Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Unpacking Ideas
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33. Marie-Louise von Franz on The Problem of the Eternal Child | 17 Jun 2024 | 01:18:29 | |
In this episode we unpack, Swiss Psychologist, Marie-Louise von Franz's classic book, "The Problem of the Puer Aeternus" from a series of lectures she gave in 1959. This book explores -The Eternal Child Archetype -The Mother Complex (Jungian) -The Loss of Initiation Rituals in the Modern Age Links to Reading & Articles mentioned The Problem of the Puer Aeternus by Marie-Louis von Franz The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: David Bloome Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 0:00:00 Introduction 0:02:24 David’s Story Discovering the book 0:12:07 Characteristics of The Puer Aeternus 0:16:14 Commitmentphobia/Megalomania 0:23:00 The Mother Complex 0:28:46 Enmeshment 0:37:45 Analysis of “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery 0:40:47 Symbolism of the Boa Constrictor choking the Elephant 0:46:00 Symbolism of the Little Prince Image 0:50:45 Symbolism of The Overgrown Baobob Trees 0:54:11 The Literal and Figurative Crash of Individuals suffering from the Eternal Child Complex 0:58:04 Von Franz’s Antidote to the Problem - Initiation Rituals 1:02:02 Consequences of the Lack of Initiation Rituals in the Modern Age 1:06:00 The literal and Figurative crash of Societies Suffering from the Eternal Child Complex 1:08:40 Jung’s Antidote to the Problem- Work 1:17:18 outro | |||
| 24. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross on The Five Stages of Grief | 21 Nov 2022 | 01:31:45 | |
In this episode we unpack Swiss Psychiatrist and Author Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's classic book "On Death and Dying" from 1969. This book explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross The Trauma of Birth by Otto Rank Uses of the Erotic by Audrey Lorde Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag Empathy vs. Sympathy by Brene Brown (video) *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Andrea Dispenziere Psychology Today Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:58 Autumn’s Association with Death 00:06:15 Reminding Ourselves of our Mortality 00:13:19 Fear of Death in the Modern Age 00:14:40 Decline in Infant Mortality 00:17:25 Impersonal Treatment of Terminal Patients 00:24:29 The Illusion of Control 00:25:39 Summary of Kubler-Ross’s Interview Project 00:28:10 Verbal Ventilation 00:28:59 Importance of Meaning/Purpose 00:33:38 Mourning the Loss of Certain Abilities before Death 00:36:42 The Five Stages of Grief 00:38:23 Stage 1: Denial 00:39:18 Euphemism 00:40:51 Emotional Detachment 00:46:00 The Stigma of Denial 00:48:50 The Last Stage of the 5 stages of grief is the First Step of the 12 steps Program 00:50:05 The Link between Denial and Hope 00:52:16 Shock and Numbness 00:53:22 The Connection between Isolation and Denial 00:55:24 Stage 2: Anger 00:55:29 Anger at God 00:57:06 Anger at Oneself 00:59:05 Victim Blaming 01:01:00 Anger at the Living 01:02:16 Stage 3: Bargaining 01:02:54 Ambivalence 01:04:50 Bargaining with God 01:05:43 Reneging on the “Agreement” 01:10:45 Stage 4: Depression 01:10:49 Reactive vs. Preparatory Depression 01:12:47 Telling the Depressed Person to “Cheer Up” 01:14:15 Grieving your Anticipated Future 01:18:49 Sitting with the Person in Whatever Stage They’re In 01:21:28 Stage 5: Acceptance 01:21:36 Detaching from Life 01:22:30 Conflating Acceptance as “Quitting” 01:23:30 Difficulty Accepting Death in a Masculine Culture 01:25:57 Need for Solitude at End of Life 01:29:12 Kubler-Ross’s View of Death and Dying 01:30:30 Wrapping up/Outro | |||
| 23. John Muir on Finding God in Nature | 17 Oct 2022 | 00:55:03 | |
In this episode we unpack American Naturalist and Environmental Activist John Muir's Spiritual Writings from 1867-1915. These letters explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned Spiritual Writings by John Muir Chief Seattle full Speech 1854 *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Mark McCann Wordsnvisions.com Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:55 Hiking as a Metaphor for Life 00:05:13 Summary of John Muir’s Life 00:08:35 Water over Stones 00:09:14 Finding God in a Thunderstorm 00:12:44 The Fear of the Unknown 00:16:57 The Call of Nature 00:20:52 The Confessional of the Woods/Solitude 00:24:13 Man’s Relationship to Nature 00:34:10 Seeking God in Scripture and Nature 00:35:06 The Cathedral Effect 00:40:27 Gratitude for The Big and Little Things 00:43:22 The Revitalizing Effects of Wilderness on the Body and Spirit 00:51:00 Muir’s Mission in Life 00:53:34 Wrapping up/Outro | |||
| 22. Aldous Huxley on Altered States of Consciousness | 19 Sep 2022 | 00:58:56 | |
In this episode we unpack British novelist and public intellectual Aldous Huxley's 1954 essay "The Doors of Perception." This essay explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley General Resonance Theory (paper) Entropic Brain Hypothesis (paper) Nested Observer Windows (paper) The Bhagavad Gita translation by Eknath Easwaran How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Nikki Johnson linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-johnson-free-thinker/ Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 introduction 00:03:05 background about Huxley’s trip 00:05:58 the challenge of trying to communicate direct experience 00:11:30 Nikki's multi-sphere model of consciousness 00:14:28 the various terms for “God” 00:16:36 the reducing-valve theory of consciousness 00:27:52 types of people who filter out less primary consciousness 00:28:09 The Artist 00:31:26 The Schizophrenic 00:35:40 The Genius 00:36:33 the terror of witnessing God directly 00:43:06 the morality of the contemplative life 00:46:32 Huxley’s conception of enlightenment 00:48:46 the desire for self-transcendence 00:50:45 the war on psychedelics 00:54:27 integrating lessons from past lives 00:56:15 how a psychedelic experience changes a person’s character 00:57:23 wrapping up/outro | |||
| 21. Eric Berne on Games People Play | 02 Sep 2022 | 01:04:31 | |
In this episode we unpack Canadian psychiatrist and analyst Eric Berne's 1964 book "Games People Play." This book explores...
Links to Reading Games People Play by Eric Berne *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Sonya @selfhelpsonya on TikTok & Instagram Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:04 The 6 Types of Interactions 00:05:59 Withdrawal 00:08:09 Procedures 00:10:13 Rituals 00:11:39 Emotional Stroking 00:14:28 Calculating how many strokes to give 00:19:21 Pastimes/Small-talk 00:20:06 Types of Small-talk 00:21:08 How a host determines the pastimes people play at a party 00:24:08 The rules for small-talk 00:27:16 Why we engage in small-talk 00:28:38 The 3 Ego States 00:29:25 The Parent Ego State 00:29:45 The Child Ego State 00:30:18 The Adult Ego State 00:31:32 Complementary Transactions 00:33:31 Crossed Transactions 00:36:00 Child-Child Transaction 00:38:04 Adult-Adult Transaction 00:38:39 The 2 Levels of of an interaction (social level & psychological level) 00:39:05 Superficial Transactions 00:39:32 Ulterior Transactions 00:39:46 Flirtatious Games 00:42:32 A Thesaurus of Games 00:42:36 "Look Ma, No Hands!" 00:47:32 "Now I've got You, You Son-of-a-Bitch!" 00:52:55 "Why Don't You, Yes But..." 00:55:25 Intimacy 00:56:00 The Uncorrupted Child 00:57:39 Operations ie. stating a need directly 01:00:36 Why most people settle for games 01:01:53 Closing Thoughts 01:03:34 Outro
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| 20. Jean Piaget on The Psychology of Children | 08 Aug 2022 | 01:30:37 | |
In this episode we unpack Swiss Epistemologist and Developmental Psychologist Jean Piaget's 1969 book "The Psychology of a Child." This book explores...
Links to Reading and Other Sources Mentioned The Psychology of the Child by Jean Piaget A Piaget Primer by Dorothy G. Singer & Tracey A. Revenson Conversations with Piaget by Jean-Claude Bringuier Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jeff Micheal-Johnson Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:26 What Piaget was trying to study 00:09:15 How a Child Learns (Adaptation/Assimilation/Accommodation) 00:17:04 The Stages of Cognitive Development 00:24:00 The Sensory-Motor Stage/Egocentrism 00:30:42 Object Permanence 00:33:19 Language at the Sensory-Motor Stage 00:36:15 Play at the Sensory-Motor stage/Practice Play 00:37:32 The Pre-moral Stage 00:38:21 The Pre-operrational Stage/Superstitious Thinking 00:43:44 Language at the Pre-operational stage/The Monologue 00:46:00 The Collective Monologue 00:47:53 Play at the Pre-operational stage/Parallel Play 00:50:57 Symbolic Play 00:52:48 Animism 00:54:20 Free Play 00:57:39 The Conventional Stage of Morality 01:01:18 Conservation 01:06:36 The Concrete Operations Stage 01:07:15 Language in the Concrete Operations stage 01:10:07 Play at the Concrete Operations stages/Games with Rules 01:16:10 The Autonomous Stage of Morality 01:18:42 The Formal Operations Stage/Abstract Thought 01:22:17 Language at the Formal Operations Stage 01:22:56 Life after the 4 stages of Development 01:24:09 Spiritual Development 01:25:30 Egocentrism vs Egolessness 01:27:17 How the Child Lives on in the Adult | |||
| 19. Albert Camus on The Absurdity of Life | 25 Jul 2022 | 01:10:24 | |
In this episode we unpack Algerian Novelist Albert Camus' 1942 essay "The Myth of Sisyphus." This essay explores... -Why life is an absurdity -Why sitting with inconvenient truths make them easier to bare -How to find meaning in a meaningless world Links to Reading and Other Sources Mentioned The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus A Night of Serious Drinking by Rene Daumal Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (film) *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Arthur O'Dwyer Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:52 Writing from a place of confusion and curiosity 00:08:15 The only Serious Philosophical Problem 00:08:55 The Nietzschian Criterion 00:11:32 Can we live with the awareness of the absurd without turning away? 00:13:00 Suicide as a social cause vs. existential cause 00:14:56 Is living worth the suffering? 00:14:44 The uncertainty of the afterlife 00:16:47 Camus two certainties 00:18:08 Nostalgia for Unity 00:20:40 Camus’s Critique of Science 00:23:11 Waking up to the Absurd 00:27:35 Definition of Absurdity 00:30:04 Philosophical Suicide 00:30:55 Critique of Kierkegaard 00:36:25 Critique of the Phenomenologists 00:43:21 Truths worth Dying For 00:47:05 The Greek Myth of Sisyphus 00:52:50 What Makes Sisyphus a Tragedy 00:54:44 Abandoning Hope 00:57:29 Consciousness as the cause of and cure to suffering 00:58:16 Finding Meaning in the struggle 01:03:42 We can only control how we respond 01:05:27 Crushing Truths Perish from Being Acknowledged 01:09:00 wrapping up/outro | |||
| 18. Harry Frankfurt on Bull$#!T | 04 Jul 2022 | 00:51:31 | |
In this episode we unpack American Philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt's 1986 essay "On Bullshit." This essay explores... -What bullshit is -How bullshitting differs from lying -Why bullshitting is so prevalent in our culture Links to Reading and Other Sources Mentioned On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt Of Liars by Michel de Montaigne Glengarry Glen Ross (film) Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Max Robinson Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:59 the Bullshit Artist 00:06:18 Background of the Essay 00:07:20 The Proliferation of Bullshit 00:09:12 How Bullshitting Differs from Lying 00:13:38 Politician’s Dodge 00:17:38 Incentives to Bullshit 00:24:00 How Bullshitting Differs from Bluffing 00:25:36 The Etymology of “Bullshit” 00:26:51 Speaking Without Saying Anything 00:29:00 Bullshitting Compared to the Act of Shitting 00:30:53 What Function Does Bullshit Serve? 00:32:58 Has the Digital Age Increased Bullshit? 00:33:41 Is there More Bullshit Now than in Previous Generations? 00:37:16 How Democracy Increases Bullshit 00:40:42 “Talking Out of Your Ass” 00:41:53 “Trash Talking” 00:42:56 “Smooth Talking” 00:43:52 A Bull Session 00:46:55 “Shooting the Shit” 00:48:30 Pretentious Bullshit 00:49:53 “Don’t Piss on My Leg and Tell me it’s Raining” 00:50:39 Outro | |||
| 17. Stanley Milgram on Obedience to Authority | 06 Jun 2022 | 01:33:36 | |
In this episode we unpack American Social Psychologist Stanley Milgram's 1974 book "Obedience to Authority." This book explores... -Why we lose our sense of moral responsibility when taking orders -Why we are so bad at predicting our capacity to be obedient -Why the desire to be polite can lead us to do evil Links to Reading and Other Books/Movies Mentioned Obedience to Authority by Stanley Milgram CRT: An Introduction by Richard Delgado & Jean Stefancic Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian (short story) Experimenter (movie about Stanley Milgram) A Hidden Life by Terrence Malick (film) **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Claire Bevan ClairehBevan@gmail.com Theme Music: Polyenso listen here Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:52 Historical context of the Milgram Experiment 00:05:00 Asch’s Conformity Experiment 00:06:57 Milgram’s Existential Questions for the Experiment 00:09:25 Milgram’s Personal Motivation for the Experiments 00:09:53 Summary of the Experiment 00:15:012 Milgram’s Hypothesis for the Experiment 00:17:25 Results of the Experiment 00:18:39 the Disconnect between our predictions and reality 00:19:50 The Attribution Error 00:21:07 The Agentic State/Loss of Moral Responsibility 00:25:47 The Horrific Consequences of the Division of Labor in Society 00:28:12 Doing What We’re Told as a Way of Preserving Cognitive Energy 00:32:35 Victim Blaming 00:33:10 Dehumanization feedback loop 00:38:26 Variations of the Experiment 00:39:20 Proximity of Experimenter to Subject 00:43:35 Proximity of Subject to Victim 00:47:47 Power in Numbers in Dissent 00:51:30 Not Seeing Disobedience as an Option 00:54:08 Counteranthropromorphism 00:56:36 More Variations 00:58:52 Motivations for Dissent 01:01:30 The Sequential Nature of Action 01:03:43 The Unknown of Dissent 01:04:22 The Moment of Bravery to Say No 01:05:08 Obeying out of a sense of Politeness 01:09:49 Feeling Bad After Doing the Right Thing 01:12:28 Profiles of Subjects 01:13:22 Obedience to God as an Antidote to Obedience to Corruption 01:18:14 Feeling Bad vs. Doing Good 01:20:18 The Effects of the Experiment on the Subjects 01:23:08 The Ethics of the Experiment 01:24:40 Lessons Learned for the Experiment 01:29:16 Variations we would have liked to see 01:32:22 Wrapping Up/Outro | |||
| 16. The Book of Job on The Problem of Evil | 23 May 2022 | 01:27:21 | |
In this episode we unpack "The Book of Job" from The Old Testament of the Bible This book explores... -Why God allows bad things to happen to innocent people -Why surrender is sometimes the only answer to that which is out of our control -Why pondering the cosmos helps put our personal suffering into perspective Links to Reading and other Books mentioned The Wisdom Books by Robert Alter The Art of Biblical Poetry by Robert Alter The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick (film) **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Lee Posna LeePosna@gmail.com Theme Music: Polyenso listen here Timestamps (00:01:22) Introducing Job (00:03:59) Author/Date/Translation (00:09:45) Summary of Job Story (00:17:10) Loyalty to God (00:22:55) "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, naked shall I return tither." (00:26:19) Job's wife's skepticism (00:27:55) Victim Blaming (Job's friends) (00:36:39) God's response to Job (00:42:40) Acceptance/Surrender to fate (00:46:20) Carl Jung's "Answer to Job" (00:53:59) Putting personal suffering into perspective (00:58:43) The Problem of Evil (01:23:28) Summing up | |||
| 15. Rainer Maria Rilke on The Creative Process | 21 Mar 2022 | 01:24:11 | |
In this episode we unpack Austrian Existential Poet Rainer Maria Rilke's masterpiece "Letters to a Young Poet." These letters explore... -Why solitude is vital for creatives -Why the creative process is similar to the gestation period and birthing of a baby -Why advice is often unhelpful Links to Reading and other Books mentioned Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke Attached by Amir Levine & Rachel Heller **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jasia Ries Instagram @thejasia Theme Music: Polyenso listen here Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:17 Translation 00:03:55 Background to the letters 00:05:48 Advice to others is often advice to ourselves 00:09:21 Turning inward to answer your biggest questions 00:17:15 A great work of art springs from necessity 00:22:19 There is nothing boring. Only boring people 00:23:26 Solitude 00:30:36 The gestation of an idea 00:35:15 Rilke’s conception of God 00:41:48 Living the questions 00:48:15 Things that are difficult are worth doing 00:49:30 Entering a relationship from a place of already being whole 00:56:20 What the sexes can learn from each other 01:04:04 Codependency vs. Interdependency 01:09:50 Sadness and Change as two sides of the same coin 01:19:42 wrapping up/outro | |||
| 32. Thomas Paine on Tyranny | 21 Dec 2023 | 01:14:10 | |
In this episode we unpack "Common Sense" by English-American Political Activist Thomas Paine. This Books Explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jared Shoup Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 0:00:00 Introduction 0:05:01 Historical Context of Common Sense 0:13:37 Thomas Paine’s Background 0:20:48 The Differences Between Society and Government 00:25:00 Government as a Necessary Evil 00:27:28 Anti-Monarchy Sentiments in The Old Testament 0:30:11 Parallels Between The 12 Tribes of Israel and The 13 American Colonies 0:32:01 The Origins of Kings 0:35:35 Paine’s Critiques of Hereditary Succession 00:37:35 Paine’s Critiques of Constitutional Monarchy 0:42:13 The Disease of Monarchy 0:44:19 Paine’s Ad Hominem Attacks 0:45:14 The Present State of American Affairs 0:46:26 Why Separation from England is Necessary 0:47:40 England as “The Mother Country” 0:50:00 Why America Doesn’t Need England for Protection 0:51:16 Why America Doesn’t Need England for Trade 0:52:20 Logistical Nightmare of Communication with England 0:53:52 Why Now is the Time for Separation 0:54:58 The Paradoxical Correlation between a Nation’s Population and Military Size 0:58:00 “Relapse More Wretched Than the First” 0:59:56 Paine’s Ideas in What an American Government Should Look Like 1:04:06 America’s Naval Potential 1:07:44 Paine’s Call to Unite America 1:10:35 The Impact of “Common Sense” 1:13:05 Wrapping Up/Outro | |||
| 14. Robert Louis Stevenson on Idleness | 21 Feb 2022 | 01:29:45 | |
In this episode we unpack Scottish Novelist Robert Louis Stevenson's essay "An Apology for Idlers" from 1877. The essay explores… -Why we should spend a good deal of time being idle in our youth -Why we have a moral duty to be happy -Why books aren't all they're cracked up to be Links to Reading and Articles mentioned "An Apology to Idlers" by Robert Louis Stevenson **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Alex Berner Pocket Bard (Interactive music app for gamers and tabletop RPG's like D&D) Theme Music: Polyenso listen here Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:42 Does idleness make us grow weary? 00:08:21 Stevenson’s definition of Idleness 00:12:58 how different generations view idleness 00:17:57 how one’s happiness effects other people 00:22:24 better to be happy and poor than miserable and industrious 00:28:04 the resentment workers feel towards idlers 00:31:01 rethinking priorities 00:31:31 the story of Alexander the Great and Diogenes 00:41:57 the resentment unrecognized workers feel 00:45:58 equating one’s self worth with one’s economic value 00:48:51 spending time being idle in youth 00:50:28 Experiential learning vs. book learning 00:54:12 books are a bloodless substitute for life 00:59:11 leaving yourself space for having your own ideas 01:06:26 all work and no play is soul crushing 01:08:52 assessing how much time we spend on certain tasks 01:12:17 your work doesn’t matter as much as you think it does 01:13:12 the “great man” theory of history 01:17:45 why sacrificing your youth for work is a bad idea 01:21:25 fame and money doesn’t make you happy 01:24:17 sensitivity to talking about work 01:26:59 wrapping up/outro | |||
| 13. Epicurus on Death Anxiety | 04 Feb 2022 | 01:35:03 | |
In this episode we unpack "Letter to Menoeceus" by Ancient Greek Philosopher Epicurus. The Letter explores... -Why death is not something we need to fear -Why those who need luxury least are the ones who enjoy it most -How to make calculations to maximize pleasure and tranquility Links to Reading and articles mentioned "Letter to Menoceus" by Epicurus "Money Buys Happiness Only to a Certain Point" by Andrew T. Jebb of Purdue University "Better Never to Have Been" by David Benatar" **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura Unpackingideas.com Guest: Daniel Libin Theme Music: Polyenso Listen here Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:04 Section 1 00:03:00 Philosophy is for The Old and Young 00:06:28 Happiness is Not Everything, but Unhappiness is 00:09:38 Happiness vs. Ataraxia vs. Eudaemonia 00:15:34 Section 2 00:17:32 Gods Aren’t Concerned with Human Affairs 00:20:00 Section 3 00:21:29 Epicurean Death Argument 00:22:55 Alief vs. Belief 00:25:45 Aristotle’s 3 types of Arguments 00:26:47 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 00:29:25 Near Death Experiences 00:30:04 Fear of Death vs. Fear of Dying 00:31:17 Death Anxiety 00:32:41 Thomas Nagel’s Counter Argument to Epicurus 00:42:58 Section 4 00:45:00 Better to Have Never Been? 00:52:30 Section 5 00:53:47 Ataroxia 00:54:44 Buddhism vs. Epicureanism 01:01:14 Section 6 01:02:32 Epicureanism vs. Hedonism 01:07:35 All Pain is Bad, but Sometimes We Should Choose the Painful Option 01:09:00 Hedonic Calculation 01:10:30 Section 7 01:12:18 Misinterpretations of Epicureanism 01:13:54 Those Who Least Need Extravagances, Enjoy Them the Most 01:16:47 “Everything Natural is Easy to Obtain, Whatever is Groundless is Hard to Obtain” 01:24:23 Section 8 01:25:14 Prudence & Justice 01:28:40 Section 9 01:30:37 Better to Be Virtuous than Lucky 01:33:08 Wrapping up/Outro | |||
| 12. Cicero on Friendship | 01 Jan 2022 | 01:28:28 | |
In this episode we unpack Roman Orator and Politician Marcus Tullius Cicero's treatise "On Friendship" from 44BCE. The treatise explores... -Why blind loyalty in friendship should be avoided -How the conception of a "soul mate" has changed throughout the ages -How to choose a friend like a Stoic Links to Reading and Articles Mentioned "Of Freindship" by Michel de Montaigne **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Bernardo Lopez Theme Music: Polyenso | |||
| 11. Sun Tzu on The Art of War | 20 Dec 2021 | 01:26:51 | |
In this episode we unpack Chinese Military Strategist Sun Tzu's classic treatise "The Art of War" from circa 500BCE. The treatise explores... -Why the supreme general is not the one who fights and wins many battles -Why it is unwise to corner the enemy -How a General should command his soldiers Link to Reading **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jason Peng The World Philosophy Group (on meetup.com) Theme Music: Polyenso | |||
| 10. Jacob Bronowski on The Ascent of Man | 06 Oct 2021 | 01:02:01 | |
In this episode we unpack British Mathematician and Biologist Jacob Bronowski’s 1973 essay “The Long Childhood” from his 1973 documentary series “The Ascent of Man.” This essay explores... -Why it is humans who ride horses and not the other way around -Why Traditional civilizations revered the adult and Modern Western civilization reveres the child -Why all Utopias are destined to fail Link to Video "The Long Childhood" from The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronowski **note** watching video is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Shrikant Rangnekar 52 Living Ideas Youtube Channel and Meetup Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 9. Erich Neumann on Scapegoat Psychology Pt. 2 | 22 Sep 2021 | 01:27:28 | |
In this episode we unpack German Depth Psychologist Erich Neumann's 1949 essay "Depth Psychology and a New Ethic." This essay explores... -The origins and history of consciousness -The stages of ethical development -Why each individual must go on the journey of Individuation Link to Reading "Depth Psychology and a New Ethic" by Erich Neumann **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode Host: Zach Stehura unpackingideas.com Guest: Jorge Cabrales NYC Carl Jung Meetup Group Theme Music: Polyenso | |||
| 8. Erich Neumann on Scapegoat Psychology Pt. 1 | 08 Sep 2021 | 01:27:31 | |
In this episode we unpack German Depth Psychologist Erich Neumann's 1949 essay "Depth Psychology and a New Ethic." This essay explores... -How the processes of repression, suppression, and projection work -Why the Judeo-Christian Ethic leads to projecting our negative qualities onto others -Why we scapegoat minorities, psychopaths, and people of superior ability Link to Reading "Depth Psychology and a New Ethic" by Erich Neumann **note: reading is not required to enjoy the episode Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jorge Cabrales NYC Carl Jung Meetup Group Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 7. Dale Carnegie on Winning Friends and Influencing People | 26 Aug 2021 | 01:20:26 | |
In this episode we unpack American Self-Help Coach Dale Carnegie's 1936 best-selling book "How to Win Friends and Influence People." The book explores... -Whether or not all human behavior is self interested -How to make people feel important -Why remembering people's names is such a big deal Link to Reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Shaheed Majid Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 6. David Foster Wallace on The Ethics of Eating Animals | 11 Aug 2021 | 01:24:21 | |
In this episode we unpack American Novelist and Journalist David Foster Wallace's essay "Consider the Lobster" from 2004. The essay explores... -The strange history of eating lobster in America -How the language we use influences the way we think about animals -How future generations might look at the way we currently treat animals Link to Reading "Consider the Lobster" by David Foster Wallace **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guests: Danny Jimenez & Manny Caride thevegangents.com (Dozens of easy, nutritious, and delicious vegan recipes!) Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 5. Henry David Thoreau on The Art of Walking | 21 Jul 2021 | 01:07:23 | |
In this episode we unpack American Transcendentalist Philosopher and Abolitionist Henry David Thoreau's essay "Walking" from 1851. The essay explores... -Why English Literature is lacking the passion and wildness found in Mythology -Why a person's ignorance is sometimes not only useful, but beautiful -How to go on walks in the spirit of undying adventure Link to Reading "Walking" by Henry David Thoreau **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Stephen Aldrich Backpackmap.com (a free online resource for planning your next backpacking adventure) Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 31. Carl Jung on The Significance of Dreams | 23 Oct 2023 | 01:20:53 | |
In this episode we unpack several essays from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung's Collected Works on Dreams. These Essays Explore...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned Dreams (excepts from collected works) by Carl Jung Memories, Dreams, and Reflections by Carl Jung Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Aiden Moore *For one-on-one dream interpretation sessions with Aiden visit AidenMoore.com Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:19 Differences Between Freudian & Jungian Dream Interpretation 00:05:09 Beginner's Mind 00:08:14 Assimilation vs. Accommodation 00:12:30 Taking up the Context of the Dream 00:19:45 The Dream as Repressed Wish-Fulfillment 00:24:11 The Language of the Unconscious 00:29:47 Causal vs. Final Explanations of Dreams 00:35:05 Compensatory Dreams 00:37:31 Prospective Dreams 00:41:39 Little Dreams vs. Big Dreams 00:44:07 Archetypes/The Collective Unconscious 00:49:07 The Objective vs. Subjective Interpretation of Dreams 00:55:30 Practical Application to Dream Interpretation 00:56:56 The "Punny" Character of Dream Images 01:00:12 Resisting the "Correct" Interpretation of a Dream 01:03:43 Slowing Integrating Unconscious Material 01:06:03 Repressed Material Will Follow You Until You Face It 01:08:46 The Empathy & Tact needed to Interpret Dreams 01:10:26 Resisting the "Correct" Interpretation of a Dream 01:13:38 The Consequences of Ignoring Recurring Dreams 01:18:10 Wrapping Up/Outro | |||
| 4. Ted Kaczynski on The Perils of Modern Technology | 07 Jul 2021 | 01:25:16 | |
In this episode we unpack Theodore Kaczynski's 1995 essay "Industrial Society and Its Future" or as it is better know "The Unabomber Manifesto" The essays explores... -Kaczynski's predictions about the future of technology -Why modern day people struggle so much with anxiety and depression -Why technological systems limit our freedom and autonomy Link to Reading "Industrial Society and Its Future" by Theodore Kaczynski **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Chris Corvo The Next Conversation (podcast) Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 3. Seneca on Anger | 23 Jun 2021 | 01:07:28 | |
In this episode we unpack the essay "Of Anger" by the Roman Stoic Philosopher Seneca the Younger. The essay explores... -Whether or not anger is useful -Why the sword of justice is ill placed in the hands of an angry man -How we should respond to anger when it arises Link to Reading "Of Anger" by Seneca the Younger **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Chase Harris The Switch Podcast Theme Music: Polyenso listen here | |||
| 2. Ralf Waldo Emerson on Self-Reliance | 31 May 2021 | 01:09:43 | |
In this episode we unpack American Transcendentalist Philosopher Ralf Waldo Emerson's 1841 essay "Self-Reliance." The essay explores... -Why envy is ignorance and imitation is suicide -Why we hide our true selves -How to discover who we truly are Link to Reading "Self Reliance" by Ralf Waldo Emerson **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jon Lindinger xenotheory.org (Programs for self-development for young men) Theme Music: Polyenso | |||
| 1. Michel de Montaigne on The Value of Conversation | 17 May 2021 | 01:08:23 | |
In this episode we unpack French Renaissance Philosopher Michel de Montaigne's essay, "On the Art of Conversation" from 1580. The essay explores.. -Why disagreement is a crucial aspect of conversation -How talking about ideas can sharpen our thinking -Why we have more to to learn from fools than sages Link to Reading "On the Art of Conversation" by Michel de Montaigne **note** reading is not required to enjoy the episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Luke Priddy The Fractal podcast/youtube channel Theme Music by: Polyenso | |||
| 30. The Bhagavad Gita on Nonattachment | 21 Aug 2023 | 01:02:26 | |
In this episode we unpack The Bhagavad Gita from The Mahabharata written circa 500-200 BCE. This Book Explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned The Bhagavad Gita (Translation: Gita Press) The Bhagavad Gita (Translation: Eknath Easwaran) Bhagavad Gita Lecture Series by Gandhar Mandlik *youtube* *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Gandhar Mandlik YogaPoint.com Online/In-Person Yoga Courses and Teacher Training Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction 03:00 Gandhar’s Personal Relationship to the Gita 04:36 Background of the Gita Story 08:56 All Problems are Interconnected 12:16 False Identification with the Physical Body 15:56 Cosmic Consciousness 18:22 The Trap of Sensual Desires 25:43 Right Understanding & Right Action 27:36 The Two Paths to Self Realization (Monk & Householder) 29:20 Karma Yoga / Dharma 32:20 Nonattached Action 35:00 Contributing to the Ecology 40:37 Bhakti & Jnana Yoga 48:07 Nondualism /The Cosmic Form 57:05 Characteristics of the Self-Realized Person 59:49 Service to Others as a key for Fighting Depression 1:00:47 Wrapping Up/Outro | |||
| 29. Friedrich Nietzsche on Guilt & Bad Conscience | 10 Jul 2023 | 00:54:02 | |
In this episode we unpack the Second essay in German Existentialist Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's classic work "The Genealogy of Morals" from 1887. This Essay Explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Samuel Le Coutour Theme Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 00:00 Intro 03:16 Questions Nietzsche is Trying to Answer 04:12 Origin of Punishment vs. Utility of Punishment 08:25 Punishment Hardens the Individual 10:24 The Etymology of the word “Guilt” 11:01 The Creditor/Debtor Relationship 12:32 Suffering as Compensation 13:48 Suffering as Entertainment Throughout History 14:39 The Link between Sadism and Social Status 17:14 Grace as a Form of Domination 19:31 The Social Contract 22:52 Lack of Free Will in Early Punishment 24:20 Nietzsche’s Hypothesis on the Origin of Bad Conscience 24:30 The State of Nature Theory 27:10 Turing The Will to Power Against Oneself 32:30 Masochism 33:34 Punishment as Entertainment for the Gods 34:47 Aristocrats Create Bad Conscience in Slaves 37:46 Ancestor Worship 40:22 Original Sin / The Psychology of Guilt 44:43 Debt Becoming Spiritual and Internal 46:19 Internalizing the Creditor/Debtor Dynamic within One’s own Conscience 48:59 Nietzsche’s Views on Bad Conscience / The Sovereign Individual 52:40 Wrapping up/ Outro | |||
| 28. Friedrich Nietzsche on The Origins of Morality | 12 Jun 2023 | 01:04:23 | |
In this episode we unpack the first essay in German Existentialist Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's classic work "The Genealogy of Morals" from 1887. This Essay Explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche The Vocation Lectures by Max Weber Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Samuel Le Coutour Theme Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:35 Challenges in Discussing this piece 00:04:49 Nuances in Nietzsche’s terminology 00:07:15 Questions Nietzsche is Trying Answers 00:09:36 “We are Unknown, we Knowers of Ourselves to ourselves” 00:11:11 Moral Prejudices of his time 00:13:54 Etymology of the words ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ 00:17:15 Language as an Expression of Power 00:21:20 The Function of The Priest in Society 00:23:54 Using Morality to Justify Domination 00:27:29 The Invention of Free Will 00:32:30 The Slave Revolt in Morality 00:36:14 Ressentiment 00:41:07 Nietzsche’s fear of Slave Morality 00:45:30 Nietzsche’s Criticism of Master Morality 00:47:43 Nietzsche’s Solution 00:49:18 The Battle Between Master & Slave Morality on the psychological level 00:55:49 The Battle Between Master & Slave Morality on the societal level 1:00:15 Secular manifestations of Slave Morality 1:02:09 Wrapping up/Outro | |||
| 27. Viktor Frankl on Man's Search for Meaning | 08 May 2023 | 00:49:47 | |
In this episode we unpack Jewish-Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's classic book "Man's Search for Meaning" from 1946. This Book Explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl The Last Day of a Condemned Man by Victor Hugo Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault The Gay Science by Friedrich Nietzsche *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Barbara Spadaro Theme Music: Polyenso Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction O2:09 Context of book 0:3:36 Egoism & Altruism amongst Prisoners 09:11 Phase 1: Denial 09:58 The Delusion of Reprieve 12:10 Phase 2: Apathy 13:31 Psychology of Guards 16:15 Two Types of Trauma 18:51 Phase 3: Anger 20:05 The desire for Revenge 22:40 Truth and Reconciliation after WW2 Forgive but not Forget 26:15 Finding Meaning Through Suffering 31:00 Finding Meaning Through Love & Work 33:20 Logotherapy in a Nutshell 33:44 The Will to Meaning 36:28 Paradoxical Intention 37:20 The Paradox of Striving for Happiness 40:02 The Meaning of Life 40:57 How The Meaning of Life Changes During the Course of One’s Life 44:00 The Is One Correct Answer to Every Situation in Life 46:24 “Live as if you were living already for the second time…” 48:47 Outro | |||
| 26. Henri Bergson on The Philosophy of Laughter | 26 Jan 2023 | 01:01:15 | |
In this episode we unpack French Continental Philosopher Henri Bergson's classic essay "Laughter" from 1900. This Essay Explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned Truth in Comedy by Charna Halpern & Del Close Brain Droppings by George Carlin How to be Funny by Steve Allen Night at the Roxbury (SNL skit) Anchor Man (movie) Liar Liar (movie) The Invention of Lying (movie) Austin Powers International Man of Mystery (Movie) Crocodile Dundee (Movie) Tropic Thunder (movie) Big Mouth (show) *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Patrick McInnis ImprovSanDiego.com Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro | |||
| 25. Marcus Aurelius on Self-Control | 27 Dec 2022 | 01:04:12 | |
In this episode we unpack Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher Marcus Aurelius's classic book "Meditations" from 170 AD. This book explores...
Links to Reading & Articles mentioned Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Steve Chung Theme Music: Polyenso Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:11 Modern Interpretations of Stoicism 00:04:21 Translation 00:05:13 Why Aurelius Wrote the Book 00:08:30 Doing Good for the Wrong Reasons 00:09:37 Seeking Truth No Matter Who is Speaking it 00:13:10 The Logos 00:15:19 The Importance of Rationality 00:16:39 Doing What is in Our Nature 00:17:40 Focusing on Yourself 00:20:14 Expect People to Do What is in Their Nature 00:22:03 The Interconnected of All People 00:24:30 What is Natural is Good 00:25:58 Death = Change 00:26:49 Death as the Great Equalizer 00:27:43 Momento Mori 00:28:35 The Difference Between Stoicism and Nihilism 00:31:28 Your Legacy Won’t Live On After You Die 00:33:22 Seeking Approval From Others 00:36:08 Focusing on What is in Our Control 00:37:29 The Transgressor Harms Themselves When They Transgress 00:38:56 External Things Can’t Harm You 00:40:58 All Sin is Due to Ignorance 00:48:30 Equanimity 00:50:04 The Appeal of Stoicism During Times of Great Upheaval 00:53:11 Parallels to Buddhism 00:53:24 Seeing Things Objectively 00:57:35 There is Nothing New Under the Sun 01:00:00 The Present is the Only Time That Exists 01:02:55 Wrapping Up/Outro | |||
| 34. G.H. Hardy on The Beauty of Mathematics | 12 Nov 2024 | 01:05:44 | |
In this episode we unpack, British Mathematician, G.H. Hardy's classic book, "A Mathematician's Apology" written in 1940. This book explores -The Permanence of Mathematical Discovery -The Metaphysics of Mathematical Reality -The Moral Responsibility of the Mathematician Links to Reading & Articles mentioned A Mathematician's Apology by G.H. Hardy The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker Euclid's Proof of Infinitely Many Primes (explained) Pythagoras's Proof of Irrationality of Square Root of 2 (explained) *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Brian Allen Music: Polyenso Time Stamps | |||
| 36. Dante Alighieri on Purgatory | 04 Dec 2024 | 01:27:34 | |
In this episode we unpack Purgatorio from The Divine Comedy by Italian Poet, Dante Alighieri. This Poem Explores... -The Severity of the Sin of Pride -The Significance of Momentum When Climbing the Mount of Purgatory -The Importance of Humility When Reforming the Soul Links to Books/Articles Mention in the Episode The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri The Great Course Plus-Dante's Divine Comedy Lecture Series *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Philip Kobosov Music: Polyenso | |||
| 35. Dante Alighieri on Inferno | 03 Dec 2024 | 01:16:20 | |
In this episode we unpack Inferno from The Divine Comedy by Italian Poet, Dante Alighieri from 1321. This Poem Explores...
Links to Books/Articles Mention in the Episode The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Philip Kobosov Music: Polyenso | |||
| 37. Dante Alighieri on Paradise | 23 Dec 2024 | 01:14:04 | |
In this episode we unpack Paradiso from The Divine Comedy by Italian Poet, Dante Alighieri. This Poem Explores... -The Limits of Language and The Importance of Experience -Divine Justice & The Problem of Evil -Dante's Vision of God and The Returning of the Boon Links to Books/Articles Mention in the Episode The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri The Great Course Plus-Dante's Divine Comedy Lecture Series *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Philip Kobosov Music: Polyenso | |||
| 39. Erving Goffman on The Performative Self | 14 Jul 2025 | 01:23:41 | |
In this episode we unpack American Sociologist Erving Goffman's 1954 classic, "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life." This book explores... * The art of impression management *The desire to maintain consistent performances *The self as a social construct Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Jason Doe Intro Music: Polyenso Free PDF of the book: free pdf *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Timestamps 0:00:00 Introduction 0:04:46 Historical Context 0:06:43 “All the World is a Stage…” 0:08:13 Audience/Performer Dynamic 0:10:45 First Impressions 0:12:00 Consistent Performances 0:13:45 Working Consensus 0:17:30 Idealization 0:20:24 Mystification 0:22:27 Audience Segregation 0:25:53 Dramatization 0:28:27 Front Stage/Back Stage 0:37:40 Teams 0:42:00 Discrepant Roles 0:51:38 Failed Performances 0:52:20 Audience Tact 0:54:35 The Moral Character of the Definition of the Situation 0:57:13 False Notes 1:08:09 Performing for Ourselves 1:13:25 The Self as Social Construct 1:18:11 Cynical and Sincere Performances 1:20:17 Masks Becoming Personality 1:22:21 Outro | |||
| 38. Plato on Platonic Love | 09 Jun 2025 | 01:32:48 | |
In this episode we unpack The Symposium by ancient Greek Philosopher Plato. This dialogue explores... * The Nature of Eros *The Human desire for immortality *The Guru Disciple Relationship *note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode! Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Kilaya Ciriello Author of: Socrates Guru: Plato's Spiritual Philosophy in Comparison with the Indian Tradition The Fundamentalist Plato (blog/substack) Music: Polyenso Timestamps 0:00:00 Introduction 0:02:42 Fundamentalist Platonism 0:06:15 The Tradition of The Symposium 0:09:15 Narrative Structure of The Symposium 0:10:20 The Question of Plato’s Authorship 0:15:35 The Speech of Phaedrus 0:20:10 Historical Context of Pederastic Relationships Between Men and Boys 0:24:31 The Speech of Pausanias 0:28:18 The Speech of Eryximachus 0:31:49 The Speech of Aristophanes 0:38:10 The Speech of Agathon 0:39:46 The Flattery & Humility of Socrates 0:43:25 The Significance of Diotima 0:46:28 Socrates First Argument on Eros 0:50:18 We Only Desire What we Lack 0:53:07 Love as an Intermediary between humans and Gods 0:57:43 The Pursuit of Immortality 1:06:08 Love of “The Good” 1:08:24 The Ladder of Love 1:13:49 Pure Rationality 1:16:24 Criticisms of The Ladder of Love 1:18:42 The Entrance of Alcibiades 1:24:15 The Desire to Possess Another Person 1:27:42 Resentment towards Those Who Highlight our Shortcomings 1:28:45 The Unlikely Chance one will succeed as a Philosopher 1:31:29 Wrapping up | |||
| 40. Lao Tzu on the Tao Te Ching | 11 Nov 2025 | 01:16:03 | |
In this episode we unpack the ancient Chinese classic, "The Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tzu from circa 400 BCE This book explores... *The art of not over-doing *The cyclical nature of all things *Acting in accordance with the nature of reality Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Amon Greene amonra16.ag@gmail.com Intro Music: Polyenso Free PDF of the book: Red Pine Translation Resources Mentioned Tao: The Watercourse Way by Alan Watts (book) Trying Not to Try by Edward Slingerland (book) Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong (book) Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 4:51 Amon’s background 10:10 Historical Context of the Tao Te Ching 11:50 Confucianism vs. Taoism 15:38 Wu Wei 22:25 Going with the flow 27:26 De 37:22 Wu Wei Government 39:56 Wu Wei vs. Flow 42:33 Restraint of taking action 46:29 “The Tao that can be spoken is not the Eternal Tao” 51:10 Mistaking the word for the thing 55:37 Yin and Yang 1:03:15 The cyclical nature of everything 1:10:55 Wrapping up 1:15:09 Outro | |||
| 41. William James on Pragmatic Truth | 22 Dec 2025 | 01:07:35 | |
In this episode we unpack American Philosopher & Psychologist William James' 1907 classic, "Pragmatism." This book explores... *The Pragmatic Theory of Truth *The Nature of Belief Change *The Psychology's connection to Philosophy Host: Zach Stehura UnpackingIdeas.com Guest: Brent Mondoskin Intro Music: Polyenso Free PDF of the book: Pragmatism by William James Resources Mentioned The Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand(book) The Essential Pierce vol.1 by C.S. Pierce(book) Radical Empiricism by William James (book) Mindset by Carol Dweck(book) The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy (book) Timestamps 0:00 Introduction | |||