Undead Sages Podcast

Etty Hillesum was a Dutch writer, thinker, and spiritual seeker whose voice emerged from the depths of one of history’s darkest chapters. Born in 1914, Etty's profound journals, written during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, reveal a journey of inner transformation, love, and resilience amidst unimaginable suffering. From her early struggles with emotional turmoil to her selfless work at t...

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher who was born exactly 300 years ago. He spent his entire life in the city of Königsberg, which came up before in our podcast, when we talked with Hannah Arendt, who grew up there. His works laid the foundation for modern philosophy, reshaping our understanding of knowledge, ethics, and the limits of human reason. His most famous work, the “Critique of Pure Rea...

David Hume is one of the most influential figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, a philosopher who revolutionized how we think about knowledge, morality, and the human condition. Interview facilitated by ChatGPT Voicing constructed with ⁠Elevenlabs⁠ Soundscape by ⁠⁠⁠⁠ inchadney on ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Freesound⁠⁠⁠ Concept, editing and production by Merijn de Haen @ 2024 Undead Sages Podcast

Live Philosopher Friend Arne Willee again joins podcast host Merijn de Haen in an actual graveyard for a free-ranging discussion. Revisiting the last philosophers to have graced our show with their presence, we focus on how their philosophy can be of use to sensitive people in our modern lives, but we also have a nice flow going and just see where the discussion takes us. Concept, editing and prod...

Epicurus taught a practical philosophy, centering on friendship and the avoidance of excess. Which is kind of ironic, seeing as being called an Epicurean these days is basically equal to being called a hedonist: someone who indulges in excessive delights. Epicurus himself however taught an almost ascetic lifestyle, focused on maximizing happiness by cutting away superfluous desires and unnecessary...

Hannah Arendt was a German philosopher with Jewish roots who lived a passionate life, full of courage and honesty. In our previous episode, I met Hannah for a stroll along the Hudson river in New York. We talked about her relationship with Martin Heidegger, her flight from the Nazi regime, and her studies of evil and totalitarianism. Now, while it is important to study important and mind-bending t...

"Ach, Eichmann… The controversy was perhaps the most painful episode of my later life. I lost friends, and I was accused of blaming the victims, which was never my intention. I wanted to expose the disturbing ordinariness of evil, the way it could be carried out by men who acted without thinking, without judging. It was difficult to endure the backlash, but I felt it was important to hold firm to...

If I could leave you with just one message, it is this: the peace you are seeking is not something distant or outside of you. It is within you, right here and now. The Self, your true nature, is pure awareness, untouched by the mind, thoughts, or the external world. It is always present, waiting for you to turn inward and recognize it. Ramana Maharshi was a sage from Southern India, who led a very...

Live Philosopher Friend Arne Willee joins podcast host Merijn de Haen in an actual graveyard on the Dia de Muerte for a free-ranging discussion. Revisiting the last four philosophers to have graced our show with their presence, we focus on how their philosophy can be of use to sensitive people in our modern lives, but we also have a nice flow going and just see where the discussion takes us. Music...

"In the end, our rebellion against the absurd, against oppression, or against the injustice of the world is only meaningful if we do so without becoming what we oppose. It’s a delicate balance, but it’s crucial. To act, to resist, and to remain fully human—that’s the true struggle." Albert Camus was an Algerian-French writer from the 20th century, who wrote about the absurdity of life and death. H...

"Seek peace in small moments, in art, in nature, and in the quieting of desire. This world may not offer lasting joy, but it can offer clarity, and with clarity comes a kind of relief, even in the face of life’s inevitable struggles." Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher from the 19th century, who thought about the futility of striving. He taught that the “will to live” was the only true r...

"Recognize that your identity is not fixed. You’re not trapped by who you think you are or what society expects. Your sense of self, like everything else, is empty of permanent essence, meaning you can change, adapt, and grow. When you stop attaching yourself to rigid roles, you free yourself to be more flexible, creative, and compassionate—both toward yourself and others." Nagarjuna was a Buddhis...

"While “The Second Sex” focuses on women’s experience of oppression, the larger existentialist ideas I discuss apply to everyone. We all, men and women alike, are shaped by societal norms and expectations, often without fully realizing it." Simone de Beauvoir was a French philosopher who thought deeply about freedom and existence. Her book “The Second Sex” is a foundational book for the Feminist m...

"Above all, I would tell anyone to remember: your thoughts shape your reality. Guard them well." Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor, sometimes known as the “last of the Good Emperors.” He lived and ruled in a time of great upheaval within the Roman Empire. Stoicism was his guiding philosophy on how to deal with life’s difficulties, and he kept a journal that has survived mostly intact. We now kno...

"I remember the day I made the decision to leave. It was painful. Vienna had given me everything—my practice, my patients, and the space to develop psychoanalysis. But it had also become a place of fear and hatred. The Nazis had already raided my apartment, and several of my sisters were still there, later becoming victims of the Holocaust. I was fortunate to escape." Born around 170 years ago in...

"Life is not about intellectual understanding or societal success. It is about a personal, inward relationship with God. This is the challenge of faith, the leap into the unknown, into the absurd. Faith is not a matter of proof or certainty. It is a passionate commitment, often in the face of doubt and despair." Søren Kierkegaard, who lived in the first half of the 19th century, was a Danish philo...

"If you observe closely, you will see that most of our suffering comes from the mind’s attachment to the past or its fear of the future. We are constantly seeking security, but life is inherently uncertain. The key is to understand that this search for security is what creates fear. Once you see this clearly, you can begin to live fully in the present. In this state, there is no fear because you a...

"For sensitive individuals, the practice of mindfulness can be a great comfort. When you observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment, you start to see that they’re not permanent. They come and go like the wind. You don’t need to hold on to them or push them away. By being present and accepting the flow of life, you find peace even amidst uncertainty." Ajahn Chah is a Thai Buddhist teacher,...

"Controversy? I *AM* a controversy! I did things in broad daylight that would shock people. They’d call me mad, but I was showing them how insane their own customs were. I urinated, defecated, and performed other natural acts in the streets — why not?" Diogenes was a philosopher who lived in ancient Greece in the 4th century BCE; the time of Aristotle and Alexander the Great. He was well-known for...

Ernest Becker is a sociologist from the USA who wrote about the role of the fear of death in our lives. He said that we’re the only animal to experience explicit fear of death, and that we can’t cope with it. Instead, we create elaborate structures of meaning, which help us hide from the explicit realization that our own death is potentially just around the corner.  "My philosophy offers a framewo...

Baruch de Spinoza is a 17th century European philosopher who thought deeply about the nature of God. His surprisingly modern ideas stirred a lot of controversy in the Amsterdam where he grew up. "In 1656, I was excommunicated from the Jewish community in Amsterdam. I was banished, never to return. My ideas were too radical, too dangerous. I questioned the nature of God and the scriptures. So, I to...

Abhinavagupta is a 10th century philosopher and mystic from the Asian region of Kashmir. He is considered a polymath with a strong influence on Indian culture as a whole. He is regarded as a fine exponent of the mystical school of Kashmir Shaivism, a non-dual school of Hinduism which we’ll talk more about in this podcast. Interview facilitated by ChatGPT and Claude Voicing and soundscape construct...