Dr. Rhonda Barofsky

And it took me months, six months really, reading Wittgenstein's philosophical investigations before I got it. And now I can understand his... Some of his despair throughout his life. He struggled with depression and loneliness because no one understood what he was trying to say. It was rumored only seven people, you know, when he was alive understood him.

And it took me months, six months really, reading Wittgenstein's philosophical investigations before I got it. And now I can understand his... Some of his despair throughout his life. He struggled with depression and loneliness because no one understood what he was trying to say. It was rumored only seven people, you know, when he was alive understood him.

And I think the Buddha had the same kind of frustration that I've heard a rumor, and who knows, these things are probably just bullshit that's made up, that only three people were enlightened because of the Buddha, which would mean people who understood what he was trying to say.

And I think the Buddha had the same kind of frustration that I've heard a rumor, and who knows, these things are probably just bullshit that's made up, that only three people were enlightened because of the Buddha, which would mean people who understood what he was trying to say.

And so when I would talk about a word like self or soul, the kind of thing I say is, I don't know what you're talking about. What you're saying has no meaning because you've taken a word out of its context where it lives in the English language and concrete specific applications, and you've made it into some kind of abstract language. thing that we could have or not have.

And so when I would talk about a word like self or soul, the kind of thing I say is, I don't know what you're talking about. What you're saying has no meaning because you've taken a word out of its context where it lives in the English language and concrete specific applications, and you've made it into some kind of abstract language. thing that we could have or not have.

And I'm not saying that we have a soul or that we don't have a soul, and I'm not saying I don't know if we have a soul. What I'm saying is when you use a word in that abstract context, it has no meaning to me. It's just language out of gear. And as far as attacking your religious beliefs, your spiritual beliefs are your own. It's between you and your maker or however you want to think about it.

And I'm not saying that we have a soul or that we don't have a soul, and I'm not saying I don't know if we have a soul. What I'm saying is when you use a word in that abstract context, it has no meaning to me. It's just language out of gear. And as far as attacking your religious beliefs, your spiritual beliefs are your own. It's between you and your maker or however you want to think about it.

But I'm just saying that that use of language means nothing to me. But my dad was a minister, and he was a little on the rigid side, and that brings out my hackles when I sense judgmental rigidity in people. And when you're saying my discussion seems reckless, I would say, go to hell. I mean, but I'm being very gentle now. That was an attempt at humor. LAUGHTER

But I'm just saying that that use of language means nothing to me. But my dad was a minister, and he was a little on the rigid side, and that brings out my hackles when I sense judgmental rigidity in people. And when you're saying my discussion seems reckless, I would say, go to hell. I mean, but I'm being very gentle now. That was an attempt at humor. LAUGHTER

I don't like that morality police because my dad was kind of like that. And I didn't, you know, what I saw in the name of religion, I didn't admire. And what I see in the name of religion today, I see a lot of torture in the name of religion. I see a lot of war, a lot of murder, a lot of hatred. And to me, I think spiritual beliefs are very, very important.

I don't like that morality police because my dad was kind of like that. And I didn't, you know, what I saw in the name of religion, I didn't admire. And what I see in the name of religion today, I see a lot of torture in the name of religion. I see a lot of war, a lot of murder, a lot of hatred. And to me, I think spiritual beliefs are very, very important.

But when you're trying to control somebody's thinking and say, oh, you're not allowed to say that the word soul and the abstract concept has no meaning to you, that's reckless. Well, what did Walt Whitman say? You say I'm reckless very well. I'm reckless a thousand times. You remember when Walt Whitman said that, Rhonda or Matt?

But when you're trying to control somebody's thinking and say, oh, you're not allowed to say that the word soul and the abstract concept has no meaning to you, that's reckless. Well, what did Walt Whitman say? You say I'm reckless very well. I'm reckless a thousand times. You remember when Walt Whitman said that, Rhonda or Matt?

I just made it up. He made similar neat comments like, do I contradict myself? And I contradict myself a thousand times. That's something he really said. But, um, You know, I think that freedom of speech is precious and it's important to my value system as well.

I just made it up. He made similar neat comments like, do I contradict myself? And I contradict myself a thousand times. That's something he really said. But, um, You know, I think that freedom of speech is precious and it's important to my value system as well.

But at the same time, when you attack me like that and tell me I'm not allowed to say, you know, to speak my heart and to speak what I believe and what I think... It's kind of cool because it stirs up controversy and then people want to say, oh, Burns must be horrible. I want to go and listen to his podcast, too. And so our audience grows that way. So in a way, you're kind of helping us.

But at the same time, when you attack me like that and tell me I'm not allowed to say, you know, to speak my heart and to speak what I believe and what I think... It's kind of cool because it stirs up controversy and then people want to say, oh, Burns must be horrible. I want to go and listen to his podcast, too. And so our audience grows that way. So in a way, you're kind of helping us.

But whatever your religious beliefs are, I can respect that. But I don't appreciate personally being told that my spiritual beliefs and my intellectual beliefs are reckless. I'm not trying to protect people from my thinking or from anyone's thinking. But my dad was the same way.

But whatever your religious beliefs are, I can respect that. But I don't appreciate personally being told that my spiritual beliefs and my intellectual beliefs are reckless. I'm not trying to protect people from my thinking or from anyone's thinking. But my dad was the same way.