logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
32m 19s

Episode #219 ... Dostoevsky - Crime and ...

STEPHEN WEST
About this episode
Today we talk about the philosophical themes that Dostoevsky had in mind when writing Crime and Punishment. We talk about Russian Nihilism and its consequences. Rational Utilitarianism and Egoism. A common misunderstanding of Raskolnikov as an embodiment of Nietzsche's work. Confession. Guilt. Affirming life through consent. And much more. Hope you love it! ... Show More
Up next
Nov 16
Episode #241 ... The Tragedy of Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare
Today we talk about the philosophical themes of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. We talk about the hypocrisy and false nostalgia of political violence. The ironies of living by a moral ideal like honor. Rhetoric as a site of where political power is won and lo ... Show More
31m 13s
Nov 8
Episode #240 ... Varieties of Religion Today (Charles Taylor)
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 around religious belief. The sociological and structural role that religion plays at any given point in history. Paleo, Neo and Pos ... Show More
30m 55s
Oct 17
Episode #239 ... Authenticity and the history of the self. (Charles Taylor)
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 Greeks to the Reformation. From Descartes to Rousseau. The modern self to him is something "irreconcilably multileveled". Then we talk ... Show More
36m 43s
Recommended Episodes
May 2017
Episode 17, Jean-Paul Sartre (Part I)
<p>All the reading can be found at www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was arguably the most influential philosopher of the 20th century. The quintessential existentialist, Sartre encapsulates the ver ... Show More
42m 54s
May 2017
Episode 17, Jean-Paul Sartre (Part II)
<p>All the reading can be found at www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was arguably the most influential philosopher of the 20th century. The quintessential existentialist, Sartre encapsulates the ver ... Show More
1h 5m
Oct 23
Phi Curious [with Massimo Pigliucci]
In this episode I sit down with philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci to talk about his book Beyond Stoicism—and why, in his view, no single philosophy can capture everything it means to live well. We dive into the limits of ancient Stoicism, what modern life can borrow from o ... Show More
59m 10s
Oct 6
Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part One)
On A Short History of Decay (1949), a pessimist/existentialist somewhat text from the most famous Romanian philosopher. Cioran's short essays touch on art, humor, God, salvation, time, nostalgia, mourning, death, disease, suicide, revolt, freedom, Buddhism, Daoism, and the role o ... Show More
52m 2s
Oct 2016
Episode 5, Utilitarianism (Part I)
Bentham, Mill and banter… The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/measures the pleasure and pain it may cause. In this three-part special, we take an insightful and fun-filled look at Utilitarianism. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/t ... Show More
50m 1s
Oct 2016
Episode 5, Utilitarianism (Part III)
Bentham, Mill and banter… The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/measures the pleasure and pain it may cause. In this three-part special, we take an insightful and fun-filled look at Utilitarianism. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/t ... Show More
48m 50s
Sep 22
Nietzsche and the Death of God (Part 1)
This episode covers the first half of Friedrich Nietzsche's life, his concept "the death of God" and master vs slave morality. 00:00 - Nietzsche's Radical Philosophy 01:20- The Life of Friedrich Nietzsche: Early Years 04:00 - Nietzsche's Academic Journey 08:30 - The Influence of ... Show More
58m 1s
Oct 2016
Episode 5, Utilitarianism (Part II)
Bentham, Mill and banter… The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/measures the pleasure and pain it may cause. In this three-part special, we take an insightful and fun-filled look at Utilitarianism. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/t ... Show More
1h 12m
Oct 15
What Stoicism Teaches About Courage Under Fire
In this episode I reflect on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado — a living case study in courage, justice, and Stoic composure under pressure. I unpack what Stoic philosophy can teach us about moral action when outcomes are ... Show More
20m 33s