Welcome to Empyreon Academy, a podcast for lovers of wisdom and life. I'm Ivan, a PhD candidate in philosophy and founder of Empyreon Academy.
In the eternal darkness, the crow, unable to find any food, longed for light, and the earth was illumined.
This is an ancient Eskimo story that explains the origin of light, and one of the most underestimated philosophers of the past century, Simone Weil, uses it to deliver a radical truth: If there is truly desire, if the object of desire is truly light, the desire for light will produce it.
But here is the catch: Weil says genuine desire is only possible through an effort of attention. When I first encountered this essay, it completely shattered my approach to learning, rendering grades, knowledge, and approval infinitely meaningless compared to the profound Truth hidden in her words.
In this episode, we're dedicating our attention to Simone Weil and her transformative essay, Reflection on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God. We'll explore:
The Single Purpose of Study — How Weil argues that the primary, singular purpose of all academic work, from geometry to history, is not to gain knowledge but to build and refine our faculty of Attention.
The Power of Vain Effort — The groundbreaking idea that "Never, in any way, a genuine effort of attention is wasted," and how a failed effort can still bring light into your soul, allowing you to one day understand a poem by Rilke or help a person in despair.
Attention vs. Muscular Effort — The crucial distinction between genuine attention—an effort that is negative, empty, and joy-filled—and the muscular tension we often mistake for work, which is useless for true knowledge.
Ultimately, Weil shows us that the goal of this training is to prepare us for the highest form of human connection: the ability to genuinely ask our suffering neighbor, "What are you going through?"
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In November we will launch a philosophy course dedicated to Martin Heidegger. The teachers will be two expert PhD candidates specializing in Heidegger.
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Hi, I’m Ivan, PhD fellow at the University of Freiburg and I'm also the founder of Empyreon Academy.To join our community and download FREE content you can subscribe here: Patreon
To watch my YouTube videos: empyreonacademy
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About Empyreon Academy:
1. Our primary aim is to equip individuals with the intellectual tools needed to develop their thinking by engaging in dialogue with the greatest minds in history.
2. Our secondary goal is to create a community where people can share their deep understanding for the benefit of everyone.
What We Offer:
1. Online Courses – Covering a wide range of topics in philosophy and the fine arts, our courses are distinguished by their philosophical depth. We emphasize dialogue, enabling students to critically engage, discuss, and think alongside influential authors.
2. Conferences – Every three months, we host free, live online conferences, designed to welcome a wide audience and encourage meaningful participation.
3. Magazine – We regularly publish thoughtful book reviews, philosophical articles, and curated reading recommendations.
Who We Are:
We are an international team of scholars and educators, each specialized in different authors and traditions. What unites us is a shared passion for philosophy and the arts, and a commitment to guiding others on their own path of inquiry.
To echo the spirit of this approach:
“In short, the student should not learn thoughts, but should learn to think. The philosophy teacher should not carry him, but guide him…” – Immanuel Kant
“Learning to see – accustoming the eye to calmness, to patience, to letting things come to you…” – Friedrich Nietzsche
