Scottish philosopher, economist, historian and essayist
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Aujourd'hui dans "Esprits Libres", David Abiker reçoit Luc Ferry, ancien ministre de l'Éducation nationale, pour une discussion autour du baccalauréat et de l'enseignement de la philosophie.L'invité revient sur les défis liés à la préparation et à la protection des sujets du bac de philosophie, évoquant la surveillance incroyable mise en place pour éviter les fuites. Il partage des anecdotes de son passage à la tête du ministère, comme ces sujets qu'il trouvait parfois « débiles » mais sur lesquels il ne pouvait rien faire, le choix des sujets étant du ressort de commissions de professeurs.La discussion s'oriente ensuite sur la place de la philosophie dans les filières technologiques et professionnelles. Luc Ferry se montre convaincu que ces élèves seraient tout aussi passionnés par la philosophie s'ils avaient de bons enseignants. Il plaide pour un enseignement davantage axé sur l'histoire des idées philosophiques, morales et esthétiques plutôt que sur l'exercice de la dissertation.Invité à imaginer le sujet de dissertation de ses rêves, Luc Ferry choisit une réflexion sur la subjectivité du goût et la possibilité d'un consensus autour des œuvres d'art, s'appuyant sur les analyses de David Hume et d'Emmanuel Kant. Il souligne avec finesse la différence entre argumentation et démonstration scientifique, une distinction essentielle pour comprendre les débats qui animent notre société.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
You can send a text, include contact info to get a response. This episode is just a little introduction to the theories of the causes of the industrial revolution as of right now. We look at the Sheilagh Ogilvie classification of 5 general theories of the Causes of the Industrial Revolution and Michael Magoon's list of causes.Of course, Harald has a few pet theories of his own by now. His third thing idea, which might really be a 4th thing idea. There are other institutional theories, we briefly discuss them all. Anton Howes' ideas are mentioned, but just to say we will dive into them later.There is a long digression on William Wollaston involving David Hume and Benjamin Franklin.
My friend, Clint Freeman, sent me an article this weekIt has to do with Artificial Intelligence and I added it to my “weird news” fileDarin White, “Four in ten Gen-Z and millennial adults say spiritual advice from AI is just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor. One-third of teenagers have talked to an AI companion rather than a human being about serious, personal issues. Thirty-nine percent of Gen Z would skip or delay a doctor's visit if AI told them their symptoms were low risk . . . . And 26 percent of Gen Z adults have engaged in some form of romantic or companion relationship with an AI chat bot.”- this is either scary or silly, but there is another development that is more serious for usWhite, "[In] April, a tech company . . . launched an AI-generated avatar of Jesus that people can talk to, pray with, and seek spiritual counsel from for $1.99 per minute. The avatar was trained on the King James Bible . . . .”- one of the concerns I have about this, is AI is not bullet-proof• I've been reading Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations◦ in chapter 5, he quotes an author without naming him, but claims he was,Adam Smith, “by far the most illustrious philosopher and historian of the present age”◦ I assumed he was referring to David Hume, because he was a friend that Smith admired• when I looked it up, an AI engine immediately popped up and curtly (I felt) reported, "no philosopher is quoted in book 5 of The Wealth of Nations◦ dissatisfied, I searched for the actual quote, and that was in Hume's writings◦ feeling vindicated, I corrected the snobbish AI bot
Joanna Stalnaker is a professor of French at Columbia University and also the author of the books The Rest Is Silence: Enlightenment Philosophers Facing Death and The Unfinished Enlightenment: Description in the Age of the Encyclopedia. Greg and Joanna discuss how Enlightenment figures faced death amid disbelief or tempered religious belief. Joanna says scholars have emphasized 18th-century death rituals more than philosophers' personal end-of-life writings, and she links her interest to growing up with atheist philosopher parents to her earlier work on Enlightenment description, and Rousseau's late writings. Their conversation covers models like Socrates and Montaigne's, public scrutiny of deaths, last rites, and burial, and tensions between posterity and accepting oblivion. They discuss Hume's death and ambivalence about his reception, Diderot's Seneca-inspired reflections and critique of Rousseau's self-presentation, Voltaire's editing of Meslier and correspondence with Madame du Deffand, Buffon's gradual “ossification” view of dying, salons and letters' role in Enlightenment networks and women's participation, posthumous publication, and the value of literary form for understanding embodied philosophy and equanimity toward death. *unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.* Episode Quotes: On publishing a book against transhumanism 07:19: I published the book [The Rest Is Silence] that, in a certain sense, it's kind of a book against transhumanism or all these attempts to sort of survive, whether it be through technology or whether it be through spreading one's genetic material by having as many babies as possible. There's this—I see, in our current moment, a kind of denial of death through those various phenomena. Sorates is a model of enlightened death 04:53: Socrates is a model in terms of how to die, what one might call an enlightened death; how to die a philosophical death; and how to face death in a courageous manner, in keeping with one's philosophy. And that was a preoccupation for both David Hume and Voltaire. They were very aware that the public was watching their deaths and that there was great interest in how they would die and whether they would recant their beliefs on their deathbeds. They were thinking back to this model of Socrates, I believe. Can you separate philosophy from the way it is written? 39:04: One of the things that I want to insist on in my work is the fact that we need to take literary form and genre and style into account because it's very difficult. The philosophical ideas cannot be extracted from their form, and I, in this particular book [The Rest Is Silence], was interested in the question of embodiment because my book is really about them attempting, acknowledging their coming deaths but acknowledging that they lived as bodies, as mortal bodies, and attempting to find a way to express that in writing. Show Links: Recommended Resources: Stoicism Epicureanism Michel de Montaigne Jean-Jacques Rousseau The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers by Carl L. Becker Denis Diderot David Hume Madame du Deffand Voltaire Boredom Adam Smith Guest Profile: Faculty Profile at Columbia University Profile for the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities Guest Work: Amazon Author Page The Rest Is Silence: Enlightenment Philosophers Facing Death The Unfinished Enlightenment: Description in the Age of the Encyclopedia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Sağduyu programında Tarık Çelenk, konuğu Prof. Dr. Şaban Ali Düzgün ile İslam dünyasının temel sorunları, özgür irade, akıl, kader, kelam, Mutezile, Maturidilik, Gazali, İbn-i Sina ve din-devlet ilişkisini tartışıyor. Programda “Allah insana özgür irade verdi mi?”, “İslam dünyası neden geri kaldı?”, “Din neden otorite aracına dönüştü?”, “Kur'an insanı merkeze mi koyuyor?”, “Sebep-sonuç ilişkisini reddetmek İslam dünyasını nasıl etkiledi?” gibi sorulara yanıt aranıyor. Şaban Ali Düzgün; Eşarilik, Mutezile, Maturidilik, Gazali, İbn-i Sina, Kant, David Hume ve modern teoloji tartışmaları üzerinden İslam düşüncesindeki kırılmaları anlatıyor. Programda ayrıca din, vicdan, hikmet, özgürlük, devlet, otorite, ahlak ve insan merkezli evren tasavvuru üzerine dikkat çeken değerlendirmeler yapılıyor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“My father taught me … keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” – Michael (Al Pacino) The Godfather Part II (1974) Could this explain our ‘dearest allies’, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and perhaps Great Britain? Today, we focus on the increasingly tenuous, unholy ‘alliance’ between America and Israel in particular. Is it me, or does Pike’s outline of WWIII (i.e., PZ vs. PI) in his Aug 15, 1871 letter to Italian Illuminatus, Giuseppi Mazzini seem like it’s coming more to fruition with each passing day…? Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. – Exodus 20:16 KJV Links Videos / Clips [x] = Played ‘War is Back on the Menu’ – RPI Lake Jackson Conference 2026. – YouTube playlist Daniel McAdams – “The War on War Reporting.” [x] Brian McGlinchey – “How the US-Israel Relationship Weakens America and Harms the World.” Robert Pape – “Iran and the Escalation Trap: Avoiding a Future of Forever Wars in the Middle East.” Marjorie Taylor Greene – “MAGA is Dead. Where Do We Go From Here?” Joe Kent – “A National Security Strategy For Our Republic, Not An Empire.” Ron Paul – Lake Jackson 2026 Headlines [x] = Mentioned / Discussed [x] The Labour Theory of Value [x] Israeli Paper Admits That The Mossad Astroturfed The January Riots In Iran. – IAK Daily Update [x] Israeli Paper Admits That The Mossad Contrived The Riots In Iran [x] Israeli Paper Admits That The Mossad Astroturfed The January Riots In Iran. [x] AI Is Already Going Rogue — Wreaking Havoc Because It Feels Like It [x] How'd Lutnick Do? Depends Who You Ask. “Very good talks” Links for 5-7-26 – by Jim Cardoza – LibertyPen Origins of Declaration of Independence | Video | C-SPAN.org Silicon Valley’s Cultural Cosplay at the Met Gala Is a Dangerous Smokescreen In OpenAI trial, former technology chief says Altman sowed ‘chaos,’ distrust among top executives The Rest [x] = Mentioned / Discussed Related to Brian McGlinchey’s RPI Talk [x] By Way of Deception – Wikipedia [x] Fox News Series on Israeli Spying on US Telecommunications [x] Israeli spying in the USA: Suppressed four-part Fox News series with Carl Cameron : Fox News : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive [x] How the US-Israel Relationship Weakens America and Harms the World – The Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity [x] Join The US Military – Kill And Die For Israel [x] How the US-Israel Relationship Weakens America and Harms the World [x] Brian McGlinchey | Substack [x] Stark Realities with Brian McGlinchey | Substack Stark Realities with Brian McGlinchey | The Libertarian Institute Stark Realities with Brian McGlinchey | Facebook [x] Rachel Corrie death: struggle for justice culminates in Israeli court | Rachel Corrie | The Guardian [x] Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands: Sakwa, Richard: 9781784535278: Amazon.com: Books > NATO exists to manage the threats created by its existence… [x] FrontPage Magazine – Our Culture, What's Left Of It > Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to. [x] Websters 1828 – Webster’s Dictionary 1828 – Probity > Primarily, tried virtue or integrity, or approved actions; but in general, strict honesty; sincerity; veracity; integrity in principle, or strict conformity of actions to the laws of justice. probity of mind or principle is best evinced by probity of conduct in social dealings, particularly in adhering to strict integrity in the observance and performance of rights called imperfect, which public laws to not reach and cannot enforce. ‘On This Day’ Related [x] WW3 – Albert Pike and the Three World Wars > The Third World War must be fomented by taking advantage of the differences caused by the ‘agentur’ of the ‘Illuminati’ between the political Zionists and the leaders of Islamic World. The war must be conducted in such a way that Islam (the Moslem Arabic World) and political Zionism (the State of Israel) mutually destroy each other. Meanwhile the other nations, once more divided on this issue will be constrained to fight to the point of complete physical, moral, spiritual and economical exhaustion. We shall unleash the Nihilists and the atheists, and we shall provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to the nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil. Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will from that moment be without compass or direction, anxious for an ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view. This manifestation will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time. [x] Orange Crush (song) – Wikipedia [x] We Didn’t Start the Fire – Wikipedia [x] Forest Fire as a Military Weapon – AD0509724.pdf [x] Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark – Road Warrior Radio – Facebook > The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance. [x] Naturalism (philosophy) – Wikipedia On This Day Events May 2026 Calendar of Public Holidays | Office Holidays Holidays and Observances in the United States in 2026 What day is it today? Important events every day ad-free | United States OTD Worldwide Public Holidays Thursday May 7th 2026 | Office Holidays On This Day – What Happened on May 7 Today in History: May 7, RMS Lusitania torpedoed, sunk by German submarine | AP News What Happened on May 7 – On This Day What Happened on May 7 | HISTORY May 7 – Wikipedia What Happened On May 7 In History? 07 | May | 2020 | Executed Today Holidays National Day of Prayer Historical Events 2004 – Marine biologist Richard Thompson coins the term “microplastics” 2000 – Vladimir Putin becomes President of Russia: The former KGB officer enjoys high approval ratings in his country as living standards in Russia have improved drastically under his rule. Internationally, he has been criticized for his authoritarian style of government. 1998 – Daimler-Benz (Mercedes-Benz) buys Chrysler for $40 billion and forms DaimlerChrysler in the largest industrial merger in history. 1984 – Monsanto and six other chemical companies agreed to pay a $180 million settlement to Vietnam veterans who were exposed to the chemical herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. 1975 – President Gerald R. Ford formally declared an end to the “Vietnam era.” In Ho Chi Minh City — formerly Saigon — the Viet Cong celebrated its takeover. 1960 – Leonid Brezhnev becomes leader of the USSR 1954 – the 55-day Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam ended with Vietnamese insurgents overrunning French forces; it would be the last major battle of the First Indochina War. 1952 – The concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by Geoffrey Dummer 1946 – Sony is founded: The company started as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering. It is now one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products. 1945 – Germany’s Nazi regime surrenders unconditionally: The capitulation ended World War II, one of the bloodiest conflicts of all time. According to estimates, between 40 and 71 million people died in the war and the Holocaust initiated by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime. 1915 – A German U-Boat sinks the RMS Lusitania: 1198 lives were lost in the attack, making it the deadliest shipwreck during World War I. The fact that some of the dead were U.S. citizens influenced the country’s decision to enter the war in 1917. 1912 – Columbia University approves plans to award the Pulitzer Prize in several categories, after establishment by Joseph Pulitzer 1895 – Alexander Popov demonstrates the world’s first radio receiver: The Russian physicist had initially built the device as a lightning detector. He achieved the first radio transmission between two buildings the following year. In some parts of the former Soviet Union the anniversary of this day is celebrated as Radio Day. 1867 – Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel patents dynamite in England, the first of three patents he receives for the explosive material 1843 – First Japanese immigrant arrives in the U.S. 1794 – French Revolution: Robespierre introduces the Cult of the Supreme Being in the National Convention as the new state religion of the French First Republic. 1718 – The city of New Orleans is founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. 1429 – English siege of Orleans broken by Joan of Arc and the French army 558 – In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I immediately orders that the dome be rebuilt. 351 – The Jewish revolt against Gallus breaks out. After his arrival at Antioch, the Jews begin a rebellion in Palestine. Births 1997 – Cameron Young, American golfer 1950 – Tim Russert, American television journalist and lawyer (died 2008) 1933 – Johnny Unitas, American football player and sportscaster (died 2002) 1919 – Eva Perón, Argentinian actress, 25th First Lady of Argentina (died 1952) 1901 – Gary Cooper, American actor (died 1961) 1892 – Archibald MacLeish, American poet, playwright, and lawyer (died 1982) 1885 – George “Gabby” Hayes, American actor (died 1969) 1840 – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer and educator (died 1893) 1833 – Johannes Brahms, German pianist and composer (died 1897) 1812 – Robert Browning, English poet (died 1889) 1711 – David Hume, Scottish economist, historian, philosopher (died 1776) Deaths 2011 – Seve Ballesteros, Spanish golfer (born 1957) 2000 – Douglas Fairbanks Jr., American captain, actor, and producer, only son of silent film star Douglas Fairbanks (born 1909) 1998 – Eddie Rabbitt, American musician (born 1941) 1968 – Craig Wood, distinguished American golfer (born 1901) 1940 – George Lansbury, English journalist and politician (born 1859) 973 – Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor, also known as Otto the Great (born 912)
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies
The late writer Christopher Hitchens was a skeptic who claimed that miracles are born from nightmarish ignorance, and that they often are simply 10th-hand reports from illiterate peasants. Wow. The flaw in his argument, of course, is that it isn't really an argument. It's simply a rant against God, and the fact is, unexplainable miracles happen every day in our world, but Hitchens' views are shared widely by certain influential people in our time, and their claims that miracles are impossible do tend to have an effect on how others think of miracles. Another reason some have trouble really believing in miracles is because when one is needed, doubt and fear crowd out our belief. Remember, even the ancient Israelites who saw historic miracles almost on a daily basis sometimes complained that God had left them to die in the desert.Man, our attention span's short. Maybe the most famous example of doubting a miracle is seen in the New Testament when one of the disciples of Jesus, Thomas, refuses to believe reports of His resurrection. John 20:25 says, “But he said to them, unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” The 18th-century philosopher David Hume thought that miracles violated the laws of nature. In fact, his views and others like him influenced many people in Europe and America in the next two centuries. So, they believed that reason cannot believe in miracles.Notice that doesn't mean they don't exist. The opinions of men too often influence people who haven't really thought this through. As the Christian writer Timothy McGrew has said, “Science properly understood will tell us the limits of nature, but it will never tell us that nothing lies beyond those limits.” In the case of Thomas, we could say that he didn't have enough information. Once he saw the risen Lord with his own eyes, he could believe. For others, it's a matter of the heart. Perhaps you've been wounded, and you're shutting God out. This can cause you not to see what's right in front of your face. So, do this. Allow yourself one day to be open to the possibility of miracles. Scan the news. Listen to friends. Scroll through social media. It would be a miracle if you don't find a miracle. Let's pray.Father God, you are good to us in big ways and in small ways. You make miracles happen in our lives. From healing to repaired relationships, we know that we can ask you for your good gifts and you will give them. Help us to be ambassadors for your miracle-working power. In Jesus' name, amen.Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.
Today we're digging into the weird world of coincidences. We look at everything from the healing waters of Lourdes to the "Twin Study" that defies logic, and even the eerie prediction of the Titanic sinking 14 years before it happened. Are these events signs from the divine, or are our brains just obsessed with finding patterns in the noise? WELCOME TO RELIGION CAMP!
Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com.Galen Strawson is a British analytic philosopher and literary critic who works primarily on philosophy of mind, metaphysics, John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Is Radical Emergence Possible?08:15 - Can Physics Describe Consciousness?12:01 - Is Everything Made of Consciousness?18:34 - Why Are People Resistant to Panpsychism?21:19 - Can Experience Alone Tell Us What Consciousness Is?23:50 - Does Consciousness Require Complexity?29:03 - Panpsychism vs Idealism: What's the Difference?36:08 - The Combination Problem40:03 - What is the “Self”?43:16 - Do We Even Need to Explain Consciousness?48:25 - Is Consciousness a Scientific or Philosophical Question?53:25 - Is It Possible for AI to Become Conscious?
Der schottische Philosoph David Hume zählt zu den bedeutendsten Denkern der Aufklärung. Seine „Dialoge über natürliche Religion“ sind ein Dokument des mühsamen Übergangs vom christlichen Mittelalter zu einer neuzeitlichen Weltsicht. In dem 1779 posthum veröffentlichten Werk lässt Hume drei Vertreter konkurrierender philosophischer Positionen debattieren: einen paradigmatischen Skeptiker, einen Anhänger des traditionellen Offenbarungsglaubens und einen Vertreter der „natürlichen Religion“ – die religiöse Wahrheiten allein aus Vernunft und Naturbeobachtung abzuleiten versucht. In dieser Folge seiner Hör-Kolumne ordnet Helmut Fink Humes klassischen Dialog aus der Position des modernen säkularen Humanismus ein. Dabei verdeutlicht er die grundlegende Bedeutung wissenschaftlicher Entwicklungen, insbesondere der Evolutionstheorie, für den weltanschaulichen Wandel: vom althergebrachten Theismus über den Agnostizismus hin zum modernen Atheismus. Der Beitrag Freigeist (83) • David Hume: Dialoge über natürliche Religion • Hör-Kolumne von Helmut Fink erschien zuerst auf Kortizes-Podcast.
durée : 00:03:36 - Le Fil philo - Vous passez vos journées devant des écrans ? Le philosophe écossais David Hume, au 18e siècle, avait déjà la solution. En relisant son "Traité de la nature humaine", Laurence Devillairs vous invite à retrouver la saveur du réel. - réalisation : Emily Vallat
On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins speaks with Maria Pia Paganelli about Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. Their conversation situates Smith as a sharp moral and political critic of monopoly and empire. Paganelli situates the book in the vibrant world of the Scottish Enlightenment and shows how Smith's central concern was not wealth for its own sake, but the material conditions that make human flourishing possible. Together, Collins and Paganelli explore Smith's views on trade, education, public debt, war, and justice, offering a rich and accessible portrait of The Wealth of Nations as both a foundational work of political economy and a deeply normative indictment of the British commercial system in Smith's time. Dr. Maria Pia Paganelli is a professor of economics at Trinity University in San Antonio where she teaches classes in the principles of economics, the economics of law, Smithian economics, a study abroad course on the history of Iceland, and more. She is the author of The Routledge Guidebook of Smith's Wealth of Nations (Routledge, 2020), and co-edited the books Adam Smith and Rousseau: Ethics, Politics, and Economics (Edinburgh University Press, 2018), and The Oxford Handbook on Adam Smith (Oxford university Press, 2013).Show Notes:Adam Smith's An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (Liberty Fund, 1982), available for free at Liberty Fund's Online Library of Liberty.Maria Pia Paganelli, “The Adam Smith Problem in Reverse: Self-Interest in Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and Theory of Moral Sentiments”Maria Pia Paganelli, “To Intervene or Not to Intervene: This is Smith's Problem”Maria Pia Paganelli, “Adam Smith the Dissenter”Maria Pia Paganelli, “Adam Smith and the Morality of Political Economy: A Public Choice Reading”Maria Pia Paganelli and Reinhard Schumacher, “Do not take peace for granted: Adam Smith's warning on the relation between commerce and war.”Maria Pia Paganelli and Reinhard Schumacher, “Smith and Hume at War: The Differing Views of Adam Smith and David Hume on Commerce and International Warfare”If you like the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell others about the show! We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.Follow the Hayek Program on Twitter: @HayekProgramLearn more about Academic & Student ProgramsFollow the Mercatus Center on Twitter: @mercatus
Today we're going to become Humean, All Too Humean. This is an introduction to David Hume's life and works, brief consideration of his influences, and deep dive into Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding - the work that woke Kant from his dogmatic slumber. In our analysis we discuss: Hume's 'two species of philosophy'; Hume's distinction between ideas & impressions, and between relations of ideas & matters of fact; his critique of causality; his explanation of habit, or custom as a 'guide to human life'; a brief look at his comments on probability, on free will, on miracles; and Hume's moderate skepticism versus what he calls, Pyrrhonism.
It is commonly asserted that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and that 'there's no accounting for taste'. Views like this received their philosophical foundation from David Hume, who famously argued that it was impossible to validly derive an 'ought' claim from an 'is' claim. If Hume is right, then aesthetic and ethical judgments seem to be mere matters of taste, and disagreement beauty or morality means nothing more than "Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man."
In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with science writer and sceptic Michael Shermer to debate truth, morality, atheism, and whether reason alone can ground a moral system.We examine David Hume's is-ought problem, the foundations of human flourishing, and Shermer's argument that survival and well-being provide a rational basis for ethics. I challenge him on whether this is simply a different kind of leap of faith, and whether Enlightenment liberalism ultimately rests on inherited Judeo-Christian assumptions about the individual, the soul, and human dignity.The conversation explores empiricism, pragmatism, evolution, and the limits of reason, alongside debates about Christianity, secular humanism, and whether religion provides measurable social benefits. We also tackle the legacy of New Atheism, the rise of woke ideology, environmentalism as a quasi-religion, and whether the moral arc of history truly bends toward justice.A wide-ranging and philosophical exchange about faith, reason, truth, and whether the modern West can defend its moral foundations without returning to religion.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 00:00 – Can You Derive Morality from Science?01:28 – Hume's Is–Ought Problem Explained05:00 – Why Human Flourishing Is the Moral Starting Point08:04 – Survival vs Death: The Ultimate Moral Question12:27 – Christianity vs Enlightenment Morality19:25 – Do Religious People Live Longer?23:04 – Empirical Truth vs Religious Truth25:00 – The Resurrection: Literal or Literary?28:14 – Can Reason Justify Reason?30:00 – Is Religion “Pragmatically True”?35:15 – New Atheism & the Rise of Wokeism38:06 – Environmentalism as a New Religion45:06 – Does History Bend Toward Justice?47:47 – Grooming Gangs, Slavery & Modern Injustice50:00 – Trans Ideology, Moral Reversal & Vigilance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Atheist Admits Atheism Can’t Justify Science A slightly shorter episode due to sickness by the editor but nonetheless still an important part of the Great Debate. Here, Stein, the atheist admits atheism can’t justify science especially when it comes to induction. This issue that David Hume identified the problem with not having justification that the future will be like the past was identified all the way back during the Enlightenment and those enlightened ones who wanted to shake off God also shook off the justification of the use of science. TIMELINE: 00:00 – Introduction 01:19 – How To Deal With Hume’s Issue With Induction 03:40 – Atheists Want To Have Brute Facts Just Because 04:39 – Atheist Admits Atheism Can’t Justify Science 06:29 – Evolution Should Have Us Except Science To Change 09:24 – What Right Do We Have To Assume The Future Will Be Like The Past? 10:53 – Conclusion BOOK LINKS: The Great Debate – Does God Exist? – Edited and Commentary by Joshua Pillows Debate Transcript Video The Bahnsen Institute All episodes, short clips, & blog – https://www.cavetothecross.com
This video explores the theology, philosophy, and Christology of Martin Luther King Jr. I argue that he is best understood as a moderate American Unitarian.I mention Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther, Michael King Sr. (Martin Luther King Sr.), Schleiermacher, Paul of Samosata, William Ellery Channing, Paul Tillich, Henry Nelson Wieman, Coretta Scott King, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Jaspers, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Walter Rauschenbusch, Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Augustine, Saint Anselm, Blaise Pascal, Os Guinness, Keith Ward, Desmond Tutu, Francis Collins, Christopher Hitchens, and more.
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay The Natural History Of Religion. It focuses specifically on sections 9-15, where Hume brings his work to a close by comparing polytheism and monotheism, as he understands them, against each other, not just in terms of their belief systems but their effects upon cultures and societies in which they play important roles. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Natural History Of Religion here - https://amzn.to/49oomNH
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay The Natural History Of Religion. It focuses specifically on sections 6-8, where he discusses the development of monotheism (which he calls "theism") out of polytheism, attempting to provide a naturalist perspective on the matters. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Natural History Of Religion here - https://amzn.to/49oomNH
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay The Natural History Of Religion. It focuses specifically on the development of what he classifies as "polytheism" (contrasting that with "theism", i.e. monotheism). Hume provides an account that views all of the ancient and contemporary polytheistic religions as derived from natural psychological processes of human beings, developed within their cultures. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Natural History Of Religion here - https://amzn.to/49oomNH
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay The Natural History Of Religion. It focuses specifically on the overall structure, arguments, and the assumptions of the work, as well as some of the distinctions Hume relies upon in his text. We also examine what Hume means by the term "natural history" and how it can be applied to religion, in his view. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Natural History Of Religion here - https://amzn.to/49oomNH
In this episode the Pugs engage some of the theological roots that gave rise and shape to Western empiricism, especially in the Scottish Tradition of David Hume. In particular, they engage how the pessimistic view of fallen human reason take on a distorted shape when severed from the rich theological setting of Augustine's theology, and then lead to secular reappropriations by secular thinkers like Hume and others. Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8 Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/ Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/
In this episode the Pugs engage some of the theological roots that gave rise and shape to Western empiricism, especially in the Scottish Tradition of David Hume. In particular, they engage how the pessimistic view of fallen human reason take on a distorted shape when severed from the rich theological setting of Augustine's theology, and then lead to secular reappropriations by secular thinkers like Hume and others.Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/
In this episode the Pugs engage some of the theological roots that gave rise and shape to Western empiricism, especially in the Scottish Tradition of David Hume. In particular, they engage how the pessimistic view of fallen human reason take on a distorted shape when severed from the rich theological setting of Augustine's theology, and then lead to secular reappropriations by secular thinkers like Hume and others. Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8 Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/ Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/
In this episode the Pugs engage some of the theological roots that gave rise and shape to Western empiricism, especially in the Scottish Tradition of David Hume. In particular, they engage how the pessimistic view of fallen human reason take on a distorted shape when severed from the rich theological setting of Augustine's theology, and then lead to secular reappropriations by secular thinkers like Hume and others. Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8 Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/ Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/
Romanos 2:15“Mostrando la obra de la Ley escrita en sus corazones, dando testimonio su conciencia y acusándolos o defendiéndolos sus razonamientos...”Aquellos que se ocupan de las ciencias éticas y que creen en la evolución han intentado resolver una explicación evolucionista por la que las personas universalmente tienen un sentido del bien y del mal. Esta línea de estudio es tan nueva que aún no tiene un nombre, aunque algunos han sugerido “neuroética” o “neurociencia moral”.Mucho del desarrollo de este estudio se basó en las teorías de los filósofos John Stewart Mill y Emmanuel Kant. Mill enseñó que el bien moral se define por aquellas acciones que le hacen el mejor bien a la mayoría de las personas, aún si algunos individuos deben sufrir en el proceso. Kant dijo que el bien moral podía definirse por la pura razón. Luego añaden al filósofo David Hume que enseñó que las personas consideran que una acción es buena si les hace sentir bien. Sin embargo, los investigadores en esta área señalaron que incluso los monos, que no leen filosofía, tienen un sentido del juego limpio. En un experimento, monos que habían aceptado pepinillos como una recompensa empezaron a rechazarlos, luego de ver que otros monos recibían uvas más sabrosas. En este punto en esta nueva “ciencia”, algunos investigadores han concluido que el bien y el mal no son más que el encendido instintivo de las neuronas cerebrales.Las Escrituras, por otro lado, dicen que Dios ha escrito Su ley en nuestros corazones. Esta es una explicación mucho más lógica del sentido universal del hombre sobre el bien y el mal.Oración: Te agradezco, Padre, por Tu ley, y por el consuelo que encuentro en el Evangelio del perdón. Amén.Ref: Discover, Carl Zimmer, “Whose Life Would You Save? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1235/29?v=20251111
Exploring David Hume
In Part II of their SOTR wrap-up, Chris and Britt have an actually hopeful discussion
An award-winning astrophysicist looks at how the understanding of uncertainty and randomness has led to breakthroughs in our knowledge of the cosmos All of us understand the world around us by constructing models, comparing them to observations, and drawing conclusions. Scientists create, test, and replace these models by applying the twinned concepts of probability and randomness. Exploring how this process has refined our knowledge of quantum mechanics and the birth of the universe, In The Random Universe: How Models and Probability Help Us Make Sense of the Cosmos (Yale UP, 2025) Andrew H. Jaffe offers a unique synthesis of the philosophy of epistemology, the mathematics of probability, and the science of cosmology. As Jaffe puts Enlightenment thinkers like David Hume in conversation with contemporary philosophers such as Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos and engages with scientists ranging from Isaac Newton and Galileo to Albert Einstein and Arthur Eddington, he uses Thomas Bayes's seminal studies of statistics and probability to make sense of conflicting currents of thought. This is a deep look into how we have learned to account for uncertainty in our search for knowledge--and a reminder that science is not about facts and data as such but about creating models that correctly account for those facts and data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
An award-winning astrophysicist looks at how the understanding of uncertainty and randomness has led to breakthroughs in our knowledge of the cosmos All of us understand the world around us by constructing models, comparing them to observations, and drawing conclusions. Scientists create, test, and replace these models by applying the twinned concepts of probability and randomness. Exploring how this process has refined our knowledge of quantum mechanics and the birth of the universe, In The Random Universe: How Models and Probability Help Us Make Sense of the Cosmos (Yale UP, 2025) Andrew H. Jaffe offers a unique synthesis of the philosophy of epistemology, the mathematics of probability, and the science of cosmology. As Jaffe puts Enlightenment thinkers like David Hume in conversation with contemporary philosophers such as Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos and engages with scientists ranging from Isaac Newton and Galileo to Albert Einstein and Arthur Eddington, he uses Thomas Bayes's seminal studies of statistics and probability to make sense of conflicting currents of thought. This is a deep look into how we have learned to account for uncertainty in our search for knowledge--and a reminder that science is not about facts and data as such but about creating models that correctly account for those facts and data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science
An award-winning astrophysicist looks at how the understanding of uncertainty and randomness has led to breakthroughs in our knowledge of the cosmos All of us understand the world around us by constructing models, comparing them to observations, and drawing conclusions. Scientists create, test, and replace these models by applying the twinned concepts of probability and randomness. Exploring how this process has refined our knowledge of quantum mechanics and the birth of the universe, In The Random Universe: How Models and Probability Help Us Make Sense of the Cosmos (Yale UP, 2025) Andrew H. Jaffe offers a unique synthesis of the philosophy of epistemology, the mathematics of probability, and the science of cosmology. As Jaffe puts Enlightenment thinkers like David Hume in conversation with contemporary philosophers such as Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos and engages with scientists ranging from Isaac Newton and Galileo to Albert Einstein and Arthur Eddington, he uses Thomas Bayes's seminal studies of statistics and probability to make sense of conflicting currents of thought. This is a deep look into how we have learned to account for uncertainty in our search for knowledge--and a reminder that science is not about facts and data as such but about creating models that correctly account for those facts and data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, best-selling biographer Walter Isaacson joins to discuss his new book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, with Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the country's founding, Isaacson explores the intellectual inspirations and drafting history of the Declaration's famous second sentence, which lays the foundation for the American dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation. Resources Walter Isaacson, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025) Walter Isaacson, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life (2004) David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature (1739) Benjamin Franklin, “Apology for Printers,” The Pennsylvania Gazette (1731) John Locke, Two Treatises of Government (1690) In our new podcast, Pursuit: The Founders' to Guide to Happiness Jeffrey Rosen explores the founders' lives with the historians who know them best. Plus, filmmaker Ken Burns shares his daily practice of self-reflection. Listen to episodes of Pursuit on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr Explore the America at 250 Civic Toolkit Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube Support our important work: Donate
Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Josh Bossé talk about the capital vice known as sloth—or rather, acedia.David Hume's Moral Philosophy: The Natural Virtues — Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyMaking All Things New by Henri NouwenInside Out 2 (2024 film)Glittering Vices by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoungAcedia & Me by Kathleen NorrisThe Message in the Bottle by Walker PercyBEMA 2: Knowing When to Say “Enough”1 Corinthians 3 — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipBEMA 400: Talmudic Matthew — SaltBEMA 401: Talmudic Matthew — LightBEMA 402: Talmudic Matthew — Lightly SaltedMark 11 (aroma reference) — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipWhere the Wild Things Are by Maurice SendakBEMA 136: Each OneThe Book of Delights by Ross Gay“Patient Trust” by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin“Followers, Not Admirers” by Søren Kierkegaard in Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and EasterPrayer of St. Teresa of Avila — Catholic Health Association of the United StatesLost in the Cosmos by Walker PercyThe Sabbath by Abraham Joshua HeschelThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. LewisCalorie — WikipediaCanada Geese and Diet Dr. Pepper — The Anthropocene Reviewed
durée : 00:03:49 - Le Fil philo - Raconter des histoires peut être amusant… mais quand le récit devient complot, que se passe-t-il ? Qu'est ce que le complotisme ? Nassim El Kabli explore le phénomène avec David Hume. - réalisation : Françoise Le Floch
22 July 2025This lecture explores the is-ought dichotomy, analyzing David Hume's assertion that moral imperatives cannot be directly derived from factual statements. The speaker critiques the selective use of this principle in secular morality and legal contexts, arguing that moral judgments often reflect subjective views rather than objective truths. The discussion emphasizes that engagements in debate carry intrinsic ethical standards, suggesting that while strict derivation may be problematic, a shared understanding of moral imperatives can emerge within secular discourse, enriching the conversation around ethics.FOLLOW ME ON X! https://x.com/StefanMolyneuxGET MY NEW BOOK 'PEACEFUL PARENTING', THE INTERACTIVE PEACEFUL PARENTING AI, AND THE FULL AUDIOBOOK!https://peacefulparenting.com/Join the PREMIUM philosophy community on the web for free!Subscribers get 12 HOURS on the "Truth About the French Revolution," multiple interactive multi-lingual philosophy AIs trained on thousands of hours of my material - as well as AIs for Real-Time Relationships, Bitcoin, Peaceful Parenting, and Call-In Shows!You also receive private livestreams, HUNDREDS of exclusive premium shows, early release podcasts, the 22 Part History of Philosophers series and much more!See you soon!https://freedomain.locals.com/support/promo/UPB2025
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Skeptic", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." The Skeptic is the longest of the four essays, and can be taken as a short presentation of Hume's own ideas about philosophy and life. The perspective of this fourth essay calls into question the perspectives of the three previous essays, and focuses not only on the difference in viewpoints on important matters between human beings, but also on why this is the case. It turns out the ascriptions of values such as beautiful or ugly, worthy or contemptible are additions to judgements about the truth or falsity of matters, and these value-ascriptions derive from a number of particular circumstances. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Platonist", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." He subtitles The Platonist "the man of contemplation, and philosophical devotion", and the essay both responds to the perspectives of the two previous essays and develops a perspective that transcends them, viewing contemplation of the beauty of the universe and the benevolence of God as most valuable. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Stoic", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." He subtitles The Stoic " the man of action and virtue", and the essay both responds to the perspective of the previous essay and develops a perspective that transcends it, viewing the pursuit of virtue, the active life, and the enjoyment of glory as what is genuinely valuable To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 18th century philosopher and essayist David Hume's essay "The Epicurean", found in his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary, the first of his four essays that bear names of members of philosophical schools, about which he tells us: "The intention . . . is not so much to explain accurately the sentiments of the ancient sects of philosophy, as to deliver the sentiments of sects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philosophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity." He subtitles The Epicurean "the man of elegance and pleasure", and the essay elaborates a position that holds the point of life to be pleasure and enjoyment, which requires that one develop some level of virtue and select pleasures prudently. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can get Hume's Essays Moral, Political, and Literary here - https://amzn.to/45AmQqs
SummaryIn this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross welcome back philosopher and author **Peter S. Williams** to discuss his book, *Behold the Man: Essays on the Historical Jesus*. This engaging conversation explores the intersection of worldview, epistemology, and historical scholarship in the search for the real Jesus.Topics Covered:The Structure and Purpose of Behold the Man A collection of revised essays exploring various historical, philosophical, and theological dimensions of Jesus.Worldviews and Historical Inquiry How modernism, postmodernism, and the emerging metamodern perspective affect approaches to the historical Jesus.Epistemology and Openness to Evidence Why the worldview and theory of knowledge you bring impacts whether you can honestly assess historical claims about Jesus.An Early High Christology in James Peter argues for early Christian belief in Jesus' divinity based on linguistic and contextual clues in the Epistle of James.Dating the Gospels – Especially John Examination of internal and external evidence supporting the traditional dating of the Fourth Gospel and its authorship by the Apostle John.Miracles and the Resurrection Responding to philosophical objections to miracles, with particular focus on David Hume and the resurrection as a historically reasonable belief.Minimal Facts vs. Maximal Data Approaches Comparison between Gary Habermas's minimal facts method and broader evidential strategies in defending the resurrection.Responding to UFO and Ancient Alien Theories Why Christian apologists should engage with these alternative explanations, and how to challenge them both philosophically and scientifically.Emotional Barriers to Belief How personal experience and discomfort with change often block serious consideration of evidence—and how to engage that pastorally.The Role of Apologetics in Spiritual Formation Why apologetics is a signpost, not a substitute, for commitment to Christ. Knowing *about* Jesus is not the same as *following* Him.================================We appreciate your feedback.If you're on TWITTER, you can follow Chad @TBapologetics.You can follow Brian @TheBrianAutenAnd of course, you can follow @Apologetics315If you have a question or comment for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at podcast@apologetics315.com
Send us a text(N.B.: This episode is cross-posted at our partner site, Adam Smith Works. There are lots of resources and background material there, if you want to delve deeper)The Scottish Enlightenment emerged as a remarkable intellectual movement that shaped modern economics, philosophy, and social science, with Adam Smith at its center developing a dual theory of human nature through his two masterworks.• Scottish Presbyterian education fostered literacy and critical inquiry despite doctrinal rigidity• The 1707 Act of Union created unique conditions where Scots pursued intellectual achievement rather than political power• Scottish universities thrived through student-funded education while Oxford professors "gave up even the pretense of teaching"• Thinkers like David Hume, Francis Hutchison, and Thomas Reid established key intellectual foundations• Smith's concept of sympathy involves synchronizing sentiments with others, not just feeling pity• Justice protects "person, property and promise" as the foundation of social order• Beneficence is "the ornament" of society while justice is essential to its existence• Smith was strongly anti-slavery, describing enslaved Africans as "nations of heroes" superior to their captors• The Theory of Moral Sentiments and Wealth of Nations form a unified system, not contradictory works• Commercial society requires both moral foundations and economic understanding to function properlyFor the complete series on Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and additional resources, you can also visit Liberty Fund's Adam Smith Works website.If you have questions or comments, or want to suggest a future topic, email the show at taitc.email@gmail.com ! You can follow Mike Munger on Twitter at @mungowitz
David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, and Literary - The Epicurean by Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
If God exists and Jesus rose from the dead, then Christianity is true. Case closed! However, there are still those who offer alternative explanations for the empty tomb despite the evidence for the resurrection. What are these theories and do they withstand critical analysis?This week, Frank sits down with Dr. Gary Habermas, the world's leading resurrection scholar to discuss, 'On the Resurrection: Refutations', the second volume of his magnum opus--a massive 4-volume project nearly 40 years in the making. From second-century texts that seem to challenge the resurrection to modern skeptical scholars like Bart Ehrman, Gary will uncover why naturalistic explanations for the empty tomb simply don't hold up. Tune in as Frank and Gary answer questions like:Who was David Hume and why do so many modern atheists still lean on his centuries-old arguments?What was Hume's actual argument against miracles, and how did C.S. Lewis respond?Are there any good arguments for naturalism or materialism?Why did former skeptic Antony Flew become a theist before he died?What are the top 5 reasons naturalistic explanations for the resurrection fail?What are the 4 best arguments in favor of an afterlife?If you're looking for the most well-researched scholarship to refute common resurrection objections, you won't find a better resource than this! Be sure to pick up your own copies of Gary's amazing work and stay tuned for the next podcast where he'll return to discuss even more insights from his life's work on the resurrection!Resources mentioned during the episode:PODCAST: Did Jesus REALLY Rise From the Dead? - https://bit.ly/3VnrtiDOn the Resurrection: Evidences (Vol.1) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1087778603On the Resurrection: Refutations (Vol.2) - https://a.co/d/48jozEvOn the Resurrection: Scholarly Perspectives (Vol.3) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1087778646Gary's website - https://www.garyhabermas.com/There is a God by Antony Flew - https://a.co/d/eOhWkSTSignature in the Cell by Stephen C. Meyer - https://a.co/d/5XLmVhc
The 18th-century philosopher David Hume famously predicted that, as the world grew more rational and scientific, people would stop having supernatural encounters.But that's not what has played out.We might live in a secular age, but we continue to have seemingly divine experiences.Lots of people now describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious”, but taking that next step - that leap of faith - into a formal belief system might actually be more rational than not.(00:00) - - Intro (00:51) - - Modern miracles (05:56) - - Ross Douthat: Columnist and podcaster (07:10) - - The Decadent Society (12:11) - - Secular regrets (19:33) - - The Logos of creation (38:42) - - The Pathos of near-death experiences (45:08) - - Buff Dickson's near-death experience (50:35) - - More miracles (58:50) - - Join a religion - any religion! (01:10:04) - - The three problems with religion (01:17:19) - - Why believe in Jesus? CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actors today was Yannick Lawry. Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.
We talk a bit more about David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751), and add some parts of A Treatise of Human Nature (1739): sec. 3 "Of the Influencing Motives of the Will" within the third part of Book II, "Of the Passions," and the first two sections of Book III, "Of Morals." Can reason by itself motivate moral action? Hume says no: All ethical reasons must point ultimately to sentiments, which we can generalize about, but which are epistemically basic. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion.