Open Door Philosophy

Philosophy is a notoriously massive subject, and for someone unfamiliar, it might be difficult to figure out where to start. Do you look for a famous name on the bookshelf? Try to choose a subject? Start with self-help? Maybe join a book club? In this episode, we answer a listener question by exploring how to get started in philosophy by recounting our own experiences and plotting a course. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

The Shawnee, a native American tribe, tells a tale of brother crow and brother buffalo which imparts the wisdom of balance: to only hunt the buffalo when it is necessary for food and skins, but to remember that each creature is our brother and sister too. Tales like this one are not uncommon in many indigenous cultures around the world. Through an illustrative story set in nature, they transmit the ethical, epistemological, and metaphysical beliefs of the tribe from one generation to the next on topics such as virtue and vice, creation and purpose, life, death, and what comes after. Yet the collective body of knowledge and beliefs of such tribes are not considered philosophy, but are rather placed in an adjacent and loosely defined category called “wisdom traditions.” And this label is hardly reserved for indigenous knowledge systems. Buddhism, Humanism, Taoism, Transcendentalism, Confucianism and Quakerism have all been called wisdom traditions by some. In what way do wisdom traditions differ from philosophy? Are they considered “lesser than” or are they on equal ground but utilize different ways of knowing? Is the term subversively pejorative? Or does its separate status identify something uniquely different and profoundly important?Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

On first listen, you might think this episode is about the Tao Te Ching. We thought it would be too, but it became a meandering conversations about the origin of authority, premises that lead to conclusion, justification, wisdom versus reason, and social media. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

It’s pretty common in the self-help age we live in, with piles of well meaning books and as many podcast as the stars, to pursue happiness. But often the focus is on what we can change or tweak in our life to obtain it rather than what exactly it is. What is happiness? Perhaps if we identify what happiness is, we can create a foundation on which to build.Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Love is a driving factor in our decisions. People plan their lives around who they love: they stay close to their parents, take a completely random job to stay with their spouse, and save hundreds of thousands of dollars for their future children’s education. But just as the people we love drive our decisions, so do what activities we love. Famously, Paul Gauguin ran away from his wife and children, culture and country to pursue his love of painting in Tahiti. The composer Piotor Tchaikovsky gave up a potentially lucrative career as a civil servant to study composition. Less dramatically however, we make these decisions all the time in our lives. We sacrifice our time to read, our bodies to play sports, or our sleep to go watch Taylor Swift concerts. We do these activities because we love them. And this love, many philosophers argue, gives our life meaning. But do all activities, even ones that are trivial but that we might enjoy, contribute to meaning? Can humans love any task? If not, what is the criterion and who makes it? And why should we care? Join us today as we unpack the paradox between love and meaning. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Around 2500 years ago in Ancient Greece, Empedocles contemplated the essential questions of the universe, including the role of love and strife. Empedocles is known as a pre-Socratic philosopher, although he was primarily a poet. In his surviving works, On Nature and Purifications, Empedocles posits that the cosmic powers of Love and Strife govern the four indestructible elements of the universe. Love unifies the elements with each other and draws like to like. Since then, philosophers, poets, and thinkers have contemplated what love is and how it impacts human existence and the function of the universe. From the Platonic dialogues to 20th century literature, thinkers have chronicled their thoughts on love.  So why are philosophers so concerned with love? Is love that important that it commands centuries of attention from nearly every philosophical thinker? In many ways, love is what binds us together as humans and gives motivation to our lives. Today, we will explore love and its role in human life. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Roughly 3700 years ago, in the fertile crescent of mesopotamia, the first Western epic was composed. The character Gilgamesh, and his friend Enkidu, have many adventures battling mighty beasts. But when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is thrown into, what we would today call, an existential crisis, as Gilgamesh grapples with themes such as friendship and love, mortality, free will and fate, and the search for meaning. Since that time, literature has been consistently used as a vehicle to explore philosophical themes, whether that be the ancient Greeks through the Iliad and the Odyssey, or the modern existentialist.  But why is this? Aren’t philosophical treatises sufficient? There’s something about literature as an alternative avenue to philosophical thought. Rather than a treatise with syllogisms, points and counterpoints, thought experiments and the like, great literature allows us to contemplate some of life’s greatest mysteries with a little life breathed into it through colorful characters, allegorical tales, intricate metaphors, or captivating dialogues. Through this vehicle, philosophical literature challenges readers to ponder the nature of truth, the meaning of happiness, and the complexities of human relationships.But can literature be considered philosophy? Does it do a disservice to the philosophical enterprise? And ultimately, what is its value to human experience? Join us as we explore the connection between philosophy and literature. Episode ResourcesThe Myth of Sisyphus - Albert Camus The Stranger - Albert CamusUtopia - Thomas MooreThe Divine Comedy (Inferno) - DanteSilence - Shusaku EndoHamlet - ShakespeareThe Decameron - Giovanni BoccaccioThe Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. TolkienOn Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean VuongThe Little Life - Donna TartOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Ludwig Wittgenstein was born in 1889 into a wealthy and aristocratic family in Austria. He was a brilliant child, and he was educated at some of the best schools in the country.After graduating from Cambridge University, Wittgenstein began a career in mathematics and logic. He quickly made a name for himself as a brilliant thinker, and he published several important works on these subjects.In the early 1900s, Wittgenstein began to turn his attention to philosophy. He was particularly interested in the philosophy of language, and he published several important works on this subject. Join us as we look into his major theories and work. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

One of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, British philosopher Bertrand Russell's reach is inescapable.  He was a true polymath, with interests in mathematics, logic, philosophy, politics, and social reform. And he was also a controversial figure, often outspoken in his criticism of the status quo. Join us as we ask, who was Bertrand Russell?Episode ResourcesA History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand RussellThe Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand RussellProblems of Philosophy by Bertrand RussellOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Join us for this exploration of the concept of hope from a philosophical perspective. What is hope? Can hope ever be justified?  What are the uses of hope? And what do different philosophical schools say about hope? Plus a visit to the bookshelf!The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet: John GreenLife is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way: Kieran SetiyaOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

The philosophy of Transcendentalism  advocated for living simply, evaluating tradition, and cultivating your inner-self. Join us as we explore some of the practices that Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson participated in attempting to cultivate the soul. We also discuss the new Snapchat AI. Apologies for the poor audio track. Episode ResourcesTranscendentalism and The Cultivation of the Soul by Barry M. AndrewsNature and Other Essays by Ralph Waldo EmersonWalden, Civil Disobedience, and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Surely despair is a state of mind we all experience from time to time, and once through it we never want to experience such a state again. The Danish philosopher and father of Existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard, believed that despair was a universal feature of existence. In other words, none of us are getting out of it, and it's also not a temporary state, but something we endure all the time. Fear not though, Kierkegaard has an answer. Join us as we explore is text The Sickness Unto Death as well as catch up on things and offer a very patched together recounting of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Episode ResourcesThe Sickness Unto Death - Søren KierkegaardKierkegaard, a Very Short Introduction -Patrick Gardiner Philosopher of the Heart: The Restless Life of Søren Kierkegaard - Clare CarlisleOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Who doesn't love a little Marcus Aurelius? Join us for our third annual visit with our old philosophical friend, Marcus. He hasn't change much, but maybe we have. Also tune in for another installment of ChatGPT versus Mr. Parsons and Taylor orchestrated by the gamemaster Andrew, as well as a visit to the bookshelf! Good times had by all. Episode ResourcesMeditations by Marcus Aurelius (Hays Translation)Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Waterfield Translation)Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

Hinduism is the oldest continuous eastern philosophy in the world. In this episode we look at a bit of it's history, some of it's main beliefs, the influential Bhagavad Gita, and offer some practical application. Episode ResourcesThe Bhagavad Gita Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

The Four Noble Truths, The Eight Fold Path, the interdependent nature of all things, and licking honey from a razor blade. Buddhism has a tremendous following world wide, but with such notoriety comes many misconceptions, or at least misguided approximations, from those who do not practice or live in a region where it is widely practiced. Join us this episode as we focus on some of the more philosophical claims Buddhism makes such as the nature of suffering.Episode ResourcesOld Path White Cloud :Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha by Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist Ethics: A Philosophical Exploration by Jay GarfieldEpisode 112, The Philosophy of Buddhism with Jay Garfield, The Panpsycast PodcastOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

One of the three great Chinese philosophical traditions, join us as we explore Confucianism. What is the gentleman? What does it mean to be benevolent? And why follow the rites?Episode ResourcesThe Analects Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name."Thus begins one of the most famous and mysterious claims in philosophy from one of the two primary texts of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Join us as we explore the philosophy of Taoism which values balance, flexibility, and non-attachment in this first of a four part series on Eastern Philosophy!Episode ResourcesTao Te Ching - Feng/English TranslationOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

It's our 50th episode, and we decided to celebrate by answering your questions! Do we have free will? What's a philosophical tv show/movie we like?  What got us into philosophy, and what keeps us there? And more! Plus a little retrospective, some looking forward, and a lot of laughs!Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

*cue dramatic music*Out of the ashes of World War II arose a philosophy based on embracing the absurdism of existence, being authentic, and enduring the existential nausea that resulted.  One of it's many champions was French  philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, who scaled the mountain of criticism to become one of the most popularly known figures of the mid-twentieth century. With his emphasis on radical freedom and responsibility, a solidified movement called Existentialism was born. Join us as we explore his life and theories as we ask, who was Jean-Paul Sartre?ResourcesNausea Being and NothingnessExistentialism Is a Humanism Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com

One of the most popular philosophers of the mid 20th century and influential member of 2nd wave feminism, Existentialist Simone de Beauvoir was a significant novelist, essayist, autobiographer, and champion of social issues. Join us as we explore and discuss the life and ideas of Simone de Beauvoir. Episode Resources:Becoming Beauvoir by Kate Kirkpatrick How To Be Authentic by Sky ClearlyAt the Existentialist Cafe by Sarah BakewellOpen Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilosophy.com