Introduction to Philosophy

Aristotle's Metaphysics , Book VI explores the nature of being and its various meanings. Aristotle argues that there are different kinds of being, including accidental being, true being (in contrast to false being), and being qua being.

Aristotle’s Metaphysics Book VII focuses on the concept of substance, exploring different understandings of what it means for something to "be". The text examines various categories of being, including essence, universal, genus, and substratum, and how these relate to the concept of substance.

Aristotle examines several questions about these principles, including: whether there is one science or multiple sciences that study causes; whether these sciences should focus on the first principles of substance or on the principles underlying all proofs; whether sensible substances are the only ones that exist; and whether the first principles are genera or parts.

In Book 4 Aristotle revisits Being and substance. He examines the nature of unity. This episode will cover contraries, contradictions, and change.

Book two examines first principles and first causes.

Welcome to our first deep dive. In this season, we will be focusing on Aristotle's Metaphysics. Each episode will cover one of the 14 books in this text. Book 1 introduces Being and the four fundamental causes.

Phenomenology of Perception by Maurice Merleau-Ponty is a significant work in the phenomenological tradition that challenges the Cartesian mind-body dualism. Merleau-Ponty argues that perception is not a passive reception of sensory information by a detached mind, but rather a dynamic interaction between the embodied subject and the world. By exploring the role of our lived body, intentional struc...

A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful by Edmund Burke explores the psychological and physiological basis of our perceptions of beauty and sublimity. Burke argues that beauty is associated with qualities that induce relaxation and pleasure in the senses, such as smoothness, smallness, and gradual variation. In contrast, he asserts that sublimity arises fr...

In Michel Foucalt's Aesthetics, Method, and Epistemology his unique perspective on the relationship between language, knowledge, and power, is demonstrated as well as his commitment to analyzing how these forces shape our cultural and historical experience. There will be a bonus season available for all subscribers on Apple Podcasts diving into Foucault's works.

In Heidegger's Off the Beaten Track, he dedicates a piece 'The Origin of the Work of Art' inquiring into the nature of art, focusing on the relationship between the artwork, the artist, and art itself. He argues art is not just a mere object but holds with it a work-character, and it is this work-character that defines art.

Immanuel Kant's Critique of Judgment provides a glimpse into his philosophical system and the overarching themes explored in the work. Kant emphasizes the importance of critique in philosophy, arguing that we must examine the limitations of our cognitive abilities before making judgments. The Critique of Judgment focuses on aesthetic and teleological judgments, examining how we judge beauty and th...

This season on aesthetics kicks off with an essay on the nature of beauty, written by Ancient Greek philosopher Plotinus. Plotinus argues against the tendency of language to conceal truth, and promotes the pursuit of understanding over mere verbal analysis. It explores the nature of beauty, first by examining how beauty manifests in physical objects and then by examining the beauty of the soul. Pl...

Our second episode is on Hegel's Aesthetics. In this text, Hegel provides a philosophical framework for understanding the nature and development of art. Hegel believes art represents the ideal, it is the perfect embodiment of truth and beauty. Hegel explores the relationship between art and the public.

In Albert Camus novel, The Stranger, the protagonist Meursault faces emotional detachment and his reaction to his mother's death. There is a theme of absurdity as Mersault faces his trial for murder.

Albert Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus" discusses the concept of the absurd and how it relates to various aspects of human existence. Camus argues that the absurd is a fundamental truth of life, acknowledging that life has no inherent meaning, yet choosing to live with this understanding.

Nietzsche, through the voice of his fictional prophet Zarathustra, explores the themes of individualism, the Superman, the will to power, and the transvaluation of values. In the novel, Zarathustra criticizes conventional morality and traditional religion, proposing a new morality based on self-overcoming and the affirmation of life. He emphasizes the importance of the body and the will to power a...

Miguel de Unamuno's "Tragic Sense of Life" is a philosophical treatise that grapples with the human desire for immortality in the face of inevitable death. Unamuno argues that the human condition is inherently tragic because our longing for eternal life is irreconcilable with reason. He explores this tragic tension through an examination of various philosophical, religious, and literary perspectiv...

Friedrich Nietzsche's The Gay Science is a collection of aphorisms and poems. Nietzsche explores the will to power, the revaluation of values, and the nature of truth. He critiques traditional morality, religion, and philosophical ideas, arguing for a new way of thinking that embraces the inherent contradictions and complexities of existence. He celebrates a life of creative self-overcoming, livin...

Sartre's Being and Nothingness focuses on the concept of consciousness, which Sartre terms the For-itself, in relation to being, which he calls the In-itself. Sartre contrasts the For-itself with the In-itself, which is full, complete, and without nothingness. He then examines how consciousness, through negation, reveals being to itself, leading to concepts such as lack, possibility, and temporali...

In "Existentialism is a Humanism", Jean-Paul Sartre questions the meaning of abandonment, anguish, and despair. He argues "existence precedes essence" meaning we create our own identities and must take full responsibility for who they become.

Kick off this season on Existentialism with the "Father of Existentialism" Soren Kierkegaard and his book Fear and Trembling. This episode is a philosophical exploration of the nature of faith. Søren Kierkegaard, argues that Abraham's faith transcends traditional ethical and moral boundaries, demanding an absolute, individual commitment to God that cannot be understood or justified through rationa...

In this episode, Soren Kierkegaard explores the relationship between aesthetics and ethics in Either/Or. Kierkegaard discusses the nature of love, marriage, and ethics as they relate to the pursuit of meaning and happiness in life. The introduction highlights the challenges in balancing the immediate desire for pleasure with the demands of responsibility and duty. It examines the complexities of r...

What is the central principle of utilitarianism, and how does Mill define happiness in this context? How does Mill distinguish between higher and lower pleasures? John Stuart Mill explores the philosophy of utilitarianism, arguing that actions are morally right if they promote happiness and wrong if they produce unhappiness.

Singer argues that ethics should be used to guide decision-making about controversial issues like animal rights, abortion, and euthanasia. He emphasizes that ethical questions require careful consideration, not just emotional responses. He also explores how the principles of universalizability and equality can be applied to these complex issues.

Why does Kant emphasize a "pure" moral philosophy derived from reason rather than experience? What does Kant mean by "duty"? What is the categorical imperative, and how does it relate to morality? What does Kant mean by the "kingdom of ends"? Kant argues for the existence of a categorical imperative, a universal moral law that applies to all rational beings. He proposes that this imperative can be...