Philosophy, we bid farewell to season five.  We've  been on a metaphysical journey through Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and contemporary philosophy.  What conclusions can be drawn from our journey?  Will we make it back home?  “Tune in” and find out.

    RLP Holiday: Fatherhood & Reality

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2023 10:58


    Is it, as Freud said, that we are projecting our fathers onto the face of God, or is it that we project our inner knowledge God onto the face of our fathers?  Do our desires and expectations come from a higher place?   In this episode of Red Letter Philosophy, we explore the relationship between fatherhood and reality.  Take up and listen.

    Thomas Howard: Chance or Dance?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2023 17:04


    Is it that nothing means anything or that everything means everything?  Two myths, two ways of understanding life and the world; the culmination of Augustine, Pascal, and our season: on this week's Red Letter Philosophy.  Take up and listen.

    St. Augustine: My Love Is My Gravity

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 14:33


    St. Augustine's wrote that “Amor meus, Pondus meum”; My love is my gravity.  Perhaps our search for what truth and reality is not only an intellectual search?  Perhaps the heart can have reasons of which reason knows nothing?  In this episode we take up these questions.

    RLP Holiday: Monica's Tears

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2023 7:38


    The essence of Motherhood: a metaphysical question.  Motherhood is surely many things, but if it is anything, it is also surely a kind of life, a life of prayer.  A mother is one who raises her mind and heart to God on behalf of her family, and that is something worth noting and celebrating.

    David Hume & Belief in God, Pt. II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2023 18:10


    Hume, contrary to popular belief, never intended to destroy belief in God.  He only meant to destroy a certain conception of belief, and belief in God.  In this episode we contemplate Hume's criticism of, and argument for, belief in God.

    David Hume & Belief in God

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2023 19:05


    The English philosopher and mathematician, W. K. Clifford, famously wrote that, “It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.”  Clifford's approach to belief has come to dominate the way many intellectuals approach matters of belief, especially belief in God.  In this episode we argue that Clifford neglected his Hume.  Hume's approach to belief and God shows Clifford's ethic to be vacuous and incoherent.  Take up and listen.  Hume, belief, and God on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.

    RLP Holiday: Faith & Reason

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2023 15:00


    In honor of Holy Week, this week's episode is devoted to the mystery of faith.  In keeping with this season, we contemplate this mystery with a Modern philosopher, Blaise Pascal.  Enjoy.

    David Hume: Hume's Cave

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2023 18:23


    Philosopher Peter Kreeft wrote that David Hume was, “the most formidable, challenging, and difficult to refute skeptic in the history of human thought.  His logic is powerful.”  In this episode we taste the fruits of Hume's empiricism.  Have the empiricists helped us to overcome radical skepticism?  Are we closer to touching the true, the good, and the beautiful?

    RLP Holiday: The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2023 14:10


    Is St. Patrick's Day a celebration of the Irish; Irish history, Irish storytelling, Ireland herself, or is St. Patrick's Day a celebration of a saint and of the one who molded the saint?  We couldn't decide.  So, on this episode we offer you both one of Ireland's finest sons and her greatest saint.  We offer for your listening pleasure The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde.

    David Hume: Party Guy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2023 22:42


    David Hume was the last of the great British Empiricists.  He is the empiricist, nay, the philosopher of the Enlightenment, outside of perhaps Kant, who has exhibited the most influence over contemporary philosophers.  He was also a party guy.  Join us as we drink in some Hume and find out why he was (and is) such a big deal.

    Bishop George Berkeley: To Be Is To Be Perceived

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2023 13:51


    Bishop George Berkeley was one of the three great British Empiricists.  His view, Esse Est Percipi (To be is to be perceived), is as infamous as Descartes' view, Cogito Ego Sum (I think, I am).  In this episode we imbibe the thoughts of one of the most peculiar philosophers of all-time.  Drink up!

    RLP Holiday: The Heart of the Matter

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2023 7:26


    Philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote that, “the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.”  In this episode we celebrate St. Valentine's Day by contemplating the heart.  In particular, we read and reflect upon H.P. Lovecraft's poem, "A Garden".

    John Locke: Are You Experienced?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2023 19:25


    John Locke was first of the great British Empiricists.  Locke, and the empiricists who came after him, rejected the philosophy of the rationalists.  In this episode, we uncork the empiricists, and drink in their philosophy.  Truth, reality and Locke, on this week's Red Letter Philosophy.

    G. W. F. Leibniz & God

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2023 16:56


    Why is there something rather than nothing?  This is a perennial philosophical question; a question taken up, perhaps most famously, by the Enlightenment rationalist, Leibniz.  Leibniz and God, on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.

    G. W. F. Leibniz & The Mystery of Existence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2023 19:35


    Meet G. W. F. Leibniz.  Leibniz is known as the last “universal genius”.  What does Leibniz have to say about truth and reality?  Is he worth imbibing?  In this episode, we take up these question.  All aboard the Red Letter Express.

    RLP Holiday - Christmas Belief: Lessons from The Polar Express

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2022 20:38


    What does it mean to believe? Is belief a virtue? This week we celebrate Christmas by pondering Christmas belief. In particular, we ponder these questions aboard The Polar Express.

    Baruch Spinoza & The Mystery of Existence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 17:55


    17th century philosopher, Baruch Spinoza, wrote, “nothing exists from whose nature some effect does not follow.”  Spinoza, a philosophical child of Descartes', sought to draw out the logical implications of Descartes' philosophical revolution.  Monism, pantheism, and Spinoza on this week's episode of Red Letter Philosophy.

    Rene Descartes & The Mystery of Existence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2022 19:08


    What is ultimately real?  According to Descartes, reality is composed of two substances, mind and matter.  Why did Descartes think this?  More importantly, why should we care?  In this week's episode, we take up these questions.

    RLP Holiday: In Defense of Thanksgiving

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2022 10:38


    Is gratitude a virtue?  Gratitude is not listed among the four cardinal virtues.  Gratitude is not listed among the three theological virtues?  Should it be among the virtues?  Does the Thanksgiving holiday get overlooked?  A series of questions and reflections on the Thanksgiving holiday on this week's Red Letter Philosophy.

    Rene Descartes: God, Reason, and a Piece of Wax

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2022 18:24


    In this episode, we continue to contemplate Descartes' response to the challenge of nominalism, doubt, and radical skepticism.  In particular, we ponder a piece of wax.  Does a piece of wax hold the key to understanding knowledge, reality, and God?  Descartes and the meaning of it all, on this week's Red Letter Philosophy.

    Rene Descartes: Cartesian Delight

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 13:43


    The Red Letter Express resumes its journey.  After their encounter with Ockham, our hosts are in search of answers.  They are offered Cartesian Delight - the philosophy of Rene Descartes.  Does Descartes have the cure for what ails our hosts?  Rationalism, Skepticism, and Descartes on this week's Red Letter Philosophy.

    RLP Holiday: What the Moon Brings by H. P. Lovecraft

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 10:18


    This Halloween we invite you to sit with the Clive, procurer of libations facilitator of seekers and wanderers.  Clive recites and reflects upon the poetic musings of H. P. Lovecraft.  He warns us to be wary of what the moon brings.  Happy Halloween.

    Occam's Flavor

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2022 21:30


    The Red Letter Express makes its first unexpected stop.  Join our hosts as they try to make sense of their predicament.  Was the train derailed or is this a minor inconvenience?  The insights of Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas run into the challenge of nominalism and William of Ockham.

    Amarettos with Aristotle

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2022 16:33


    In this episode we join our hosts as they reflect upon the practical insight of Plato, and especially Aristotle.  The Red Letter Express chugs along peacefully allowing our hosts to contemplate the nature of change and relationships.  All aboard!

    Play-Tonic: A Shot of Plato and Aristotle

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2022 17:21


    The Red Letter Express presses on.  In this episode, we temper last episode's discussion of Parmenides and Heraclitus with a shot of Plato and Aristotle.  What is the one among the many?  What is the being in becoming?  What is the reality behind a world of appearances?  In this episode we imbibe responses from Plato and Aristotle. All aboard!

    Parmenides on the Rocks

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2022 17:40


    Join us as we embark on a journey. Invited by a man with no name to a destination unknown; we travel. In this inaugural episode, we encounter two ancient spirits, namely, Parmenides and Heraclitus. All aboard the Red Letter Express.

    RLP Special: Summertime Sadness

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 12:13


    Peter Kreeft once said that “it takes boundaries to make anything interesting”. But summer is not only a boundary. What is it that draws us to it? What is it that we seek? Join us as we attempt to unpack its essence, in this final episode of our summer series.

    RLP Special: Summertime Madness

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2022 22:39


    Enchiladas and French fries?  Socks and sandals?  Bad taste, and the aesthetics of Summer, on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.

    RLP Special: Jaws & Philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2022 26:56


    This Summer, between seasons, we're talking about why we love Summer. Something in the imagination binds together the things of Summer. Last episode we contemplated the sounds of the Summer. This episode we imbibe the Cinema of the Summer. Join us as we contemplate one of the great movies of Summer, “Jaws”.

    RLP Special: The Beach Boys & Philosophy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2022 37:10


    Two Summers ago, we reviewed Bruce Brown's movie, The Endless Summer.  The film captured our desire, and our need, for Summer. Summer is a season, a foreshadow, and for some, a way of life.  Its literal meaning is in its metaphor.  This week we kick off the Summer season by imbibing the sounds of the Summer.  In this episode we contemplate The Beach Boys and Philosophy.

    RLP Holiday: The Revolutionary & The Bishop

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2022 12:38


    What do President John Adams, Bishop Fulton Sheen and the 4th of July have in common?  And why should you care?  Pull up a chair and celebrate the birth of the United States with some philosophical fireworks and an unusual brew of philosophers.

    God & The Philosophers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2022 14:33


    In this episode we close out season four.  What conclusions can be drawn, what similarities can be observed, amongst our four philosophers?  Join us for one last round with Blaise Pascal, G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.

    RLP Holiday - Ordinary Men: A Celebration of Fathers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2022 11:53


    G. K. Chesterton wrote that, “God chooses ordinary men for fatherhood to accomplish His extraordinary plan.”  In this Father's Day episode we contemplate the significance of the ordinary (ordinary men) and the dulness of the extraordinary (extraordinary men).

    Ludwig Wittgenstein & God, Pt. 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2022 12:45


    In this episode, we conclude our discussion of Wittgenstein, the Villain. In particular, we discuss the question, “does Wittgenstein illuminate or obscure our understanding of God?”

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