Episode 015 / Moral Relativism

Everything's relative! Or is it? No, we're not talking about your crazy uncle who makes everyone cringe at Thanksgiving. We're talking about Moral Relativism, that delicious little thought experiment that takes us down the rabbit hole of unanswerable questions. Is there universal moral code by which we can all live? Where in the world do we find examples of such a code? Where might we find exceptions? In this episode, you might encounter the answers you seek. But then again, you might scream at us through your device, or you might just be left scratching your head! You'll have to listen to our epic season 1 finale to find out! Westacott, Emrys. “Moral Relativism | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2022, iep.utm.edu/moral-re/ Doniger, Wendy. “Hinduism and Its Complicated History With Cows (and People Who Eat Them)”. The Conversation. 26 July 2017. https://theconversation.com/hinduism-and-its-complicated-history-with-cows-and-people-who-eat-them-80586 Accessed 16 February 2023. Long, Tony. “Sept. 10, 1977: Heads Roll for the Last Time in France.” Wired. 10 Sept. 2007 https://www.wired.com/2007/09/dayintech-0910-2/#:~:text=1977%3A%20France%20stages%20its%20last,torture%2Dslaying%20of%20his%20girlfriend. Accessed 2023 Feb 16. TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

Welcome to (Seven Deadly) Sins City! We’ve spent so much time talking virtues these past few weeks, we flip the script today and talk vices. In this episode, we explore what these so-called sins are, and why even if you’re not Christian, they are worth knowing and (most likely) avoiding. Little, Becky. “How the Seven Deadly Sins Began as ‘Eight Evil Thoughts’. history.com. 25 March 2021. Accessed 26 January 2023. https://www.history.com/news/seven-deadly-sins-origins#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThey're%20called%20'mortal,about%20the%20seven%20deadly%20sins. “Mortal and Venial Sin.” St. Boniface Parish, stboniface-lunenburg.org/mortal-and-venial-sin#:~:text=Mortal%20sins%20are%20grave%20offenses “Seven Deadly Sins.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Jan. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins. Totty, Lindsay. “Your Turn: Gilligan”. Npr.org. 25 January 2008. Accessed 28 January 2023. https://www.npr.org/sections/incharacter/2008/01/your_turn_gilligan.html TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

They say power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In the world of ancient Rome, this saying often proved true, as many of its emperors literally plundered, raped, and pillaged in pursuit of greater thrill and material gain. Standing in sharp contrast to this was Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a man who found himself in the highest office of the land despite not wanting it. Marcus’ life and writings teach us about the final Stoic value, Justice. We dive into what could be called the textbook of Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. We explore the life of the philosopher-king - a man who held the world at his fingertips but chose instead to govern with Courage, Temperance, Wisdom, and Justice. “6 Cruellest Emperors from Ancient Rome.” Sky HISTORY TV Channel, www.history.co.uk/articles/6-cruellest-emperors-from-ancient-rome Aurelius, Marcus. “The Internet Classics Archive | the Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.” Mit.edu, 2009, classics.mit.edu/Antoninus/meditations.html Holiday, Ryan, and Stephen Hanselman. Lives of the Stoics : Lessons on the Art of Living from Marcus Aurelius to Zeno. New York, Portfolio/Penguin, 2020 “Romans 12:4-10 NIV - - Bible Gateway.” Www.biblegateway.com, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A4-10&version=NIV. Accessed 14 Jan. 2023 TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

Philosophers across the ages have always warned that we should not become slaves to our possessions, our social status, or our lifestyles. Epictetus, however, feared this in a much more literal sense: he was born into actual slavery within the cruel ancient Roman empire. Living the first three decades of his life in bondage, he nonetheless found great freedom and peace within Stoic teachings long before he legally became a freeman in his thirties. He exemplified endurance, balance, and Courage. Join us in today’s episode as we learn about the remarkable life of Epictetus, a man who was born as the lowest of the low but whose teachings would live on to inspire emperors, revolutionaries, and warriors well into the modern day. “143 Most Inspiring Mister Rogers Quotes for Helpers.” Good Good Good, 19 Mar. 2022, www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/mr-rogers-quotes Holiday, Ryan, and Stephen Hanselman. Lives of the Stoics : Lessons on the Art of Living from Marcus Aurelius to Zeno. New York, Portfolio/Penguin, 2020 TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

What is beautiful, and what is art? In today’s episode, we dive into the philosophy of Aesthetics. We explore how dissonant music and “dad bods” show us what - and why - we humans label things as the good, the bad, and the ugly. Huynh, Calvin, and Calvin Huynh Nation T. “Dad Bods Are Hot? Fake News vs. Science.” T NATION, 22 July 2021, www.t-nation.com/alpha-life/dad-body-what-women-want/. Accessed 21 Jan. 2023 Kleinman, Paul. Philosophy 101 : From Plato and Socrates to Ethics and Metaphysics, an Essential Primer on the History of Thought. Avon, Massachusetts, Adams Media, 2013 “Why Are Symmetrical Faces so Attractive?” Psychology Today, 2019, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beastly-behavior/201907/why-are-symmetrical-faces-so-attractive TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

Ooh la la!! Good morning from your loving mythological figures, Eros and Psyche. We change gears from our ongoing series on Stoicism to explore a seemingly opposing philosophy: Hedonism. Is everything that we do in pursuit of pleasure, or at least done to minimize pain? Are even people who willingly embrace pain or lead very self-disciplined lives actually Hedonists? We talk about how philosophers define Hedonism and how it differs from our day-to-day understanding of hedonism. Finally, we wrap up with some discussion on whether there even is such a thing as altruism, or whether we’re all just Hedonists in our own way. References: Kleinman, Paul. Philosophy 101 : From Plato and Socrates to Ethics and Metaphysics, an Essential Primer on the History of Thought. Avon, Massachusetts, Adams Media, 2013 Wikipedia contributors. "Hedonism." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 Dec. 2022. Web. 18 Jan. 2023. TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s episode has us analyzing the Stoic value of Wisdom.  We examine the life of Panaetius (pronounced Pan-EYE-tee-us), a Roman Stoic philosopher-turned-legal/political advisor. In an empire famous for its corruption and decadence, Panaetius advocated for a life of self-reflection and progressive reforms such as legal representation for criminals. We discuss the four roles he argued we must play well if we are to live an ethical and fulfilling life. Finally, we end this episode with a meditation on life, death, and impermanence … and how we might use these thoughts to connect more deeply with our friends and elders. “40 Questions to Ask Your Parents before They Die - Storii.” Www.storii.com, www.storii.com/blog/40-questions-to-ask-your-parents-before-they-die#toc-find-out-the-answer-to-these-questions-before-it-s-too-late. Accessed 31 Dec. 2022. Daily Stoic. “History of Memento Mori.” Daily Stoic, 2 Aug. 2018, dailystoic.com/history-of-memento-mori/ Holiday, Ryan, and Stephen Hanselman. Lives of the Stoics : Lessons on the Art of Living from Marcus Aurelius to Zeno. New York, Portfolio/Penguin, 2020 “How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge - Jocko Willink.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rGmiyKfvIg. Accessed 28 Dec. 2022 Stoic Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. iep.utm.edu/stoiceth/#:~:text=The%20Stoics%20elaborated%20a%20detailed TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

In today’s episode, we explore the life and lessons of Cleanthes, a man who was in many ways a living testament to the first Stoic virtue we’ll examine: Temperance. Many doubtless considered him foolish for turning down wealth and honors from nobles and kings, as Cleanthes rejected a life of luxury in favor of being a humble manual laborer. Come with us as we explore the legacy of a man who taught us that everyone - no matter their standing in life - can lead the temperate, peaceful, and fulfilled life of a Stoic. Holiday, Ryan, and Stephen Hanselman. Lives of the Stoics : Lessons on the Art of Living from Marcus Aurelius to Zeno. New York, Portfolio/Penguin, 2020 Stoic Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. iep.utm.edu/stoiceth/#:~:text=The%20Stoics%20elaborated%20a%20detailed TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

More than 2000 years ago, a failed merchant and his pot of lentil soup would help create one of philosophy’s most influential schools of thought. In today’s episode, we are introduced to Stoicism. This sometimes-misunderstood philosophy is not about suffering and experiencing hardship for its own sake, but about using life’s challenges as opportunities for growth, joy, and connection. We introduce you to the Four Stoic Virtues and Zeno the Prophet (and his lentil soup), the unassuming founder of this practical school of philosophy. Come learn how Stoic principles have helped millions throughout the ages achieve greater peace and understanding amidst life’s endless turmoils. Holiday, Ryan, and Stephen Hanselman. Lives of the Stoics : Lessons on the Art of Living from Marcus Aurelius to Zeno. New York, Portfolio/Penguin, 2020 Schawbel, Dan. “Jocko Willink: The Relationship between Discipline and Freedom.” Forbes, www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2017/10/17/jocko-willink-the-relationship-between-discipline-and-freedom/?sh=3135406b6df8. Accessed 29 Nov. 2022 Stoic Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. iep.utm.edu/stoiceth/#:~:text=The%20Stoics%20elaborated%20a%20detailed TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!

What does it mean to live a “good” life, and how do we go about doing so? Philosophy invites us to think about what is possibly one of the most important, timeless, and all-encompassing questions in human history. In this episode, we dive into what this field in philosophy, ethics, is all about. What are the different ways of understanding morals, values, and codes of conduct, and how can understanding this topic’s different facets help us lead lives we consider healthy, rich, and fulfilling? Arnarson, Atli. “7 Nutrients You Can’t Get from Plants.” Healthline, 31 Oct. 2019, www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-nutrients-you-cant-get-from-plants#1.-Vitamin-B1 King, L.W. “The Avalon Project : Code of Hammurabi.” Yale.edu, 2008, avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamframe.asp. Kleinman, Paul. Philosophy 101 : From Plato and Socrates to Ethics and Metaphysics, an Essential Primer on the History of Thought. Avon, Massachusetts, Adams Media, 2013 TO GIVE FEEDBACK: The PhilosoFiles | Reno NV | Facebook OR https://www.instagram.com/philosofilespodcast/ OR Send us an email to [email protected] MUSIC: (All songs purchased royalty-free from Soundstripe.com) Intro: "On To The Next One" by Bobo Renthlei Bumpers: "Are You Near" by Alphie Black "Hey No Loitering" by Major Label Interest "An Epic Win" by Alphie Black Outro: "Truffle Shuffle" by Tiger Gang THANK YOU! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEDNESDAY!