Caffeine Stream 53: Becoming Chris - A Birthday Episode (with Sierra)
Today we turn biographical and attempt to answer a common question from Instagram: how did you become the way you are?
From philosophy courses and walks with friends to religion and the military, we dig through my life to try to find clues and ideas to help others who aspire to philosophize... as well as ask (but perhaps not answer) the question: "is it desirable to become a philosopher?"
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Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
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Caffeine Stream 50: Druidry (with Awen)
Today I'm joined by Awen (aka Lilith) to discuss the world of Druidry, from its historical origins through to its modern practice today. We go over the social and political role of the Druids within ancient Celtic society, their views of the afterlife, human sacrifice, the path to druidry, and much more... as well as mentioning the organizations that have maintained the living tradition of druidry to the present.
Her work can be found at https://www.primaldruidry.com/
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
23
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Caffeine Stream 49: Men's Rights Activists (with Sierra)
Today I'm joined by Sierra to counterbalance our discussion of feminism from before and talk about Men's Rights Activists (MRAs). We try to give a (very) brief history of the movement, as well as going over some of the things we like and dislike about their positions, especially in relationship to marriage.
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Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
2
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Caffeine Stream 48: Physicality in a Digital Age (with Josh Tyler)
Today I'm joined by Josh Tyler for a wide-ranging conversation on physicality and the dangers of quantitative thinking. We take turns bashing power-lifters and philosophers and other unbalanced modes of thinking, in an attempt at something more balanced and higher quality in our experience of life.
You can follow Josh Tyler's work on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/joshtylermma/
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Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
11
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Caffeine Stream 47: Is Science Bad for your Health? (with Joe Peters)
Today I'm joined by Joe Peters to discuss the business side of the health industry and how that often-neglected logistics side influences science and healthcare. Ranging over sales experiences in hospitals and personal experiences with doctors and nurses and struggling with our own challenges, we try to get down to the question of how to be healthy people in an age where the financial and insurance requirements of the industry don't always permit them to prioritize the patient in the way that we might hope... and whether science is the problem or the solution to the challenges of bureaucracy.
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Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
1
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Caffeine Stream 46: The Virtue of Manual Competence (with Ben Brower)
Picking up on themes from Episode 42, I'm joined again by Ben Brower to delve deeper into the value of working with one's hands. We meander through our own experiences in the trades (while occasionally borrowing from the works of Robert Pirsig and Matthew Crawford) in an attempt to describe how making and fixing things changes how manual competence changes how we think, how we speak, even how we see... and also how other people see us.
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11
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Caffeine Stream 45: Inside Bo Burnham
Today we go back a few years to talk about Bo Burnham's production "Inside," a performance of himself, by himself, trapped inside during COVID lockdowns. We go over the psychology of the internet, of oversocialized leftism, of pandemic disgust associations, as well as the artistic merit of the production itself.
Original essay:
https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/2021/07/10/inside-bo-burnham/
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22
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Caffeine Stream 41: Defending Plato's Republic
Today we dive into perhaps the most important and also misunderstood thinker in all of philosophy: Plato.
Was Plato an idealist who believed we are trapped in a cave of unreality? Was he a totalitarian, advocating the "noble lie" and censorship? Or is there more going on in this (in)famous text that is somehow both the foundation of Western philosophy and also -- seemingly -- the aggregation of everything most hated by Western man?
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--
Intro clip courtesy of the digitally-banished Stefan Molyneux.
(Mirror of his full 4 minute rant (NSFW) can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJRYhx42rss)
11
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Caffeine Stream 40: Drag Shows and Feminism (with Sierra)
Today Sierra and I spend an evening on the patio with the wrong (or right) beverage, going over our disagreements about drag performances and feminism. Is drag always an insult to women, like "black-face" with gender? Was there, at one point, a good argument for feminism? And how much concession is worthwhile in conversations with friends before it begins to become insidious?
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
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Office Hours 2: Christianity and Civilization
Question: "Is Christianity necessary for a peaceful society?"
Source video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UrYdgniNck
Learn more about Office Hours at
https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/officehours/
Submit your own question or subject to caffeineandphilosophy@gmail.com
21
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Caffeine Stream 39: Polling Problems (with Sierra)
Today Sierra and I dive into polling, particularly political "opinion polls."
Much of our discussion revolves around Christopher Hitchens' 1992 essay "Voting in the Passive Voice," which can be found on Harper's archive here:
https://tinyurl.com/2p9xrkum
We also discuss Gaetano Mosca's notion of "political formulas," a concept I learned about from Curtis Yarvin, but which can be read about in The Machiavellians: Defenders of Freedom by James Burnham, which is available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Machiavellians-Defenders-Freedom-James-Burnham/dp/1839013958
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
39
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Office Hours 1: Finding Authenticity and "Real" Spiritual Identity
Question: "How do you identify what is "Real" or "Authentic" within oneself?"
Learn more about Office Hours at
https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/officehours/
Submit your own question or subject to caffeineandphilosophy@gmail.com
4
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Why No One Trusts Scientists: A Response to Dr. Wilson's "Debunking" of RFK
Source Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sugCJNAPF9o
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Caffeine Stream 37: History and Practice in Pagan Religion (with Mathias Nordvig)
Today I sit down with Mathias Nordvig, professor of Viking studies and Nordic culture at the University of Colorado at Boulder. We have a lengthy chat about the various literary and archeological information that has been discovered about Nordic pagans, and try to parse through the challenge of if -- and how -- such knowledge can be applied to a living pagan religiosity today.
Much of Nordvig's work (including his own "Sacred Flame" podcast) can be found on his website:
https://mathiasnordvig.com/
Nordvig also published a recent book relevant to our discussion, "Asatru for Beginners: A Modern Heathen's Guide to the Ancient Northern Way"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647397634/
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
12
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Caffeine Stream 36: Shooting and the Origins of Consciousness
Today we cover a recent essay I co-wrote with Ed Hamann offering a speculative hypothesis on the origins of consciousness in shooting, with some added commentary and background.
Referenced works:
"The Aim of Agency"
https://ph2t3r.com/2023/05/14/the-aim-of-agency-shooting-as-an-origin-of-consciousness/
The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
https://www.amazon.com/Origin-Consciousness-Breakdown-Bicameral-Mind/dp/0618057072/
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
7
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Caffeine Stream 34: The Vitalism of Bronze Age Pervert
And we're back to discuss Bronze Age Minset by the pseudonymous Bronze Age Pervert.
First, who is Bronze Age Pervert, and why should we care about an anonymous author?
We dive into the philosophical content of Bronze Age Mindset, but perhaps more importantly, delve into the style of writing and presentation, and find perhaps a stylistic congruency between content, form, and anonymity in this strange and fascinating book.
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Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
374
views
Caffeine Stream 33: Ryan Holiday and the Philosophy of Stoicism
Today we take a critical look at one of the most prominent teachers of philosophy: Ryan Holiday. Famous for his book "Trust Me, I'm Lying," Holiday transitioned from a life of self-described "media manipulation" to a life of philosophy and stoicism... or did he?
We go over some of the features and characteristics of Holiday's life and work, including his interpretation of Stoicism. And in the end, turn our sights on Stoicism itself, ultimately asking not whether or not it is a good philosophy, but is it a philosophy at all?
You can read Ryan Holiday's letters to his father (mentioned in the episode):
- 2016 - https://ryanholiday.net/dear-dad-dont-vote-donald-trump/
- 2020 - https://ryanholiday.net/letter/
For all the critical comments, I still encourage looking at Holiday's work for yourself, which can be found on his YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@DailyStoic
as well as in his books.
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
49
views
Caffeine Stream 32: James Lindsay
After a fairly long vacation from the podcast, we return to discuss the academic spelunking of James Lindsay, agent of the "Greivance Studies Affair," mathematician, martial artist, and tireless critic of Marxism and other forms of progressivism.
We go over some of the major who's-who in the academic progressive world, including:
- Georg Hegel
- Karl Marx
- Herbert Marcuse
- Paulo Freire
- Kimberle Crenshaw
- Gayle Rubin
- John Fetzer
- Alison Bailey
And perhaps most importantly, we talk about the importance of having "philosophical attack dogs" ('noble puppies,' we might say) to defend the world from bad ideas. Everyone likes to rag on negativitiy, but the naive rejection of some combativeness cedes the world to sociopaths and manipulators. It's a better place with people like Christopher Hitchens, Vox Day, and James Lindsay who are itching to go to war with bad people, and maybe teach us not just to participate in, but even to enjoy that intellectual combat.
If nothing else, its an education in its own right.
James Lindays' YouTube Channel is here:
https://www.youtube.com/@newdiscourses
The significant Hegel podcast (of particular import) can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf4R0gX7g3w
Leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
47
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Caffeine Stream 31: The Philosophy of Chess
Today we dive into one of the oldest and greatest games: chess. But is it worth playing? Is there any value or utility in playing chess? Is it any better than modern video games, or perhaps worse?
In this expisode, we go over:
- Contexts of perfect vs imperfect information
- How people think playing chess
- Does chess transfer in any way to "real life?"
- The beauty of chess
- How to develop higher appreciation for excellence in life
- Is chess in some way like philosophy?
If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
3
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Caffeine Stream 30: The Right-Wing Case For Abortion
Today we get (even more) controversial and explore the political complexities of abortion Discussed:
What is the "right" and the "left," politically?
Why is the right pro-life and the left pro-choice?
The parental sovereignty argument
The family and the state
If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating and review, it really helps others to find the podcast.
Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
2
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Caffeine Stream 29: The Much-Needed Death of Expertise
Today we dive into the subject of "expertise." How do we identify an "expert," or otherwise delegate legitimate knowledge? Can we trust experts?
To try to answer these important contemporary questions, we examine three books:
The Death of Expertise by Tom Nichols
https://dmpi.pasca.radenintan.ac.id/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2018/11/The-Death-of-Expertise.pdf
Kindly Inquisitors by Jonathan Rausch
https://www.amazon.com/Kindly-Inquisitors-Attacks-Free-Thought/dp/0226705765
Skin in the Game by Nassim Taleb
https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Game-Hidden-Asymmetries-Daily/dp/0425284646/
Mostly, we address the horrific and absurd problems with Nichols, the tragic good intentions of Rausch, and the insight and observation of Taleb that most advocates of "trusting the experts" miss in our persistent search for better decisions in a changing and uncertain existence.
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Find more Caffeine and Philosophy content online: https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/
5
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