41. William James on Pragmatic Truth

In this episode, we unpack Part 2 of Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, published in 1832.Key Themes Explored* The consequences of endless striving*Rapid vs. slow transformation* Nature as a reflection of the essence of realityHost: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Philip KubasovIntro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faust part 2 David Luke translationResources Mentioned:Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (book/play)The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler (book)

In this episode, we unpack Part 1 of Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, published in 1808.Key themes explored:* The consequences of endless striving*The tension between higher and lower level desires * The temptation of evilHost: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Philip KubasovIntro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the book: ⁠Faust part 1 David Luke translationResources MentionedCritique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant (book)The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (book)Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (book/play)The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler (book)

In this episode, we unpack Erich Fromm's 1976 book, "To Have or to Be?"Key Themes Explored:* The Myth of Progress*The Consumer Personality* Being vs. HavingHost: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Oriane HakkilaIntro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the book: ⁠To Have or To Be by Erich FrommResources Mentioned:I and Thou by Martin Buber (book)The Meaning of Anxiety by Rollo May (book)The Value of Everything by Mariana Mazzucato (book)The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate (book)

In this episode, we unpack William James’s 1907 book, “Pragmatism.”Key Themes Explored*The Pragmatic Theory of Truth*The Nature of Belief Change* Psychology's connection to PhilosophyHost: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Brent MondoskinIntro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the book: Pragmatism by William James⁠Resources MentionedThe Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand(book)The Essential Pierce vol.1 by C.S. Pierce(book)Radical Empiricism by William James (book)Mindset by Carol Dweck(book)The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy (book)

In this episode, we unpack the “Tao Te Ching,” traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu and composed around the 4th century BCE.Key Themes Explored*The art of not over-doing*The cyclical nature of all things *Acting in accordance with the nature of realityHost: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Amon Greene [email protected] Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the book: The Tao Te Ching Red Pine TranslationResources MentionedTao: The Watercourse Way by Alan Watts (book)Trying Not to Try by Edward Slingerland (book)Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong (book)

In this episode, we unpack Erving Goffman's 1954 book, "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life."Key Themes Explored* The art of impression management*The desire to maintain consistent performances*The self as a social constructNote: You don’t need to have read the book to enjoy this episode!Host: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Jason DoeIntro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the Book: ⁠The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life

In this episode, we unpack Plato’s “Symposium,” written circa 385 BCE.Key themes include* The Nature of Eros*The Human desire for immortality*The Guru Disciple RelationshipHost: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Kilaya Ciriello Author of: Socrates Guru: Plato's Spiritual Philosophy in Comparison with the Indian TraditionThe Fundamentalist Plato (blog/substack)Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free PDF of the book: ⁠Symposium PDF Timestamps0:00:00 Introduction0:02:42 Fundamentalist Platonism0:06:15 The Tradition of The Symposium 0:09:15 Narrative Structure of The Symposium0:10:20 The Question of Plato’s Authorship0:15:35 The Speech of Phaedrus0:20:10 Historical Context of Pederastic Relationships Between Men and Boys0:24:31 The Speech of Pausanias0:28:18 The Speech of Eryximachus0:31:49 The Speech of Aristophanes0:38:10 The Speech of Agathon 0:39:46 The Flattery & Humility of Socrates0:43:25 The Significance of Diotima0:46:28 Socrates First Argument on Eros0:50:18 We Only Desire What we Lack0:53:07 Love as an Intermediary between humans and Gods0:57:43 The Pursuit of Immortality1:06:08 Love of “The Good”1:08:24 The Ladder of Love1:13:49 Pure Rationality1:16:24 Criticisms of The Ladder of Love1:18:42 The Entrance of Alcibiades  1:24:15 The Desire to Possess Another Person1:27:42 Resentment towards Those Who Highlight our Shortcomings 1:28:45 The Unlikely Chance one will succeed as a Philosopher1:31:29 Wrapping up

In this episode, we unpack “Paradiso,” the third part of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, “The Divine Comedy,” completed around 1321.This Poem Explores...-The Limits of Language and The Importance of Experience-Divine Justice & The Problem of Evil-Dante's Vision of God and The Returning of the BoonLinks to Books/Articles Mention in the Episode⁠⁠The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri⁠⁠⁠The Aeneid by Virgil⁠⁠The Great Course Plus-Dante's Divine Comedy Lecture Series⁠*note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode!Host: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Philip KubasovMusic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we unpack “Purgatorio,” the second part of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, “The Divine Comedy,” completed around 1321.This Poem Explores...-The Severity of the Sin of Pride-The Significance of Momentum When Climbing the Mount of Purgatory-The Importance of Humility When Reforming the SoulLinks to Books/Articles Mention in the Episode⁠⁠The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri⁠⁠⁠The Aeneid by Virgil⁠⁠The Great Course Plus-Dante's Divine Comedy Lecture Series⁠*note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode!Host: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Philip KubasovMusic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we unpack “Inferno,” the first part of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, “The Divine Comedy,” completed around 1321.This Poem Explores...Why One Must Journey Through Hell Before Entering HeavenWhy Fraud is the Considered the Most Severe SinHow Earthly Love Can Inspire Divine loveLinks to Books/Articles Mention in the Episode⁠The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri⁠The Aeneid by VirgilThe Odyssey by Homer*note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode!Host: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Philip KubasovMusic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠