The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast

Introduction I am Ixion, strapped to the burning wheel of fire in the underworld that is my life. A bleak assessment to be sure, but I put it to you that it is the truth. For what is life if not an ever-swinging pendulum of pain and boredom, kept in motion by the insatiable will? I constantly strive for the things that I want, but what I want is never enough; long-term satisfaction is tedium elegantly veiled. This alone is a cruel trick to the individual, but in a world of many, it is the ultimate tragedy. The wills of the multitude cannot avoid the inevitable conflict, as one will’s ends treats another as its means. The tiger feasts on the wild dog, who feasts on the baby turtle, all to propagate life so that future generations can play out this tragic scene ad infinitum. In human life - save rare moments of true compassion - we are little better. Yet, there is a hint of salvation.  What if we all realised that, at our core, we are the same will? What if we could make the wheel of Ixion stand still, if only for a moment? Would it be possible to see beauty? Would it be possible to see to fellow sufferers rather than fellow egos? I suspect it might, but I am afraid that I, and many others, are easily fooled. ‘The Will’ will do as it pleases, and not what pleases us. Contents Part I. The Life of Arthur Schopenhauer Part II. The World as Representation Part III. The World as Will Part IV. Suffering, Aesthetics, and Ethics Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Bernardo Kastrup, Decoding Schopenhauer’s Metaphysics (book) Christopher Janaway, Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction (book) Bryan Magee, The Philosophy of Schopenhauer (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, Essay and Aphorisms (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation — Vol. 1 (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason and Other Writings (book) Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (online) Intern Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (online)

Introduction I am Ixion, strapped to the burning wheel of fire in the underworld that is my life. A bleak assessment to be sure, but I put it to you that it is the truth. For what is life if not an ever-swinging pendulum of pain and boredom, kept in motion by the insatiable will? I constantly strive for the things that I want, but what I want is never enough; long-term satisfaction is tedium elegantly veiled. This alone is a cruel trick to the individual, but in a world of many, it is the ultimate tragedy. The wills of the multitude cannot avoid the inevitable conflict, as one will’s ends treats another as its means. The tiger feasts on the wild dog, who feasts on the baby turtle, all to propagate life so that future generations can play out this tragic scene ad infinitum. In human life - save rare moments of true compassion - we are little better. Yet, there is a hint of salvation.  What if we all realised that, at our core, we are the same will? What if we could make the wheel of Ixion stand still, if only for a moment? Would it be possible to see beauty? Would it be possible to see to fellow sufferers rather than fellow egos? I suspect it might, but I am afraid that I, and many others, are easily fooled. ‘The Will’ will do as it pleases, and not what pleases us. Contents Part I. The Life of Arthur Schopenhauer Part II. The World as Representation Part III. The World as Will Part IV. Suffering, Aesthetics, and Ethics Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Bernardo Kastrup, Decoding Schopenhauer’s Metaphysics (book) Christopher Janaway, Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction (book) Bryan Magee, The Philosophy of Schopenhauer (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, Essay and Aphorisms (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation — Vol. 1 (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason and Other Writings (book) Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (online) Intern Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (online)

Introduction I am Ixion, strapped to the burning wheel of fire in the underworld that is my life. A bleak assessment to be sure, but I put it to you that it is the truth. For what is life if not an ever-swinging pendulum of pain and boredom, kept in motion by the insatiable will? I constantly strive for the things that I want, but what I want is never enough; long-term satisfaction is tedium elegantly veiled. This alone is a cruel trick to the individual, but in a world of many, it is the ultimate tragedy. The wills of the multitude cannot avoid the inevitable conflict, as one will’s ends treats another as its means. The tiger feasts on the wild dog, who feasts on the baby turtle, all to propagate life so that future generations can play out this tragic scene ad infinitum. In human life - save rare moments of true compassion - we are little better. Yet, there is a hint of salvation.  What if we all realised that, at our core, we are the same will? What if we could make the wheel of Ixion stand still, if only for a moment? Would it be possible to see beauty? Would it be possible to see to fellow sufferers rather than fellow egos? I suspect it might, but I am afraid that I, and many others, are easily fooled. ‘The Will’ will do as it pleases, and not what pleases us. Contents Part I. The Life of Arthur Schopenhauer Part II. The World as Representation Part III. The World as Will Part IV. Suffering, Aesthetics, and Ethics Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Bernardo Kastrup, Decoding Schopenhauer’s Metaphysics (book) Christopher Janaway, Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction (book) Bryan Magee, The Philosophy of Schopenhauer (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, Essay and Aphorisms (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation — Vol. 1 (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics (book) Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason and Other Writings (book) Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (online) Intern Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Arthur Schopenhauer (online)

Introduction I write this in secret, hoping that these notes be passed on outside Russia. The author of the diary and the diary itself may, of course, be imaginary. Nevertheless, it is clear that such persons as the Underground Man do exist in our society. We have tried to expose him to the public but so far there has been no luck. If only people knew of the power of the Underground. He is one of the representatives of a generation still living, a generation waiting patiently for the right moment. His notes were discovered long after his passing, written on tatty paper in cheap ink, covered in cigarette burns and dust…. Don’t listen to the ants who would rather slave over the anthill than accept the truth. These notes are yours now, spread them to every corner of the globe. Long live the Underground! Contents Part I. The Life of Fyodor Dostoevsky Part II. Underground Part III. Apropos of the Wet Snow Part IV. Body and Blood Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky (pdf). Teaching Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature (book). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time (Joseph Frank). The Case against Rational Egoism in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, James P. Scanlan (paper). Symbolism of Rats and Mice in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, Michael Haltresht (paper). Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky - Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (book).

Introduction I write this in secret, hoping that these notes be passed on outside Russia. The author of the diary and the diary itself may, of course, be imaginary. Nevertheless, it is clear that such persons as the Underground Man do exist in our society. We have tried to expose him to the public but so far there has been no luck. If only people knew of the power of the Underground. He is one of the representatives of a generation still living, a generation waiting patiently for the right moment. His notes were discovered long after his passing, written on tatty paper in cheap ink, covered in cigarette burns and dust…. Don’t listen to the ants who would rather slave over the anthill than accept the truth. These notes are yours now, spread them to every corner of the globe. Long live the Underground! Contents Part I. The Life of Fyodor Dostoevsky Part II. Underground Part III. Apropos of the Wet Snow Part IV. Body and Blood Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky (pdf). Teaching Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature (book). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time (Joseph Frank). The Case against Rational Egoism in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, James P. Scanlan (paper). Symbolism of Rats and Mice in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, Michael Haltresht (paper). Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky - Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (book).

Introduction I write this in secret, hoping that these notes be passed on outside Russia. The author of the diary and the diary itself may, of course, be imaginary. Nevertheless, it is clear that such persons as the Underground Man do exist in our society. We have tried to expose him to the public but so far there has been no luck. If only people knew of the power of the Underground. He is one of the representatives of a generation still living, a generation waiting patiently for the right moment. His notes were discovered long after his passing, written on tatty paper in cheap ink, covered in cigarette burns and dust…. Don’t listen to the ants who would rather slave over the anthill than accept the truth. These notes are yours now, spread them to every corner of the globe. Long live the Underground! Contents Part I. The Life of Fyodor Dostoevsky Part II. Underground Part III. Apropos of the Wet Snow Part IV. Body and Blood Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky (pdf). Teaching Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature (book). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time (Joseph Frank). The Case against Rational Egoism in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, James P. Scanlan (paper). Symbolism of Rats and Mice in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, Michael Haltresht (paper). Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky - Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (book).

Introduction I write this in secret, hoping that these notes be passed on outside Russia. The author of the diary and the diary itself may, of course, be imaginary. Nevertheless, it is clear that such persons as the Underground Man do exist in our society. We have tried to expose him to the public but so far there has been no luck. If only people knew of the power of the Underground. He is one of the representatives of a generation still living, a generation waiting patiently for the right moment. His notes were discovered long after his passing, written on tatty paper in cheap ink, covered in cigarette burns and dust…. Don’t listen to the ants who would rather slave over the anthill than accept the truth. These notes are yours now, spread them to every corner of the globe. Long live the Underground! Contents Part I. The Life of Fyodor Dostoevsky Part II. Underground Part III. Apropos of the Wet Snow Part IV. Body and Blood Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky (pdf). Teaching Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature (book). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time (Joseph Frank). The Case against Rational Egoism in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, James P. Scanlan (paper). Symbolism of Rats and Mice in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, Michael Haltresht (paper). Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky - Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (book).

Introduction I write this in secret, hoping that these notes be passed on outside Russia. The author of the diary and the diary itself may, of course, be imaginary. Nevertheless, it is clear that such persons as the Underground Man do exist in our society. We have tried to expose him to the public but so far there has been no luck. If only people knew of the power of the Underground. He is one of the representatives of a generation still living, a generation waiting patiently for the right moment. His notes were discovered long after his passing, written on tatty paper in cheap ink, covered in cigarette burns and dust…. Don’t listen to the ants who would rather slave over the anthill than accept the truth. These notes are yours now, spread them to every corner of the globe. Long live the Underground! Contents Part I. The Life of Fyodor Dostoevsky Part II. Underground Part III. Apropos of the Wet Snow Part IV. Body and Blood Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky (pdf). Teaching Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature (book). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time (Joseph Frank). The Case against Rational Egoism in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, James P. Scanlan (paper). Symbolism of Rats and Mice in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, Michael Haltresht (paper). Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky - Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (book).

Introduction Jack was walking down a street. It was a day like any other. As ever, his mind was a flurry of thoughts, worries, and anxieties, stimulated by coffee and the bright light of his phone. In a bid to relieve his stress, he put his phone in his pocket, and tried to notice the details he would usually ignore.  As he walked past the pharmacy, he saw a sick man coughing and spluttering; he was throwing medication back to stop his disease from decaying his body. Jack kept walking and came across an old woman waiting at a bus stop. She was fragile, crooked, and anxious; clearly age had taken much from her. Crossing the road away from the bus stop, he waited for the traffic to pass. Driving slowly past him was a hearse: a coffin on full display, surrounded by flowers, proceeded by a stream of weeping mourners.  Jack fell to his knees, overwhelmed with despair, “we all get sick, we all age, and we all die. We cannot escape this fate!” His head against the pavement, he didn’t move for almost an hour. When he got up, he was approached by a homeless man, to whom he said, “sorry, I don’t have any change.” The man replied, “It is you who needs a little change, young monk. I know why you fall to your knees in despair: the inescapable suffering of life weighs on us all. Let me tell you of someone who was once like you, who tried to remove suffering from our minds… let me tell you the story of Siddhartha Gotama, The Buddha.” Contents Part I. The Life of Siddhārtha Gautama Part II. The Four Noble Truths Part III. The Cycle of Life Part IV. The Eightfold Path Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Why Buddhism Is True, Robert Wright. Book. The Foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin. Book. Buddhism, The Great Courses. Lecture series. What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula. Pdf. The Problem of Mindfulness, Sahanika Ratnayake. Online essay. Buddha, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage. Buddha, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage.

Introduction Jack was walking down a street. It was a day like any other. As ever, his mind was a flurry of thoughts, worries, and anxieties, stimulated by coffee and the bright light of his phone. In a bid to relieve his stress, he put his phone in his pocket, and tried to notice the details he would usually ignore.  As he walked past the pharmacy, he saw a sick man coughing and spluttering; he was throwing medication back to stop his disease from decaying his body. Jack kept walking and came across an old woman waiting at a bus stop. She was fragile, crooked, and anxious; clearly age had taken much from her. Crossing the road away from the bus stop, he waited for the traffic to pass. Driving slowly past him was a hearse: a coffin on full display, surrounded by flowers, proceeded by a stream of weeping mourners.  Jack fell to his knees, overwhelmed with despair, “we all get sick, we all age, and we all die. We cannot escape this fate!” His head against the pavement, he didn’t move for almost an hour. When he got up, he was approached by a homeless man, to whom he said, “sorry, I don’t have any change.” The man replied, “It is you who needs a little change, young monk. I know why you fall to your knees in despair: the inescapable suffering of life weighs on us all. Let me tell you of someone who was once like you, who tried to remove suffering from our minds… let me tell you the story of Siddhartha Gotama, The Buddha.” Contents Part I. The Life of Siddhārtha Gautama Part II. The Four Noble Truths Part III. The Cycle of Life Part IV. The Eightfold Path Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Why Buddhism Is True, Robert Wright. Book. The Foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin. Book. Buddhism, The Great Courses. Lecture series. What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula. Pdf. The Problem of Mindfulness, Sahanika Ratnayake. Online essay. Buddha, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage. Buddha, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage.