Philosophize This!

Dive into the mind of Spinoza as we tackle his intriguing concept of God and whether a bulldog fits into the divine puzzle. Explore the idea of 'substance' and what Spinoza believes is the only true substance—spoiler alert: it's not H2O! The conversation turns to how God and nature intertwine and how this affects our notion of free will. With a humorous twist, we reflect on a relatable anecdote about uncontrollable urges triggered by familiar sights. It’s a philosophical journey filled with surprising insights!

Discover the life of Baruch De Spinoza and the perils of holding unpopular beliefs in his tumultuous era. Explore the chaotic political dynamics and the violent execution of Johan de Witt, dissecting the complexity behind mob mentality. Delve into Spinoza's radical views on faith versus reason, including his excommunication and thought-provoking correspondence with a former friend. Challenging the notion that religion alone breeds violence, this discussion unpacks deeper societal issues. Engaging and enlightening insights await!

On this episode of the podcast we continue our discussion of Blaise Pascal, this time focusing on his assertion that man is “the supreme paradox of creation.” First, we learn about Pascal’s early life and feel completely inadequate when we learn that he invented the calculator (yes, the calculator) at age 18. Next, we learn why Pascal believed it was impossible to arrive at scientific truth, and how this led him to develop the foundations of probability theory. Finally, we discuss "expected value" and how Barack Obama utilized it to secure his residency in the White House and avoid living underneath a freeway overpass. All this and more on the latest episode of Philosophize This!Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, we begin our discussion of Blaise Pascal by examining Pascal's Wager. We begin by hearkening back to last week's episode and imagine Pascal as Descartes' wingman in a door-to-door campaign to convince us to believe in God. Whereas Descartes tries to prove that God exists, Pascal simply argues that believing in God is the most logical choice (assuming you want to avoid eternal damnation). We then examine various arguments for and against Pascal's wager, including some submitted by our Twitter followers. All this and more on the latest episode of Philosophize This!Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast we conclude our three-part installment on Rene Descartes. First we discuss what the concept of God meant to Descartes. Then we discuss why the concept of God was crucial for his system to be received well. Finally we imagine how it would feel to be lambasted by the most annoying/brilliant Jehovah's Witness in the history of the world. All this and more on this episode of Philosophize This!Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The audio file for this episode was lost years ago. There is a transcript available on the website: www.philosophizethis.orgThank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, we begin learning about Rene Descartes. First, we find out why the entire human race can be compared to the loud, obnoxious guy at a party who thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. Next, we examine Descartes’ rigorous method of doubt and how it involves Morpheus from the Matrix and Sully from Monsters Inc. Finally, we think about how doubt can help us live better lives and why, when it comes to our beliefs, one bad apple really does spoil the barrel. All this and more on the latest episode of Philosophize This!Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, we continue our discussion of Thomas Hobbes. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listeners dive into the thought-provoking world of Thomas Hobbes, pondering life without laws or a government—imagine a real-life Purge scenario. The discussion unpacks the idea of humans as inherently selfish, shaping our relationships. A fascinating look at why society needs a strong leader emerges, drawing parallels to a quarterback directing a game. Hobbes’ vision of governance as a necessary force to prevent chaos in the 'state of nature' challenges us to rethink authority and order.

On this episode of the podcast, we learn about Francis Bacon, a 16th century English philosopher. We first discuss what it meant to pursue knowledge during the time Francis Bacon lived and why he thought that scientific advancement should be society’s chief priority. Next, we examine Bacon’s “Four Idols of the Mind,” which were the biases he believed prevented humans from thinking scientifically. We touch on everything from germ theory to diet fads to healthcare reform to gender inequality, with some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos thrown in for good measure. All this and more on the latest episode of Philosophize This!Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcastX: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices