How to Win a Debate Without Even Trying | Socratic Questioning

It has become almost cliche to observe that the internet often seems to bring out the worst in us. Yet the question of why remains elusive. So today we are going to check out a number of philosophers who, in my view, can help us understand our current internet predicament, and hopefully try to solve it.Uploaded 22-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Dehumanizing Human15:04 Echo Chambers and Rationality29:06 Anonymity and Manners40:18 The Task of Love and the Future of The Internet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is it that every wellness guru seems to cite neuroscience? Is it relevant, or is it all just misleading bunk? I am woefully unfit to answer such questions, but Tommy Blanchard most certainly is not! And here I sit down with him and ask how we can avoid BS neuroscience.Uploaded 10-02-26You can find Tommy on Substack here: https://substack.com/@tommyblanchardTommy's YouTube is here: https://www.youtube.com/@TommyBlanchardableSupport me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Why can't neuroscience give you wellness advice?13:45 What are the limits of our neuroscience knowledge?26:30 How do findings get misrepresented?36:35 How can we spot neuroscience garnish?47:05 Our current way of understanding the mind is weird54:18 Where does philosophy go wrong in thinking about Neuroscience?1:15:12 How Neuroscience can teach us about the mind1:37:30 Shifting our vocabulary around consciousness1:45:34 How can philosophy and science work together? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Existential Crisis is a uniquely painful experience. It robs all the joy out of life and leaves us a heaping mess on the floor. But luckily, we can turn to some of the greatest minds in history to guide us through. And foremost among these is Tolstoy's Confession, where he outlines how he fell into existential despair, and how he eventually started to dig himself out of it.Uploaded 14-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more (occasional) philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Tolstoy's Existential Crisis01:34 The Brutality of Nihilism08:13 Four Futile Paths14:27 Faith, Reason, and Conflict20:57 Finding Normativity: An Open Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of the most brilliant and eclectic writers in history. And here we will examine one of his most personal books - The Gambler. It is a masterclass in how to ruin your own life through self-destructive acts, and we will look at it in detail today. Get ready to learn how noble intentions can set us on the path to misery, and how we keep ourselves there. Let's dive into Dostoevsky's Guide to Self-Destruction.Uploaded 05-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 How to self-destruct01:29 Money, Self-ignorance, and self-sabotage08:52 The Hedonic Roulette Wheel13:51 The Existential Threat of Compulsion22:55 The Eternal Hope Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Take this quiz for up to 60% off your subscription ➡️. Here: https://bit.ly/unsolicitedadviceaugUploaded 09-08-24Philosophers have always been pretty sceptical about debate, and for pretty good reason. Underhanded tactics can be used to manipulate, sway, and mislead. But Aristotle wanted to know how we could rehabilitate debate for someone who did not just want to do these things, but wanted to strive for an honest persuasive approach. So here is how to win a debate, without being a nefarious so-and-so.Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more (occasional) philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Art of Persuasion02:10 Why Learn Rhetoric06:50 Reasons and Persons13:01 I've got a feeling (woo-hoo)18:28 Knowing me knowing you (aha)22:49 A Touch of Style Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freewill is a hot-button issue both in philosophy and in popular discourse, so I sat down with Dr. Nathan Hawkins, who has written extensively in defence of Freewill, to have a friendly discussion and debate about it. I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 24-04-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 How do Philosophers Debate about Freewill?09:04 The Case Against Determinism18:45 Problems with Setting up Determinism30:22 The Branching Futures Model of Freewill41:35 Yes, we could have acted otherwise52:45 Are we just redefining our terms?01:02:51 My own Compatibilism01:11:44 Why is Nathan an Idealist?01:25:25 Can we make Idealism Naturalistic?01:44:02 What is "The Absolute"?01:54:25 What is the most interesting idea you've come across and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we all hate work so much? And why does it seem to have only got worse in the modern era? Well, according to philosopher Byung-Chul Han, our psychological attitude towards work and productivity has fundamentally shifted in a disastrous direction for our mental health, our happiness, and our long-term fulfilment.Uploaded 23-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Burnout Society01:27 Discipline and Achievement08:07 Isolation and Individualism14:53 No Rest for the Wicked20:33 Means, Ends, and Self-Hatred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 17-01-26There has been much talk recently about the concept of a "Renaissance Man". Friend of the channel @ParkerNotes recently talked about it on his channel, and it got me thinking. So today, I want to talk about one of my favourite thinkers in history - Michel de Montaigne, and how he embodied the archetype of the Renaissance man.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/You can watch Parker's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvA2RCVdcA00:00 The Renaissance Attitude12:53 The Aim of Study24:31 The Dilettantish Attitude35:57 Knowing Thyself Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few thinkers are talked about as much online as Albert Camus, and few works are discussed as much as The Myth of Sisyphus. But for all that, I haven't seen a video that does a long, chapter-by-chapter guide to the text. So I thought I would fill the gap, and ask - how can Sisyphus actually be happy?Uploaded 28-04-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Life is Absurd - What Now?14:04 Absurdism: Opening Principles26:10 Meet the Absurd Men39:28 Absurd Creation and Play55:00 Imagining Sisyphus Happy01:14:04 A Tale of Two Camus(-es) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Out of all the arguments for God's existence, there is one that is consistently misunderstood by almost every atheist. The 5 ways of St Thomas Aquinas are complex and mutli-faceted beasts, found in his Summa Theologica. And this is a shame, because in learning about it we gain new insights into Aristotle, Theology, and what work "God" does in a metaphysical system.Uploaded 27-04-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Article on Forms: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-metaphysics/00:00 St Thomas Aquinas02:08 He Likes to Move it Move it06:00 Why? Just Cause10:13 Is That Really Necessary?14:45 Goodness, Perfection, and Plato19:21 Oh the Finality! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices