Philosophize This!

Episode #244 ... After Virtue - Alasdair MacIntyre (why moral conversations feel unsatisfying)

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the book After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre. We talk about his genealogy of moral discourse. The teleologies of Aristotle. The fai...

Episode #243 ... Hamlet - William Shakespeare

27 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare. We compare more traditional takes on the themes of the play to a more modern, phil...

Episode #242 ... Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare

29 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the philosophy behind the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. We talk about how ineffective violence and honor codes are...

Episode #241 ... The Tragedy of Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the philosophical themes of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. We talk about the hypocrisy and false nostalgia o...

Episode #240 ... Varieties of Religion Today (Charles Taylor)

08 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk more about the work of Charles Taylor and his book The Varieties of Religion Today. We look at different answers to a classic question a...

Episode #239 ... Authenticity and the history of the self. (Charles Taylor)

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the work of the philosopher Charles Taylor. First, we trace the historical origins of how he views the modern self. From the Greek...

Episode #238 ... Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. We talk about the mix of Romantic and Enlightenment attitudes and how it leads to problems ...

Episode #237 ... The Stoics Are Wrong - Nietzsche, Schopenhauer

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about two famous critiques of Stoicism. One by Friedrich Nietzsche who thought the Stoics weren’t life affirming enough and so rob the...

Episode #236 ... Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the collection of journals known as Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. We mark the differences between Stoicism, modern Stoic ethics,...

Episode #235 ... The Philosophy of Zen Buddhism - Byung Chul Han

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about one of Han's earlier books where he offers an alternative to classic western ideas about subjectivity. We talk about Zen as a reli...

Episode #234 ... The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we try to produce a philosophical guide for the book The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. We talk about Parmenides, Nietzsche's e...

Episode #233 ... A philosophy of self-destruction. (Dostoevsky, Bataille)

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about two different theories for why we ritualize self-destructive behavior. We check out a lesser-known work from Dostoevsky called The...

Episode #232 ... Byung Chul Han - The Crisis of Narration

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the book The Crisis of Narration by the philosopher Byung Chul Han. We talk about the history of storytelling. Walter Benjamins di...

Episode #231 ... The Late Work of Wittgenstein - Language Games

28 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the late work of Wittgenstein in Philosophical Investigations. We talk about the meaning of words. Augustine's theory. Forms of li...

Episode #230 ... Hope as an Existentialism (Ernst Bloch)

14 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the early work of Ernst Bloch. Hope as anticipatory consciousness. The darkness of the lived moment. Educated hope vs false hope. ...

Episode #229 - Kafka and Totalitarianism (Arendt, Adorno)

25 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Kafka's book The Castle and how the symbolism is interpreted by two powerhouse philosophers: Theodore Adorno and Hannah Arendt. Ho...

Episode #228 ... Albert Camus - Kafka and The Fall

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Camus' book The Fall and what the main character represents in his larger project. We also talk about someone Camus deeply admired...

Episode #227 ... Albert Camus - On Exile

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the concept of exile from the work of Camus. We focus on a couple stories from his book Exile and The Kingdom. We talk about why C...

Episode #226 - Albert Camus - The Rebel

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Camus’ concept of rebellion and how it offers a powerful alternative to abstract ideologies. We talk about solidarity as the fou...

Episode #225 ... Albert Camus - The Plague

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We look at Albert Camus' The Plague. We talk about a common misreading from the Myth of Sisyphus. We talk about different cycles of his work from his ...

Episode #224 ... Albert Camus - The Stranger

15 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the book The Stranger by Albert Camus. We talk about why Camus saw himself as an artist and not a philosopher. We talk about happi...

Episode #223 ... Religion and the duck-rabbit - Kyoto School pt. 3

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the relationship between philosophy and religion. We talk about the duck-rabbit as a metaphor that may have something useful to te...

Episode #222 ... Dostoevsky - Love in The Brothers Karamazov

16 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the philosophical themes around love in The Brothers Karamazov. We talk about Dostoevsky's existential, tragic form of Christianit...

Episode #221 ... Dostoevsky - The Idiot

01 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the book The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky. We talk about the curse of sainthood. The connection between beauty and morality via his ...

Episode #220 ... Dostoevsky - Demons

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss the philosophical themes of the book Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky. We talk about western liberalism, the lack of moral leadership, the...

Episode #219 ... Dostoevsky - Crime and Punishment

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the philosophical themes that Dostoevsky had in mind when writing Crime and Punishment. We talk about Russian Nihilism and its con...

Episode #218 ... Dostoevsky - Notes From Underground

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the philosophical themes of one of Dostoevsky's most famous books: Notes From Underground. We talk about contemplative inertia, th...

Episode #217 ... Religion and Nothingness - Kyoto School pt. 2 - Nishitani

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about expanding our view of what a religious quest includes. The limits of dualistic thinking. Technological enframing and obsession wit...

Episode #216 ... The Self-Overcoming of Nihilism - Kyoto School pt. 1 - Nishitani

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we look at the work of Keiji Nishitani. We examine Nihilism in a deeper way than we've ever covered on the podcast before. We talk about The Gre...

Episode #215 ... How Mysticism is missing in our modern lives. (Critchley, Heidegger)

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about whether it's possible to achieve not just freedom of the will, but freedom from the will. The technological enframing of reality f...

Episode #214 ... Framing our Being in a completely different way. (Heidegger)

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we look at Heidegger's critique of metaphysics and the traditional subject-object framing in philosophy. How multiple framings are necessary for...

Episode #213 ... Deleuze Interprets Nietzsche (Difference, Joy, Affirmation)

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Deleuze's interpretation of Nietzsche's work. We talk about difference taken to radical new levels. The image of thought from the ...

Episode #212 ... Nietzsche and Critchley on the tragic perspective. (Amor Fati pt. 2)

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin by talking about Nietzsche's concept of life-affirmation. Contrasting it with the renunciative, rational traditions of Western thought....

Episode #211 ... Nietzsche returns with a hammer!

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Nietzsche's views on the decay of western society. We talk about his problems with Socrates. The genealogy of Egalitarianism that ...

Episode #210 ... The Pedagogy of the Oppressed (Paulo Freire, Education)

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. His critique of the banking model of education. The importance of critical consciousness. His ...

Episode #209 ... Improving our world through applied ethics. (Peter Singer, Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek)

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Peter Singer's response to an anticapitalist critique of his work. Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek's thoughts on the wrong ways to be th...

Episode #208 ... The moral evolution of a philosopher. (Peter Singer)

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we track the changes in Peter Singer's ethical views throughout his career. We talk about Emotivism. R.M. Hare's Prescriptivism. Nozi...

Episode #207 ... Fear is toxic to a democracy. (Martha Nussbaum)

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk more about the work of Martha Nussbaum and her book The Monarchy of Fear. We discuss emotions as important appraisals of reality. The co...

Episode #206 ... Capitalism is dead. This is Technofeudalism. (Yanis Varoufakis)

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the concept of Technofeudalism as described by Yanis Varoufakis. We talk about the comparisons of our world to the feudal system, ...

Episode #205 ... Why a meritocracy is corrosive to society. (Michael Sandel)

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the dark side of meritocracy, the effects it has on the way people see each other, the dialectic of pride and humility, education ...

Episode #204 ... The importance of philosophy, justice and the common good. (Michael Sandel)

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about some of the benefits of being a practitioner of philosophy. Michael Sandel's view of the three main approaches to justice througho...

Episode #203 ... Why the future is being slowly cancelled. - Postmodernism (Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism)

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue developing our understanding of the ideas that have led to what Mark Fisher calls Capitalist Realism. We talk about tolerant relativ...

Episode #202 ... Why we can't think beyond capitalism. - Neoliberalism (Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism)

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin our discussion on the work of Mark Fisher surrounding his concept of Capitalism Realism. We talk about the origins of Neoliberalism, it...

Episode #201 ... Resistance, Love, and the importance of Failure. (Zizek, Byung Chul Han)

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about a potential way to find meaning for someone prone to postmodern subjectivity. We talk about surplus enjoyment. Zizek's alcohol use...

Episode #200 ... The Postmodern subject and "ideology without ideology" (Zizek, Byung Chul Han, Marx)

27 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about several different common versions of the postmodern subject in contemporary culture. Hope you enjoy it! :) Thank you so much for ...

Episode #199 ... A conservative communist's take on global capitalism and desire. (Zizek, Marx, Lacan)

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the distinction between left and right. Lacan's thoughts on desire. How Capitalism captures desire and identity. I would prefer no...

Episode #198 ... The truth is in the process. - Zizek pt. 3 (ideology, dialectics)

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we go into a deeper explanation of ideology and dialectics. Liberal democratic capitalism is featured as a special guest. Hope you enjoy it! :) ...

Episode #197 ... New Atheists and cosmic purpose without God - (Zizek, Goff, Nagel)

10 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we regularly do on this program-- we steelman different philosophical positions. Hopefully the process brings people some joy. Today we go from ide...

Episode #196 ... The improbable Slavoj Zizek - Part 1

24 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we give an introduction to the thinking of Slavoj Zizek-- at least as much as is possible in ~35 mins. The goal is for this to be a primer for t...

Episode #195 ... Could Anarcho-Capitalism be the solution to our problems? - Anarchism pt. 4 (Rothbard, Friedman, Malice)

10 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk more about anarchism. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philosophizethis...

Episode #194 ... Do we really need the police? - Anarchism pt. 3 - (Gelderloos, Security)

27 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we answer some questions about the potential security risks of an anarchist society. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this witho...

Episode #193 ...The chief export of the western world is trash. - Anarchism pt. 2 (Bookchin, Social Ecology)

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about some of the work of Murray Bookchin. We talk about anarchism as a historical trend in human thought that keeps recurring. Then we ...

Episode #192 ... Should we overthrow the government tomorrow? - Anarchism pt. 1 (Chomsky, Malatesta)

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about some common misconceptions about Anarchism, the weaknesses of traditional government structures, a possible alternative way of coo...

Episode #191 ... The modern day concentration camp and the failure of human rights. (Giorgio Agamben)

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the philosophy of Giorgio Agamben. Human rights, a political tactic to dehumanize groups that has been growing in popularity, gove...

Episode #190 ... Are emotions a waste of time? - Neo-Stoicism (Martha Nussbaum)

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the lessons found in the ancient Greek play titled Hecuba. We talk about the great Stoic ethicists Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Au...

Episode #189 ... Everything that connects us is slowly disappearing. - Byung Chul Han pt. 2

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the disappearance of rituals, truth, community, communication, public spaces and talk about the importance sometimes of being an i...

Episode #188 ... Achievement Society and the rise of narcissism, depression and anxiety - Byung-Chul Han

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about positive power, neoliberalism, narcissism as a reaction to modern life, how technology makes isolation easier, and some tactics to...

Episode #187 ... How much freedom would you trade for security? (Foucault, Hobbes, Mill, Agamben)

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode we talk about the upsides of a surveillance state. The ongoing social dilemma of freedom vs security. The value of privacy. States ...

Episode #186 ... Are we heading for a digital prison? - Panopticon (Foucault, Bentham, Cave)

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Jeremy Bentham's concept of the Panopticon. Michel Foucault's comparison to society in 1975. The historical role of intelligence a...

Episode #185 ... Should we prepare for an AI revolution?

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the revolutionary potential of generative AI. For better or worse.    Support the podcast by checking out our sponsors: Bette...

Episode #184 ... Is Artificial Intelligence really an existential risk?

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get more: Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtub...

Episode #183 ... Is ChatGPT really intelligent?

22 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss ideas from John Searle and Noam Chomsky and consider several questions surrounding machine intelligence.  Get more: Website: https...

Episode #182 ... What if free will is an illusion?

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get more: Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtub...

Episode #181 ... What if consciousness is an illusion?

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get more:   Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.yo...

Episode #180 ... What if everything is consciousness? - Phillip Goff on Panpsychism

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about one theory of consciousness known as Panpsychism.   www.philosophizethis.org www.patreon.com/philosophizethis     Learn mo...

Episode #179 ... Why is consciousness something worth talking about?

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get more: Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtub...

Episode #178 ... Susan Sontag - How Much Is Your View Of Everything Affected By Metaphors?

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get more:  Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.you...

Episode #177 ... Susan Sontag - Do you speak the language of pictures and videos?

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get more: Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtu...

Episode #176 ... Susan Sontag - Do you criticize yourself the way you criticize a movie?

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the essay titled Against Interpretation by Susan Sontag. :) www.philosophizethis.org www.patreon.com/philosophizethis www.inst...

Episode #175 ... Simone Weil - Vessels of God

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about the work of Simone Weil.   www.philosophizethis.org www.patreon.com/philosophizethis www.instagram.com/philosophi...

Episode #174 ... Simone Weil - The Mathematician

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about the work of the brilliant Simone Weil. Hope you love it.   www.philosophizethis.org www.patreon.com/philosophizeth...

Episode #173 ... Simone Weil - The Need for Roots

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about Simone Weil. Hope you love it.   www.philosophizethis.org www.patreon.com/philosophizethis   Learn more about yo...

Episode #172 ... Simone Weil - Attention

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin some general discussions in the direction of the thought of Simone Weil and tell some stories from her life.  Learn more about your ad...

Episode #171 ... Guy Debord - The Society of the Spectacle

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about a famous call to action by the philosopher Guy Debord.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode #170 ... Albert Camus - The Fall

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we explore some of the themes discussed in The Fall by Albert Camus. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  ...

Episode #169 ... Bruno Latour - We Have Never Been Modern

20 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we cover thought provoking pieces of an early work by a great philosopher named Bruno Latour. Hope you love it.  Thank you so much for listenin...

Episode #168 ... Introduction to an Ethics of Care

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin discussing an Ethics of Care. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philosop...

Episode #167 ... Jose Ortega - Revolt of the Masses

25 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about the work of Ortega. This time about his book Revolt of the Masses.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do t...

Episode #166 ... Jose Ortega - Circumstance

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin talking about the work of Jose Ortega Y Gasset.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: h...

Episode #165 ... Ralph Waldo Emerson - Nature and Other Things

30 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue our discussion of Emerson.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philoso...

Episode #164 ... Ralph Waldo Emerson - Self Reliance

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about Emerson and his essay about self reliance.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: h...

Episode #163 ... The Creation of Meaning - Escape From Evil

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about the work of Ernest Becker. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https:/...

Episode #162 ... The Creation of Meaning - The Denial of Death

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin talking about the work of Ernest Becker.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://...

Episode #161 ... Karl Popper - The Open Society and Its Enemies

15 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about a famous book from the work of Karl Popper. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: ht...

Episode #160 ... The Creation of Meaning - Kierkegaard - Silence, Obedience and Joy

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss the work of Soren Kierkegaard. His famous work The Lily of the Field and The Bird of The Air.  Thank you so much for listening! Coul...

Episode #159 ... The Creation of Meaning - Nietzsche - Amor Fati

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue our discussion on the creation of meaning. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https...

Episode #158 ... The Creation of Meaning - Nietzsche - The Ascetic Ideal

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we look at the creation of meaning through the work of Nietzsche.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  W...

Episode #157 ... The Creation of Meaning - Beauvoir

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk about the creation of meaning.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philoso...

Episode #156 ... Emil Cioran part 2 - Failure and Suicide

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about Cioran.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philosophize...

Episode #155 ... Emil Cioran - Absurdity and Nothingness

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin our discussion on Emil Cioran.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philos...

Episode #154 ... Pragmatism and Truth

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss Pragmatism. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Pat...

Episode #153 ... The Frankfurt School - Walter Benjamin pt. 2 - Distraction

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue talking about Walter Benjamin.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.phi...

Episode #152 ... The Frankfurt School - Walter Benjamin pt. 1

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin discussing the work of Walter Benjamin.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://w...

Episode #151 ... The Frankfurt School - Erich Fromm on Freedom

06 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue our discussion of the work of Erich Fromm.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: htt...

Episode #150 ... The Frankfurt School - Erich Fromm on Love

31 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss Erich Fromm and his work The Art of Loving.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: htt...

Episode #149 ... On Media pt. 2 - Marshall McLuhan

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss the work of Marshall McLuhan.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://www.philo...

Episode #148 ... On Media pt. 1 - Manufacturing Consent

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss the 1988 work of Chomsky and Herman entitled Manufacturing Consent.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without yo...

Episode #147 ... Being and Becoming

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss the ancient philosophical debate of being and becoming.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  ...

Episode #146 ... Bergson on Laughter pt. 2 - Vitalism

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we continue our discussion on the work of Henri Bergson.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: h...

Episode #145 ... Bergson on Laughter pt. 1 - History

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we begin our discussion on the work of Bergson.  Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help.  Website: https://ww...