Mark, Wes, Dylan, and Seth reconvene for a second session to pull specific quotes out of the Mozi. We discuss his arguments against fatalism and Confucianism, his three criteria for evaluating arguments (origin, validity, and consequences), his support for meritocracy ("honoring the worthy") and identifying with your superiors, and the Will of Heaven chapter. Listen to parts Continue Reading …
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Ep. 313: Mozi’s Political Ethics (Part Two for Supporters)
Continuing from part one on the central Mohist text, with guest Tzuchien Tho. Was Mozi really only concerned with material well-being? Is the lack of this well-being why people act badly? We talk more about Mozi's arguments against elaborate funerals and music (and art in general). Plus, we look at Mozi's words against war and whether his defense of some past wars makes Continue Reading …
Ep. 313: Mozi’s Political Ethics (Part One for Supporters)
On the central Mohist text, collecting the teachings of Mozi (aka Mo Tzu), from the Chinese Warring States period around 430 B.C.E., with guest Tzuchien Tho joining Mark, Wes, Dylan, and Seth. The full book is very long, so we used the portions translated by Burton Watson in his Mo Tzu: Basic Writings (1963). Tzuchien was previously on our Confucius (aka Kongzi) episode, and Continue Reading …
PEL Eulogies Nightcap Late March 2023
Mark, Seth, and Dylan talk about what makes for a fitting tribute for those departed and mourning customs (which we've been thinking about in light of our Mozi and Mengzi episodes). We then talk about how and whether Daoism has made a practical difference in our lives. Watch the trailer for Griefwalker that Seth refers to. Pick up Eva Brann's new book, Pursuits of Continue Reading …
Ep. 312: The Dao De Jing on Virtue (Part Two for Supporters)
Concluding our discussion of the Daodejing with guest Theo Brooks. This continues directly from part one, but you should really start with ep. 311. Sections covered in this part of the discussion include: Next episode: We're reading another figure from the Chinese Warring States period: Mozi, specifically the Basic Writings selected and translated by Burton Watson. Continue Reading …
Ep. 312: The Dao De Jing on Virtue (Part One for Supporters)
Our second full discussion on the Daodejing by Laozi. What actions and attitudes characterize the Daoist sage? Featuring Mark, Wes, Dylan, Seth, and Theo Brooks. Listen to ep. 311 first. In this part of the discussion we cover these chapters: Image by Charles Valsechi. Editing by Tyler Hislop. Continues with part two. Continue Reading …
PEL Self-Help Nightcap Early March 2023
Recorded 2/10/23 between our two Daodejing discussions, the full foursome reflects on the interpretive challenges of that text and then consider the activity of reading philosophy and Daoism in particular as self-help. This issue should not of course be confused with the question, "Is studying philosophy beneficial for your live?" but sure enough, we pretty much slide into Continue Reading …
PEL Mini-Nightcap and Announcements: Meet Theo!
Who is this Theodore Brooks that has graced our presence on ep. 311 and who we liked enough to ask back for ep. 312? Note that Karyn Lai that Theo mentions is the prof. who's working with Peter Adamson on his History of Philosophy in China series. Watch her talk about the I Ching (Book of Changes), which though not in itself a work of philosophy is a foundational source for Continue Reading …
Ep. 311: Understanding the Dao De Jing (Part Two for Supporters)
Continuing from part one with guest Theodore Brooks on the central Daoist text attributed to Laozi. We start with more discussion of practical vs. metaphysical interpretations of the first chapter. In either case, Laozi recommends not being too self-conscious; you want to be fully present in your activities, open to the subtle cues of your environment, without too much Continue Reading …
Ep. 311: Understanding the Dao De Jing (Part One for Supporters)
The Daodejing (or Tao Te Ching) from around 500 BCE, attributed considerably after its production to Laozi (or Lao Tzu according to an older but still prevalent style of transliteration; it just means "old master") is the fundamental text of Daoism (Taoism), but what they hell does it mean? Well, it depends on which of its hundreds of translators you ask. We selected the Continue Reading …
PEL Nightcap February 2023
Recorded 1/27/23. Mark, Wes, and Seth anticipate our upcoming Dao De Jing discussion, talk about Dostoevsky's life and what makes The Brothers Karamazov worth your time to read. But what about War and Peace? Is there a reason for us to not be covering this novel as the Russians are being so naughty war-wise now? Should we do an episode on Hebrew Biblical ethics to compare Continue Reading …
Ep. 310: Wittgenstein On World-Pictures (Part Two for Supporters)
Concluding our discussion of On Certainty, with guest Chris Heath. Listen to part one first. We spend more time with quotes from the book and try once again to figure out what Wittgenstein's philosophy of science is. We finally fill out Wes' take on conspiracy theories and how they relate to this text. How do people actually get convinced to change their minds about their Continue Reading …
Ep. 310: Wittgenstein On World-Pictures (Part One for Supporters)
We continue picking at Ludwig Wittgenstein's On Certainty (written 1951), with Mark, Wes, Dylan and Seth now supplemented by guest Chris Heath, who is a guy who's very into philosophy of science who runs a Discord philosophy server. This is really the fourth discussion in this series; we recommend you start with ep. 307 on G.E. Moore, or at least ep. 309 where we started Continue Reading …
PEL Nightcap January 2023
Recorded on 1/12/13, Mark, Wes, and Dylan first talk about our upcoming Dostyevsky live show (April 15 in NYC; we hope to have tickets on sale soon, and supporters will get first crack at them) and talk about our debate over translations of The Brothers Karamazov, as inspired by this article and this one. Here's the reddit page that actually pulls passages from both Continue Reading …
Ep. 309: Wittgenstein On Certainty (Part Two for Supporters)
Continuing our discussion from part one of On Certainty (1951), we do some close reading of the text. How does he actually respond to Moore's argument about his hand? How does he extend his account to talk about mathematical and scientific statements? Is Wittgenstein a pragmatist? You may want to review our episode on William James' pragmatist definition of truth. We Continue Reading …
Ep. 309: Wittgenstein On Certainty (Part One for Supporters)
Discussing the notes Ludwig Wittgenstein made at the end of his life in 1951 that were published as On Certainty in 1969, featuring Mark, Wes, Dylan, and Seth. These were in direct response to the essays by G.E. Moore that we discussed in episodes 307 and 308, so we talk about the status of so-called "Moorean propositions" like "physical objects exist," "the world is more Continue Reading …
Ep. 308: Moore’s Proof of Mind-Independent Reality (Part Two for Supporters)
Continuing from part one, we quickly complete our treatment of G.E. Moore’s "Proof of the External World" (1939) and move on to consider "Certainty" (1941). In the latter paper, Moore considers various "obvious" statements about his current situation (in my case now: I am writing this, I am sitting down, I have fingers, I am in my house on earth, etc.). These are all Continue Reading …
Ep. 308: Moore’s Proof of Mind-Independent Reality (Part One for Supporters)
On G.E. Moore’s "Proof of the External World" (1939) and "Certainty" (1941), featuring Mark, Wes, Dylan, and Seth. Similar to the essay we covered in our last episode, Moore is defending common sense realism against idealists who claim that the external world is not mind-independent but is instead made up of ideas, and also skeptics who claim that we can't know (or know with Continue Reading …
PEL Nightcap 2022 Wrap-Up
Recorded Dec. 11, 2022 by Mark, Wes, and Dylan before our first Moore discussion, so not an intentional holiday release, but we already had supporter audio for our Dobbs discussion, so you get this now. We start out with one more listener appreciation recording that I somehow overlooked before (from Dennis) and use this to reflect on whether our discussions are actually Continue Reading …
Ep. 307: G.E. Moore Defends Common Sense (Part Two for Supporters)
Continuing from part one on "A Defense of Common Sense" (1925), now down to Mark, Wes, and Dylan. We get into the nitty gritty of Moore's argument: Against idealism, Moore argues that physical facts are in now way dependent on mental facts; for instance, the existence and position of the moon don't depend on anyone's beliefs about the moon. Reality is mind Continue Reading …