Classical Greek Athenian philosopher (c. 470 – 399 BC)
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Plato's Intellectual Roots and First Visit. Guest Author: Professor James Romm. Plato's early life was shaped by the reign of the 30 Tyrants in Athens, including his relative Critias. The execution of his teacher, Socrates, further disillusioned him with traditional democracy. He developed a philosophy centered on an unseen world of perfect "forms." Influenced by Pythagorean mathematics, he viewed numbers as a way to understand the universe's abstract essences. Invited by Dion, Plato visited Syracuse in 385 BCE to explore potential autocratic reforms. This visit failed when Dionysius the Elder dismissed his ethical teachings. Plato then returned to Athens to found the Academy. 2
What happens when wonder is reduced to curiosity, and curiosity becomes a drive to master everything? In this second conversation with William Desmond, John Vervaeke returns to the question of astonishment: not as a passing emotional state, but as a deeper opening of the mind to reality. Desmond frames scientism as a philosophical interpretation of science that tries to make all essential questions answerable through determinate method, precision, and control. Science remains valuable, but scientism forgets the more original wonder from which inquiry arises. The conversation distinguishes astonishment, perplexity, and curiosity. Curiosity seeks determinate answers, while astonishment opens us to what exceeds our mastery. Vervaeke connects this with his own distinction between the having mode and the being mode, arguing that genuine wonder is bound up with transformation rather than mere information. From there, the dialogue turns to Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, logical positivism, AI, computation, relevance realization, and insight. Desmond and Vervaeke ask whether intelligibility can be reduced to determination, or whether the most important forms of understanding depend on a living act of insight that formal systems cannot generate on their own. The final movement turns toward spiritual practice, Socrates, Jesus, the Buddha, religion, trust, and forgiveness. If modern culture suffers from a dearth of astonishment, then the recovery of meaning may require more than better arguments. It may require practices, communities, and forms of dialogue that reawaken porosity, reverence, and an openness to the sacred. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and the Desmond conversation so far 03:00 - Science, scientism, and the desire to make everything univocal 06:30 - Astonishment, perplexity, and curiosity 14:00 - Plato, Aristotle, and the purpose of philosophical wonder 16:30 - Having, being, mystery, and transformation 22:20 - Whether knowledge dissolves wonder 26:10 - Logical positivism and the failure of total certainty 31:30 - The four kinds of knowing and propositional tyranny 34:00 - Insight, inference, and logical systems 41:40 - Relevance realization, computation, and AI 46:30 - What intelligibility means beyond determination 50:40 - Inexhaustibility and the hyper-intelligible 58:20 - Dialectic, dialogos, and the practice of astonishment 01:03:40 - Porosity, the buffered self, and vulnerability 01:07:00 - Meaninglessness, spiritual practice, and cultural homelessness 01:12:30 - Reawakening astonishment without commodifying experience 01:14:10 - Ancient dialogue as a response to skepticism 01:17:30 - Socrates, Jesus, the Buddha, and embodied wisdom 01:22:00 - Religion, the sacred, and suspicion of God 01:27:30 - Trust, forgiveness, and cultural metanoia 01:30:20 - Closing thoughts and the next conversation Key Insights Scientism totalizes science by treating scientific method as the answer to every essential question. Astonishment is more original than curiosity because it opens inquiry rather than merely directing it toward control. Perplexity matters because some mysteries are not failures of explanation but enduring features of the human condition. Insight depends on living participation in intelligibility, not only inference or computation. AI and formal systems can imitate aspects of thought, but they do not resolve the deeper question of living noetic activity. Modern meaninglessness is intensified when institutions, practices, and role models no longer help people recover reverence and connectedness. Religion must be discussed at the level of human vulnerability, longing, trust, failure, and mystery, not only at the level of institutional critique. Resources Astonishments and Science: Engagements with William Desmond - edited by Paul Tyson William Desmond, "The Dearth of Astonishment: On Curiosity, Scientism and Thinking as Negativity" William Desmond, God and the Between Gabriel Marcel, Being and Having Bernard Lonergan, Insight Charles Taylor, A Secular Age Augustine's Cassiciacum dialogues About William Desmond William Desmond is a philosopher whose work engages metaphysics, religion, art, science, and transcendence. In this conversation, he and John Vervaeke continue their exploration of astonishment, scientism, the between, and philosophical practice. Follow The Lectern for conversations on philosophy, meaning, wisdom, and the recovery of deeper forms of knowing. Thanks for listening!
Most people are waiting to find their purpose. Adrian Starks says that's exactly why they're stuck. The podcaster, voice narrator, professional speaker, and entrepreneur behind Your Purposeful Life returns to the show to share with Lesley Logan about the real cost of perfectionism, the salmon's lesson on fighting your purpose, and the daily self-reflection practice that quietly rebuilds your direction. This one's for anyone in a rebuild season, ready to stop searching and start moving. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why saying "I don't know" is the most underrated leadership move.The three cycles every purposeful life moves through on repeat.What happens when you stop checking in with your own purposeThe two questions Adrian asks instead of just journaling his thoughts.The real difference between nice people and kind people in your life.Episode References/Links:Adrian Starks Website - https://adrianstarks.comYour Purposeful Life Podcast - https://beitpod.com/purposefullifeAdrian Starks on YouTube - https://beitpod.com/adrianyoutubeAdrian Starks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?nis=trueAdrian Starks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adrian.starksEp 191. with Adrian Starks - https://beitpod.com/ep191The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish - https://a.co/d/0iNbLUALAre You My Mother by P.D. 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It's going to evolve with time, and that's okay. Having self-doubt is okay; not knowing everything is okay.Lesley Logan 0:13 Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 0:55 All right, Be It babe. I'm gonna keep this short and sweet, because you've got some gems, some nuggets, some magic coming at you. We have one of the best conversations I had at the beginning of this pod, episode 191. Our guest is Adrian Starks, and he is back, and he is back with so much. It's so fun how a difference of a few years can make when you're living your life and you're following your purpose and reflecting what you can do and what you learn about yourself that you can share with others. So here are so many amazing tips on helping you find your purposeful life. And if you love Adrian, go check out his podcast, Your Purposeful Life. Lesley Logan 1:29 All right, Be It Pod, we have a guest back. I think, honestly, this might be the biggest gap from the first episode to the next episode. So, Adrian Starks, we have a lot to talk about. We, one, probably have to reintroduce you to everybody, and then two, we have to hear what you've been up to, how you're being it till you see it. So, tell everyone who you are and what you're rocking at these days.Adrian Starks 1:48 Well, it is so great to be back, Lesley. Let me tell you. My name is Adrian Starks, of course. I'm a podcaster, voice narrator, speaker, entrepreneur, all the good stuff. But yeah, that's who I am.Lesley Logan 2:01 Are you reading books? Are you a narrator like that? Are commercials what we're doing with it? I mean, a great voice.Adrian Starks 2:06 We're reading books, we're narrating for commercials, we're doing a lot of things.Lesley Logan 2:11 Cool, that's so fun. How did... okay, we have to talk more about that. But first, so we had you on for episode 191, and I was on your pod, and we really had a great time because you had some really great "be it till you see it" moments. And I think maybe we can go back a little bit of the be it till you see it where we left off to here, because maybe I missed it, maybe I didn't get as excited, but I can't believe narrating commercials and stuff like that. That's got to be so fun using this amazing voice you have to do what you're doing. So take us back a little bit, so we can get to the present.Adrian Starks 2:48 Okay, so how did I get into that? Well, that's a good question. I started out as speaking, professional speaking, and then I just started making connections along the way, started auditioning for certain things. I did a lot of things on certain platforms, like reading for children's books, I did some audios for other people's books, and then one thing led to another. The next thing I know, I'm getting offered opportunities to do other things, like narrating, and it's fun for me. I enjoy it, and I love it. So that's where I'm at today, doing that, along with podcasting, along with just being it till you see it.Lesley Logan 3:20 Yeah, how has your podcast changed? It's been like almost 400 episodes since we've talked, so that's like at least two years.Adrian Starks 3:28 Yeah.Lesley Logan 3:30 Because when we start our podcast, we have an intention of what it is, and then we evolve. The podcast has to evolve. What have you kept the same, and what have you realized that as you've changed, you've changed?Adrian Starks 3:44 Wow, the podcast has evolved, and I've changed over time, in a way of not so polished like I was before. Before, I was very astute, and I had to talk about this, talk about that, and make sure all my answers are correct. Now I was like, you know what, there's some things I just don't know, and I'm gonna show certain sides of myself that no one's ever seen. So now people are seeing the comical side of me. I'm into comics, I'm into a lot of fun things, comic cards, comic books, superheroes, of course, reading. But the podcast has evolved in a sense of me now just... I'm not looking for the answer of purpose. I just want to understand what people's perspective of it is, and that has changed.Lesley Logan 4:30 Oh, I understand that. I get that, because it's called Your Purposeful Life. And I love that you're like, "I thought it has to be astute. Everything has to have an answer, because that's what everyone wants." Everyone wants an answer. I have these students in this mentorship program, and they asked a question, and I talked for seven minutes. My fathom is like that's like a monologue, and I was like, "I have fully answered your question, and I want to acknowledge that it doesn't sound like there's an answer in there because you want yes or no."Adrian Starks 5:01 That's the truth.Lesley Logan 5:01 But it's such a lot of questions about our life and the things that we do. There's nuances; there's things that might be too much purpose for you and not enough for someone else. And so it's complicated.Adrian Starks 5:14 It's very complicated. And I go by the philosophy of Socrates. He said that "I know that I know nothing," and that is something that is very courageous to do in this day and time. Yes, we want to be knowledgeable about things. Yes, we want to have things that we give to people that are correct, because, like in your case, when you're teaching people, you want the knowledge to be there for them. But there's a lot of cases where there's just some things we don't know, and that's okay. That's what learning is for, and being able to be a person in your field and be a leader, and say, "You know what, I don't know, but I would like to find that answer out with you, or find some type of solution to what this is." And that's where I feel like we're living now in this day and time; people are looking for solutions, but they're also looking for connection to that solution.Lesley Logan 6:06 Yeah, and I think there's a trust to be built there. There has to be something that there's an alignment. I actually remember when I first became a Pilates instructor, I think I had to know the answer to everything, and I have found that my clients and the students I teach, they might not love when I say, "I don't know. Let me think about it," but also I may never know. The person I studied under has passed, the person he studied under has passed, like there's just going to be some things we don't have an answer to. So I think it's very brave and courageous to be like, "I don't know the answer to that, but this is what I know, and I know enough of this to keep going in this direction." Being a recovering perfectionist and overachiever, I used to really need someone to tell me the right or left turn to take, and I've gotten better at going, "Oh, I'm going to take this left-hand turn, and based on the information I have, it should get me where I'm going, and if it doesn't, we'll get as far as we did, and we'll figure it out."Adrian Starks 7:05 That is the same way with me, too. You and I both share that common theme of being the perfectionist and wanting to have, we call these Type A personalities, they want certain things a certain way, and that's okay. But there are times where you have to just let things flow. I was thinking about this the other day. I had a day where everything seemed to be going against me, and I was trying my best, because I'm very stubborn, to make things go the way that I wanted them to. And the more I did that, I found that there was more resistance, something got delayed, something didn't happen, something fell through, and then I realized that, okay, I'm going against the nature of things. And when we go against the nature of things, when we try to make things perfect when they're not meant to be, that's going to be major resistance, because everything has to flow a certain way.Lesley Logan 7:57 Yeah.Adrian Starks 7:57 I'm all about looking at nature as a way of teaching, and if you look at the salmon, so I'm from the Pacific Northwest, here in Seattle, and the salmon, when they go upstream, that one last journey to lay their eggs then spawn, they go upstream. That's the last thing they do when they get there, is do that, and then they die. Now, the question remains: is it the exhaustion that gets them? Is it just that that was their purpose, like we're going to go back, we're going to give life, and then that's it? Well, there's a number of things going on, but the true essence is that that journey against the flow of the river, that's what exhausts them. So, by the time they get to the top and they do their thing, there is no energy left to go back.Lesley Logan 8:47 Yeah.Adrian Starks 8:47 And when I look at our days and our lives, and when we're going against the grain of what our purposes are, then that creates major resistance. It makes us feel like we're not worth it, makes us feel like we're not perfect. It makes us feel like we're incompetent, and the answer to that is that we're not. We're truly good at where we are. We can always be better, but we don't need to be perfect.Lesley Logan 9:11 Yeah, I interviewed someone about being 1% better every day, and eventually that just is too compounding for me. I've done math, and that's a lot, for the recovering overachiever. 1% better every day, and it's like some days you're gonna be 3% worse, because you made a mistake that you had to go learn and unravel and go back, and that requires... there's just things, it's a lot of pressure. But I do think that as long as your intention is to be a learner and to continue to put out what you feel your creative spirit is, then you're going to make mistakes, but you can recover from them and keep going, and you learn more, you have better muscle strength. Some days when you're having those resistances, you actually just build stronger resilience for what you're going to do, because the closer you get to the thing that you want, you'll have a lot of rejection along the way. People doubting that your idea is a good one, and you need to strengthen your resilience, so you can get to where you want to go. Because when you get there, there's going to still be some doubters; it's going to be even more, because now you're more known for it. And so now there are these people who are like, "Who do you think you are?" And it's like, I think I'm the person who's been working on this for 20 years. Where are you? You just got here.Adrian Starks 10:25 Exactly. That's what people see, they see the outcome, they see just that result. They don't see the build-up to it.Lesley Logan 10:31 Yeah.Adrian Starks 10:31 And it's like when you look at trees when they grow, you don't see the roots that are deep into the ground that have spent years getting its grounding so the tree can go upward and it can balance itself. You only see the blossoming of the tree, and we forget that there's a lot going on in the dark here, a lot that's causing this tree to be the way it is. And I love the fact that you said learning too, because that kind of rang a bell with me when I talk about purposeful living. There's three cycles, and one of them is learning. We have to be constant students of ourselves and our environments, learning what is actually going on in my environment, what am I not getting, what mistakes am I making, what can I improve, and then that learning process will trigger the second step. Once you realize that, that second step is growth.Lesley Logan 11:19 Yeah.Adrian Starks 11:20 We trust what we've learned. Right now, we're beginning to put it into action a little bit. We're starting to apply it, like, "Okay, this didn't work. Let me dial back here. Let me try this now. Let me try something different. Let me try a different road. Let me not go down this road anymore." And then, once you do that enough, that growth, then we move into the third part of the cycle, which is self-expression. That's the complete trust that now you've learned it, you put it into action, and now you know what works and what doesn't work for you. Now you're just going to have some fun with it. Then once you start having fun, the confidence builds up. Okay, now let's learn some more, let's grow some.Lesley Logan 11:58 Yeah.Adrian Starks 11:59 And you just keep doing that over and over through your lifespan here on the planet. And the beautiful thing is, like you were mentioning, you don't have to be perfect doing it, make a mess, and then clean it up as you go.Lesley Logan 12:10 Oh my god, I think the best things... I look at them in my office at the end of the day, and I'm like, "Yeah, we did some great work here." Maybe that's the ADHD that just puts things down instead of putting it away, but at the end of the day I look and go, "Oh yeah, if I thought I didn't do anything today, I was wrong." Clearly, I've been in every place in this room, I've done all these things, and I think that's a sign of a good day. It's interesting. I think another part of that growth process you're talking about is putting yourself around people who are the next step ahead, because if you end up doing all of that, and then you're just surrounded by people who haven't done that, it's really easy to either get a little full of yourself or to stop growing, or think that there's not another level. I've always had some great friends in my career that are about seven to 10 years ahead of me in age or in the profession, and I love it because they are always telling me what their complaints are, and I can go, "Oh, well, I don't have to experience that complaint. That sounds like a terrible thing, that sounds really exhausting." If I just change it now, I feel like I'm a little bit... not skipping ahead, but just having stronger guidance towards where I'm at and what I'm doing. So it's almost like the HOV lane on the freeway. I'm still going to be in a little bit of traffic, but it's a little less, less people.Adrian Starks 13:33 No, I agree with you. I love that, because it's so true. We do need to surround ourselves with people that uplift us, inspire us, and also show us what not to do. We can learn two ways: learn what to do and learn what not to do. A lot of times, learning what not to do is even bigger than learning what to do. It saves you time and energy. And we also have to be careful, too, with people that are around us that may be, not intentionally but unconsciously, pulling us away from that thing that we really want to do for ourselves, for our communities, for society. We get used to just being the person that's like, "Okay, we're good, we have a good time, and we get along." But is this person really, or this group, are they really challenging you to grow? Are they really allowing you to see things that you need to see in order to move forward? And it's hard. It's really hard to think about that consciously, because we get so used to just being in the group, and we can talk a lot about self-reliance, but we need each other.Lesley Logan 14:40 Yeah.Adrian Starks 14:41 You can never ascend alone; I believe that completely. Back in the day when I was doing my professional speaking on stages, I was in Canada, I was speaking, I thought it was all about me. I was like, "Hey, I got the answers, I'm teaching everybody." Then, boom, COVID hit. Humbleness, you know. It was like there was nobody around, because I was just by myself, and I was just doing my thing. I didn't have that group or those people to reassure me to say, "Hey, okay, you need to recalibrate here. We're doing this over here, you might want to take a look at what we're doing." I didn't have that group, and I'm glad that you said that, because there needs to be people that kind of challenge you. But at the same time, when you hit a pocket where it's like, "What do I do? How do I get better?" then you have that group to look to, or that person to look to, as an example.Lesley Logan 15:40 I agree. I think it's really easy, and I see it happening now, because it's almost like we forgot that there was a COVID. My schedule, even though as intentional as I've been, it's been very busy, and people are like, "Oh, when are you coming back?" And I'm like, "Probably not till 2028. I have not accepted any gigs for next year. I've not accepted any gigs." I've got an idea that I need to do, and that's gonna require me to be at home, and I've got another idea that won't happen unless I'm at home, so I gotta do that. And people just look at me like, "What?" And I'm like, "This is how busy I was pre-COVID." And then during COVID, it became very clear who my friends were because we were just at the same places at the same time, and who my friends were because they wanted to talk to me even when we weren't running into each other. So that really helped me go, "Okay, these are the people who care about me, no matter how they benefit, right?" And then these other people, they're not bad people if that's all they want to talk to me, but it's just that it's interesting to note who you want to share things with. But I think we have to realize that there was this beautiful time that helped us reflect on where we were going, and we got this reset, and how we used it hopefully was intentional. And then now we're back at it, and it's so easy to forget what that was. I'm seeing people fall back into the patterns of pre-COVID, and I'm like, I need to have intentional relationships. And speaking back to your podcast, my purpose is something that will probably change, will change as my life goes on, but if I'm not paying attention to it, I'm not gonna realize that; I'm gonna be doing five years ago's purpose.Adrian Starks 17:19 It's true. In the purpose thing, it's not what you find, it's what you do, and it's constantly evolving with you. We talked about in the beginning, you were asking me about what changed and what brought this about; it was just the changing of my purpose. I realized that there were things now that... okay, now I'm interested in this, or now this is moving into this direction because of these external situations that I can't control, so how do I adapt? Thomas Carlyle, he was a Scottish philosopher, and he said that a person without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder. What that means is that when you don't have a rudder in your ship, when something comes around unexpectedly, your ship just starts spinning and it goes off course. But when you have a rudder, meaning you have a purpose, something you're working with, no matter what's happening, you can navigate and be like, "Okay, let's make a little adjustment here. This may not work, but we're still going to go ahead with the plan." The plan is just altered a little bit, and that's what it is to be purposeful. It's just actively knowing that this year was different than three years ago, and so this year, what can we do that matches the frequency and energy and intensity of where we're at right now? And that's what I've come to realize, it's just you don't have to look back and say, "This is where I was, oh poor me." A lot of people felt this way, and I felt this way, like what happened to that spark, what happened to that person that was doing all these things over here? And I have to come to a reality check. Life... shit happens. Things happen, and we can't control them, but we also have the amazing ability as human beings to adapt and adjust.Lesley Logan 18:56 Yeah.Adrian Starks 18:56 We're the only species on the planet that can do that. All the other things of nature and animals, if there's a cliff, they just keep going because they know they got to get on the other side, migration-wise. But when it's us, we're like, "That shit ain't working. This is not working, we'll go over here." That's our ability to do that, and that's why I said the purpose, it's like you can guide it, it doesn't necessarily have to pull you, and that's where we get our true self-creative factors coming from and just making changes that we need to make in our lives.Lesley Logan 19:30 Yeah, so I want to go back to because you know what your podcast has become now. Brad and I have been making changes to our pod, and we were on our vacation in Europe, and we're listening to a podcast, and it started with like... I say we're gonna stop playing the music before the ads. Why are we doing that? Because if we want it to sound really produced, we have great producers, they're listening to this, you guys are amazing, love you, but they're great producers with or without that. And all these other podcasts I listen to, they don't have the music going into it, they just go into an ad. And that's kind of annoying, but you know what? How the podcast gets paid is for ads, so sorry, that's how it's paid for. These things cost a lot of money to do, so we're doing that. And it's like, "Well, what else?" And I'm like, "You know, I'm actually bored of this. I'm actually tired of that." And then you're like, "Oh my god, but my listeners are so used to it, people don't like change." But also it's like, "But this is my podcast, and I have to like doing it." So, what are some changes you've made, or decisions you've done? And then, did you think about how did you... did you tell the listeners, or you just did it? How did you do it?Adrian Starks 20:32 I have to say, to be honest and fully transparent, I did not tell my listeners I was going to take a hiatus off. I just did it. And what's interesting is that listeners... they begin to listen more because they missed that space. There's this saying that people don't miss you until you're gone.Lesley Logan 20:53 Yeah.Adrian Starks 20:54 When people don't hear from you, they get very curious. I always say this to people, I say, "I'm incubating." They're like... "I'm cooking up some stuff here, I'm working on some other things that I'm just incubating right now, but there's still things you can listen to." And I think that it would be nice to tell our listeners that, "Hey, I'm going to go on a five-month hiatus here, or six months, or seven months." But in all honesty, I don't think that would be... for me, that wouldn't be a good idea, because then they just stop listening. They'll just start moving on to something.Lesley Logan 21:23 Yeah because they know, "Okay, they'll be back in six months."Adrian Starks 21:25 So they're like, "Well, he's not gonna release anything new, so we're just gonna move on to the next person." And some people will do that, but I think that at the end of the day, we're human. If we're taking off and we're gone, we're gone. And when we come back, then we can explain, like, "Hey, I was gone for a minute. This is what's been going on." People want the real these days, and they want to know what is going on in your life.Lesley Logan 21:48 Yeah.Adrian Starks 21:49 Like I remember when professional speaking was so polished, everyone was on stage, they had suits and ties on, and I'll never forget I started out with a suit and tie. For some people, they can feel good; that makes them feel great. But I was like, "This is not me, I can't be this person." So I stopped wearing the suit and tie, I started being myself, wearing casual clothes. Then the podcasting industry kicked off, it boomed. It started back in 2018 is when it really began to take off, and at the podcasting stage, I was beginning to do the same thing: well-polished, all this stuff, and then I realized, no, not me. And the podcast over time has changed, it's evolved. You will see different perspectives of myself. There was one person asking me, "Do you think you should take down the episodes from the very beginning, because it's so not in alignment with what you're doing now?" And I said, "Absolutely not." I said, "This shows transparency, that I started with this idea, now we're moving on to these things, and it just shows the purpose, how it's constantly changing." And that's where we're at. But yeah, back to your question, I kind of went on a tangent there, but back to your question about whether you tell people or not: I think no. I think we do what comes natural, and yeah. In this day and time, everyone wants attention. I've noticed this on social media, I'm gonna have to say it, I'm gonna have to bring it up here, it's been on my mind a lot, everybody wants attention, everybody's doing podcasting right now. Lesley, you've been around for quite some time, you're a veteran in podcasting, but the people now... everybody, birds, cats, dogs, they all have podcasts now.Lesley Logan 23:26 I know everybody wants.Adrian Starks 23:27 To be on a podcast, and you know what? It's saturated the market. We're competing with people who don't really have a passion for what they do; they're just getting people on their show to talk to. I know some people will disagree with that, and that's okay, but this is my perspective because I've seen it. When we feel a certain way, like something doesn't resonate with us, it's okay to pull away. That shows we truly are in our essence. We're not doing this to impress, and we're not doing this hoping you stay with me and follow me. If you connect with me energetically and you really like what I do, then you'll go with the flow. I understand it's a business for us too, and we have to continue to do the things that bring business, but at the same time, it is what it is. You just have to know that if you're feeling a certain way, either do it or don't do it. I have this thing I do: if I'm not feeling an episode, I'm not going to get on a mic. I'm not going to talk if I'm having a shitty day, sorry for my language here, but if I'm having one of those days where I've encountered someone or done something in business and it's just not sitting right with me, then I'm not going to get on the mic. At that point, that energy is going to come across, my head will be somewhere else, and I'm not truly present. So, I think it's great for us to be able to take time off and just step away for a bit.Lesley Logan 24:49 I appreciate you saying that. There's this one podcast that Brad listened to, and the guy was like, "I'm taking off three months. Here's why I'm doing that, and here's what's going on." He was very honest. He said, "I'm having some burnout, I feel like I'm overworking, and I want to put some new systems in place." Then he said, "And here are the things I created for you." And I thought, Oh my god, why would you do that? You are tired. It was very thoughtful, but that was just extra work just to get to the finish line. And this other podcast I listened to, I realized, like, a couple, because he's a Friday podcast, it's True Crime of the Week, and so obviously it's very topical, it's very like time sensitive, and like after a couple weeks I was like, oh, that's interesting, I haven't heard from him in a bit, right, and then it kind of just went on, and the other day, two weeks ago, he came back, and I was like, oh, they're The True Crime of the Week, right, I was so excited to see it in my lineup, so I like hit it, and he goes, yeah, it was supposed to take a two week hiatus, and I took four months, and I apologize, it's been a while, but I really.. this is what I didn't know. There's a lot going on that just.. it felt like I didn't feel like I could talk about true crime with all the heaviness that's going on, and I didn't have the words to say what I was feeling, and so I just took time for myself, and I was like, you know what, I actually hold nothing against him, because I actually found that to be even more honest. It was like I needed time off, because I'm a big fan of, like, I'm not going to share anything with the world unless I fully processed it, because then, and I learned this from Tiffany Haddish, from her book, The Last Black Unicorn, she's like, if you have fully processed it, then no matter what people say, it's just going to bounce right off of you, right, but if you haven't fully processed it and you shared it, you're gonna take whatever they're saying personally, or you're gonna be offended by it, or you're gonna get frustrated, or you're gonna feel like you defend yourself again. And so I'm often late to some of the topics that are online, because it takes me a little bit to go, well, how do I feel? Does that bother me? Why does it bother me? What's going on? And then when I've processed it, then I'll, then I'll share it, and I find, like, I think it's better to be human, and social media is a problem. Podcasting, oh my god, there's so many. I'm proud to say this podcast in the top 1% of all podcasts in the world, even with all the crap that's out there. But, like, I find that sometimes I'm like, oh, I should have more followers or more likes on the posts that I have based on my career, but I won't do the click bait stuff. I refuse to do these three exercises, help you trim your waist. It's like, no, if you're perimenopausal, good fucking luck, and your hormones.. like, I'm sorry, there isn't, you know? My girlfriend was like, "Just say these three, and then, and then get them to click and go sorry, there is none. Go talk to your doctor." I'm like, that is just going to get people mad, like that would piss me off. I felt lied to, so it's not my style. So, I think, you have to stay true to yourself, and sometimes that means just honoring the pause. But also, Adrian, I feel like that requires self-reflection. So, what are you doing? Because it feels like you're quite knowledgeable about yourself. What do you do to make sure you're checking in with yourself? Do you journal? What do you do?Adrian Starks 27:41 So, I would say that the first thing I do is I ask myself questions. I know that a lot of people talk about journaling, and that's part of it, but in all honesty, I just ask myself, what's going on? You just gotta sit down somewhere and just say, okay, what's going on? What am I not happy about? What do I want? That's the big thing. What do I want? And then you start thinking in your head, and then thoughts start rolling. And as those thoughts start rolling, write some of them out or record them. Either way, document them somewhere. Then I ask myself, what do I want to do? Not like what do I want to do in five years, because that's just too much processing in a time where you're just likeLesley Logan 28:23 I agree. Just here to harm me, but I do know what I have told my team is I want to be retired in 10, but what I want to do in five is like a whole different story.Adrian Starks 28:34 It is, and we put time frames on ourselves, or we put this limit of like, I got to be here in five years, it's a good marker to get you going, but it's not necessarily something you need to be focused on, like that's what you, that's how it's going to end up, like it could be a number of things that happens between that point that brings that goal about, but like I said, there's, and I have to be careful the word goal, because the goal I feel is very saturated too, and I use it in a different term, I use goal as this, g o a l, get out and live, do something. Yeah, I use that as that's what I use for it. It just teaches me that when I said something, it forces me to get outside of my box and start living a little bit. Scare yourself a little bit. Say I'm gonna go over here, I'm gonna fly over here, I'm gonna spend time over here, or I'm gonna do this, do something that's just out of your comfort zone to get you out of that rut. And then that's what I do. So, once I'm out of the rut, then I'm like, okay, now let's sit down and let's look at creating a plan. But the first thing is, you got to get yourself out of the rut, you got to do something just to move, move your body, so to speak, right? You tell your clients this, move your body, you got to move, move, move your thoughts out of this head, and to put it somewhere else, but I do that, so I do a lot of self-reflection of asking myself, what do I want, what's going on, and then I also remind myself of what I've been doing. You've got to give yourself a pat on the back, because whatever you've been doing, it's been working.Lesley Logan 29:58 Yeah.Adrian Starks 29:59 And a lot of times we have high expectations for ourselves because we live in a world of comparisons, and it's very easy to do that now. Because when you go online, it's not just people who are very successful out there. You can see your friends, your family, and you're like, "Oh, hey, they flew over here and went to the Bahamas. I'm stuck here in this area over here, I can't even do this." And then you start down-talking yourself.Lesley Logan 30:25 Yeah.Adrian Starks 30:26 This happens with people in relationships and business and social environments, and so I think be careful with comparisons.Lesley Logan 30:32 Yeah.Adrian Starks 30:33 So I make sure I don't do that. That's why I get away from social media sometimes. I'll spend maybe a few days detoxing. I won't even look at social media, and then I'll just kind of sit in the dark a little bit, so to speak, away from technology, and just ask myself questions. I do reading a lot. Reading is a big part of my life. You mentioned a book before, and I love reading books. I don't necessarily read the whole book. I do what I call check-ins, so I will find something in the book that resonates with me, and then I will reflect on thatLesley Logan 31:07 Yeah.Adrian Starks 31:08 Along with my other things.Lesley Logan 31:09 Yeah, I like the talking to yourself, because journaling for me is really great, but it's really easy for it to become a to-do list. Like I could be, "Oh, don't forget that." But if I am out walking my dog, I mean, maybe it's because I have ADHD and I'm an Aquarius, so I live in my head, but I have these interesting thoughts pop in and I'm like, where's that coming from? Why am I thinking that? What have I been doing? And I love the pat yourself on the back with what you did do, because I do think most people, the reason they get into comparison is because they've forgotten what they did do. It's why this podcast has a Friday episode where people have to share their wins, because I really think people need to realize there's a lot of wins. And we had someone in one of our groups who was like, she had her best friend's mom die three months ago, and her best friend died two weeks ago, and she's like, "How do I still work on my goals during this time?" And I'm like, you don't. You're going through something. Loss is real, and we all grieve very differently. And maybe someone can work on their goals because they're not tackling the grief right now, it's not hitting them, and it hits them in five years. I don't know, there's different things, but I can't sit here with the life experience I've had and the business coaching I've done and go, "Yeah, just do one thing a day." No. Did you shower and sleep today? That's great. Did you actually eat some food? Are your kids still alive? You're nailing it, like you're going through something. I think people aren't realizing that the Bahamas trips are not the win. The win is, especially when you're in something, the win is that you got up and you tried again today, you know? And I think reflecting on that is really important. I do think asking yourself what I want, that is, because I often think people ask themselves that five years ago but forgot to ask themselves four and three and two and today. And so they forget why they're doing what they're doing, because that's not what they want anymore, but they never checked in.Adrian Starks 33:03 They never checked in. And here's the catch: the answer won't come to you right away, and it's not supposed to. You're asking something deeper inside yourself that hasn't been listened to with all the noise. So, once you put that there and you say, "What do I want?" then overnight, who knows? You may wake up in the morning and you've got an idea about something, so that's coming from that deep part of you. And there was a Howard Thurman, he was the mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and he said that the greatest and the longest and hardest journey ever is a journey inward. And we avoid that journey because we don't think there's anything there. The answer is inside of us. We just don't take out time to really probe and ask ourselves that question. We're very good about asking other people questions, but we don't want to ask ourselves questions, and that's something that has evolved with me. It's like, okay, you're good at asking questions and interviewing, but what about you? What's behind that skin of yours? What's going on? What's going on, dude? What are we doing today? You want to start checking in and being like, okay, what's really the problem here? You got irritated with this person, they didn't do anything to you. Then you got to pull yourself aside and say, okay, what's happening?Lesley Logan 34:16 Yeah.Adrian Starks 34:17 Why am I upset? And that's that self-reflection of like, okay, you're upset because there's a number of things that you're ignoring that you're putting to the side, and you're feeling like people don't see you because you don't see yourself.Lesley Logan 34:30 Yeah.Adrian Starks 34:30 So therefore you're putting that on other people, and that's where we have to be very careful with ourselves and just be patient and be kind to ourselves more often, because that was a problem I had. I held myself to very high standards, that I had to do this, I had to be this way, I had to be well-polished. That's why now you hear some curse words coming off of me, because I'm just being natural.Lesley Logan 34:54 Yeah.Adrian Starks 34:54 I mean, I can go off and say all these astute, know all these great words, and make myself look very articulate, blah blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, it's like, how am I showing up right now? That's the truth, and that's what people need to hear. So, I would say, yeah, talk to yourself, ask yourself questions, and be careful with who you ask information from.Lesley Logan 35:20 Yes.Adrian Starks 35:21 Because that's what gets you in trouble. And a lot of times with people working in environments where they may not be around the people that they choose to be around, I want to get to these people too, because a lot of people out there, they're working in environments they don't really want to be in, but they have an objective to get the hell out of there. But in the meantime, you're with people, let's just say the work world, seven, eight hours a day, and then you're dealing with those people, and then you're trying to get out of that environment. Well, you have to be careful what you listen to, how you conversate with them, and for goodness' sake, don't ask them for advice if they're not doing what you're doing, or if they haven't dove into what you're learning. Do not ask them, please, no, don't confide in them. I don't care how nice they are. There's this thing too that came up about nice versus kind.Lesley Logan 36:09 Yeah.Adrian Starks 36:10 And people get in trouble with this. It's like, okay, they're a nice person, great, but do they have good intentions towards you? And most likely, it's probably not.Lesley Logan 36:18 Yeah.Adrian Starks 36:19 A kind person, they just want to do good, they don't need nothing from you, right? So, a lot of people get mixed up in that, so be careful. I would say to people, when you're in that moment where you're vulnerable, the vulnerable state, guard that.Lesley Logan 36:32 Yeah.Adrian Starks 36:32 Be careful, be careful, be careful. And one more thing about the grieving that you mentioned: I lost my father a few years ago, and I'm still grieving because he had such a powerful presence in my life. So, grieving is not something we get over. We're supposed to learn to live with it. And I've cried multiple times, and every now and then, sometimes I catch myself, I'll just tear up, but you know what? I let it flow, because that's how he impacted me.Lesley Logan 36:59 Yeah.Adrian Starks 37:00 And for the person that you just mentioned, I would advise for them not to ignore that. If you have a moment and you're with somebody, tell somebody, "Hey, you know what? I'm having a moment right now. I need to step away." It's okay to tell people that.Lesley Logan 37:15 It's actually kind. It's kind because you're being super... you're actually being real authentic. You're feeling your feel, and you're letting people in like, "Hold on, I know we're supposed to have coffee right now, I just need to have a moment." And you can however you want to have that moment, go into your car, take the extra time, whatever that is. But I do think people think that they have to get over a loss like that, and the grief coaches that I've interviewed on this podcast, what I have really understood is that you don't. That's why grief is so hard. Your brain has to learn new rhythms and new patterns because that person's not there, and that person was part of a blanket that you've woven of your life, and so you're expecting that person where they repeat, and they're not. So you have to weave a new pattern for your brain. It takes time.Adrian Starks 38:00 It so takes time, and that's all we've got. At the end of the day, we only have time. And time doesn't go backwards, it doesn't go forward, it's just right there. And when we're grieving something, or it could be not just someone in our family, could be anything, could be a loss of an opportunity, that's a grieving thing. It could be a loss of a business or something. I mean, it could be anything. We have to just be mindful that we're human, and don't blame ourselves and don't beat ourselves up internally about it. We have to just know that this is something that's happened. Now, what can I do that can move me forward? And sometimes it's just going to take time. Patience is what we have to have.Lesley Logan 38:43 Yeah, also people don't realize that you could be excited about the next step, and there's still grief for what you left behind, you know? Like, I was so excited to move to Las Vegas, I still grieve that I closed a studio to do it, and I was very proud of that work, and I wasn't really actually ready to close that studio, but this is really exciting. So, something can be exciting, and there's still a loss that's there that you have to go, "Oh, what about that am I bummed about? Where..." You have to let those feelings happen. And I think that the more people actually self-reflect, the more they're going to find purpose in their life, they're going to figure it out. I find like people are looking to others to figure out their purposes, and I want to go back to your advice thing, because I really think people have to hear this 17,000 times. And I love that you brought up like you can have that job that pays the bills, but don't ask those people for advice. That might even be family too. I love mine, they listen to this pod, and sometimes I'll tell you personally, I'm not asking them for advice. They're not entrepreneurs, their face is not the business. If they say the wrong thing, they don't have people who will be disappointed, like hundreds of people, you know. So, they're not the best people for advice. Could I tell them things? Of course, that's different, telling people something, sharing your life with them is very different than asking them what to do. And so you really might need to take some time to write down who would be the best people in my life to ask advice from. If you don't have those people, like when I was first starting out, I didn't have money or mentors, I had to go, okay, I've listened to podcasts starting like 2012, 2013, I'm like, "This person makes a lot of sense. This is the person I'm going to infer advice from," and I would search their pods to find the thing that I thought might be an answer to my question. Sometimes it's that. Sometimes you don't even know the person you're asking advice from, but be intentional about that. I agree.Adrian Starks 40:33 Yeah, being intentional and just knowing that you're going to vibe with people a certain way. There are some people out there in the industry when I first started that I liked, and some that I didn't really vibe with. Didn't mean that there was anything against them, it's just that everyone's different. So, advice I would also give is that don't look at someone for their popularity, look for how they make you feel.Lesley Logan 40:55 Beautiful.Adrian Starks 40:56 Don't look at someone and say, "Oh, they've got millions of comments, they've got millions of likes. Oh, they must know a lot. Let me listen to them." No, nope, nope, nope, nope. That's something that's going to get your attention; it's designed that way.Lesley Logan 41:09 Yeah.Adrian Starks 41:10 How do they make you feel?Lesley Logan 41:12 Yeah.Adrian Starks 41:13 No, how do they make you feel? How do they sound when you listen to them? Could you listen to them all day? Could you listen to them in your times of need? How do they make you feel? That's the important thing of connection that we're missing today. We're so quick to look at the external, like, what has this person accomplished? Cool, then they're credible. Awesome, I'll follow. Awesome, I'll subscribe. Awesome, I'll comment.Lesley Logan 41:35 Yeah.Adrian Starks 41:35 They have a person over here, they may have a lot less, but they got a lot more to offer, and you're passing that up because you're just looking at numbers here. It's like I would encourage people that now is the time for us to find guidance that aligns with our purpose of being. And everyone, there's over how many people are on the planet right now? Lesley Logan 41:57 It's like 8 billion.Adrian Starks 41:58 8 billion people on a planet. I heard this stat one time. Out of 8 billion people, no matter what you do in life, 5% of people are not going to like you, they're not going to vibe with you, you're not going to connect with them. 5%. So, my math may be really off, I'm not going to even say it, but it's in the millions.Lesley Logan 42:20 Yeah.Adrian Starks 42:20 That you're gonna have a disconnect with people, no matter what you do. You could be well-polished, have everything together, and someone's gonna come around and be like, "Ah, they're phony." They're gonna talk some shit about you, because they just don't connect with you. They have no idea.Lesley Logan 42:35 Yeah.Adrian Starks 42:36 About your background, your pedigree, what you've done. They just want to.Lesley Logan 42:40 We all do it. We all do it, like you see something on your Instagram out of social, and you're like, just the first second, don't like it. Moving on.Adrian Starks 42:51 You move on. You're like, "Hey, I'm not interested in it. What is this? This is silly."Lesley Logan 42:57 Yeah.Adrian Starks 42:57 And that's part of us. We just have a natural sense of either we connect or we don't connect with certain things, and I think that in this time we're living in now, people are very overstimulated.Lesley Logan 43:07 Yes.Adrian Starks 43:08 There's so much information, there's so many solutions, there's so many offers, and we don't know where to look. It reminds you of like when you're sitting down and you have that night where it's a movie night, right? And you're just like, "Let me watch a movie, let me watch a TV show." And all of a sudden you got all these options, applications, and you're going from this application to this application, this application. Before you know it, it's like 30, 40 minutes later, and then you just give up and say, "You know what, damn it, just pick something, pick anything," because you're tired of looking.Lesley Logan 43:41 Yeah.Adrian Starks 43:41 And that's what's happening with us. We're just picking anything now we think is going to entertain us or bring us some type of joy.Lesley Logan 43:48 Yeah, because we can't handle being bored. Adrian, I could talk to you literally for more hours, but we do have to wrap this up. So we're gonna take a brief break, and then we're gonna find where people can find you, follow you, listen to your voice for many, many hours, and your Be It Action Items. Lesley Logan 43:59 All right, Adrian, where do you hang out? Where can they listen to your podcast?Adrian Starks 44:06 Okay, so you can listen to my podcast anywhere, pretty much. It's called Your Purposeful Life with Adrian Starks. And go to my website, adrianstarks.com. You can listen to the podcast from there. You can go to my YouTube channel, which has the videos. You can also listen to some audio, I have affirmations that I've been doing lately as well.Lesley Logan 44:25 Oh my god, do you have, if you don't, you should have a Patreon for affirmations because if people are paying for you to be a narrator, can you imagine every day you read me an affirmation or a mantra? I love that.Adrian Starks 44:39 I can do that, Lesley. Yes. They could go to adrianstarks.com. I just want to keep it simple for people, go to adrianstarks.com, all my social media handles are there, and you can just go wherever you choose and just be inspired and listen. And if you can, yeah, definitely subscribe to the podcast, it always helps. Share it whenever you can, but more importantly, just know this: that your purpose in life is not something you find, it's something that you do, and that is going to change, is going to evolve with time, and that's okay. Having self-doubt is okay, not knowing everything is okay. And now we live in a time where you're never too old, don't put an age on anything to start something new, or to pick up where you left off with something.Lesley Logan 45:27 Oh my god, those are Be It Action Items if I ever heard any. Like, you just led right in, and I'm obsessed with all of them. Great. Adrian Starks, I'm so happy we did this. We'll have to do this again. You'll have to be a person who keeps going back on, because you just have so much great wisdom. You guys, share this with a friend who needs to hear it. Share with a friend who's stuck on like, "What's my purpose?" They need to hear this, because it's like that Dr. Seuss book, like, Are You My Mother? You know, it's like that's not how you find it. It's got to be some self-reflection. So, thank you. We'll do this again, and until next time, my loves, Be It Till You See It.Lesley Logan 46:03 That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 46:45 It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 46:50 It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 46:55 Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 47:02 Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 47:05 Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Are we as a population getting dumber? How would we know if we were? This hour: stupidity. We’ll look at the history and philosophy of stupidity, and explore how it shows up in our daily lives and politics. GUESTS: Lane Brown: Features writer for New York Magazine, who recently wrote "A Theory of Dumb" Stuart Jeffries: Journalist and author. His new book is A Short History of Stupidity Shannon Mancus: Teaching Professor and Associate Department Head in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Department at the Colorado School of Mines. You can follow Dr. Shan on Instagram and Substack at “Pop Smart Media” MUSIC FEATURED (in order): Able Sisters – Animal Crossing New Leaf OST Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter Dumb All Over – Frank Zappa Get Stupid – Aston Merrygold How Sweet to Be an Idiot – Neil Innes Baka Mitai - Yakuza OST Idiot Wind – Bob Dylan Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe, Dylan Reyes, and Isaac Moss contributed to this show, which originally aired on January 15, 2026.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Don't Wake in Fright because you've got a massive hangover; wake up and join us in The Yabba for a cold midi! This week on Shoot the Hostage, we are continuing Sarah's Liminal Spaces season with a journey into the sun-drenched beer-soaked nightmare of Australian cinema: Ted Kotcheff's 1971 film, Wake in Fright. In our 6th episode of the season, we follow Gary Bond as John Grant, a bonded schoolteacher who finds himself trapped in a nightmarish cycle of substance abuse and aggressive hospitality in the outback town of Bundanyabba. If you're looking for weird movies where the heat is as sticky as the floors in the local pub, this one might be for you. We explore how a simple overnight stop transforms into a personal purgatory of horror and nihilism, featuring a terrifying performance from Donald Pleasence and the final screen appearance of the legendary Chips Rafferty. The cinema of Australian new wave doesn't get much more brutal than this, as we tackle the sausage fest of toxic masculinity and the infamous, real-life kangaroo hunting footage. It's a bond you can't escape and a reminder that sometimes the most terrifying thing in the outback is a bloke who just wants one more skooner. What to expect from this episode: Dan kicks things off with a pop quiz about the decimal currency system and espresso machines. We discuss why Wake in Fright is arguably the most Australian movie ever made, despite the director being Canadian. A look at director Ted Kotcheff's career, from First Blood to the philosophy of Weekend at Bernie's. We explore the liminal space of Bundanyabba and why it feels like a dusty, inescapable purgatory. The mystery of the aggressive hospitality and why Dan is suspicious to any cars that give way to pedestrians when it conflicts with the highway code. We tackle the elephant in the room: the brutal and controversial kangaroo hunting scene. We break down the repressed feelings and the Socrates of the Outback vibes of Doc Tydon. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show. Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube
This episode is a re-release; it originally aired September 29, 2022. In this podcast Eckhart talks with a live audience in Greece. He kicks off the session discussing the spiritual wisdom of ancient Greek philosophers. Among the most renowned was Socrates who humbly said, “I am the only one who knows that he knows nothing.” Eckhart believes Socrates meant that he was comfortable with the state of not knowing and the pure awareness connected to deep insight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Listen/Watch the FULL EPISODE ad-free/early on Substack: https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Martin Armstrong is an internationally recognized economist, former hedge fund manager, the founder of AE Global Solutions Inc, Socrates, and Armstrong Economics. He gives his thoughts if the war in the Middle East is over, decentralization of Iran's government, China/Taiwan, Russia, how Europe needs war to survive, and much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE THIS PODCAST!!! Follow Me X- https://x.com/CoffeeandaMike IG- https://www.instagram.com/coffeeandamike/ Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeandaMike/ YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Coffeeandamike Rumble- https://rumble.com/search/all?q=coffee%20and%20a%20mike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-a-mike/id1436799008 Gab- https://gab.com/CoffeeandaMike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Website- www.coffeeandamike.com Email- info@coffeeandamike.com Support My Work Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/coffeeandamike Paypal- https://www.paypal.com/biz/profile/Coffeeandamike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Patreon- http://patreon.com/coffeeandamike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Cash App- https://cash.app/$coffeeandamike Buy Me a Coffee- https://buymeacoffee.com/coffeeandamike Bitcoin- coffeeandamike@strike.me Mail Check or Money Order- Coffee and a Mike LLC P.O. Box 25383 Scottsdale, AZ 85255-9998 Follow Martin Website- https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/ X- https://x.com/StrongEconomics IG- https://www.instagram.com/armstrongeconomics/ Sponsors Vaulted/Precious Metals- https://vaulted.blbvux.net/coffeeandamike McAlvany Precious Metals- https://mcalvany.com/coffeeandamike/
American democracy is in a period of crisis, so it seems natural to look back to its origins. So here in Episode 10 of Season 5, I interview Professor Josiah Ober. Having previously taught at Princeton University, Ober is a professor of political science, classics, and philosophy at Stanford University, the Director of the Stanford Civics Initiative, as well as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. The author of many books, including Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens (1989), The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (2015), and Civic Bargain (2023), co-written with Brook Manville, he was previously a Madison's Notes guest in Season 3. Drawing on his 2015 book, we discuss the history of ancient Greece and the political legacy of its classical period. Our conversation ranges from the Bronze Age Collapse and the age of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the rise of the Greek city-state and decline of democratic Athens. We discuss contingencies of the Peloponnesian war, the cases for and against Alcibiades, whether the polity flourished under Macedonian and Roman empires, the relationship of philosophy to civics, was Socrates guilty and how much did Plato invent about him, in what way the god Hermes symbolized Greek trade in the Mediterranean, if James Madison truly understood ancient history, and lastly Ober's work with the growing civics programs in American higher education. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on our new Substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” 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
American democracy is in a period of crisis, so it seems natural to look back to its origins. So here in Episode 10 of Season 5, I interview Professor Josiah Ober. Having previously taught at Princeton University, Ober is a professor of political science, classics, and philosophy at Stanford University, the Director of the Stanford Civics Initiative, as well as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. The author of many books, including Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens (1989), The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (2015), and Civic Bargain (2023), co-written with Brook Manville, he was previously a Madison's Notes guest in Season 3. Drawing on his 2015 book, we discuss the history of ancient Greece and the political legacy of its classical period. Our conversation ranges from the Bronze Age Collapse and the age of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the rise of the Greek city-state and decline of democratic Athens. We discuss contingencies of the Peloponnesian war, the cases for and against Alcibiades, whether the polity flourished under Macedonian and Roman empires, the relationship of philosophy to civics, was Socrates guilty and how much did Plato invent about him, in what way the god Hermes symbolized Greek trade in the Mediterranean, if James Madison truly understood ancient history, and lastly Ober's work with the growing civics programs in American higher education. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on our new Substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history
American democracy is in a period of crisis, so it seems natural to look back to its origins. So here in Episode 10 of Season 5, I interview Professor Josiah Ober. Having previously taught at Princeton University, Ober is a professor of political science, classics, and philosophy at Stanford University, the Director of the Stanford Civics Initiative, as well as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. The author of many books, including Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens (1989), The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (2015), and Civic Bargain (2023), co-written with Brook Manville, he was previously a Madison's Notes guest in Season 3. Drawing on his 2015 book, we discuss the history of ancient Greece and the political legacy of its classical period. Our conversation ranges from the Bronze Age Collapse and the age of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the rise of the Greek city-state and decline of democratic Athens. We discuss contingencies of the Peloponnesian war, the cases for and against Alcibiades, whether the polity flourished under Macedonian and Roman empires, the relationship of philosophy to civics, was Socrates guilty and how much did Plato invent about him, in what way the god Hermes symbolized Greek trade in the Mediterranean, if James Madison truly understood ancient history, and lastly Ober's work with the growing civics programs in American higher education. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on our new Substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
American democracy is in a period of crisis, so it seems natural to look back to its origins. So here in Episode 10 of Season 5, I interview Professor Josiah Ober. Having previously taught at Princeton University, Ober is a professor of political science, classics, and philosophy at Stanford University, the Director of the Stanford Civics Initiative, as well as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. The author of many books, including Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens (1989), The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (2015), and Civic Bargain (2023), co-written with Brook Manville, he was previously a Madison's Notes guest in Season 3. Drawing on his 2015 book, we discuss the history of ancient Greece and the political legacy of its classical period. Our conversation ranges from the Bronze Age Collapse and the age of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the rise of the Greek city-state and decline of democratic Athens. We discuss contingencies of the Peloponnesian war, the cases for and against Alcibiades, whether the polity flourished under Macedonian and Roman empires, the relationship of philosophy to civics, was Socrates guilty and how much did Plato invent about him, in what way the god Hermes symbolized Greek trade in the Mediterranean, if James Madison truly understood ancient history, and lastly Ober's work with the growing civics programs in American higher education. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on our new Substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo welcome Casey Berman: former attorney, founder of Leave Law Behind (the leading coaching program helping attorneys transition into non-legal careers), multipreneur, strategy consultant, speaker, and author, for a discussion about work, identity, happiness, and the courage it takes to choose a different life. Casey knows this territory from the inside. He lived it. And he has spent years helping thousands of attorneys find what he calls their Unique Genius, the specific intersection of talent and joy that, when aligned with their work, produces not just professional success but the deeper contentment that a career in law, for many, was never able to provide. What we explore in this episode: The reality of life inside the legal profession, the hours, the pace, the stress, the culture, and why so many attorneys feel trapped even when their career looks successful from the outside What you can actually do with a law degree that doesn't involve practicing law, and why the answer is far broader and more interesting than most law students are ever told: consulting, compliance, legal technology, entrepreneurship, writing, business development, policy, education, coaching, and more than 100 documented alternatives The specific steps Casey recommends for assessing whether your unhappiness is situational (the wrong firm, the wrong practice area, the wrong city) or fundamental (the wrong career entirely), and why getting that diagnosis right is the most important first step How to get feedback from the people in your life, family, friends, colleagues, mentors, to identify what you are genuinely good at, what lights you up, and where your skills create value outside a courtroom or a contract review Bertrand Russell and The Conquest of Happiness, and why Russell's argument that most human unhappiness is self-generated and rooted in the wrong relationship to work maps precisely onto what Casey has observed in the legal profession for over a decade What Russell wrote about the sunk cost of identity: why we must be willing to let go of what we have invested in, emotionally, financially, intellectually, when it's clear it is not our talent or our strength, and why it is not only acceptable but necessary to grieve the self you thought you would be Rudy's perspective as a lawyer who stayed, and his advice for law students: do not let go of what makes you happy, because the time you spend on those things (screenwriting, acting, podcasting) will make you a better lawyer, not a worse one Casey's thoughts on the role of AI in law, what this means for the profession and those going into law. The philosophy of the examined career: what Socrates, Russell, and Casey Berman all agree on about the relationship between self-knowledge, honest feedback, and the possibility of genuine happiness in your work Books Mentioned in this episode (with Amazon Affiliate link): The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell The Million Dollar One Person Business by Elaine Pofeldt The Ancient Art of Thinking For Yourself: The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times by Robin Reames Guest: Casey Berman: founder of Leave Law Behind, the leading coaching program helping attorneys identify and transition into fulfilling non-legal careers. Multipreneur, strategy consultant, speaker, and storyteller. Former attorney. His work has been featured across major media and podcast platforms. Based in San Francisco. Good Is In The Details is hosted by Gwendolyn Dolske, Ph.D. and Rudy Salo — a philosophy, books, and ideas podcast exploring the examined life in the spirit of Socrates.
9 Hours and 55 MinutesPG-13Thomas777 is a revisionist historian and a fiction writer.This is the first 10 episodes of our ongoing Continental Philosophy series with Thomas777. He covers Aristotle, Thucydides, Socrates, Plato, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Grotius, and Hegel.Thomas' SubstackRadio Free Chicago - T777 and J BurdenThomas777 MerchandiseThomas' Book "Steelstorm Pt. 1"Thomas' Book "Steelstorm Pt. 2"Thomas on TwitterThomas' CashApp - $7homas777Pete and Thomas777 'At the Movies'Support Pete on His WebsitePete's PatreonPete's SubstackPete's SubscribestarPete's GUMROADPete's VenmoPete's Buy Me a CoffeePete on FacebookPete on TwitterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-quinones-show--6071361/support.
What did "materialism" actually mean to the ancients, and how does it differ from our modern scientific understanding? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Max Wade (Ph.D., Boston College) to bridge the gap between ancient Greek ontology and modern philosophical debates.We dive deep into the "weirdness" of ancient thought, exploring why the Stoics believed in physical gods and why the Epicureans were the only true ancient materialists. Dr. Wade challenges the secularized modern reading of Socrates and Plato, revealing how their theories of divine design were actually a reactionary response to pre-Socratic natural philosophy.In this episode, we discuss:The Miriology of Being: Why the relationship between parts and wholes is the key to unlocking ancient ontology.Active vs. Passive Matter: The crucial distinction that separates Platonists, Aristotelians, and Stoics from the Epicureans.The "Swerve": Why materialism and determinism were considered incompatible in the ancient world.Plato's Atlantis & Egyptian Wisdom: Why reading Plato literally misses his point about the soul's forgetfulness and eternal truth.Marxism & Hegel: How modern materialism is often a misreading of ancient concepts through a German Idealist lens.About Our Guest: Dr. Max Wade is a scholar of ancient philosophy whose dissertation focused on Plotinus' Ontology of Artifacts. Follow his work at maxway.substack.com.Send us Fan Mail Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to BitterlakeSupport the showCrew:Host: C. Derick VarnIntro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.Intro Video Design: Jason MylesArt Design: Corn and C. Derick VarnLinks and Social Media:twitter: @varnvlogblue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.socialYou can find the additional streams on YoutubeCurrent Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer
If you are feeling a bit battered by the cultural waves and political turbulence swirling around us right now, trust me—you are not alone. I'll admit, when I woke up the morning after the 2024 election, I felt physically sick worrying about what the fallout would mean for our businesses and the hard choices ahead. That is why I love this conversation with Tara Jaye Frank. She met me right in that messy space with the ultimate reframe, sharing a beautiful story about how a simple grocery delivery from a man named Socrates gave her the title for her new book, You Are Before the World. It is a powerful reminder that before we can tackle the chaos of the world, we have to settle and stabilize ourselves first. We can't write people off, and we certainly can't pour from an empty cup, so let's dive into Tara's profound wisdom on how we can sustain ourselves while doing the heavy work of inclusion. Key Themes from the Conversation Emotional Detachment as a Tool for Curiosity: Facing deep misalignment in values doesn't mean you have to compromise who you are. Instead of absorbing disdain or getting defensive, true allyship requires shifting into the posture of a learner to understand the root of another person's perspective. "I have become good at that momentary emotional detachment. This conversation is not about me. My values are not at risk because I am engaging. And then I just get curious." The Power of Strict Media Boundaries: To protect your nervous system from chronic stress and cortisol spikes, you must take active control over how and when you consume information rather than letting alerts dictate your emotional state. "I get no news alerts sent to me. I retrieve the news when I feel I can take it in. I go get it, and I catch up, and then I move along." Relying on Routine During Dark Times: When navigating immense personal or professional disruption, implementing strict, loving routines provides a stabilizing anchor that protects mental health without requiring heavy cognitive lifting. "During the most difficult times in my life, I relied heavily on routine that didn't require any thinking, and that really helped me because routines calmed me down, they anchored me, they helped me reconnect to myself." Believing in the Generative Power of Others: Allyship means offering deep empathy and care without automatically swooping in to fix every problem, which ultimately respects and preserves the autonomy of others to navigate their own growth. "I have stopped automatically jumping into the deep end of other people's pools and instead, believing in their generative power. I'm watching people build confidence in their own generative power." Refusing to Pre-Work Unready Situations: To avoid professional exhaustion and burnout, stop over-preparing scenarios for partnerships, clients, or projects before you have the foundational data and aligned partners necessary to move forward. "I stopped getting ready for things that are not ready for me. I won't pre-work anymore, because to me, I now know that that is a waste unless there is alignment." One Actionable Takeaway for Listeners To protect your energy and remain an effective ally, audit your digital boundaries today by turning off all automated breaking news and social media alerts. Instead of allowing negative external forces to aggressively push information into your space throughout the day, choose one specific window when your nervous system is regulated to intentionally pull and process the updates you need. Think about a healthy news consumption routine you could adopt. Get Tara's book and follow her work at: https://tarajayefrank.com/
Acts 17:22-34 This morning, we are going to look at a moment in history when Paul the Apostle walks into the free thinker and cultural capital of the ancient world: Athens. It was the intellectual 'cat's meow' boasting the legacies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They had 'canvases' for everything—philosophy, art, democracy, and science—but the center of it all was empty. And as he walked the streets of Athens, he doesn't just see beautiful architecture; he sees a city gripped by emptiness. He observes hundreds (if not thousands) of idols and altars in the Areopagus including one marked 'To an Unknown God.' Paul recognizes it for what it is: the physical evidence of a longing to be filled. Please turn with me in your Bibles to Acts chapter 17, starting in verse 22. Let's look together at how Paul addresses the emptiness of the human soul, and how he make a connection with a people searching for the One and Only God who can fill the emptiness.
In this episode of So You're Living in a Simulation, Jo Li expands on her Medium article, The Three Body Problem of Consciousness, and explores one central question:What if you are not just your body, your brain, or even your mind?Jo breaks consciousness into a three-body system: the physical body, the mind, and chi, with the observer at the center. The body reacts before language. The mind explains, narrates, and often arrives late. Chi, drawing from the Igbo concept of a personal spiritual principle tied to destiny and the Socratic daimonion as an inner warning sign, becomes Jo's term for a nonlinear layer of guidance many people dismiss as intuition, coincidence, or instinct.This episode moves through Socrates' daimonion, Benjamin Libet's free will experiments, “free won't,” dreams, creative flow, placebo and nocebo effects, the 4D block universe, retrocausality, and the possibility that some forms of knowing may come from beyond ordinary conscious thought.Jo also connects these ideas to modern work culture, arguing that society benefits when people identify with the slowest, most controllable layer of themselves: the rational mind. From the eight-hour workday to corporate conditioning, she challenges listeners to stop treating themselves as small, mechanical, and powerless.This is an episode about body intelligence, mind intelligence, chi, dreams, intuition, free will, sovereignty, and what happens when you stop negotiating with your own inner systems.Topics explored:The Three Body Problem of ConsciousnessBody, mind, and chiIgbo chi and the Socratic daimonionBenjamin Libet and free won'tDreams as nonlinear processingRetrocausality and the 4D block universePlacebo, nocebo, and beliefThe modern work trapConsciousness, sovereignty, and intuitionRead the foundational essay:The Three-Body Problem of Consciousness on Mediumhttps://medium.com/@joli.artist/the-three-body-problem-of-consciousness-why-i-stopped-negotiating-with-my-own-intelligence-7bb0e302f847Get the guidebook:So You're Living in a Simulation: A Handbook for the Recently Sentienthttps://www.amazon.com/So-Youre-Living-Simulation-Handbook/dp/B0CCCMZXQHJoin the newsletter:https://mailchi.mp/a8152eedd687/joliartist-newsletter#consciousness #simulationtheory #intuition #freewill #socrates #dreams #metaphysics #philosophy #spiritualawakening
What do Socrates, Aurelius, Boethius and Wittgenstein have in common? They all believe in the power of philosophy as a form of consolation! ... Check out my new books! This one is called: The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Hey there, effendi! Check out these incredible bargains we have here at the Max, Mike; Market! Fabulous antiquities, shah! Look here, very rare: Attila the Hun's hernia truss! Never before seen outside a museum . . . wait, don't go, emir! My partner and I can see you are one of great discernment and taste, so feast your star-like eyes on this! Yes, that's right! Socrates' first iPhone case! You know, some fools don't believe this even exists, pasha! And here! Marie Antoinette's personal nose-hair trimmer! No, no, clearly that's not right for . . . oh. Wait . . . maybe . . . we've been saving this for someone special! Behold! The Topkapi dagger! Last seen in the “This Looks Like a Good Place for a Stickup” collection, lost for decades! This glorious treasure has been handled by the likes of Maximilian Schell and Peter Ustinov themselves! Look at the artistry! Look at those magnificent emeralds . . . wait, don't touch . . . um, what's that, agha? Why, everyone knows that the best emeralds are sticky! No, no, they're definitely not Jolly Ranchers that have been carved to look like . . . wait, come back! Dang it, there goes another one . . . this is your fault, you ninny! I told you the dagger market is depressed! Hah? No, I don't want to try to sell this . . . what did you call it? “The Orlov Diamond”? Huh, never heard of it. Toss it on the heap with that covenant arch or whatever that guy with the whip called it and let's try to do some real business. Poll question: Other than cash, what target of a movie heist would you most like to have for your own? Leave a comment or drop a dime on someone at our Hotline: 617-398-7266
SHOW SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 6-4-2026.1671. Evan Ellis discusses the crisis in Bolivia, where President Rodrigo Paz appointed a new defense minister to counter blockades by Evo Morales's supporters and coca growers. These paramilitary-style tactics have isolated La Paz, causing severe shortages. Ellis analyzes the military's hesitation and the influence of illicit interests on the unrest. Evan Ellis examines upcoming elections in Peru and Colombia. In Peru, hard-left candidate Roberto Sanchezchallenges Keiko Fujimori, raising concerns about radical constitutional changes. In Colombia, security-focused newcomer Abelardo de la Espriella leads against leftist Iván Cepeda, reflecting public frustration with the government's failure to manage internal security. Evan Ellis details regional tensions: former Mexican President AMLO accuses Washington of interference regarding corruption probes into his party. In Cuba, the U.S. employs "carrots and sticks" to pressure the regime. Meanwhile, Brazil's election intensifies as the Trump administration backs Flavio Bolsonaro while imposing trade tariffs on Lula's government. Evan Ellis discusses Argentine President Javier Milei's push for unregulated AI development to attract tech investment, highlighted by Peter Thiel's move to Buenos Aires. The segment also covers social unrest in Mexicoas it prepares to host the World Cup, emphasizing the high costs and potential for disruption. Anatol Lieven analyzes Ukrainian drone strikes on St. Petersburg, which damaged energy infrastructure and embarrassed the Kremlin during an economic forum. Lieven observes that the war has evolved into a "battle of drones," undermining Russia's imperial image and increasing internal pressure on Putin as his original strategic goals remain unfulfilled. Anatol Lieven discusses the civil unrest following the murder of Henry Novak in England. He critiques the police response and explains how Nigel Farage is exploiting the tragedy to fuel nationalist sentiment. Additionally, Lieven assesses the political decline of Keir Starmer and the potential rise of Andy Burnham. Mary Anastasia O'Grady explores the ideological battle in the Andean region. She describes Evo Morales's efforts to paralyze Bolivia through road blockades. O'Grady also analyzes the electoral shifts in Peru and Colombia, where voters increasingly favor right-wing candidates who promise security and economic stability over hard-left institutional change. Veronique de Rugy critiques the feasibility of single-payer healthcare in America. Citing Vermont's failed experiment, she highlights the astronomical tax increases required to fund such systems. De Rugy argues that government-run healthcare leads to rationing and stifles the medical innovation currently driven by the American private market. Professor Andrew Bayliss discusses the origins and geography of Sparta, a fertile but mountain-locked valley. He explains the unique dual kingship and the Spartan "plantation cult" society, which relied on the brutal enslavement of the Helots. Bayliss also notes early military overconfidence, exemplified by their defeat at Tegea. Professor Andrew Bayliss introduces the primary sources for Spartan history: Herodotus, who recorded epic narratives; Thucydides, who focused on clinical analysis and the "Thucydides Trap"; and Xenophon, a student of Socrates who continued Thucydides' unfinished history. Each historian provided a distinct perspective on Sparta's rise and fall. Professor Andrew Bayliss describes the "brutal barracks life" of Spartan education, beginning at age seven. Boys endured physical hardship and were encouraged to steal food to prepare for combat. Women also underwent athletic training to produce strong warriors. This rigorous system created a highly disciplined citizen elite. Professor Andrew Bayliss analyzes the Persian Wars, noting that while Thermopylae created the Spartanlegend, the naval victory at Salamis was strategically decisive. Following the war, Sparta retreated into isolationism due to internal scandals, allowing Athens to transform its defensive alliance into a powerful, tribute-collecting maritime empire. Simon Constable reports from France on volatile commodity markets. While copper prices suggest economic growth, the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to spike oil prices and trigger global economic downgrades. Constable also provides updates on regional weather and the health of his puppy, Lyra. Simon Constable discusses the political instability in Britain, where Andy Burnham seeks to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The segment also covers the tragic death of Henry Novak, which has ignited debates over migration and policing, with Nigel Farage utilizing the crisis to bolster his Reform Party's influence. Rick Fisher warns of the rapid militarization of the Earth-Moon system. He highlights China's dual-use space program, run by the People's Liberation Army, and the U.S. Space Command's shift toward "offensive space control." Both powers are deploying lunar vehicles to establish and protect territory in cis-lunar space. Rick Fisher discusses China's 100-year plan to dominate the solar system, specifically the Lunar South Pole's resources. He describes potential "de-confliction" issues as China uses crashing propulsion modules for landings. Fisher concludes that space is becoming an active war-fighting domain involving orbital, electronic, and cyber warfare.
Professor Andrew Bayliss introduces the primary sources for Spartan history: Herodotus, who recorded epic narratives; Thucydides, who focused on clinical analysis and the "Thucydides Trap"; and Xenophon, a student of Socrates who continued Thucydides' unfinished history. Each historian provided a distinct perspective on Sparta's rise and fall. 1835
Guests: Eric Metaxas and Batya Ungar Sargon Host Scot Bertram talks with Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author and the host of Socrates in the City and The Eric Metaxas Show, about the events leading up to our nation's founding and his new book, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. And […]
Guests: Eric Metaxas and Batya Ungar Sargon Host Scot Bertram talks with Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author and the host of Socrates in the City and The Eric Metaxas Show, about the events leading up to our nation’s founding and his new book, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. And Batya Ungar-Sargon, columnist for The Free Press and the host of Batya! on NewsNation, joins the show to tell us why Jews become devoted Democrats and why Democrats turned on them. Her latest book is The Jews and the Left. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wie het publieke debat een beetje volgt, ziet dat polarisatie vaak de boventoon voert. Mensen met een scherpe mening voeren het hoogste woorden. Iets is OF zwart OF wit, voor grijstinten is vaak geen ruimte of aandacht. Hoe komt het dat nuance en twijfel wordt gezien als zwak en niet als een kans om elkaar beter te begrijpen? Hoe kan Nederland de stap maken van uitroepteken naar vraagteken? Dat wil ik deze week onderzoek in BNR's Big Five van het vraagteken. Te gast is Elke Wiss, schrijver, theatermaker, praktisch filosoof en columnist. Elke is van origine regisseur en theaterdocent, en is daarnaast oprichter van bureau De Denksmederij, een trainingsbureau voor praktische filosofie. Ze is auteur van boeken als ‘Socrates op Sneakers’; een filosofische gids voor het stellen van goede vragen en ‘Even tussen mij en mij’ over het onderzoeken van je eigen denken. Gasten in BNR's Big Five van het vraagteken: -Wendelmoet Boersema, hoofdredacteur van Trouw -Sicco de Knecht, directeur van het Nationaal Expertisecentrum Wetenschap & Samenleving -Ben Tiggelaar, gedragswetenschapper en leiderschapsexpert -Micha Wertheim, cabaretier en regisseur -Elke Wiss, schrijver, theatermaker, praktisch filosoof en columnistSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Milyun-milyon ang nagcocommunion tuwing Linggo — pero may isang bagay na lagi nilang ginagawa bago lumapit sa altar na maaaring gawin silang UNWORTHY sa Banal na Komunyon. Hindi ito basta tsismis lang. Sa video na ito, gagamitin natin ang Tatlong Salaan ni Socrates para suriin ang tatlong uri ng kasalanan na karaniwang hindi nalalaman ng mga Pilipinong Katoliko — at alamin kung alin sa kanila ang maaaring maging MORTAL SIN na pumipigil sa ating pagtanggap ng Eucharist.
Can transcendence still make philosophical sense after modernity? John Vervaeke speaks with philosopher William Desmond about Platonism as a living tradition, the meaning of strong transcendence, and Desmond's philosophy of the metaxu: the between. The conversation builds from John's proposal that relevance realization and transjectivity are philosophically grounded in Desmond's ontological account of the between. John begins by distinguishing modern psychological accounts of transcendence from the ancient and Platonic sense of strong transcendence. In this stronger sense, transcendence is not merely a better state of mind. It discloses truths that are otherwise unavailable and changes the knower's relation to reality. That claim challenges modern assumptions about flat ontology, the buffered self, representational cognition, and the fact-value split. Desmond responds through Plato. He presents Plato not as a dry theorist of two worlds, but as a philosophical artist of the between: a thinker of mimesis, eros, mania, dialogue, singularity, and participatory transformation. Plato's dialogues are not ornamental containers for arguments; their drama, characters, and dialogical movement are part of the philosophy itself. The later conversation opens into deep memory, imagination, eternity, possibility, God, Daoism, intercultural philosophy, pilgrimage, and the life-world. Desmond and Vervaeke converge on the need to move beyond the view from nowhere and return philosophy to transformative practice, embodied dwelling, and a richer contact with the sources of intelligibility. Key Insights Strong transcendence has epistemological and ontological significance, not only psychological benefit. The metaxu, or between, names a porous relation before, beneath, between, and beyond modern dichotomies. Modernity's fact-value split risks producing default atheism or default nihilism. Participatory knowing offers an alternative to treating cognition as internal representation of an external world. Plato's dialogical form is integral to his philosophy; the drama cannot simply be stripped away to extract arguments. Mimesis involves relation between image and original without collapsing their difference. Eros and mania point to two directions of transcendence: from below upward and from above downward. Deep memory is a source of imagination and ontological depth, not merely storage of past facts. Possibility should not be reduced to logical possibility; living possibility points toward enabling power. Pilgrimage and theoria are linked: philosophical transformation requires being on the way, not merely observing from nowhere. Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and setup 01:00 Relevance realization and the philosophy of the between 02:00 Platonism as living tradition 02:40 The need for strong transcendence 03:50 Transcendence after modernity 04:40 William Desmond introduces his work 05:00 Between system and poetics 06:00 The Western tradition as conversation partner 08:00 John's paper on strong transcendence 09:20 Psychological transcendence in modern thought 10:00 Truths disclosed through transcendence 11:00 Flat ontology and layered reality 12:30 The buffered self 14:00 Fact-value dichotomy and default atheism 15:10 Contact epistemology and participatory relation 17:20 Being realized as you realize 18:20 Anagoge and the cave 18:40 Interior, exterior, and superior transcendence 20:10 Autonomy, heteronomy, theonomy, and theosis 21:30 Desmond responds 22:00 Plato's philosophical art and the Sophist 22:30 Art, origins, and otherness 23:40 Originality, creativity, and modern art 25:20 Mimesis and the difference between image and original 28:20 Plato as thinker of the metaxu 29:00 Eros and self-transcendence 30:00 Mania and divine inspiration 31:30 Inspiration as transmission 33:20 Metaxology and Hegel 34:40 The Sophist and participatory knowing 36:40 The who of the sophist 38:10 Periagoge and the turning of the soul 39:40 Philosophy as a way of life 40:30 Exiting modernity's frame 43:20 The dialogue form is not ornamental 45:30 Socrates as an image of courage 46:20 Dialogos and method 48:00 Diaphanous logos 49:00 Singular incarnation and witness 51:10 Theoria as contemplation and pilgrimage 52:00 John's dialectic-in-dialogos practice 53:20 Anamnesis in practice 54:20 The logos beyond the participants 55:20 Deep memory and imagination 57:00 Muses, memory, and hidden springs 58:20 AI and outsourced memory 59:00 Memory as ontological depth 01:00:30 Eternity and the other to time 01:02:40 Inward otherness and ultimate otherness 01:04:50 Plato's sun and enabling light 01:06:20 Porosity and the buffered self 01:07:00 Living possibility 01:09:00 Possibility, transcendence, and God 01:10:40 What makes intelligibility intelligible? 01:11:40 Eastern and Western approaches to possibility 01:13:30 Coming to be and becoming 01:15:40 Nicholas of Cusa 01:17:00 Wu wei and giving way 01:18:20 Daoist practice and Socratic midwifery 01:20:20 Philosophical Silk Road 01:22:10 The intimate universal 01:23:20 Against philosophical tourism 01:25:30 Elemental porosity 01:26:00 Pilgrimage and practice 01:27:40 Being underway 01:29:30 Theoria as metanoetic passage 01:30:10 Symphonic language 01:34:00 The life-world 01:35:40 Rejecting the view from nowhere 01:36:20 Closing Resources William Desmond, Being and the Between William Desmond, Ethics and the Between William Desmond, God and the Between William Desmond, Art, Origins, Otherness: Between Philosophy and Art Plato, Symposium, Ion, Sophist, Republic, and Laches Plotinus and Proclus Hegel Charles Taylor Catherine Pickstock, Aspects of Truth Paul Tillich Thomas Aquinas Nicholas of Cusa Pierre Hadot Henry Corbin Frank, Gleiser, and Thompson, The Blind Spot Follow John Vervaeke: Website: https://johnvervaeke.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke/videos X: https://x.com/DrJohnVervaeke Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke
Socrates doesn't believe nature has much to teach us. Heidegger seems to disagree! ... Check out my new books! This one is called: The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
✨ Become a founding member to access my online courses, including Jurassic Worlding and How To Live In The Future✨ Browse and buy all of the books we discuss on the show at Bookshop.org✨ Stream and download my music at artist-owned Subvert.fm✨ Learn about Atlas Research Group, my new team on a mission to build sovereign infrastructure for social coherence and collective intelligenceAbout This EpisodeThis week's guest is C. Thi Nguyen (Website | Wikipedia | X), associate professor of philosophy at the University of Utah and a specialist in the philosophy of games, the philosophy of technology, and the theory of value. In our first conversation on Future Fossils, we explored his writing on games as an art form in which agency is the medium. His new book, The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game, takes that logic further and reveals the games that bind society together with institutional metrics — one of the most powerful, pervasive, and invisible technologies of all time.Thi's thesis hinges on the observation that a metric is never just a number. It's a value judgment dressed up in the costume of objectivity, a down-sampling of our richly multidimensional world into proxies that can travel efficiently between strangers. And with every subsequent compression of meaning into portable, scalable, decontextualized form, our metrics progressively displace place itself — the nuance of our singular, non-fungible lives — and define what we can even aspire to be.Thi calls this kind of cognitive enclosure “value capture”: when an institution uses metrics to coordinate across distance and difference, it engineers a context-invariant kernel that can travel between strangers without requiring shared background, history, or care. The power of these abstractions is real. So is their violence.We can use metrics instrumentally, holding them lightly as useful fictions. But more often than not we forget things like GPA, GDP, or KPIs started life as somebody else's choices — that someone, somewhere, decided what to count and what to ignore — and we begin to inhabit the metric as if it were reality itself: optimizing our lives, desires, and identities for a scoring system we didn't author and may never have consciously accepted.Games show us another way. By Thi's account, games are a medium for the transmission of different kinds of agency, a technology for practicing the very awareness that metrics erode: that metrics are cultural constructs, and we still have some choice in what to value. When you're playing, you know you're playing. The magic circle of the game space is a low-stakes laboratory for inhabiting a different set of values, and therefore different selves. Therein lies a whole philosophy of freedom, and in a moment when the infrastructure of meaning-making is being rebuilt from the ground up, recovering our capacity to see the game of modern life as a game may be the most important skill we have.But there's a twist that takes us beyond the scope of Thi's book and into the question that's been keeping me up at night for the last two years. With AI, we've tunneled so far into abstraction that we may have come out the other side. Large language models now allow us to translate between different perspectives, to ground insights from our aggregate intelligence in personal detail. If you've ever used a chatbot to explain physics to you as a specific human being, based on your own data vault, and in the style of a specific author, you know what I mean. Socrates' critique of written language in Phaedrus — that it couldn't “read the room” or know its audience — feels somewhat less relevant in an age when the generation of text is powered by systems with such a high-dimensional and granular view of things that we are no longer bound to one canonical version of anything. Is AI the apotheosis of our enclosure by institutional metrics, or is it the medium through which we are finally able to take a post-ironic stance on the constraints of modern life?It's starting to look like a world in which everything is a metric and everything is a game. And just maybe, that means we can renegotiate these tradeoffs…as long as we don't take ourselves too seriously.And with this, we circle back around to the core question of this project: As we approach the horizon where anything is possible, what should be? Who do you want to be, and what games will make you that person?Chapters00:00 Episode Teaser03:50 Intro Monologue09:11 Meet C. Thi Nguyen17:43 Value Capture Explained23:48 The Gap between Measured & Valued35:29 Recognition vs. Perception42:48 Games vs. Institutions46:43 Is Meaning Control an Interface Problem?49:09 How Rules Became Algorithms54:17 Fungibility & Monocropping56:38 Is Coordination at Scale a Red Herring?01:03:14 Art Provides Hope01:16:17 AI Futures & Values01:32:27 Thanks & AnnouncementsMentioned ResourcesAre humans destined to evolve into crabs? by Michael GarfieldCoarse-graining as a downward causation mechanism by Jessica FlackThe Computer as a Communication Device by J.C.R. Licklider and Robert TaylorPaul Smaldino & C. Thi Nguyen on Problems with Value Metrics & Governance at Scale (EPE 06) for Complexity PodcastThe natural selection of bad science by Paul Smaldino & Richard McElreathSlowed canonical progress in large fields of science by Johan Chu & James EvansJargon is a Moat by Second VoiceTrust in Numbers by Theodore PorterRules by Lorraine DastinSeeing Like A State by James C. ScottThe Power of Maps by Dennis WoodsDilla Time by Dan CharmasMetaphors We Live By by George Lakoff & Mark JohnsonMarshall McLuhanReiner KniziaLangdon WinnerSamantha MatherneIain McGilchristKevin Kelly
Landon Loftin, editor of Chesterton and the Philosophers and a speaker at this summer's Chesterton Conference, joins Joe Grabowski to discuss the first book to put G.K. Chesterton in direct conversation with figures of the Western philosophical tradition. Together they trace how G.K. Chesterton's literary and journalistic genius concealed a rigorous philosophical mind that professional academia has been slow to recognize—and why that neglect says more about the academy than about Chesterton. In This Episode: How a peer-reviewed journal's rejection of an essay on G.K. Chesterton and Hume sparked the idea for an entire edited volume Why G.K. Chesterton's best philosophical arguments are embedded in fiction and journalism rather than technical prose, and why that's a compliment to him, not a liability The essay on Chesterton and Aristotle, and how G.K. Chesterton understood virtue as a furious clash of opposites rather than a mild Aristotelian mean G.K. Chesterton's distinctive philosophical method: taking thinkers like Hume and William James more seriously than they took themselves, thereby dismantling their own arguments A preview of Loftin's Chesterton Conference talk on G.K. Chesterton as "the Edwardian Socrates," and what that comparison reveals about philosophy as a vocation versus a profession Chapters: 00:00: Introduction 00:26: Welcome and introducing Landon Loftin 01:25: Loftin's background: teaching, Owen Barfield, and G.K. Chesterton 03:03: Chesterton and the Philosophers: overview and contributors 04:43: Origin of the book: the rejected Hume essay 08:13: Book structure and Joe's essay on Chesterton and Kierkegaard 14:20: Chesterton and Aristotle: virtue as furious clash of opposites 18:30: G.K. Chesterton's philosophical method: out-Huming Hume 24:46: G.K. Chesterton as defender of philosophy 30:35: G.K. Chesterton's model of disagreement: furious friendship 33:52: Conference preview: "The Edwardian Socrates" Resources Mentioned: Chesterton and the Philosophers, ed. Landon Loftin (Wipf & Stock) 2026 Chesterton Conference — "The Outline of Sanity," June 25–27, Ave Maria, FL FOLLOW US Instagram Facebook X SUPPORT Donate Shop Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios
In this episode of Good Is In The Details, Gwendolyn Dolske sits down with Karen Olson — founder and CEO emeritus of Family Promise, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families, whose organization has trained and mobilized over one million volunteers over the past thirty years to provide services to homeless families, and author of Meant for More: Following Your Heart and Finding Your Purpose, to have the conversation about homelessness that most people are too uncomfortable, too misinformed, or too distant to have. The myths Karen dismantles in this conversation: The homeless are lazy. The homeless are addicted and choose not to get help. Homelessness is an individual failure rather than a systemic one. The people on the street are strangers with no history and no future. Karen has spent thirty years learning the truth. Family Promise has helped more than a quarter of a million people annually, and in that work Karen has come to know her clients the way most of us know our neighbors: by name, by story, by the specific combination of circumstances and choices and bad luck and systemic failure that brought them to where they are. She calls them her friends. In a culture that speaks of homeless people as a mess to be cleaned up, as a problem to be managed, as a category rather than a collection of individuals with names and histories and futures, Karen Olson calls them her friends. And she means it. What we explore in this episode: Who is actually homeless in America, and why the answer will surprise you. Children. Veterans. Families. People who work full-time jobs that pay less than the cost of a roof over their head The drug and alcohol addiction myth, what Karen has actually observed about addiction and homelessness, why addiction makes it harder for people to accept help, and the conditions under which she has watched people move away from it when genuine opportunity is offered The policy dimension: how government decisions about mental health treatment, addiction services, affordable housing, and the minimum wage are not separate from the homelessness crisis, they are its architecture Why the cost of living has outpaced income for entire categories of employment, and what that means for who ends up on the street Why this book is not about guilt or moral obligation, it is a gentle but firm call to action, an invitation rather than an indictment, asking simply: what if the smallest acts of kindness aren't small at all? Why kindness toward yourself is where the work of kindness toward others begins, and how that insight connects to the deepest traditions of moral philosophy A deeper exploration of Kant's ethics and how they apply to homelessness, compassion, and our obligations to one another is coming to Patreon (exclusively for members of The Examined Life). This book is about human connection. It is about recognizing the invisible and understanding that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness aren't small at all. And it is about the most Socratic thing a person can do: stop, pay attention, learn someone's name, and let that moment change you. Guest: Karen Olson — founder and CEO emeritus of Family Promise, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families, whose organization has trained and mobilized over one million volunteers over the past thirty years. Recipient of the 1992 Points of Light Award from President George H.W. Bush, the New Jersey Governor's Pride Award in Social Services, and the Jefferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service. Profiled by CBS News. Featured in Courage Is Contagious by Congressman John Kasich. Author of Meant for More: Following Your Heart and Finding Your Purpose. Good Is In The Details is hosted by Gwendolyn Dolske, Ph.D. and Rudy Salo — a philosophy, books, and ideas podcast exploring the examined life in the spirit of Socrates.
Eric Metaxas is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including the million-selling biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his latest, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. He is the host of Socrates in the City and The Eric Metaxas Show. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages and has appeared in leading national publications.
In Plato and the Tyrant, James Romm explains that Plato, born approximately 428 BCE, was deeply influenced by the 30 Tyrants of Athens, a regime involving his cousin Critias that conducted a reign of terror. After the execution of his teacher, Socrates, Plato developed a philosophy centered on a world of eternal forms, which are perfect realities beyond sensory perception. Plato visited Syracuse in 385 BCE, drawn by Dion, the ruler's brother-in-law, who shared Plato'sdisdain for the city's riotous living. This first visit was a colossal failure, as Dionysius the Elder dismissed Plato with dishonor for advocating ethical behavior. (2/8)1800 PLATO
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comHarvey is a political philosopher. He's been on the faculty at Harvard since 1962, and he's currently the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Government. His 13 books include Taming the Prince, Manliness, and Machiavelli's Effectual Truth. His new book is The Rise and Fall of Rational Control: The History of Modern Political Philosophy. Harvey was my tutor as a graduate student at Harvard, an overseer of my dissertation, and I was a teaching fellow for the course in modern political thought that his latest book reprises brilliantly. To be honest, my reverence for him made me nervous for this podcast. But his brilliance and dry humor and joie de vivre all came through, and he put me at ease.For two clips of the episode — on the shift from virtue to freedom during the Enlightenment, and how Nietzsche reframed the West — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: raised by New Deal liberals in New Haven and DC; his dad a Yale professor and mom a musician; Leo Strauss an academic mentor; thymos and masculinity; Plato's Apology of Socrates; Aristotle; Aquinas; why democracy leads to tyranny; the humor of Machiavelli; Spinoza and dissent; Locke's Two Treatises; the incest prohibition; Hegel; Hobbes; common sense; Nietzsche and nihilism; deconstructing Christianity; science as a product of “white supremacy”; the sex binary; de Beauvoir's Second Sex; the postmodern view of science; Rawls; AI and human obsolescence; grade inflation; Judith Shklar and her love of Montaigne; Oakeshott; anti-semitism on campus after 10/7; and how moderns set aside the deepest questions.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. We have some real stars coming up: Ben Rhodes on Iran and speech-writing, HW Brands on the life of George Washington, John Gray on Trump's new world, Bob Wright on the evolutionary force of AI, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy in a liberal democracy, Daniel McCarthy on conservatism, Stephen Grosz on the struggles of love, and Robby George on all our disagreements. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
Some old dude (Socrates) told the world a coupla thousand years ago (400ish BC) that "the begging of wisdom is to know thyself", so it's clear that the whole - trying to figure out who the-fuck we are, and why the-fuck we are the way we are - is not a new human endeavour. This time on TYP, the very brilliant, charming and accomplished Professor Beau Lotto and the mildly-competent me, continue the exploration. Beau is an American neuroscientist, author, entrepreneur and keynote speaker best known for his work on perception, uncertainty, creativity and human behaviour. He's a visiting scholar at New York University and the founder of the Lab of Misfits, a creative studio exploring the intersection of neuroscience, art, technology and innovation. Lotto's research focuses on how the brain interprets reality - particularly the idea that we don't passively "see" the world as it is, but actively construct perception based on past experience, context, assumptions and survival needs.evolvable.meSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Matt and Michael wrestle with one of the oldest questions in philosophy. Why does accepting objective meaning make life harder, not easier? They start with nihilism and why almost nobody can actually live it out. Michael plays devil's advocate for the social contract view of morality. Matt pushes back hard. If your worldview is just preferences, what do you do when Thanos shows up? The conversation spirals through C.S. Lewis, 1984, Sam Harris's wireless dog fence, and why telling the truth is just easier than lying. They land on the cross as the place where God measures himself by himself and absorbs the gap we cannot close. Cheers y'all
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.
Socrates and St. Thomas Aquinas reached the same conclusion: true wisdom begins with humility before God.Every night, join Father Joseph Matlak as he ends the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Matlak guides you in prayer and shares a brief reflection and a thorough examination of conscience providing you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Join us each day in your inbox https://www.goodcatholic.com/nightprayer________________
9 Hours and 55 MinutesPG-13Thomas777 is a revisionist historian and a fiction writer.This is the first 10 episodes of our ongoing Continental Philosophy series with Thomas777. He covers Aristotle, Thucydides, Socrates, Plato, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Grotius, and Hegel.Thomas' SubstackRadio Free Chicago - T777 and J BurdenThomas777 MerchandiseThomas' Book "Steelstorm Pt. 1"Thomas' Book "Steelstorm Pt. 2"Thomas on TwitterThomas' CashApp - $7homas777Pete and Thomas777 'At the Movies'Support Pete on His WebsitePete's PatreonPete's SubstackPete's SubscribestarPete's GUMROADPete's VenmoPete's Buy Me a CoffeePete on FacebookPete on TwitterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-quinones-show--6071361/support.
In this episode, Pastor Mike explores the weight of "famous last words," contrasting the final utterances of historical figures like Beethoven and Socrates with the seven statements spoken by Jesus Christ on the cross . He emphasizes the extreme physical agony of crucifixion, noting that while every breath was a struggle, Jesus used His remaining strength to pray for the forgiveness of those who mocked and executed Him . The discussion highlights the contrast between the uncertain or despairing words of unbelievers and the hope-filled declarations of those who trust in Christ’s finished work, presenting Jesus as a willing Savior whose heart is uniquely inclined to embrace sinners. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/34HI8LrJpMk No Compromise Radio “Always biblical, always provocative, always in that order.” Video Episode 65: “Famous Last Words" Hosts: Pastor Mike Abendroth (Pastor & Author) Produced/Edited By: Marrio Escobar (Owner of D2L Productions)
Durex Nude ve Mediamarkt'ın katkılarıyla hazırlanan Socrates FC'nin yeni bölümünde İlhan Özgen, Atahan Altınordu ve İnan Özdemir; 90'lar Türkçe rock piyasasını, Pele-Maradona sofrasını, İskoçya Ligi'nde çözülmeyi bekleyen düğümü, neden draft yapılamadığını, halkın mezat sevgisini, Florentino Perez'in açıklamalarını ve dünya kupası tahminlerini konuştu.
Durex Nude ve Mediamarkt'ın katkılarıyla hazırlanan Socrates FC'nin yeni bölümünde İlhan Özgen, Atahan Altınordu ve İnan Özdemir; 90'lar Türkçe rock piyasasını, Pele-Maradona sofrasını, İskoçya Ligi'nde çözülmeyi bekleyen düğümü, neden draft yapılamadığını, halkın mezat sevgisini, Florentino Perez'in açıklamalarını ve dünya kupası tahminlerini konuştu.
Critical thinking, happiness, career goals, and...how we understand moving about our cities. What assumptions do we hold onto about our purpose? In this episode of Good Is In The Details, Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo sit down with Paul Comfort — Senior Vice President at Modaxo Americas, former CEO of the Maryland Transit Administration and Transloc, host of the award-winning Transit Unplugged podcast, and author of the forthcoming book Find Your X Factor — for a conversation that moves seamlessly from Socratic self-knowledge to the engineering of communities, and argues that both are expressions of the same fundamental question: what does it mean to live well, together? The episode begins where Paul's book begins, with the inward turn. Find Your X Factor is a guide to identifying your authentic skill set, your genuine talents, and the voice inside you that knows what kind of work would allow you to fully express who you are rather than chasing the career someone else told you to want. Gwendolyn hears in this an unmistakably Socratic echo: the ancient Greek philosopher who insisted that the examined life, the life turned inward toward honest self-knowledge, was the only foundation for genuine happiness. Paul Comfort, it turns out, has been teaching Socrates to transportation executives for years without using the word. And then the conversation does something unexpected. Because Paul's own story, the story of how he discovered his X Factor, leads directly to public transportation. To the buses, trains, metros, and ferries that move millions of people every day in ways that most of us take entirely for granted, or dismiss entirely, or never use at all. And once you understand public transit through a philosophical lens, you cannot see it the same way again. What we explore in this episode: What the X Factor actually is, and how the process of identifying your authentic skill set and inner voice connects directly to Aristotle's concept of eudaimonia and the Socratic imperative to know yourself before you can know anything else worth knowing Why infrastructure is not a static reality but a designed choice and what it means philosophically and politically that we can choose differently How public transportation serves as a moving connection weaving people, places, and possibilities together, and why that vision of transit as civic infrastructure rather than welfare service changes the entire conversation about investment and access The philosophy of access and independence: what it means for someone who cannot afford a car, or is too young, too old, or physically unable to drive, to have genuine mobility, and how the presence or absence of good transit determines whether those people can fully participate in the life of their community Why better transit infrastructure produces measurable improvements in public health, from reduced traffic stress and car maintenance burden to the physical benefits of walking to a stop, to the cognitive benefits of time spent reading or thinking rather than driving The argument that infrastructure investment is a moral argument, not just an economic one, and what philosophy says about a society's obligation to design its shared spaces for everyone, not just those with the most resources Why public transit is not only for people who struggle, and how we lost the sense of wonder that children still feel when they board a train or a bus or a plane for the first time, and what it would mean to get it back The engineering of awe: what it means to look at a subway system, a suspension bridge, or an airport terminal and feel genuine amazement at what human cooperation and ingenuity can accomplish, and why recovering that sense of wonder is itself a philosophical act What Paul Comfort's career reveals about the relationship between personal purpose and public good, and how finding your X Factor might just lead you to work that makes the world more just, more connected, and more navigable for everyone in it This is the episode for anyone who has ever felt stuck between who they are and what they're supposed to be, and anyone who has ever looked at a city and wondered whether it was built for people like them. The answer to both questions, it turns out, begins in the same place. Guest: Paul Comfort — Senior Vice President, Modaxo Americas. Former CEO, Maryland Transit Administration and Transloc. Host, Transit Unplugged podcast. Author of Find Your X Factor (forthcoming) and The Innovative Transit Leader: Drive Change and Organizational Excellence. A leading voice in the public transportation industry with deep executive and thought leadership credentials across transit systems in North America and globally. Good Is In The Details is hosted by Gwendolyn Dolske, Ph.D. and Rudy Salo — a philosophy, books, and ideas podcast exploring the examined life in the spirit of Socrates. Learn more about Paul's work: https://paulcomfort.org Philosophy Resources, Book Club, and Support the pod: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Get in touch: https://www.goodisinthedetails.com Get your copy of Interview with Intention
Ghost and Ashe in America close out season three by walking through the Decapolis arc all the way to Simon stepping out of the boat. The hosts unpack why Andrew and Philip's parable of the great banquet sparked a literal street brawl, why Judas is the only apostle in the room who instantly grasps everyone's offense (because his ego is still fully intact), and what it means that Jesus heals a deaf-mute Greek before he's even had a chance to introduce himself. The conversation widens into Socrates dying for "corrupting the youth" the same way Jesus would, the Nabateans of Petra, the Haskalah and why Orthodox versus secular Jews are headed for a civil war in present-day Israel, and what the chosen people actually got chosen for (hint: Deuteronomy 28, and it isn't a status upgrade). Then it lands on the feeding of the five thousand and Simon's brutally honest, cynical kind of faith. He believes Jesus can do it. He's just afraid Jesus will choose them. It ends where every storyline this season has been pointing. Keep your eyes on me. The mercies are new because we need them new.
Most everyone knows the story of holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl who wrote the book, Man's Search For Meaning. In the book he shares his journey of finding meaning, purpose, and peace even as a prisoner in a concentration camp. A primary message he had for humanity was that regardless of circumstances, we have the freedom to choose our attitude in any situation. He feels this is what kept him alive while most around him died. But when the time came when Viktor was freed from his prison, he didn't stay there, saying he'd found peace and was good. He left to embrace the comforts and security of freedom. We as humans seem to inherently desire just that, comfort and security. I don't see that changing, and I'm not criticizing this, as I wake most mornings safe and sound in the comforts of my nice home full of all the latest amenities. But like Viktor, I want my core comfort and security to reside within me so that in times of hardship and uncertainty, I'm not devastated. We live in a time where we don't seem to be doing ok if things aren't certain for us. And they can't be. And as time goes on I align with the quote, “The more I learn the less I know,” usually attributed to Albert Einstein or Socrates. I find less and less that I can claim certainty with. But I'm also finding more peace than ever by accepting, not knowing. My guest in this episode is Simone Stolzoff. Simone is an author and journalist who explores big questions about work, meaning, and identity. He is the author of two books: The Good Enough Job and now, and the reason for me inviting him onto the show, he has written the book, How To Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty In a World That Demands Answers. Simone's work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and on the TED stage, and I found that many of the influential leaders I've had on this podcast follow Simone's research and work. Here we don't discount our desire for certainty, but dig into how we can remain secure when we are not certain. I'll add that I'm growing more distrusting of those who claim certainty, and at the point of rejecting the concept. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charlie always brought his A-game when addressing TPUSA chapter leaders, and one of his best addresses of all came at a dark moment for the national conservative movement in the summer of 2021. In a wide-ranging 45 minutes speech, Charlie tells the three things to do daily to be more effective, explains the difference between practical knowledge and eternal knowledge, and explains why fearless truth-telling is the most essential duty of all for anyone who wants to be a positive force in politics. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Virginia Democrats' big redistricting play has ended in disaster, after the state supreme court rebuked them this morning. Greg Price discusses the nationwide GOP redistricting wins. Indiana primary winners Trevor DeVries and Dr. Brian Schmutzler talk about turning out RINOs from state office. The team takes an hour of subscriber questions, including: -Do they support or oppose Socrates's decision to "drink the hemlock?" -What do they think of companies that advertise with this show as well as a certain controversial Nashville streamer? -What should we make of various podcasters now saying nice things about Islam? Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Phoebe Yang is the daughter of a single-parent Chinese immigrant father who raised three daughters in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She went to law school intending to become a law professor, until her father was diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer and given four months to live. That moment changed everything. From there, Phoebe built a career that spans AOL Time Warner (launching their China office), Discovery (turning around Discovery Health and doing early deals with Amazon, Google, and Microsoft when nobody else wanted them), the Obama administration's FCC, the Advisory Board Company, Amazon, and board roles at GE, Doximity, and CommonSpirit. She now teaches the business of AI at Stanford. In this episode, Phoebe talks about why healthcare is the only industry where the greatest predictor of success is tied to how well you see the human being first, what curious humility means in a board role, why Socrates feared the written word the same way we fear AI, and what it means to sit alone in a Roman church with two Caravaggio paintings all day. https://marxadvisory.com
New Guest Expert! On this week's Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Nicholas D. Smith about Athens, the Peloponnesian War, Socrates and so much more. Author of many books on ancient Greek philosophy and contemporary epistemology, Professor Smith dives deep into Athenian life and shares some exciting and controversial views about the life and death of Socrates. Afterwards, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Faryn Einhorn and producer Clayton Early to see if the verdict holds up. Not on Patreon yet?! Click below and join us!Join our Patreon!Tell us who you think is to blame at http://thealarmistpodcast.comEmail us at thealarmistpodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram @thealarmistpodcastFollow us on TikTok @thealarmistpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/alarmist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Socrates Savage opens by invoking the street-philosopher Socrates of Ancient Athens. He then exposes Religion Incorporated, including Catholic Charities, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and Lutheran Family Services for corruption. He praises President Trump for cutting funds. He rails against the nation sliding into chaos—culturally, politically, and morally. He blasts media "degeneracy," taking aim at the HBO show "Euphoria." Trump, NATO, Canada, California, and rising crime. He lightens the mood with a show recommendation—"Diary of a Ditched Girl." Call (855) GOLD-099 or go to GetSavageGold.com right now. Talk to precious metals specialists who understand the Great Gold Reset. Don't let the establishment steal this opportunity from you. Get your free quote at https://www.ethos.com/savage