History of Philosophy Audio Archive

Sabrina is back for the second installment of the Documentary Doctors!As a reminder, you can sign up for her class on Palestine here. If you can't attend you can also donate! And if you can't donate you can still attend!This time we are watching (and curling up in a ball after viewing) The Act of Killing, a 2012 documentary about the massacre of the Indonesian PKI (communist party) in 1965 by Western-backed fascist paramilitaries in Indonesia. The events described occurred following the ouster of Indonesia's last (at least until the 90s) democratically-elected president, Achmed Sukarno and was, according to the CIA, "one of the worst mass-murders of the 20th century" and claimed an estimated 1.5 million lives. Vincent Bevins wrote the definitive book on the subject, "The Jakarta Method".Also there's singing, dancing, stage makeup, women in dresses dancing out of the mouth of a 20 foot tall fish building, karaoke, market stall shakedowns, rape discourse in front of stuffed animal dioramas, glass Swarovski elephants, and a whole host of unspeakable murder-kitsch that you have to see to believe.Viewer discretion (and listener discretion) is advised.

Art Credit: "Piece Offering" by Mr. Fish⁠https://clowncrack.com/2025/06/10/piece-offering/⁠Find William's writing on Substack:⁠https://philosophicalrebellion.substack.com/⁠References:⁠Greta Thunbeg's interview on Al Jazeera ⁠⁠youtu.be/OY38HjfrNGQ⁠Democracy Now ⁠youtu.be/jkKRxD8D2kU⁠Book about Ukraine War:Our Enemies Will Vanish- Yaroslav TrofimovBook about Israel Lobby: The Israel Lobby - John MearsheimerRyan Grim and Jeremy Scahill for reporting about Gaza:⁠dropsitenews.com⁠Gilbert's interview on Democracy Now exposing Biden lying in the NSM-20⁠youtu.be/V48vIcHTvbQ⁠Trump's disturbing A.I. Gaza video showing his Riviera of the Middle East plan⁠youtu.be/PslOp883rfI⁠The Problems of the Presidency ⁠open.substack.com/pub/philosophicalrebellion/p/the-problems-of-…⁠The Unforgivable Legacy of Genocide Joe ⁠open.substack.com/pub/philosophicalrebellion/p/the-unforgivable…⁠Rethinking America's Relationship with Israel ⁠philosophicalrebellion.substack.com/p/rethinking-americas-relat…⁠⁠Edward Snowden on Joe Rogan's podcast ⁠⁠youtu.be/efs3QRr8LWw⁠Shireen Abu Akleh CNN targeted shooting investigation ⁠cnn.com/2022/05/24/middleeast/shireen-abu-akleh-jenin-killing-i…⁠Road to War - PBS Frontline⁠youtu.be/6-vzy4tYfaI

Osho, AKA Bhagwan, AKA Raj Rajneesh, AKA....we get it - mystic, con artist, cult leader, philosopher, terrorist, dupe? Your guess is as good as mine. Join Bhagwan Richard and myself as we explore the world of a man with 93 Rolls Royces and enough devoted worshipers to keep his toes permanently sucked and prescriptions filled. References and Citations:Building Utopia by Russell KingThe Golden Road - William DalrympleThe Eknath Easwaran / Nilgiri Press Trilogy:-Dhammapada-Upanishads-Bhagavad GitaThe Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Commentary by Sri Swami SatchidanandaWild Wild Country - Netflix DocumentaryIn Search of the Miraculous - PD Ouspensky (Gurdjieff)Doppelganger - Naomi Klein (book about Steve Bannon and Naomi Wolf)The Rajneesh BibleBreath of Fire - HBO Max Documentary

In this kickoff episode, activist and teacher Sabrina Jennings (links below) calls in to review two outstanding exposé documentaries, The Bibi Files, and The Lobby, both released 2024. Sabrina's critical class on the history of the Israel and Palestine conflict can be found right here - there are still a few slots left, so please sign up if you are interested in getting educated and getting active on the Gaza genocide.CLASS SIGNUP LINKhttps://form.typeform.com/to/fV4wTKx5Sabrina's Patreon and Zine:https://www.patreon.com/c/NoteToSelfzine/postsBluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/notetoselfzine.bsky.socialThe Bibi Files https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-bibi-filesThe Lobby -United Stateshttps://electronicintifada.net/content/watch-film-israel-lobby-didnt-want-you-see/25876Michael Scott Judge/Rulin and Amjadhttps://chuffed.org/project/129541-urgent-appeal-help-my-family-survive-genocide-war-in-gaza

Written by Professor A. J. Mandt (Wichita State University)https://philpeople.org/profiles/a-j-mandtVoiced by Charlton Heston. Original here:https://archive.org/details/thegiantsofphilosophyRemastered for clarity using thousands of dollars of gear, free for the Internet forever.

Come join my Patreon!https://patreon.com/c/HemlockPatreonOriginal Video (SFU)https://youtu.be/gpkZRyXdmi0SummaryIn a passionate and wide-ranging lecture, Cornel West pays tribute to Edward Said, framing him not just as a brilliant academic but as a "poet" in the broadest sense—a human being of immense courage, imagination, and compassion who wrestled with complex truths. West emphasizes Said's deep connection to music and art as sources of human dignity and resilience, essential tools for navigating and resisting oppression, drawing parallels to the Black American experience where creative expression has been a lifeline.West powerfully argues that music, art, and poetry are not merely decorative but constitutive of who we are, vital for taking risks and envisioning a better world, especially for the "wretched of the earth." He links this to the necessity of truth-telling, both to power and within one's own community, and the importance of retaining one's "funk"—an authentic, critical, and compassionate spirit. He highlights figures from John Coltrane to Kendrick Lamar as exemplars of this artistic and moral courage.The lecture culminates in a call for deep self-reflection and an unwavering commitment to justice, urging listeners to confront the "internal conversation" and resist the co-optation that can come with success or the allure of empire. West stresses the importance of solidarity across different oppressed groups, the courage to speak truth even when it's uncomfortable, and the continuous, compassionate engagement required to build a more just and loving world, recognizing that true progress involves wrestling with difficult realities, both external and internal.

I will end with a little scene that took place in the last months of peace. They were the most terrible months of my life, for helplessly and hopelessly one watched the inevitable approach of war. One of the most horrible things at that time was to listen on the wireless to the speeches of Hitler—the savage and insane ravings of a vindictive underdog who suddenly saw himself to be all powerful. We were at Rodmell during the late summer of 1939 and I used to listen to those ranting,raving speeches. One afternoon I was planting in the orchard under an apple-tree iris reticulata, those lovely violet flowers, which like the daffodils come before the swallow dares and take the winds of March with beauty. Suddenly I heard Virginia’s voice calling to me from the sitting room window: “Hitler is making a speech.” I shouted back, “I shan’t come. I’m planting iris and they will be flowering long after he is dead.” Last March, twenty-one years after Hitler committed suicide in the bunker, a few of those violet flowers still flowered under the apple-tree in the orchard.-Leonard Woolf, "Downhill All The Way"Hardt and Negri - "Empire"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_(Hardt_and_Negri_book)Totality and Infinity by Emanuel Levinashttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totality_and_InfinityBob Woodward, "Peril" (2021)Adam Becker/Cult of Tech Doomsday Actorshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212987932-more-everything-foreverOliver Haimson/Trans Technology OUT NOWhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/2IELqCfDmDICHdMHt3XyXo?si=d88b4927ec4f4a15Savonarola bonfire of the vanitieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire_of_the_vanitiesWe own this City (Baltimore PD Docudrama)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Own_This_CityLiberation theology / Second Vatican Council https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theologyOscar RomeroAdorno, Horkheimer, and Frankfurt SchoolFiji is sinking underwaterhttps://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/climate-change-fiji-sealevels/Patreon:https://patreon.com/c/HemlockPatreon

How I learned to stop worrying and love the Dome.Patreon: https://patreon.com/c/HemlockPatreonMusic Credit (under the FOX clip): Anapse Entertainment⁠https://anapse.bandcamp.com/⁠Streamsafe Essentials IReferences:Reykjavik Summit 1986https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk_SummitKatyn Forest Massacrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyn_massacreOperation CYCLONE 1979-92 (Aid to Afghan Mujahideen)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_CycloneRambo IIIhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_IIICheckpoint Charlie Crisis 1961https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Crisis_of_1961The song at the end Tom Lehrer (Sep 1967)https://youtu.be/frAEmhqdLFsThe Fox News Clip "What A Time to Be Alive"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1074RmRvlLUReagan, Remarks at Keflavik Air Force Base, Oct 12 1986https://youtu.be/MiImp6vDPS8

Oliver's Book Trans Technologies:https://a.co/d/01Lhkk9Oliver's Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/haimson.bsky.socialGuest: Oliver Haimson, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information, and Director of the Community Research on Identity and Technology Lab.Episode Overview:In this episode, host William Engels sits down with Professor Oliver Haimson to discuss his new book, Trans Technologies. They explore how technology, broadly defined, plays a crucial role in the lives of trans people, often serving as a tool for empowerment, resistance, and community building in the face of increasing political hostility and systemic barriers. The conversation touches on recent events, philosophical definitions of technology, and the practical challenges and ethical considerations involved in creating and maintaining technology for marginalized communities.The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including the impact of leaked government documents threatening essential services for LGBTQ youth, the vital work of organizations like Trans Lifeline, and the sustainability issues faced by independent tech creators. Professor Haimson shares examples of technologies built by and for trans people, such as state risk maps and databases tracking anti-trans legislation, highlighting how technology can be a powerful tool for survival and advocacy when traditional political systems fail. They also delve into the definition of technology itself, considering it not just as digital tools but as anything that extends human agency.Beyond the immediate political climate, the interview touches on the importance of privacy and data security in sensitive technologies, especially given the realities of government surveillance. They reflect on the journey of writing the book, the surprising breadth of trans technological creativity from gaming to art, and the possibility of a more optimistic future where technology can be focused less on survival and more on fostering joy and connection. Ultimately, the conversation underscores the resilience and ingenuity of the trans community in leveraging technology to navigate a challenging world.Key Topics Discussed:Introduction to Oliver Haimson and the book "Trans Technologies"Recent political attacks on LGBTQ+ services and suicide hotlines (988)Trans Lifeline as an example of a critical trans-led technology/serviceChallenges in sustainability and resources for small-scale trans technologiesTechnology as a form of resistance and empowermentThe relationship and tension between political action (voting, policy) and technological solutions for trans issuesExamples of trans technologies: state risk maps, databases tracking anti-trans laws (Transformations)Defining "technology" – extending human agency (drawing on Sandy Stone's definition)Tags/Keywords:Oliver Haimson, William Engels, Trans Technologies, Transgender, LGBTQ+, Technology, Trans Studies, Queer Studies, Mental Health, Crisis Hotline, Suicide Prevention, Trans Lifeline, Privacy, Data Security, Ethics, Government Surveillance, Foia, Academics, University, Whistleblowing, Chelsea Manning, WikiLeaks, DNA Phenotyping, Political Backlash, Anti-Trans Legislation, Fearmongering, Activism, Resistance, Mutual Aid, Philosophy of Technology, Media Studies, Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Humanities, Policy, Discrimination, Marginalization, Oakland Institute for Urban Studies, University of Michigan, National Science Foundation, Grant Funding, Culture Wars, Freedom of Information Act, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity (DEI), Academia, Optimism, Pessimism, Utopia, Solar Pump, Gay Revolution, Identity, Community, Support, Art, Video Games, itch.io, Documentaries, Books, Sandy Stone, Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Avery Dame-Griff, Jamie Lauren Keiles, Martin Heidegger, Marshall McLuhan, Antonio Gramsci, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, Pete Hegseth, The Two Revolutions, The Third Person.

TOPHER'S BOOK:https://a.co/d/izl2PvHCome join the Patreon!https://patreon.com/c/HemlockPatreonBy the way here's what Google Gemini has to say about our conversation:In a conversation centered around author Topher McDougal's new book Gaia Wakes, McDougal and host William Engels delve into the complex relationship between humanity, technology, and the future of the planet. With the book's release imminent, McDougal notes increased media attention and requests to discuss his work. The discussion immediately touches upon the rapid, exponential growth of AI computing power, a central theme explored in Gaia Wakes. McDougal presents his book as an "exercise in optimism," arguing that despite facing complex global challenges that may currently overwhelm human institutions, there's a potential path towards a more integrated and collectively intelligent future for the Earth, partly facilitated by emerging technologies like AI.The conversation explores various philosophical and economic dimensions of this future. They debate the concept of AI sentience and its implications for rights, contrasting traditional anthropocentric views with the possibility of intelligence manifesting at a planetary scale. Economic ideas like the incentive structures related to global public goods (like clean air) and the increasingly fluid boundary between production and predation in a technologically advanced world are examined. McDougal suggests that as global problems become too vast for current human systems to manage, there's an economic rationale for developing new forms of coordination and responsibility, potentially leading to a "body planetary" where AI integrated with global sensors develops a form of collective consciousness or "proprioception" for the Earth.The discussion broadens to include perspectives from science fiction, historical philosophies, and socio-political critique. They touch on works like The Three-Body Problem and Dune, contrast different historical narratives (linear progress vs. cyclical history), and explore concepts like the capabilities approach to human rights and the nature of justice. McDougal argues against simple pessimistic views, suggesting that even amidst global crises and the concentration of power, there's potential for positive transformation. He frames his book as offering a hopeful, albeit realistically cautioned, vision for navigating these turbulent times, encouraging readers to consider the possibility of humanity's future role as a "custodial species" within a larger, interconnected planetary intelligence, ultimately calling for deliberate effort to build this future and avoid succumbing to fatalism.