My lectures are dedicated to making Philosophy in particular and the world of ideas in general available to everyone. My exploration of topics and thinkers is d...
READ ALONG SERIES - KANT'S "PROLEGOMENA" As we dive into the foundations of natural science, I pause for a moment to consider the power of Kant’s argument relative to the foundations of mathematics. His arguments have proven pretty much correct relative to the foundations of mathematics as accepted today and so I think we should pay special attention to how he understands the foundations of the natural sciences. Sign-up for Wes's PATREON for class discussions, course materials, weekly diaries from France and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Capitalism: How did we get here? And where are we going? Ep. 1
CAPITALISM: EP. 1 We are surrounded by the idea of capitalism but shockingly little thought is commonly given to what it is, where it has come from and where we are likely going. An attempt to rectify this in a new series. The standard definition of Capitalism:Private ownership of the means of production and distribution.Market-based exchange, where goods and services are produced for profit.Competition, which drives efficiency and innovation.Minimal government intervention, though the degree varies (e.g., laissez-faire vs. regulated capitalism).Marx included Exploitation, wage labor and class conflict . . . Sign-up for Wes's PATREON for class discussions, course materials, weekly diaries from France and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Philosophical Fireside Chats 🔥 🪵: Plutarch's Life of Theseus - Ep. 4
It seems so simple, and yet this story from Ancient Greece captures many of the problems with time, identity, and meaning - a kind of one paragraph version of Heidegger’s Being and Time. It also brings into focus, at least for me, how thinking slowly about simple things can really reveal how tenuous our grasp on the world really is. Sign-up for Wes's PATREON for class discussions, course materials, weekly diaries from France and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Major Thinkers - Ludwig Wittgenstein- Ep. 7
Perhaps the most influential philosopher of the 20th century, he defeated Russel’s attempt to provide a perfect foundation for mathematics and elaborated a linguistic approach to philosophy that dominated English language philosophy for decades. His gnomic writing style and the existence of most of his work as lecture notes compiled from his students make his published legacy quite problematic. Nonetheless, a crucial thinker in the history of philosophy. Sign-up for Wes's PATREON for class discussions, course materials, weekly diaries from France and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Reading Kant's "Prolegomena" - Ep. 3
READ ALONG SERIES - KANT'S "PROLEGOMENA" In these sections Kant lists out the requirements that must be met, according to him, to make any meaningful metaphysical claims. In doing so, he limits our access to the world by removing the opportunity to know things as they are and giving us only the possibility of understanding our world through our perceptual limitations. This fundamental insight, which seems quite obvious when clearly articulated, is a major limitation in the human capacity to understand the world. Yet Kant also sees it as providing a foundation for certain kinds of absolute knowledge. Whether he is correct or not, Kant raises an entire series of challenging questions that really cannot be ignored if one want to think seriously about the possibilities of knowledge. Sign-up for Wes's PATREON for class discussions, course materials, weekly diaries from France and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
My lectures are dedicated to making Philosophy in particular and the world of ideas in general available to everyone. My exploration of topics and thinkers is designed to provide a foundation for listeners to engage in further reading and thought and develop their own conceptions of the topics I introduce. I have PhD in Literature and Philosophy and was a college professor for over 20 years. I am working to remove the barriers that prevent many from experiencing and understanding the lives and thoughts of some of the world's greatest thinkers. Sign-up for Wes's PATREON for class discussions, course materials, weekly diaries from France and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
New Zealand