Explore every episode of the podcast Applying Real Philosophy to Real Life by Dr. Giles

Time to Wake Up — First in a Series

The real tragedy is that what Trump does is normal in the context of US history. Today, I will talk about Trump’s return to the US’s normal foreign policy doctrine for Latin America.

Text version on my Substack: https://imnotyourechochamber.substack.com/p/theres-nothing-new-in-trump-foreign

Links to more reading:

“The Banana Wars: How the US Plundered Central America.” https://www.thecollector.com/the-banana-wars-how-the-us-plundered-central-america/

“U.S. interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean haven’t always gone as planned.” https://www.npr.org/2026/01/02/nx-s1-5652133/us-venezuela-interventionism-caribbean-latin-america-history-trump

“American Irregular Warfare in Latin America.” This is an arm of the Defense Department acknowledging the history of US colonialism. https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/publications/perspectives/american-irregular-warfare-in-latin-america/

“The consequences of CIA-sponsored regime change in Latin America.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0176268023000964

“United States Interventions.” https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/united-states-interventions/

“The Banana Wars: A History of United States Military Intervention in Latin America from the Spanish-American War to the Invasion of Panama.” https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3751&context=nwc-review

Elbridge Colby - https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/elbridge-colby-trump-china-iran-nuclear-russia-tucker-carlson

#Politics #project2025 #colonialism

For years I had kept one foot in academia; I’ve now taken that foot out and can walk freely

Many people feel that philosophy is not relevant to their lives. That feeling is completely mistaken, but it’s understandable how someone could come to feel that way. Philosophy isn’t dead, but most philosophers are — not just those people writing papers for academic journals but also those teaching philosophy courses.

My Philosophy Textbook Showing Philosophy As Very Much Alive

Failing Our Students. Part 1: The two cursed cohorts have reached college and they are struggling and the system is failing them. Part 2: Corporatization is diluting higher education. Link mentioned in the episode. Rethinking the Generations

Right-wing politicians, including Donald Trump this week at the United Nations, stoke fear and hate against immigrants. Let’s replace black and white thinking with the many colors of reality.

#Immigration #HumanRights

And you may ask, “How could you say that Charlie Kirk is a coward? Didn’t he frequently speak in public?” Good question.

Charlie Kirk wasn’t a coward for speaking in public; Charlie Kirk was a coward because of why he was speaking in public.

Links mentioned in the episode.

• Kirk didn’t agree that no one should die from gun violence.
• The description of a reactionary, from my book, perfectly fits Charlie Kirk.
• Charlie Kirk in his own words: 'prowling Blacks' and 'the great replacement strategy'
• The far-right commentator didn't pull his punches when discussing his reactionary views on current events
• Charlie Kirk in His Own Words
• 17 quotes you should read from Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and Trump ally who was shot and killed on…
• Gun Violence To 'China Virus': A Look At Charlie Kirk's Controversial Takes
• Charlie Kirk, who died on Wednesday after being shot during an appearance at Utah Valley University, was one of the…
• Let's Not Forget Who Charlie Kirk Really Was
• The right-wing influencer did not deserve to die, and we shouldn't forget the many despicable things he said and did.
• Charlie Kirk’s Top 11 Most Heinous Statements & Remarks

#Philosophy #Politics #Education #Prejudice #Extremism #Reactionary

What precedes hate is fear and the psychological inability to cope with fear. Hate is a symptom of giving in to the fear of those who are different and choosing to hide behind false views of other people rather than face the reality of how others actually are. Understanding hatred in this way gives clarity to many things.

Let’s go beyond the schadenfreude of watching MAGA having a conniption over Pam Bondi covering up the Epstein files. Instead of having a watch party hoping to see some kind of anti-Trump revolt, and breathlessly keeping score of every statement made by people about Epstein, Bondi, and Trump like its some kind of sick sports game, let’s dig a little deeper.

What Lurks Behind Conspiracy Theories

Why Trump? Book

I spent most of May and June traveling through the United States. I grew up there, but I've lived in Europe since 2012. This trip was my longest stint returning to America. These are my thoughts and observations.

Bergson was once the most famous philosopher in the world; today, his still applicable insights are now unfairly neglected.

#philosophy #science #experience #time

Good, evil, quality, exploitation, beauty, depravity — it’s all here. A philosopher looks at the dark and bright side of alcohol. Obviously, one does not need to drink alcohol to have a good time, but the connection between alcohol and social occasions is one of the strongest elements of human society.

Mentioned: The History of Beer and Brewing in Chicago.

Our education system is still dominated by a model developed over 180 years ago. Until we break out of that model, we will not be a society that can be everything that it can be because our educational system is not everything it should be.

#HigherEducation #Pedagogy

. . . is the reality of our existence.

Many arguments are pointless. Is the Earth round or flat? Pointless argument — the answer is clear and has been clear for millennia. Do human beings have free will or are they determined? Also a pointless argument — the answer is clear and has been clear for millennia.

There are some people and channels who offer nothing but outrage porn, They are part of the Fake Left: people who offer not positive principles but opposition to the Right. The Fake Left and its outrage porn help the right wing in its takeover of the US. #Politics #Philosophy #Project2025 #Trump #maga

Deconstructing a source of prejudice. Though a useful concept in its proper context, toxic masculinity is best understood as an expression of an underlying sense of identity clung to by some males. It is this juvenile, testosterone-fueled identity that is at the base of so much man-child behavior. To describe that identity, I will adopt a term that most people will have heard, but that is underutilized — “the bros.”

Living Colour - Glamour Boys

We are now 20 minutes into the future, next Sunday AD.

• MST3K article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Science_Theater_3000
• Why Trump" Book: https://dgilesauthor.com/why-trump/

I’m giving neither a prediction nor a hope, but this is an issue we do well to contemplate. Eschewing platitudes and cliches, let’s look at what would happen if Trump dies tomorrow.

Referenced: Why Trump?

Trigger Warning! Sacred cows are toppled in this podcast!!!

Jordan Peterson, Slavoj Žižek, and Noam Chomsky--Three Pied Pipers of doom and gloom. This is a breed of philosophers who, when reading their works, I understand what they are saying, but I see no point in what they are saying. I’ve become convinced that the intention of this breed of philosophers is not to make a point, but merely to fling rhetorical mud.

The recent rapid turn of events in Syria has created more questions than answers. This is the time of both opportunity and danger for Syria. What happens in the near future in Syria will be a lesson for the world about either how to or how not to act politically.

The media is talking a lot about how influential podcasts are, including suggesting podcasts influenced the recent US election. I insert some philosophy into the interesting anachronism of podcasts, the three basic types of podcasts, and what they say about society.

This isn’t an “I told you so.” This is an “all right, let’s talk about where we go from here” post-election.

#politics #philosophy

The concept of “Christian” nationalism has been in the news lately. That’s understandable given how often and how much certain groups are pushing the belief that America is a Christian nation and even that it should be an exclusively Christian nation. At least, that’s what they say on their external packaging.

Both Hitler and Trump are pathetic and delusional. Both are far right authoritarians. But their movements have different motivations and goals. Calling Trump a fascist may seem like a convenient shorthand description, but it masks the depth of the real movement behind Trump. The truth is difficult but important to understand.

Philosophy of Election 24 Series #5

Freedom is a word many people use, but few people have any substantial understanding of the meaning of the concept. To mention that fact isn’t cynical or disparaging. The concept of freedom, like all significant philosophical concepts, is deep, complex, multidimensional, and nuanced. It is beyond simplistic definitions.

It matters what Trump said. Here's why, and here's how it connects with my book, Why Trump.

I talk about Minnesota, tater tots, and a possible sea change in American politics. Could the Harris-Walz campaign actually be directed at the 60% of the body politic?

When people show you who they are, believe them.

Politics is about power, and power has a political dimension. Power manifests not just on a grand scale but also on a very personal scale. Not all power is ugly and coercive, but some of it is.

The same old culture war is now directed at Kamala Harris.

Some say that a week is a lifetime in politics, and last week showed how true that is. Now the election can turn to focus on Trump.

I've been busy the past two months finishing my new book, Why Trump? Why Some People Support Him—How the Rest of Us Can Respond.

I read from the first chapter, Chapter 1. Framing the Issue.

https://amzn.to/3Y3NeFm

https://dgilesauthor.com/why-trump/

A reading of the first chapter of my recent book, available for sale everywhere.

Links to where you can purchase the book.

Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power

A look at two ideologies that are shaping political discourse.

Text transcript and reference links: https://insertphilosophyhere.com/the-fundamental-contradictions-in-anarchism-and-libertarianism/

What’s right and wrong about the Columbia protests and what’s right and wrong about political action.

Can we have an intelligent conversation about what’s going on at Columbia University? Probably not. I’ll try anyway, although a conversation requires willing and sincere participants.

Referenced in this episode:

• Ethics of Dissent and Protest
• Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power: The Core Dynamics of Political Action
• Assault on the Left: The FBI and the Sixties Antiwar Movement
• Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I welcome your comments at InsertPhilosophyHere.com.

There’s an important difference between them. This episode is a follow-up to Episode 12, "What Lurks Behind Conspiracy Theories." The subject of conspiracy theories is of great interest, probably because 2024 is an election year in many countries. In this episode, I respond to a comment made by several listeners and explain the difference between a conspiracy theory and the typical exercising of power.

My new book has been released.

Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power: The Core Dynamics of Political Action

The Kindle version is available here. 

The paperback version is available here.

One reason I am so passionate about the value of education comes from what I learned working two work-study jobs when I was an undergraduate.

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Part 1: People Aren’t Stupid — They’re Lazy Thinkers

• Many people evade the ethical responsibility to think deeply

Part 2: How to Have an Argument (More of a Debate Really)

• How to disagree without being disagreeable

Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.com

Politics brings out the worst of people; it doesn’t have to.

Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.com

What’s going on underneath the hype? A philosopher looks into the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift and indicts the music industry that tried to exploit her.

Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.com

My long-term slightly scientific study of fluffpreneurship.

We are now in the Epoch of the Memeocene in which things are oversimplified and vapid. It is an age in which society recognizes facile imitation more than substance. Not surprisingly, the snake oil merchants have adapted to the times. What they sell and how they sell it has been pared down to exploit our age of pretending to solve problems with empty platitudes.

Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.com

Do you love Christmas? That’s cool, I respect that. Have fun.

I want to talk about and with those who don’t consider Christmas the “most wonderful time of the year,” because I respect them too.

Cooperation, loyalty, adherence to the rule of law. These are noble virtues, of which the following are necessary for a free and open society.

But there are times when it is necessary to step outside these noble virtues. There are times when dissent is a virtue. There is a time for peace and a time for protest.

Understanding political movements is essential for building a human-centered politics. I therefore propose a distinction between reactionary movements and populist movements based on their different worldviews, goals, and targets of their opposition.

Support this podcast: https://ko-fi.com/insertphilosophyhere

Men hating women is a symptom of a deeper problem. This episode inserts philosophy into the abuse of women and explores the social causes behind misogyny and subordination of women.

Comments? Contact me at InsertPhilosophyHere.com

Are you an individual? Sounds like a silly question, doesn’t it? You’re you, right? You aren’t anybody else. But it’s not quite that simple. First off, being good philosophers, we have to define our terms. What do we mean by “an individual?” There are many answers to that question. Let’s begin at the beginning.

Scottish philosopher David Hume in the 1700s changed Western philosophy with his strong critique of science. Hume showed that science is based on three assumptions that have no rational basis. Hume's critique so impressed Immanuel Kant, that it led Kant to develop his critiques of reason that revolutionized philosophy and science. Today. Hume's arguments are undiminished and we neglect them at our peril.

I haven't recorded a philosophy lesson in awhile, so here is an audio version of a new video I am producing for my university course. My other videos are at https://www.youtube.com/insertphilosophyhere

For the last seven years, I’ve had quite a few people here in Europe ask me to explain Trump and his MAGA sycophants. Their incredulous questions are understandable. What’s in MAGA minds? How could they believe such things? Why are they so full of hate?

I reference two books in this episode: The Rise of Victimhood Culture and Rethinking Misrecognition and Struggles for Recognition.

Spoiler Alert: I will divulge as little as possible about the specifics of the movie as I talk about the real-life implications of its philosophical ideas, but, obviously, some content of the movie will leak out.

Yes, Barbie is a surprisingly philosophical movie. I had low expectations for Barbie. I’ve never been a fan of corporations or dolls, and especially corporate dolls that objectify women. My expectations were very mistaken.

InsertPhilosophyHere.com

Much will be said and written about the latest set of indictments handed down against former President Trump. I will leave it to the legal analysts to dissect the minutiae and details of the indictment. I'm a philosopher. So, I want to talk about what is behind all of this, what's really going on with all of this? What are the fundamental principles that underlie these actions, both politically and socially.

Dr. Eve Poole is my honoured guest to talk about her latest book Robot Souls. Two of the biggest design problems in Artificial Intelligence are how to build robots that behave in line with human values and how to stop them ever going rogue. One under-explored solution to these alignment and control problems might be to examine how these are already addressed in the design of humans.

Robot Souls is a book as much about us humans as it is about robots and AI. We have created artificial intelligence rather than artificial humans, and that is a potential problem we need to address and consider how our creations and ourselves can be more human.