
The Living Philosophy
The Living Philosophy is all about the exploration of philosophy's big ideas and big characters from the Ancients to the Postmoderns with a side of Psychology and seasoned with a dash of Integral.
Latest episodes

Dec 12, 2021 • 11min
Self-Reliance | Ralph Waldo Emerson
Self Reliance, Emerson’s classic essay is one of the gems of philosophical literature. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the leading light of the American Transcendentalism tradition and Self Reliance Emerson’s most famous spark. I have been a fan of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s since my early days of philosophical exploration as a teenager and it’s interesting to read Emerson Self Reliance now in light of the passing of time and to see just how much it has influence my worldview and my perspective on philosophy. With that in mind, I thought that in this week’s video it would be nice to explore this amazing essay and to make a Self Reliance summary and review video. Hope you enjoy it and if you haven’t read it before be sure to check out Emerson’s work at the link below!___________________Self-Reliance full essay: thelivingphilosophy.com/self-reliance/____________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Audio Used:1. Americana Aspiring — Kevin MacLeod2. Drums of the Deep — Kevin MacLeod3. Juniper — Kevin MacLeod4. Anguish — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Emerson - Self-Reliance2:23 Greatness vs. Meanness3:28 Self vs. Society5:56 The Dead Past vs. the Eternal Present8:48 Self-Reliance vs. Conformity________________#Emerson #thelivingphilosophy #selfreliance #philosophy #Transcendentalism

Dec 5, 2021 • 17min
Do We Live in a Simulation? Baudrillard's Simulation and Simulacra
In his 1981 book Simulation and Simulacra, Jean Baudrillard makes the claim that we are all living in a simulation. Baudrillard’s conception of simulation is extremely complex, going beyond The Matrix’s conception of the simulation (a movie that was inspired by Baudrillard’s Simulation and Simulacra) as a virtual reality world in which we all live.Baudrillard says that with the emergence of the postmodern age, we have entered the simulation, a hyperreality in which all access to the real has debarred. The real is decaying away while we ourselves are locked into the hyperreal space without referents. In this episode we will be looking at Jean Baudrillard’s conception of hyperreality and the hyperreal postmodern landscape we now inhabit. In Baudrillard postmodernism meets futurism and sci-fi to paint the terrifying picture of the dystopic landscape we find ourselves in. As we’ve gone deeper into the 21st century this work of Baudrillard has been shown to be more and more prescient, a topic we will dive deeper into in future episode of the Living Philosophy. ____________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction1:35 Simulation and Simulacra5:53 The Difficulties of Defining Simulation8:26 What is Simulation10:32 The Hypermarket Simulation13:12 The Tasaday Simulation15:24 Summary and Conclusion

Nov 28, 2021 • 13min
What is Structuralism? Levi-Strauss, Barthes and Lacan
What is Structuralism? In this episode, we are going to break down the Structuralist theory pioneered by Claude Lévi Strauss and explored by the likes of Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, Jacques Lacan and Jean Piaget. We will be looking at the meaning of Structuralism and what the main criticisms of it were from Jean Piaget and from the Poststructuralism angle of Jacques Derrida. The simple answer to what is Structuralism would look at the structural linguistics of Ferdinand de Saussure. His work especially the idea of langue and parole as we explore in this video was a pivotal inspiration for the structural anthropology of Claude Levi Strauss and for structural sociology as seen in the work of Barthes and Foucault and in structuralism psychology as seen in the works of Jacques Lacan. There are influential ways of looking at structuralism in literature as we shall see with the works of Joseph Campbell who while not a structuralist was influenced by Claude Lévi Strauss and whose work is the epitome of Structuralism.____________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Intro: What is Structuralism 0:34 Ferdinand de Saussure and Structural Linguistics2:08 The Structuralists4:34 Piaget and the Failures of Structuralism as Science7:22 The Poststructuralism Critique by Derrida9:06 Summary and Conclusion

Nov 21, 2021 • 12min
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions - Thomas Kuhn
Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was one of the most controversial books of the 20th century as well as being one of the most referenced academic works in history. In this episode we look at what Thomas Kuhn said about the Structure of Scientific Revolutions and how every science falls into three phases. The first stage of Kuhn’s theory is the Pre-Paradigm phase. This is where the field has yet to achieve any consensus and is divided into a number of competing schools. With the second phase in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions Kuhn tells us that the field has achieved a certain level of consensus around one paradigmatic theory as has happened for the field of Optics with the work of Newton or of electricity with the work of Franklin. This paradigm sets the research program for the field which sets about the work of normal science.In the course of this normal science, anomalies in the data appear and Kuhn tells us that these anomalies, if not resolved, precipitate a crisis in the field and lead the practitioners to doubt their paradigm. It is this type of crisis that triggers the emergence of the revolutionary science or extraordinary science. In this period a scientist comes up with a solution to this crisis that reorients the field around this new paradigm — setting a new research program and acting as an exemplar for future paradigmatic solutions. Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions changed how scientific development has been perceived forever. In the next episode on Kuhn’s work we will look at the legacy and criticisms of Kuhn’s work. ____________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Media Used:1. Juniper — Kevin MacLeod2. Drums of the Deep — Kevin MacLeod3. Anguish — Kevin MacLeod4. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod5. Allégro — Emmit FennSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusicSubscribe to Emmit Fenn https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC81hioFupMsG2MWMQy78oCw _________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions - Intro0:45 Pre-Paradigm3:04 Paradigm – Normal Science5:31 Revolutionary / Extraordinary Science10:03 Summary and Conclusion________________#Kuhn #thelivingphilosophy #philosophy #philosophyofscience #paradigm

Nov 14, 2021 • 13min
Carl Jung: What is the Collective Unconscious?
Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung dives into the Collective Unconscious, explaining its depth beyond personal experiences and its influence on instincts, myths, and religions. The discussion explores the differences between personal and collective unconscious, uncovering the archetypes and primal energies that shape human consciousness.

Nov 11, 2021 • 9min
Why French Postmodernists were Pro-Paedophilia in the 1970s
In the wake of the Paris 1968 student protests, Le Monde published a petition from a group of French intellectuals including Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze and a number of future French ministers that argued for the rights of “12- and 13-year olds” “to have relations with whomever they choose”. In this episode I want to explore why these French intellectuals were on the side of Paedophilia, why the pro-paedophilia lobby was so strong at the time and what philosophical justification they had for this view. This will involve an exploration of what happened with the Paris 1968 student protests. _________________ 📚 Further Reading:• The original petition (in French): https://web.archive.org/web/20200125093636/http://www.dolto.fr/fd-code-penal-crp.html• The Atlantic’s article on the age of consent in France from which many quotes and context about 1968 in this video is derived: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/03/frances-existential-crisis-over-sexual-harassment-laws/550700/• The Guardian’s article on this strange time in French intellectual history: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/feb/24/jonhenley#:~:text=The%20petitions%20were%20issued%20after,Kouchner%20and%20Mr%20Lang%2C%20said.• Wikipedia Article on the petition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_petition_against_age_of_consent_laws_________________ ⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________🎶 Music Used:1. Magnetic — CO.AG Music2. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod3. End of the Era — Kevin MacLeod4. Anguish — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to CO.AG Music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcav... Subscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction1:08 19683:19 The Birth of Active Politics5:30 Analysis_________________#postmodernism #thelivingphilosophy #1968 #philosophy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nov 8, 2021 • 9min
Freud's Id, Ego and Superego Explained
In the work of the great psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, Id Ego Superego form the tripartite structure of the mind. This three-part structure is illustrated by the metaphor of an iceberg by Freud in his 1915 work The Unconscious. This Id Ego Superego structure can be divided between the realms of the conscious and the unconscious. The Id is entirely unconscious, the Ego entirely conscious while the Superego is partly conscious and partly unconscious. In this episode we take the Sigmund Freud id ego superego tripartite iceberg model and map it out looking at the nuances of translation found in Freud’s work. _________________ ⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________🎶 Music Used:1. Magnetic — CO.AG Music2. Anguish — Kevin MacLeod3. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod4. End of the Era — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to CO.AG Music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcav... Subscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction0:51 The Id4:21 The Superego6:06 The Ego_________________#Freud #thelivingphilosophy #psychology #philosophy #id #ego #superego See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oct 19, 2021 • 11min
Thomas Kuhn — What is a Paradigm?
Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was one of the most controversial books of the 20th century as well as being one of the most referenced academic works in history. Paradigm was a specialised term before Kuhn but since The Structure of Scientific Revolutions has been in circulation, Kuhn’s paradigm rears its head in every nook and cranny of our society. From Fortune 500 board meetings to hippy sharing circles, the term paradigm has penetrated every layer of the culture. In this episode we explore what Kuhn meant by the term paradigm and we explore the connected ideas of incommensurability and Kuhn Loss. In the postscript to the second edition of the Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn distinguishes two definitions of the term paradigm: paradigm as disciplinary matrix and paradigm as exemplar. By disciplinary matrix he means something like the worldview of the scientific community — the collection of beliefs, values, techniques and instruments that they use. By exemplar he means the exemplary solution of a paradigmatic puzzle that we find in the work of the paradigm setting scientist. The idea of incommensurability comes from the inability to compare two different paradigms while Kuhn Loss refers to the loss of knowledge that occurs when paradigms move on. ____________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Media Used:1. Juniper — Kevin MacLeod2. Anguish — Kevin MacLeod3. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod4. End of the Era — Kevin MacLeod5. Magnetic — CO.AG MusicSubscribe to CO.AG Music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcav... Subscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction 1:19 The Traditional vs. Kuhnian History of Science 4:42 Paradigm as Disciplinary Matrix 6:08 Paradigm as Exemplar 7:45 Incommensurability and Kuhn Loss 9:25 Different Worlds 10:29 Summary and Conclusion See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oct 12, 2021 • 10min
Why the Masterpiece of Medieval Philosophy was Never Finished
Thomas Aquinas was the shining light of medieval philosophy. He worked on his masterpiece the Summa Theologica from 1265 until the year of his death in 1274. This book — most famous today for its 5 arguments for the existence of God — was the reason for his canonisation as a saint and doctor of the Catholic church fifty years after his death. But the work was unfinished because a few months before Aquinas’s death something happened that caused him to abandon his masterpiece. When his socius (a sort of assistant) Reginald of Piperno begged him to continue his work Aquinas replied: “I can do no more; such things have been revealed to me that all that I have written seems to me as so much straw.”________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Media Used:1. Magnetic — CO.AG Music2. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod3. End of the Era — Kevin MacLeod4. Anguish — Kevin MacLeod5. Mozart's String Quartet No. 15 in D minor, MOVEMENT II, K. 421 https://youtu.be/-DFKPtvT1p86. 1812 Overture • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky https://youtu.be/LAUuXfSeoqYSubscribe to CO.AG Music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcav... Subscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction0:45 The Summa Theologica1:52 Aquinas the Mystic3:05 The Tao That Can’t Be Told5:24 The Mystical Trope8:24 The Way of Catharsis________________#aquinas #thelivingphilosophy #philosophy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oct 7, 2021 • 9min
The Moth and the Flame: Can Reason Compete with Instinct?
21st-century humanity is threatened by numerous self-generated existential threats to its continued survival. These include socio-political disintegration, ecological collapse and the potential ramifications of AI. The nature of this challenge is comparable to the most prominent scientific hypothesis as to why moths fly into flames — an accidental hijacking of an evolutionary adaptation that leads to the death of individuals. What this hypothesis is and how it relates to the decline of humanity is what we are going to be exploring on this episode of The Living Philosophy. ________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Media Used:1. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod2. End of the Era — Kevin MacLeod3. Lost Frontier — Kevin MacLeod4. Juniper — Kevin MacLeod5. Anguish — Kevin MacLeod6. 1812 Overture • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky https://youtu.be/LAUuXfSeoqYSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusica. Walt Disney’s Moth Production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YouBj4K7104_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction0:49 The Flight of the Moth2:30 Disrupted Evolution3:36 Moth-Man6:02 Mothbook________________#thelivingphilosophy #philosophy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.