The Thinking Reed – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Thinking Reed

Tom Vierra

Society & Culture

Fiction

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/6d. Total Eps: 8

A philosophy podcast for everyone. The main idea is for us to get to know some of the most interesting thinkers that ever lived. Each episode is part of a series on a certain thinker/writer. Episodes are fairly short (about 15-30 minutes), but long enough to get you thinking. We explore a wide range of thinkers and writers, both ancient and modern. Pascal, Plato, Dostoevsky, Seneca, Nietzsche, Rousseau, Shakespeare, Camus, Melville -- just some of the names we will encounter together.

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Data updated on 14/07/2026

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Score global : 48%

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Episode 8: Graham Tomlin on How Pascal Made the Modern World

Episode 8

Friday, March 13, 2026 • Duration 47:29

In this episode I interview Dr. Graham Tomlin, one of the world's leading experts on Pascal and author of the book, Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World. We discuss everything from Pascal's transformative experience in "the night of fire" to his Wager to how you can thank Pascal for the existence of busses and wrist watches! I hope you enjoy this fascinating interview.

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Episode 7: Pascal, The Wager (and why we get it wrong)

Episode 7

Sunday, March 8, 2026 • Duration 26:41

In this episode we consider one of the most famous arguments for God: Pascal's "Wager." But is it an argument for God's existence? What exactly is Pascal doing with the Wager? And what are some ways we misunderstand it? Enjoy!

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Episode 6: Pascal, The Heart Has Its Reasons

Episode 6

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 • Duration 22:49

In this episode we consider Pascal's thoughts on whether there is such a thing as non-rational knowledge. He famously stated that "the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing." But what did he mean by this? Join me as we explore this fascinating aspect of Pascal's thought. Enjoy!

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Episode 5: Pascal, The Vulnerability of Reason

Episode 5

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 • Duration 23:41

In this episode we explore Pascal's thoughts on the vulnerability of reason. How do we know we are being rational? Are we as rational as we think? Pascal's thoughts on this topic are fascinating and insightful. Enjoy!

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Episode 4: Pascal, Why We Love Distractions

Episode 4

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 • Duration 24:51

In this episode we explore Pascal's famous statement that all of our problems come from our inability to sit alone quietly in a room. Why does he say this? Why do we love distractions? Why would we do anything to get away from being alone with our thoughts? Enjoy!

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Episode 3: Pascal, The Night of Fire

Episode 3

Friday, February 13, 2026 • Duration 18:25

In this episode we look more closely at the most important experience of Blaise Pascal's life -- his "Night of Fire" vision. This experience is the gateway to understanding his great philosophical work, the Pensées. Enjoy!

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Episode 2: Pascal, Life and Times

Episode 2

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 • Duration 29:33

In this episode we take up the life of Blaise Pascal and the world in which he lived. It was a time of religious conflict, of major shifts in scientific and philosophical understanding, and at the center of it all was the brilliant Pascal. Our goal in this episode is to set a context for upcoming episodes focusing on Pascal's philosophical masterpiece, the Pensées. Enjoy!

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Episode 1: Pascal, Man as a Thinking Reed

Episode 1

Saturday, January 31, 2026 • Duration 20:31

In this episode the podcast itself is introduced, along with a short reflection on Pascal's famous statement that man is "a thinking reed."

The Thinking Reed – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Thinking Reed – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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Publication history

Latest published episodes

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Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities