Best Lazy Philosopher Podcasts (2024)

1
Conspiracy Theories versus People Exercising Power 17:35

7d ago17:35

17:35

There’s an important difference between them. This episode is a follow-up to Episode 12, "What Lurks Behind Conspiracy Theories." The subject of conspiracy theories is of great interest, probably because 2024 is an election year in many countries. In this episode, I respond to a comment made by several listeners and explain the difference between a…

1
Book Release Announcement 1:40

22d ago1:40

1:40

My new book has been released. Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power: The Core Dynamics of Political Action The Kindle version is available here. The paperback version is available here.By Douglas Giles

1
My First Clues About Social Injustice 10:18

28d ago10:18

10:18

One reason I am so passionate about the value of education comes from what I learned working two work-study jobs when I was an undergraduate. g8uqfqu6By Douglas Giles

1
Pt 1: Lazy Thinking. Pt 2: How to Have an Argument 14:49

1M ago14:49

14:49

Part 1: People Aren’t Stupid — They’re Lazy Thinkers Many people evade the ethical responsibility to think deeply Part 2: How to Have an Argument (More of a Debate Really) How to disagree without being disagreeable Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.comBy Douglas Giles

1
Is Your Politics One of Principles or Pettiness? 10:25

2M ago10:25

10:25

Politics brings out the worst of people; it doesn’t have to. Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.comBy Douglas Giles

1
The Curious Case of Taylor Swift 18:55

2M ago18:55

18:55

What’s going on underneath the hype? A philosopher looks into the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift and indicts the music industry that tried to exploit her. Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.comBy Douglas Giles

1
Masterclasses, TEDx Talks, Spam, and the Rise of the Fluffpreneur 17:08

3M ago17:08

17:08

My long-term slightly scientific study of fluffpreneurship. We are now in the Epoch of the Memeocene in which things are oversimplified and vapid. It is an age in which society recognizes facile imitation more than substance. Not surprisingly, the snake oil merchants have adapted to the times. What they sell and how they sell it has been pared down…

1
It’s Okay to Not Like Christmas 15:42

4M ago15:42

15:42

Do you love Christmas? That’s cool, I respect that. Have fun. I want to talk about and with those who don’t consider Christmas the “most wonderful time of the year,” because I respect them too.By Douglas Giles

1
Ethics of Dissent and Protest 8:39

5M ago8:39

8:39

Cooperation, loyalty, adherence to the rule of law. These are noble virtues, of which the following are necessary for a free and open society. But there are times when it is necessary to step outside these noble virtues. There are times when dissent is a virtue. There is a time for peace and a time for protest.…

1
Reactionism Is Not Populism 21:40

6M ago21:40

21:40

Understanding political movements is essential for building a human-centered politics. I therefore propose a distinction between reactionary movements and populist movements based on their different worldviews, goals, and targets of their opposition. Support this podcast: https://ko-fi.com/insertphilosophyhere…

1
It’s Not Misogyny—It’s Worse than That 21:00

6M ago21:00

21:00

Men hating women is a symptom of a deeper problem. This episode inserts philosophy into the abuse of women and explores the social causes behind misogyny and subordination of women. Comments? Contact me at InsertPhilosophyHere.comBy Douglas Giles

1
Are You an Individual? 43:09

7M ago43:09

43:09

Are you an individual? Sounds like a silly question, doesn’t it? You’re you, right? You aren’t anybody else. But it’s not quite that simple. First off, being good philosophers, we have to define our terms. What do we mean by “an individual?” There are many answers to that question. Let’s begin at the beginning.…

1
Hume's Critique of Science 30:10

7M ago30:10

30:10

Scottish philosopher David Hume in the 1700s changed Western philosophy with his strong critique of science. Hume showed that science is based on three assumptions that have no rational basis. Hume's critique so impressed Immanuel Kant, that it led Kant to develop his critiques of reason that revolutionized philosophy and science. Today. Hume's arg…

1
The Epistemologies of Hobbes and Locke 13:55

8M ago13:55

13:55

I haven't recorded a philosophy lesson in awhile, so here is an audio version of a new video I am producing for my university course. My other videos are at https://www.youtube.com/insertphilosophyhereBy Douglas Giles

1
Trump, MAGA, and Making America Grotesque Victims 10:50

8M ago10:50

10:50

For the last seven years, I’ve had quite a few people here in Europe ask me to explain Trump and his MAGA sycophants. Their incredulous questions are understandable. What’s in MAGA minds? How could they believe such things? Why are they so full of hate? I reference two books in this episode: The Rise of Victimhood Culture and Rethinking Misrecognit…

1
The Barbie Movie: Why “Woke” Should and Will Prevail 11:14

9M ago11:14

11:14

Spoiler Alert: I will divulge as little as possible about the specifics of the movie as I talk about the real-life implications of its philosophical ideas, but, obviously, some content of the movie will leak out. Yes, Barbie is a surprisingly philosophical movie. I had low expectations for Barbie. I’ve never been a fan of corporations or dolls, and…

1
Trump, Power, and Desire versus the Law 16:13

9M ago16:13

16:13

Much will be said and written about the latest set of indictments handed down against former President Trump. I will leave it to the legal analysts to dissect the minutiae and details of the indictment. I'm a philosopher. So, I want to talk about what is behind all of this, what's really going on with all of this? What are the fundamental principle…

1
Interview with Dr. Eve Poole on her book "Robot Souls" 53:24

9M ago53:24

53:24

Dr. Eve Poole is my honoured guest to talk about her latest book Robot Souls. Two of the biggest design problems in Artificial Intelligence are how to build robots that behave in line with human values and how to stop them ever going rogue. One under-explored solution to these alignment and control problems might be to examine how these are already…

1
The Legacy of Plato and Aristotle 14:36

9M ago14:36

14:36

Condensing their philosophies to their most influential ideas.By Douglas Giles

1
A College Professor’s View on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 31:16

10M ago31:16

31:16

A subject that has been in the news quite a lot lately as a political issue is diversity, equity, and inclusion, (DEI) and this is a topic that's dear to my heart as a philosophy professor. We need DEI programs, and I am very concerned about the efforts to try to reverse DEI initiatives in higher education. Plus, I am also aware of how part of that…

1
Three Reasons Why Higher Education Isn’t Better than It Is 17:17

11M ago17:17

17:17

We truthfully tell students about the importance of education, but all of the students are being shortchanged and overcharged for their experiences in higher education. Tuition is rising, but the money isn’t going toward education. The reasons are the three wrong priorities now dominating higher education.…

1
Joe Biden’s Age and Thinking Sensibly about Generations 22:56

12M ago22:56

22:56

Much has been made and certainly much more will be made about Joe Biden’s age after he announced he is running for president. Some people suggest that he is too old to run for president. It is prejudice to assume that age makes one unqualified for any role, including the President of the United States. Being in one’s 80s does not in and of itself m…

1
Soul of a Philosopher 8:28

12M ago8:28

8:28

A short podcast this week, relating an experience I had with a businessman who reminded me about the essence of philosophy.By Douglas Giles

1
Tradwives 10:53

1y ago10:53

10:53

About the meme of the tradwife - the traditional wife. #Philosophy #MarriageBy Douglas Giles

1
A Heretical Idea: Skipping Plato while Teaching Philosophy 15:17

1y ago15:17

15:17

Contemplating the "heretical" idea of teaching an Intro to Philosophy course not beginning with Plato or even any of the Ancient Greek philosophers. I present my arguments.By Douglas Giles

1
If You Think Trump Is The Problem, You Aren’t Part of The Solution 15:09

1y ago15:09

15:09

Donald Trump was in the news a lot yesterday, ALL over the news. That's understandable, as is the reality that many people oppose Trump. They have good reason, but as a philosopher, I have to ask whether Trump is really the problem people should be opposing.By Douglas Giles

1
John Locke - Government as a Service 22:51

1y ago22:51

22:51

Today, we assume and demand that government by at the consent of the governed. It was not always so. 17th century philosopher John Locke established the concept of government as a convenience, as a service we can hire and fire if it does not serve our interests.By Douglas Giles

1
What if the Universe Is NOT Expanding? 16:33

1y ago16:33

16:33

The dominant paradigm in astrophysics is that the universe began in a “big bang,” probably from a singularity, and that the universe, the very fabric of space itself, has been expanding ever since. But does that paradigm of the expanding universe hold up in the face of evidence?By Douglas Giles

1
Calmly Resisting the Fad of Stoicism 14:26

1y ago14:26

14:26

Do you remember Pet Rocks? You need to be older to remember them, but here’s a good history of them. The Pet Rock was the ultimate triumph of marketing over substance. Seeing the recent increase in the number of books and articles about Stoicism reminds me of Pet Rocks. I explain why in this episode.…

1
Digitalization, Byung-Chul Han's Perspective on Power, and Online Tyranny 22:46

1y ago22:46

22:46

In recent years, there has been concern about the role of the digital world in movements and forces that could be considered to be anti-democracy. But what, if anything, has the online world changed in the public sphere and democracy that could potentially contribute to anti-democratic behavior? To address this broad question, I bring together seve…

1
Putin, Ukraine, American Exceptionalism, and the Fake Left 25:33

1y ago25:33

25:33

This week marks the one-year anniversary of this podcast, but more importantly, it is the one-year anniversary of Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. In this week's episode, I focus on two questions: why do some people who claim to be anti-war refuse to be against Putin's war, and what factors led them to hold such a hypocritical position. Supp…

1
UFOs Are Real, but Our Thinking about Them Is Not Realistic 30:14

1y ago30:14

30:14

What are UFOs? It is a surprisingly emotional subject. A large percentage of people who come across this article will read very little of it, having already assumed their preferred conclusion, and not take seriously the argument I am presenting. I hope that does not include you, dear reader. I wrote this to try to have a discussion about the issues…

1
Capitalism And Free Enterprise Are Not the Same 24:36

1y ago24:36

24:36

I welcome your comments, Contact me at InsertPhilosophyHere.com. Much of the defense of capitalism takes the positives of free enterprise and incorrectly attributes them to capitalism and much of the condemnation of capitalism incorrectly includes free enterprise in that condemnation. To have a fruitful, honest discussion, we need to get past error…

1
What's the Problem with "Wokeness" 10:32

1y ago10:32

10:32

The words “woke” and “wokeness” have recently entered the political lexicon. These words puzzle me as to what they mean and why people use them. “Woke” and “wokeness” are used mostly, if not exclusively, as an insult. They are used mostly, if not exclusively, by the Right. In our current memeocene epoch, the “woke” insult is often attached to an at…

1
Sorry, Veganism Won’t Save The Planet 11:18

1+ y ago11:18

11:18

To “go vegan” is a legitimate dietary choice, but I am about to become a heretic in the vegan evangelists’ eyes, because I will dare to question the vegan dogma. There are multiple fallacies in the vegan ideology but for brevity, in this article, I will concentrate on the “veganism will save the planet” claim. It’s about the climate crisis. Veganis…

1
A New Philosophy Textbook for Everyone 12:28

1+ y ago12:28

12:28

How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy ISBN: 978-1-7358808-8-4.e-book: https://amzn.to/3I42f1S. Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Wz78V9. A fresh and original presentation that is easy for students, instructors, and general readers to use. This well-written, insightful history of philosophy is basic enough to be underst…

1
The Calendar Is a Fallacy 7:19

1+ y ago7:19

7:19

Inserting some philosophy into the concept of the New Year. Although the “new year” is celebrated with fanfare and increased alcohol consumption, aside from hangovers, absolutely nothing changes between 31 December and 1 January.By Douglas Giles

1
Twitter, TikTok, and Siloization 26:21

1+ y ago26:21

26:21

Siloization – ˈsī-lō-ə-ˈzā-shən : the process of isolating a group apart from others especially in ways that hinder communication and cooperation. How technology is enhancing an age old human habit, the difference between one-way and two-way communication, and how social media plays into these issues.…

1
Agonistic versus Antagonistic Politics 23:50

1+ y ago23:50

23:50

This year has seen a number of important and contentious elections: Sweden, Italy, United States, Brazil, and Israel, among others. By its nature, politics is agonistic--a process of contention among people--but today it is an antagonistic process in which politicians actively exhort the public to misrecognize and even hate other politicians.…

1
Pragmatism - The Philosophy with Cash Value 29:49

1+ y ago29:49

29:49

Some people believe that philosophy is disconnected from the world. This is ignorance but it is understandable given the tradition of rationalism and analytic philosophy. But philosophy is at its best when it addresses issues that confront people in their everyday lives. The school of philosophy that is appropriately named "pragmatism" does that, I…

1
What Is Democracy? Is It the Best Form of Government? 30:11

1+ y ago30:11

30:11

The United States likes to think of itself as a democracy. Is it? What is democracy and what are its strengths and weaknesses? This week, I delve into these questions.By Douglas Giles

1
Plato's Theory of Perception 28:21

1+ y ago28:21

28:21

Plato was the first systematic Western philosopher. This episode explains his ideas on human perception, what knowledge is, and how we can know things, including his theory of Forms.By Douglas Giles

1
How German Idealism Changed Us 26:40

1+ y ago26:40

26:40

When I teach my Introduction to Philosophy courses, I do so chronologically because philosophy is best understood as a long evolution. Those students often ask me, "why didn't those philosophers centuries ago understand that we are all individuals with different perceptions?" I tell them to be patient, we have to wait until the early 1800s to see p…

1
I Left the U.S. 10 Years Ago. I’ve Never Regretted It. 21:56

1+ y ago21:56

21:56

On where one belongs, where one can go, and how living abroad changes your perspective on everything.By Douglas Giles

1
New Book: What Left and Right Mean 10:53

1+ y ago10:53

10:53

Available Here: https://amzn.to/3qWV6H6 We are all so used to the terms "left," "right," "liberal," and "conservative" that we hear and use them without a second thought as to their meaning. Politics is the debate over how government and society should be structured and how social institutions should function and to what ends. The political conflic…

1
A Person Has Died; She Just Happened to Be Queen 14:46

1+ y ago14:46

14:46

A philosophical perspective on persons and empires.By Douglas Giles

1
On What's Wrong With Education and How to Fix It 29:11

1+ y ago29:11

29:11

Our education system is still dominated by a model developed over 180 years ago that relegates students to products of the system. This factory model of education is counterproductive and harming society. The solution has been out there for a long time and I discuss it, including the ideas of Jane Addams, John Dewey, and Paulo Freire.…

1
What Is Postmodernism? 9:41

1+ y ago9:41

9:41

“Postmodernist” is the name given to a loosely connected group of thinkers united in their opposition to modernity and its assumptions of the supremacy of reason and continual human progress. Postmodernist philosophers dismantle modernity's illusions to free us to see what really is true and how we really are.…

1
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Hannah Arendt 11:20

1+ y ago11:20

11:20

A brief introduction, but more than most philosophy professors will give you. Arendt had important insights into totalitarianism and the human condition.By Douglas Giles