Visit melaniebragg.com for more on today's guest. Melanie Bragg is the author of Defining Moments: Insights into the Lawyer’s Soul, which is available at amazon.com and the ABA website. Support the podcast at https://anchor.fm/johnspaldingpodcast/support --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
In this episode I discuss Happy Nihilism with a friend named Peter. The conversation took place in London. You’ll have to forgive the sound quality. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
I sit under a tree in sunny London and pontificate on the role "feel good" chemicals play in how we eat. This is a bit of a departure from the usual subjects, but relevant never-the-less. This episode is also notable for the amount of birdsong in the background. I decided not to edit out these lovely chirping noises, nor the sound of the cityscape either--instead, I've merely done some standard podcast filtering. I think the ambience of the setting survive. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
Ever wonder what makes someone a complete asshole? Sometimes it can be explained by how they "otherize" others--that is, they employ language and attitudes to distance a person (or culture) from themselves. Sometimes otherization is found in immigration policies, sometimes in cafes. So what is it? How do we fix this? Can we fix it? Interesting, otherization can be traced back to the idea of the illusory self. In that sense, otherization is yet another example of how self-misapprehension causes unnecessary suffering. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
In this episode, I provide an introduction to Schopenhauer, as well as a reading from his Essays and Aphorism. Here, Schopenhauer provides a description of consciousness that lands squarely in the realm of panpsychism and Buddhism. Schopenhauer is generally considered a pessimist, which is surprising in light of the existence of Nietzsche. At any rate, what Schopenhauer has to say about consciousness is fairly interesting, and worth a listen. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
In this episode, I state my belief about the idea of a creator. The purpose is to provide a reasonable defence of non-belief that does not necessary rely on religious bad-faith, or some other negative premise. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
I read from Russell's Religion and Science, particularly from the chapter on Determinism. What does Russell make of the arguments for and against free will? Let's just say he isn't agnostic, but he does not come down firmly against free will either. I will discuss why this is, and comment in a more general way about Russell's analytical framework. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
In this episode, I talk about what the implications are our ability to meaningfully anticipate future events. This is not a trait baked into all life, yet seems to emerge in all enduring species (from a rose with her thorns, to a man with his wall). I argue that the fact of our ability to anticipate the future, when combined with the reality of our conscious experience, means that notions of identity, the self, and will are not baked into human existence. In this episode: Daniel Dennett's analogy of the smartphone and its screen I answer the question of why NFL Endzone dances exist. I explain why war and rape are merely cousins of song and dance. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
Trump is claiming victory now that the Mueller Report has been summarized by Attorney General Barr. The New York Times reports that the FBI, acting on the orders of a federal prosecutor, arrested former Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti. Today I will about about what this all means. Citation https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/sports/michael-avenatti-extortion-nike.html --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
Nietzsche said "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." From this, we either learn to suffer ill and risk addiction, or suffer well and evade addiction. Having a strong support network is great, but it is not sufficient on its on. On today's podcast, I talk about the importance of the role of suffering in life, and how our ability to deal with suffering determines our future. It's a given that we want to protect our children, and ourselves, but can we go too far? Is it possible that the more we try to protect the things we love, the more we weaken them? I dive into this topic headfirst by presenting a case study involving a boy and his splinter, and discuss how facing this little bit of pain probably changed his life. As always, you can support this podcast for $1 per month at https://anchor.fm/johnspaldingpodcast ... you can use Apple Pay or a credit card. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
This is a double episode! The first pertains to an exchange I recently had on Twitter, and the other pertains to a recent Twitter persecution I witnessed. Support the pod at https://anchor.fm/happy-nihilist/support Visit the website: happynihilistpodcast.com Follow me: @happynihilistca --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
Nietzsche was Nihilist-in-Chief of the nineteenth century. He viewed consciousness as "superfluous" and rather overrated. Today I will present a brief reading from The Will to Power. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
What Michael Cohen’s testimony before the US congress tells us about Donald Trump is pretty jarring. But how did humanity even arrive at a point where Donald Trump is its most powerful member? What does that say about us? How do we get ourselves out of this? The discussion begins with this podcast, which I recorded at a Dunkin Donuts in Brooklyn, NY, USA. Be sure to check out previous episodes of the podcast. You can see the website, support the pod, and get merch at http://www.happynihilistpodcast.com. I will be attending Sam Harris' talk with Nobel Prize winning economist Daniel Khaneman tonight in New York City, and will share my thoughts at some point after the event. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
I read an essay about meaning. It's fun, and accidentally filthy. In a nutshell, we cover Bradley's Regression, balls, and why god doesn't. Enjoy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
An excerpted reading and brief discussion of Russell's Appearance and Reality essay from The Problems of Philosophy. Click on the "Support This Podcast" button at https://anchor.fm/happy-nihilist --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
Is there a way to clean up Twitter? I argue that a paid subscription for tweets is the way to. Some accounts, i.e. verified news organizations could be exempted. Meanwhile those who tweet at people who don't follow them have to pay. This might discourage harassment campaigns. Feel free to reach out to me at http://www.happynihilistpodcast.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
Over the past decade or so, we've seen the reboot of television shows, and movie franchises. But are we rebooting reality as well? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
John discusses the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States, Climate Change, and a pretty funny hoax. Grab some popcorn, because John doesn't hold back. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
John talks about the relationship between free will and how we approach dieting. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support
John reads Immanuel Kant's electrifying essay about enlightenment. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/johnspaldingpodcast/support