Archive for May, 2009

Episode 2: Descartes’s Meditations: What Can We Know?

Posted by Mark Linsenmayer in Podcast Episodes on May 13, 2009

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:39:04 — 90.7MB)

Discussing Descartes’s Meditations 1 and 2.

Descartes engages in the most influential navel gazing ever, and you are there! In this second and superior-to-the-first installment of our lil’ philosophy discussion, we discuss what Descartes thinks he knows with certainty (hint: it is not you), the Matrix, and burning-at-the-stake.com. Mark and Wes agree to disagree about agreeing that they disagree. Seth had a long day and is very tired. Plus: Some listener feedback; whom is this here podcast aimed at? Why, you, of course!

To increase your enjoyment, download and read the text.

Here, also, is the Descartes chunk of Philosophy and the Matrix that Seth refers to.

End song: “Axiomatic” by New People from The Easy Thing (2009).

Descartes, Descartes Meditations, epistemological, epistemology, illusion, Matrix, philosophy podcast, reality, University of Texas

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Part 2 of Episode 1: “The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living.”

Posted by Mark Linsenmayer in Podcast Episodes on May 13, 2009

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:00 — 41.2MB)

More discussion of Plato’s “Apology.”

Incidentally, the “celibacy society” that Seth refers to at one point in here has a T-shirt.

belief, Greek philosophy, philosophy podcast, Plato, Plato's Apology, Socrates, Socrates Apology, St. John's University, Unexamined Life, University of Texas

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Part 1 of Episode 1: “The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living.”

Posted by Mark Linsenmayer in Podcast Episodes on May 12, 2009

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:11 — 38.6MB)

Discussing Plato’s “Apology.”

This reading is all about how Socrates is on trial for acting like an ass and proceeds to act like an ass and so is convicted. Big surprise. On this our inaugural discussion, Mark, Seth, and Wes talk about how philosophers are arrogant bastards who neglect their children, how people of all political stripes don’t usually examine their fundamental beliefs (but probably should), why it might be better to know you know nothing than to only think that you know nothing, and how Plato was a super genius all of whose texts you should worship uncritically. Plus : podcaster philosophical origin stories, like when Wes was bitten by a radioactive Anaxagoras.

To increase your enjoyment, download and read Plato’s Apology.

belief, Greek philosophy, philosophy podcast, Plato, Plato's Apology, Socrates, Socrates Apology, St. John's University, Unexamined Life, University of Texas

8 Comments