Thinker Sensitive

Ryan bids his listeners farewell, departing with a final word.  "This is what I am learning: I must abide in him that he might abide in me. I hope you have learned something too. I hope, like me, you’re striving to become something more. I hope we reach the same end. I hope that we wash up on the same shore….” About Ryan, Host of Thinker Sensitive : Ryan Ragozine is the host of Thinker Sensitive ....

Ryan shifts to a personal evaluation of ancient Stoicism, offering some commendations and some corrections.  " There’s a lot of practical wisdom and prudent advice in Stoicism, as long as we stay clear of some of the extremes—incorporating the recommendations of Epictetus into our lives in a nuanced and balanced manner. ” About Ryan, Host of Thinker Sensitive : Ryan Ragozine is the host of Thinker...

After briefly discussing Epicureanism, the moral philosophy of Epicurus, Ryan transitions to Aristotle’s moral philosophy—which is widely understood as a “character, or virtue, ethic.”    "One of the most intriguing and thought-provoking aspects of Aristotle’s ethics is the idea that morality, virtue, and happiness are solely based on acting, doing, living, and being. It is not enough to talk...

Ryan dips into Classical Greek ethics, beginning with a brief summary of Epicureanism, which is an ancient form of hedonism that emphasizes simplicity and moderation.   "Epicurus was born on the Island of Samoa. He visited Athens as a teenager and briefly studied under a disciple of Plato. Years later, he would return to Athens, but this time not as a student, but rather as a teacher, quickly esta...

Fear of retribution, hope of rewards, or the power of love? Ryan talks about the only motivating factor and inspirational force in the universe worth living and dying for. "...fear of punishment and hope of rewards are motivations and incentives for the immature, not the mature. They are what help children behave, but we must progress beyond childhood and move towards perfection, the perfection of...

In the second part of a two-part podcast on "The Law of Love," Ryan argues that no one—neither Christians nor non-Christians—consistently and perfectly embodies the love that fulfills all law. "...the love that fulfills the law, the love of God in Christ—self-sacrificial, edifying, and unconditional love—represents an immensely high standard, one that almost all people fail to reach. This standard...

Ryan discusses the nature and character of the love that fulfills all law. "True love, real love, the love that fulfills all law, is made up of three defining characteristics: selflessness, edification, and unconditionality." About Ryan, Host of Thinker Sensitive : Ryan Ragozine is the host of Thinker Sensitive . He is passionate about ecumenical dialogue, inter-religious dialogue, and worldview e...

Ryan unpacks the contextual and nuanced ethic of Christ, which was centered on the values of the kingdom that he proclaimed. " So much of Jesus’s ethical reasoning has to do with notions of priority and primacy, as moral judgments often involve a deliberation—choosing which principle or principles should be given ultimate primacy and priority above all others ." About Ryan, Host of Thinker Sensiti...

Ryan talks about dreaded religious rules and much maligned divine precepts, taking a uniquely positive and optimistic approach to the law of God in the Judeo-Christian tradition. "As I have said many times before, and as the ancient thinkers and classical philosophers also taught—not just in Israel but in Greece and in Rome as well—the moral life is the good life. The high character person is the...

Ryan explains why he believes that the moral life is the good life, that the spiritual life is the blessed life, and that the holy life is the happy life. " Holiness and happiness, purity and pleasure, benevolence and blessedness, virtue and vivaciousness, faithfulness and fulfillment, jurisprudence and joy, character and contentment. What do these seemingly contradictory concepts have in common?...

Ryan discusses the gods of the present age—envisaging the Western world as deeply religious, even if not in the traditional sense. " Over the last few episodes, I have attempted to demolish the false gods and idols of our age. I have been in the process of a kind of deconstruction, but not the kind of deconstruction that has become popular today, not a deconstruction of classical religion, but a d...

Ryan discusses the shortcomings of the wanton pursuit of pleasure, a pursuit that is often confused with the pursuit of happiness. " What I will say is that pleasure is a good thing, but, like fortune and fame, it is easily abused and easily corrupted—especially when it is treated as an end in itself rather than as a means to or, in some cases, as a byproduct, or consequence, of the pursuit of a h...

Ryan discusses the futility and vanity of the pursuit of popularity, a pursuit that is often confused with the pursuit of happiness. Like with money and wealth, instead of viewing fame as an end in itself, it should be used as a means to an end—particularly a means to the end of helping others. In this way, popularity and status can be used for good and can lead to virtue. When we use our influenc...

Ryan discusses the pitfalls of the pursuit of wealth and riches, a pursuit that is often confused with the pursuit of happiness. " The way in which we use our money and use our possessions makes all the difference in the world! Those who give, receive; sharing with others and living for others is inherently rewarding. There is a huge difference between the rich person who lives for others and the...

In today’s installment of The Weekly , Ryan invokes a peculiar theory from the French Enlightenment philosopher Rousseau in order to discuss the path to fulfillment and the way of contentment. " Rousseau believed that this simple and humble way of life, this life without unnecessary ambitions, without exorbitant desires, without an inflated sense of what one really needs, was a life of tranquility...

On today's Weekly episode, which is really the first full Weekly of the New Year, Ryan discusses the topic of modern convenience and contemporary ease of living. " The ancient person doesn’t know what she doesn’t have, she doesn’t know what she can or could have; and so, it may very well be that she is happy with what she does have, even happier than she would be. In fact, she might be happier tha...

In today's installment of The Weekly, the first podcast episode of the new year, Ryan updates his listeners on recent progress and does some vision casting for 2023 and beyond. Special Requests : Write a quick review on Apple Podcasts If you feel so inclined, donate to the show Thanks for your support! About Ryan, Host of Thinker Sensitive : Ryan Ragozine is the host of Thinker Sensitive . He is p...

In the final part of our three part interview with Chad Graham, the original creator of Thinker Sensitive, Ryan and Chad discuss several pertinent cultural issues—issues ranging from political polarization to environmental and energy concerns to the possibility of alien life. Links: Website: https://www.thinkersensitive.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkersensitive1752 Facebook Pa...

In the second part of a three-part interview with Chad Graham, Ryan asks Chad some candid questions about the state and condition of the contemporary church in the United States. Links: Website: https://www.thinkersensitive.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkersensitive1752 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thinkersensitive Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/thinker...

In the first part of a three-part interview with the original founder of Thinker Sensitive , Ryan asks Chad about his personal story, which includes the story behind the development of Thinker Sensitive . Links: Website: https://www.thinkersensitive.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkersensitive1752 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thinkersensitive Instagram Account: https:/...

In the ninth episode of our season on the question of God, Ryan concludes the season with some final words and some final declarations. " I cannot not believe. I have to believe. I must believe. To deny the reality of God would be to deny my very existence—to reject my very being, my very history, my very experience, my very essence. This would be an absurdity."  About Ryan, Host of Thinker Sensit...

In the eighth episode of our season on the question of God, Ryan discusses the notion of miracles—analyzing the concept from a philosophical perspective and sharing some personal stories. " ...this Spirit is the power of the future—the power that liberates the world, liberates history, from the bondage of past-present causation, from the restrictions and limitations of a closed, deterministic syst...

In the seventh episode of our season on the question of God, Ryan continues to evaluate theism and atheism from a cognitive perspective, juxtaposing and critically assessing these worldviews on the basis of rational categories and criteria.  " My philosophy professor from graduate school, Michael Peterson, who is a joint editor on some of the philosophy of religion material from Oxford University...

In the sixth episode of our season on the question of God, Ryan finally begins to evaluate theism and atheism from a cognitive perspective, juxtaposing and critically assessing these worldviews on the basis of rational categories and criteria. " I believe that there is need for both a creator of the universe and a developer of the universe. The former alone results in deism; the latter alone resul...

In the fifth installment of our season on the question of God, Ryan examines the holistic nature of human belief, demonstrating that belief is not simply a matter of the mind, but a matter of the heart, the will, and personal experience. " ...the cognitive dimension is not everything; faith and doubt, affirmation of God and rejection of God, are not always based on intellectual issues. Personality...