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Acid Horizon

'The Philosophy of Movement: An Introduction' with Thomas Nail

Nov 4, 2024
Thomas Nail, author of The Philosophy of Movement, delves into the significance of motion as a fundamental force in human history. He critiques Western thought's bias towards stasis, exploring how this affects identity and politics today. The discussion sheds light on indeterminacy in both philosophy and quantum physics, stressing the interconnectedness of existence. Additionally, Nail highlights the role of migration as a historical driver of societal change, urging a rethink of citizenship in our fast-moving world.
01:10:05

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Thomas Nail critiques the Western philosophical bias towards immobility, advocating for recognizing movement as a foundational aspect of reality.
  • The concept of indeterminacy is essential in understanding movement, challenging traditional views that prioritize fixed identities in philosophical discourse.

Deep dives

Historical Bias Against Movement

The podcast discusses the historical tendency in Western philosophy to explain movement through static principles, highlighting a pervasive bias against recognizing movement as a primary feature of existence. Thomas Nail argues that this bias has roots in early philosophical ideas, such as those from Greek thinkers who positioned unmoving entities at the center of their cosmologies. This approach effectively invalidates the importance of movement, as concepts like the 'unmoved mover' suggest that true stability must exist for anything to change. Nail posits that this perspective fundamentally shapes a Euro-Western understanding of various phenomena, including time, space, and even science, leading to a diminished appreciation for movement as a critical and dynamic aspect of reality.

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