Past Present Future cover image

Past Present Future

History of Ideas 1: Montaigne

Dec 25, 2023
Learn about Montaigne, the man who invented a new way of writing and being read. From the fear of death to the joys of life, Montaigne wrote the book of himself, exploring topics such as atheism, faith, sex, religion, and more. Discover the open-ended and adventurous nature of essays, as well as Montaigne's unique exploration of animals, randomness, simplicity, and complexity in philosophy.
53:56

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Montaigne's essays covered a wide range of seemingly random topics, providing a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on various aspects of human experience.
  • Montaigne suggests that both faith and reason are necessary to form a comprehensive view of religion, emphasizing skepticism as a way to keep the conversation and journey of thought alive.

Deep dives

The Philosophy of Quietism

Quietism, a philosophy that emphasizes accepting the world as it is without seeking to change or reorder it, is discussed. The lecturer in the podcast lecture speaks about quietism as a way of leading a quiet life. While quietism can have religious connotations, the essence of it is the belief that thought or philosophy cannot reshape the world. It is a philosophy of accepting the world and focusing on ordering one's own thoughts and perspectives.

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