The Wisdom Of
Kristian Urstad and Stephen Webb
In this podcast we explore great works of philosophy and literature and art, and try to pull out of them what’s most interesting and inspiring! Whether they come from the works of Plato, or Dostoevsky or Picasso, here we explore ideas that move mountains and rock the soul! So, come join us, won’t you? Come worship at the alter of ideas, and come celebrate the dancing of thought. Welcome to the Wisdom Of!
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 4, 2022 • 10min
Love and Possession
In this brief episode, I discuss the philosopher Robert Solomon's view on love and possession.
May 3, 2022 • 10min
The Sun
In this brief episode, I reflect on the sun and some of its associations throughout history. I touch on Christianity, Nietzsche, and Camus.
Apr 29, 2022 • 21min
Peter Singer on Animals
Peter Singer is an Australian philosopher, who works at Princeton University. Outside of academic circles, he’s probably best known for his book Animal Liberation. In this episode, we discuss his view on the importance of the capacity for suffering, and his view on animals for food.
Apr 26, 2022 • 9min
The Benefit of Being a Crab
In this brief episode, I discuss the Spanish philosopher Miguel Unamuno's concern with human consciousness.
Apr 24, 2022 • 27min
Simone Weil
Simone Weil was a French philosopher who was born in 1909 and who died in 1943. In this episode, we discuss her poem on Homer's Iliad, called The Poem of Force, and we also talk about her view on attention and compassion.
Apr 20, 2022 • 10min
Freedom and Responsibility
In this brief episode, I discuss some of the views of the existentialists as it relates to the notions of freedom and responsibility.
Apr 17, 2022 • 27min
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes is known as one of the wisdom books of the Old Testament, alongside the Book of Job, Song of Songs and Proverbs. It was written sometime between 450 and 200 BC and its author is unknown. In this episode, we discuss God's apparent lack of justice and His distance from us. Then we talk about some similarities between Ecclesiastes and Albert Camus' perspective.
Apr 12, 2022 • 11min
Socrates and Care of the Soul
In this brief episode, I discuss the connection Socrates makes between shared dialogue and the state of our soul.
Apr 10, 2022 • 26min
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Unbearable Lightness of Being was written by the Czech Milan Kundera, and it was published in 1984. It tells the story of a young woman in love with a man torn between his love for her and his habitual womanizing. In this episode, we discuss living lightly versus living with weight, and Nietzsche's idea of the eternal return.
Apr 5, 2022 • 7min
Gratitude
In this brief episode, I discuss the ancient idea of negative visualization and the connection it has to gratitude.
