Unsolicited advice

George Orwell's 1984 is one of the most famous and infamous books in history. But for all its fame and glory we rarely stop to ask what the underlying philosophical messages are. But here we will unpack Orwell's masterpiece to uncover the political, philosophical, and existential horrors that lie beneath.Uploaded 30-03-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Orwell's Nightmare01:26 1984: A Brief Synopsis07:31 The Impersistence of Memory12:50 Language and Thought18:41 Punishing Passions24:46 The Abolition of Privacy31:01 The Deathless Drive37:51 Empty Joy or Painful Truth45:38 Helplessness and Hopelessness52:38 What's the Point of 1984? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to https://ground.news/unsolicited to understand how different perspectives shape our worldview. Save 40% on the Ground News unlimited access Vantage plan with my link.Uploaded 30-01-26I love Dostoevsky, and I love tier lists. So today I thought I would combine these loves into the Dostoevsky Tier List. We'll be ranking almost all of his major works, so I hope you enjoy!Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Poor Folk08:47 The Double13:43 White Nights17:27 The House of The Dead23:11 The Gambler28:10 Notes from Underground32:29 Crime and Punishment37:38 The Idiot45:27 Demons49:21 The Brothers Karamazov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I invited my good friend Alex O'Connor (@CosmicSkeptic) onto the channel to talk about the biggest unanswered questions in philosophy, as well as what he has changed his mind on in the past decade on YouTube. I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 23-01-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What have you changed your mind on?16:28 Why do we need to know what the mind is?22:15 What is Idealism?42:17 What is Truth?57:30 The Split Brain Experiments1:04:28 Is Panpsychism just Physicalism?1:09:45 Is the Universe God?1:21:59 Where do our atheist-theist debates go wrong?1:31:36 How do you respond to Thomas Aquinas?1:47:09 How to get in the head of a philosopher?1:52:09 What is the best idea you encountered last year?1:57:45 We're doing a show together! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few philosophies as famous and infamous as nihilism - the belief that nothing really matters. But we rarely stop to ask what nihilism actually is, or give a detailed analysis of its properties. And this is a shame because it prevents us having clear and precise conversations about what is perhaps one of the most important philosophical issues of the past 200 years. So today we are going to try to specify the idea of nihilism. It may not be a perfect system, but I am hoping it will bring some clarity to this often nebulous philosophy.Uploaded 07-04-24Support me on Patreon here (thank you you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Nihilism01:42 The Total Nihilist07:13 The Moral Nihilist11:40 The Conventional Nihilist15:51 The Dimensions of Nhilism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps Nietzsche's most famous phrase is "God is dead and we have killed him". But we rarely stop to think about what Nietzsche actually meant by this. And it is a worthy task, because this simple statement has been misinterpreted over and over again in a myriad of different ways, and we could do with separating the wheat from the chaff.Uploaded 11-04-24Support me on Patreon here (thank you you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 God is Dead01:09 Enlightenment Problems Require Existential Solutions07:04 God is Dead and So are We12:42 God is Dead so Become a God19:59 Atheism Taken Seriously Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What has gone wrong with reading? This is one of the main questions on everybody's lips today, and very few people have written about it as thoroughly as Jared Henderson (@_jared). So I had a chat with him about the modern reading crisis, and what we can do about it.Uploaded 12-01-26You can find Jared's Substack here: https://substack.com/@jaredhendersonYou can also find my Substack here: https://substack.com/@josephfolley00:00 What is the reading crisis?07:05 How is this over-simplified?00:25:12 The gap between non-readers and hyper-readers00:34:05 Byung-Chul Han00:43:55 What's Happening with Our Attention Spans?00:51:42 Enjoying Reading01:08:51 Performative Readers01:16:27 The Effects of the Internet on Reading01:23:34 Favourite Books01:28:34 What's the Point of Fiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice04241Uploaded 15-04-24There have been few public intellectuals who are quite as well-respected as Robert Sapolsky. He is clear in his argument, precise in his speech, and persuasive in his claims. Here we will look at his most recent book: Determined: Life without Freewill. It is one of my favourite popular philosophy books I have ever read, and while I don't entirely agree with Sapolsky's conclusions, he is a brilliant writer and I really hope he decides to try his hand at more philosophical debates. He argues that if determinism is true, then despite all appearances, we are not responsible for our actions.Thank you once again to Skillshare for sponsoring this video.Support me on Patreon here (thank you you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7David and Choi paper referenced: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25655385?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents00:00 Determined01:35 The Freewill Debate07:07 Determinism and Moral Responsibility16:52 Freewill and The Law23:33 Conceptions of Will and Responsibility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When The Matrix was released in 1999, it sparked a brand new way to express an old philosophical problem - a sceptical scenario. So let’s dive into the world of scepticism, the simulation hypothesis, and more, to see what they consist of, and how we might be able to refute them.Uploaded 20-04-24Support me on Patreon here (thank you you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Simulation Hypothesis01:27 A Sceptics Guide to Scepticism05:15 "Stuff Obviously Exists"10:49 The Contextualist16:46 Brains in Vats and "Brains" in "Vats" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JRR Tolkien is one of the most celebrated authors of the past century, and for good reason! But he also was an accomplished essayist and literary critic, and one of his most interesting essays is called "On Fairy Stories" and the insightfulness of its observations far outstrips the modesty of its scope, to encompass the value of storytelling itself. So I am very excited to talk about it with you today.Uploaded 25-02-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Making the World Afresh10:04 Stories of The Self20:50 Alternative Stories34:28 Storytelling and Joy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of people get the sense that there is something deeply wrong with modern philosophy. And how very unphilosophical it would be to not at least attempt to address this idea, and see if there is anything in it (personally, I think there is actually quite a lot in it). So I have invited philosopher and lecturer @DrWalterVeit onto the show to discuss them with me. I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 21-02-26Here is Walter's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DrWalterVeitAnd here is his Substack: https://substack.com/@walterveit?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageBoth are excellent and I highly recommend them!You can find Walter's book here: https://www.routledge.com/A-Philosophy-for-the-Science-of-Animal-Consciousness/Veit/p/book/9781032343617Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What is wrong with modern philosophy?11:15 Why intuition is often unreliable?25:00 What is the role of Thought Experiments in Science?32:11 What can evolution teach us about the mind?42:49 Why philosophers should study animals?46:35 What is pathological complexity and why does it matter?01:08:45 How do we test Walter's theories?01:18:15 Do we set the bar for testing consciousness too high?01:38:15 My doubts about panpsychism01:48:00 Does Illusionism have a branding problem?01:52:25 What is conceptual engineering and why does it matter?02:01:40 What is the most interesting idea you've come across in the past year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 15-02-26An article went viral last year from British Vogue, called “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?”. And amongst all the cries about how love is embarrassing now, I wanted to ask whether this is anything new. Is it instead the case that love has always been embarrassing? I think so, and I would like to say why.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Links:Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/is-having-a-boyfriend-embarrassing-nowThe Rise of the Highfivesexuals https://open.substack.com/pub/cartoonshateher/p/the-rise-of-the-highfivesexuals?r=2ohjsz&utm_medium=ios00:00 Boyfriends, Girlfriends, and Shame09:31 Love has Always Been Embarrassing22:07 The Independence Obsession Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Very few philosophers have been misconstrued and misunderstood as much as Friedrich Nietzsche. And he was truly terrified of this eventuality, so much so that he repeatedly says not to mistake him in his works. So in that spirit, we are going to examine the top 5 myths about Nietzsche that I see floating around the internet. I hope you enjoy it!Uploaded 06-05-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Article: https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38564/chapter-abstract/334362033?redirectedFrom=fulltext00:00 The Myths of Nietzsche01:19 Nietzsche the fascist07:27 Nietzsche the cruel14:11 Nietzsche the hedonist19:48 Nietzsche the nihilist24:47 Nietzsche the incoherent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To learn for free on Brilliant, go to https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual premium subscription.Uploaded 04-02-26The term "Parasocial Relationships" has become quite the hot button issue lately. With the rise of social media, they are seemingly growing at a rapid pace. So what is the future of parasocial relationships, and what harm can they do?Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Sociality and Parasociality13:29 Parasocial Relationships: The Good and The Bad21:42 The Parasocial World36:58 The Future of ParasocialitySponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Orwell is widely seen as a prescient author. This is often applied to his thoughts about totalitarianism and surveillance. But it applies just as much to his ideas about propaganda, which are surprisingly up-to-date, and mirrored in the book How Propaganda Works by Jason Stanley.Uploaded 26-03-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What even is propaganda, anyway?09:50 Epistemology and Ideology21:30 The Influence of Language36:32 Propaganda and You Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice05241Uploaded 16-05-24Over the years a consistent claim has emerged from both some theists and some atheists that morality is untenable without the existence of a God. But is this true? Today I will explore three variants on the position that "Atheists have no morals" to see which ones hold water and which are simply unfounded assumptions.Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Papers cited:For claim that people harbour a distrust of atheists: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22059841/Benefits of group camping trips: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1348050/fullRelationship between religious attendance and generosity (an example of pro-social behaviour): https://news.gallup.com/poll/122807/religious-attendance-relates-generosity-worldwide.aspxA paper questioning the relationship between atheism and pro-sociality. and the correlation sometimes found: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22925142/For Investigations between the religiosity of societies and their levels of anti-social behaviour: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Society-without-God-Religious-Contentment/dp/0814797237Relationship between prosociality and religion: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38407059/#:~:text=years%20of%20research-,Religiosity%20predicts%20prosociality%2C%20especially%20when%20measured%20by%20self-report%3A,doi%3A%2010.1037%2Fbul0000413.On Atheists being more interested in consequentialist ethics and Theists being more interested in Group Cohesion: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246593Article on Moral Anti-Realism: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-anti-realism/00:00 God and Morality01:20 "Atheists are Bad People"07:57 "Morality Needs God"14:09 The Atheist's Conundrum19:09 Post-Theistic Morality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few philosophers more sought after than Albert Camus. His thoughts on absuridsm and living in a meaningless world have gone down in history for their insight and their radicalism. But today we are going to examine Camus's final published novel, where he gives a deep analysis of an existential crisis in the modern age, and how we might inadvertently be lying to ourselves about almost everything.Uploaded 20-05-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Fall of Man01:58 A Supposedly Idyllic Life08:34 Innocence Lost15:55 Rebellion and Cynicism21:33 The Judge-Penitent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are often told we are in the midst of a Gen Z religious revival, but is that true? I spoke to scholar of religion Dr Andrew Henry (@ReligionForBreakfast) to find out if the data backs up the hype.Uploaded 14-03-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for the book club: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What's going on with Gen Z and religion?13:30 What makes religions sticky?20:50 Why is there so much hype for a Christian revival?26:05 What is atheist religion?37:30 Why do some people just not care about religion?40:30 Why can't we be religious like a medieval peasant?48:11 How do we get Eastern religions wrong in the West?56:23 Why are so many things called "religions" now?01:06:22 Does religion fill a gap?01:18:25 Why pigs?01:22:15 How does religious cultural exchange work?01:36:40 What is the best idea you've heard in the past year? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few philosophy books as iconic as Plato's Republic. It is simultaneously an examination of what "goodness" is, a metaphysical treatise, and a political manifesto. And today we are going to look at this wonderful ancient text, and ask whether its insights are applicable to our own time. And how, just maybe, we might be able to fix politics.Uploaded 25-05-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Politics and Philosophy01:44 The New Metallic Order08:01 Educating a State13:50 The Rule of Wisdom19:28 The Failed States Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like anyone, I have favourite books, and many of them are classics. And I sometimes like to go on Goodreads and read one star reviews of them, to torment myself a little. Today, I will share this with you.Uploaded 01-03-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Lord of the Rings Song: https://youtu.be/I3g6mFI4Fug?si=XVzH4kNs4ENVsQhg00:00 Wuthering Heights07:42 No Longer Human13:10 Pride and Prejudice20:49 The Idiot24:33 The Apologia30:54 The Lord of The Rings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we do about God? The question of the day for many people, even many atheists, is whether religion should be maintained for the good of everyone, even if we think its tenets are, ultimately, false. An argument for religion's necessity has been put forward by many recent voices like Jordan Peterson, and at points has even been touched upon by hardline atheist Richard Dawkins. But today we are going to step back in time and look at the essay which mirrors so many of these modern debates - Arthur Schopenhauer's dialogue on religion, and see what the great German has to say about God.Uploaded 01-06-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Atheism and Society01:35 Schopenhauer: A User's Guide07:39 An Existential Necessity14:17 The Moral Lessons of Religion18:06 Allegorical Truth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few thinkers are talked about as much online as Albert Camus, and few works are discussed as much as The Myth of Sisyphus. But for all that, I haven't seen a video that does a long, chapter-by-chapter guide to the text. So I thought I would fill the gap, and ask - how can Sisyphus actually be happy?Uploaded 28-04-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Life is Absurd - What Now?14:04 Absurdism: Opening Principles26:10 Meet the Absurd Men39:28 Absurd Creation and Play55:00 Imagining Sisyphus Happy01:14:04 A Tale of Two Camus(-es) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aren't statistics wonderful things. If used correctly they can provide profound illumination on how the world is. But let's say you didn't want to do that. How would you use every trick in the book to manipulate, fool, and lie to people with statistics to believe whatever you want them to. Well, that is just what we are going to look at today.Uploaded 04-06-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Article on Correlation and Causation: https://www.nature.com/articles/nmeth.358700:00 Fantastic Statistics and Where to Find Them02:04 Devious definitions04:48 Strange inferences07:47 Samples and Representativeness12:01 The Average Joe16:17 The Buttery Biscuit Base Rate Neglect19:26 The Abuse of Proportions23:03 Correlation and Causation26:59 Causation and Attribution Errors29:30 The Dazzle of StatisticsStandard Deviation Curve example: By Ajay Raavi MD JD - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116977508Spurious correlations website: https://tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freewill is a hot-button issue both in philosophy and in popular discourse, so I sat down with Dr. Nathan Hawkins, who has written extensively in defence of Freewill, to have a friendly discussion and debate about it. I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 24-04-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 How do Philosophers Debate about Freewill?09:04 The Case Against Determinism18:45 Problems with Setting up Determinism30:22 The Branching Futures Model of Freewill41:35 Yes, we could have acted otherwise52:45 Are we just redefining our terms?01:02:51 My own Compatibilism01:11:44 Why is Nathan an Idealist?01:25:25 Can we make Idealism Naturalistic?01:44:02 What is "The Absolute"?01:54:25 What is the most interesting idea you've come across and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 18-04-26There is great philosophy, and then there is this. I am going to have a go at defending deliberately bad or dumb philosophy takes, because I like making life less pleasant.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Luck is fair08:20 Agnostics don't exist14:26 Lies are good for you21:20 Existential crises don't exist24:52 Consciousness is an illusion (but not illusionism)26:40 Nepotism is good, actually31:21 This is confusing, therefore it must be deep36:38 Don't return your shopping carts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 10-04-26The way we talk about books online has been bothering me for a while, and I wanted to talk a bit about it. We'll be talking a bit about ragebait, a bit about snobbery, and a bit about literacy, and we'll try to paint a slightly different way forward.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Literary Ragebait10:20 The Origin and Variety of Snobs23:40 The Capture of Value35:45 The Worship of KnowledgeThis video is sponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few experiences as terrifying as feeling totally alone. Being lonely and feeling alienated from everyone else around you. And nowhere is this explored better than in Albert Camus' landmark novel, The Stranger. So get ready to dive into this wonderful novel, and maybe answer the question of why we are so lonely.Uploaded 12-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Ultimate Outsider01:29 Indifference and Difference07:08 Judgement and Condemnation13:18 Confusion and Chaos20:22 The Comfort of The Absurd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are told that we are in a meaning crisis, but what is it and how do we solve it? This is the question I want to pose (and give some sketch answers to) in this talk. I hope you enjoy. So let's get to the bottom of why everyone is so nihilistic now.Uploaded 03-04-26Addendum 1: I actually don’t think this as much anymore - I’ve read a few of Nietzsche’s letters since this talk that indicate he placed more argumentative importance on the origins-based points than I had interpreted at first.Addendum 2: Watching this back I give the wrong impression - Ann Blair does argue there was a big shift in the way we manage information here, but I accidentally make it sound like there was less continuity than Blair argues (see chapter 1 of her book for more details)Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Thank you to Discourse Collective for welcoming me to their event and to @elliotbewick for filming and running the QnA00:00 Talk44:51 QnA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 22-05-26I have often said that I think reading good fiction and novels can improve your life, as much if not more than books written with that purpose in mind. So here is a list of phenomenal works of fiction to get you started, each of which I am confident will improve your life more than any self-help book out there.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Here is a good production of Othello (I can't find the one I had in mind but it has Ian McKellen in so chances are it is fantastic): https://youtu.be/oX0cbcrMAdo?si=2aPO4BsUsK0lB6_n00:00 A Hopeful Apocalypse05:56 An Envious Tragedy10:18 An Existential Affliction16:03 Some Fabulous Fables20:34 Some Satanic Scribbles25:50 A Pessimistic Psychology31:31 Some Ancient Epics36:12 A Fraught Romance39:13 A Religious Experience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though many philosophers throughout history have talked about beauty and suffering, very few have done this to the same extent as Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book The Birth of Tragedy he explores how the sufferings and pains of life can be rendered beautiful through art, and this ties in interestingly with his wider philosophy. So let's see what this great thinker can teach us about the life of art and the art of life.Uploaded 23-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Tragic Life01:30 Apollo, Dionysus, and Unbearable Truths07:30 Beware Greeks Bearing Scripts13:40 Humanity as Art and Artist19:59 An Excess of Apollo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscriptionUploaded 14-05-26I am often told that "all relationships are transactional". I think this is not only a lie, but a pernicious lie, and here is exactly how I respond to it. Moreover, the popularity of this phrase points to a wider set of cynical attitudes that have gripped our collective psyche, and I want to unpack them.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Presumption of Transaction12:14 Egoism and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy21:52 The Seduction of Cynicism34:49 Cynicism within LimitsThis video is sponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout history, philosophers have tackled a number of questions, but on the side they have provided something almost as valuable - an implicit guide on how to think like some of the brightest minds in history. And that is what we shall be exploring today. So here is how to think like a philosopher.Uploaded 27-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Philosophers' Guidebook01:07 Let's Get Specific06:29 Originality and Creativity12:08 Courage and Inquiry18:03 Doubt and Dubitability22:39 Theory, Practice, and Habituation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice07241Uploaded 01-07-24Why does it seem like BS is around every corner in the modern age? Wherever we go there is usually someone trying to fool us, hoodwink us, or manipulate the truth to serve their own ends. But what exactly is Bulls****, and why should we care about it? Well, today we will look at Harry Frankfurt's essay on that very topic, and dive into the surprising philosophy of Bulls****Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Philosopher's Guide to BS02:32 A Theory of BS08:43 Honest and Dishonest15:17 The Tenacity of BS20:48 The Smell of BS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People from all over the internet flock to ask a very important question: Am I The A**hole? Today we are going to look at some of the most interesting finds from that subreddit, and see where philosophy is eminently applicable.Uploaded 05-05-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Honouring Dead Brother's Wishes12:25 Fake Memories of a Tragedy21:23 Telling a Friend She is Awful30:57 Not Caring About a Baby Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Franz Kafka is one of the most brilliant yet anxious writers of the 20th century. And in his "Letter to my father" he outlines exactly where his fear of other people comes from. Here he outlines both his troubling relationship with his father Hermann, and gives a masterclass on the origins of his social anxiety, and social anxiety in general. So here is why Kafka hated people.Uploaded 09-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Letter to His Father01:39 Judge, Jury, and Executioner09:27 A Crumpled Map16:18 Permanent Scars22:31 Gratitude, Fear, and Guilt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has become almost cliche to observe that the internet often seems to bring out the worst in us. Yet the question of why remains elusive. So today we are going to check out a number of philosophers who, in my view, can help us understand our current internet predicament, and hopefully try to solve it.Uploaded 22-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Dehumanizing Human15:04 Echo Chambers and Rationality29:06 Anonymity and Manners40:18 The Task of Love and the Future of The Internet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Existential Crisis is a uniquely painful experience. It robs all the joy out of life and leaves us a heaping mess on the floor. But luckily, we can turn to some of the greatest minds in history to guide us through. And foremost among these is Tolstoy's Confession, where he outlines how he fell into existential despair, and how he eventually started to dig himself out of it.Uploaded 14-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more (occasional) philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Tolstoy's Existential Crisis01:34 The Brutality of Nihilism08:13 Four Futile Paths14:27 Faith, Reason, and Conflict20:57 Finding Normativity: An Open Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ignorance is one of the most maligned concepts out there. For many of my videos I take it for granted that knowing more is always better. And yet the philosopher Jimmy Licon offers a different perspective. His work highlights where ignorance is beneficial, both ethically and epistemically.Uploaded 16-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Professor Licon's Substack: https://substack.com/@syntheticsocratesProfessor Licon's Youtube channel: https://youtube.com/@uncommonwisdomllc?si=0gAAWQjEY9oNn8WG00:00 What are the benefits of ignorance?14:53 What are the benefits of not thinking?24:52 When is virtue signalling good?45:11 Should politics be less transparent?1:07:35 Should our politics be less rational?1:27:45 Will AI kill philosophy?1:43:13 What is the most interesting idea you've come across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 17-07-24The Problem of Evil is one of those questions that has stayed with philosophers and philosophy as a whole for millennia. It can be summed up in a single statement: why would an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God allow evil to exist in the world? And this all raises one question: is God evil?Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Theodicy and Theology01:58 The Problem(s) of Evil07:11 Good Beyond Pleasure and Evil Beyond Pain12:14 Divine Command Theory18:31 The Incomprehensibility of God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 10-06-26I love a hot takes video. We have done a few about philosophy, but I am interested to see your hottest takes on literature, and books more generally. There are some really spicy ones here, and I'm looking forward to reading them.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Literature is Just Content10:31 Audiobooks Don't Count15:11 Intention and Interpretation26:50 Movies are Better than Books34:42 Modern Books are Bad38:35 We care too much about relatability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an old video on Nietzsche and does not really reflect my current views on him. Sorry about that.Uploaded 20-07-24There has been increasing discourse online about the concept of a "Christian Revival" or otherwise a general religious revival. And I find this very interesting because almost exactly the same debate took place over the course of the 19th century. And chief among the critics of religion as an answer to nihilism was the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. So it is worth hearing him out - even if we end up disagreeing with him. Let's find out if a religious revival is really the answer.Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person you): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Religious Revival - A Dilemma01:48 Lived Religion07:05 Religion and Nihilism: A False Dichotomy14:08 Religious Authority and its Critics21:11 Nihilism and The Will Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sophists are potentially the most hated philosophers in history. But as far as I can tell, this is based on a series of misunderstandings and misrepresentations. When we look at the existing evidence in more detail, what is instead revealed are a group of interesting and original thinkers. So here is my sophist apologia. I hope you enjoy it.Uploaded 04-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Villainous Sophist07:50 Arguments Leading Nowhere24:27 Corrupting the Youth36:30 Man is the Measure of All Things45:00 What to do about the Sophists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we all hate work so much? And why does it seem to have only got worse in the modern era? Well, according to philosopher Byung-Chul Han, our psychological attitude towards work and productivity has fundamentally shifted in a disastrous direction for our mental health, our happiness, and our long-term fulfilment.Uploaded 23-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Burnout Society01:27 Discipline and Achievement08:07 Isolation and Individualism14:53 No Rest for the Wicked20:33 Means, Ends, and Self-Hatred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this year I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with some enormously clever people and talking about God, goodness, and meaning, and I am delighted to share it with you now. Thank you to Premier Unbelievable for filming it and for allowing me to post it here.Uploaded 27-07-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/0:00 The Story of Everything1:00 William Lane Craig: Where Did Reality Come From?5:34 Can Life Have Meaning Without God?10:07 Hinduism, God and the Universe14:57 Philip Goff’s Mystical Experience24:04 Craig Challenges Goff on Mystical Experience27:38 Does Meaning Need God?45:04 Creation, Brahman and Christian Theism51:05 Is God Separate From the Universe?1:00:02 Good, Evil and Ultimate Reality1:14:38 Have We Moved Beyond Objective Meaning? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 27-07-24It seems like there is only one thing everyone can agree on at the moment - there is something wrong with modern love. Though people may disagree with exactly what it is or what the solutions might be, no one is happy, and everyone has a bone to pick. So I hope you'll join me in exploring the philosophy behind the problem with modern love.LINKS AND CORRECTIONSSupport me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The State of Love02:36 The Terrifying Power of Love08:28 Lofty Expectations14:59 The Cult of Eros22:02 The Mysteries of Compatibility27:45 The Aesthetic Stage of Love33:24 The Terror of Beauty39:30 The Expectation of Self-Love46:07 Dissonance and Harmony53:05 Romantic Nihilism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is no secret that the humanities are under threat. This is for many reasons, but among them is the idea that the humanities are "useless". But at the same time, I am a bit dissatisfied with many of the ways we currently defend these fields. So today we re going to look at the war on the humanities, using Eric Adler's book "The Battle Of The Classics".Uploaded 22-07-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Decline and Fall of the Humanities07:48 Critical Thinking is Not Enough15:57 What's the Point of The Humanities?24:27 How to Actually Defend the Humanities37:14 A Defence in Practice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 14-07-26You know the drill! Here are some one-star reviews of classic books. But this time I wanted to do something a little bit different. Rather than simply look to them for entertainment, I wanted to pick those reviews that, even though they were uniformly negative, actually had a very good point, and perhaps understood these works better than most other people.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Great Gatsby12:29 American Psycho21:18 Kafka: The Complete Stories28:52 Albert Camus' The Fall37:28 Montaigne's Essays Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ancient Greece had the philosophical dialogue, ancient Rome had the hexameter poem, the enlightenment had the essay, and the Romantics had the philosophical novel. But today, we will look at the modern choice for communicating philosophical ideas: memes. And rather than simply laugh or mock them, we are going to take them seriously to see what we can learn from them.Uploaded 05-08-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:23 The Myth of Sisyphus03:03 Shopping Trolley Problem06:19 Frustrated Originality08:21 God and Freedom10:00 The Fear of Being Seen12:13 Philosophy is Annoying14:38 Partying in Absurdity18:08 Moral Monsters19:56 Relativism and its Issues21:44 Philosophy and Self-Help24:29 MC Hammer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the modern world we are obsessed with identity - including the idea of "being yourself". I have expressed some scepticism of this idea in the past, but haven't quite been able to put my finger on why. So today we are talking to the wonderful Dr. Alexander Douglas all about his latest book - Against Identity - a critique of the very concept of a fixed identity. I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 08-07-26You can find Alex's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DT1K9W2N/?bestFormat=true&k=against%20identity&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-ww_k0_1_16_de&crid=2I1NZ64U6309U&sprefix=against%20identityAnd his Substack here: https://substack.com/@alexxdouglasSupport me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What's wrong with being yourself08:45 How does Daoism question identity?22:33 Should our identities be more fluid?31:20 Identity as social technology?36:45 Spinoza and identity50:00 The pressure of a fixed identity55:04 What is Girard's theory of mimetic desire1:17:20 Girard's Christianity1:24:55 What was the most interesting idea you came across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Self-improvement is a noble aim, but can it go too far? I think it can, but I also think that in our rush to condemn self-improvement and self-optimisation, we often forget that obsession is sometimes a wonderful thing, and we ought not to condemn it wholesale.Uploaded 20-09-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The cult of self-optimisation07:54 Keeping Score22:41 The existential temptation of optimisation38:14 In defence of obsession Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simone Weil is one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century. Yet she remains tragically underrated and underread. This is a shame, because she is a truly fascinating and original thinker, with a lot specifically to add to our understanding of the modern world.Uploaded 10-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Needs of The Soul14:32 Suffering and The Poem of Force29:11 Social Prestige and the Power of Words41:49 Friendship, Necessity, and Hatred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few authors who speak as clearly to the problems of modernity as Franz Kafka. But in him, we also find reassurance that our problems are not unique, or pathetic, but have been felt and understood by those who came before us. And, above all, are dignified enough to fashion great art out of them. So here let's look at Franz Kafka, and how he is the perfect philosopher for the modern age.Uploaded 19-08-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Loneliness sources:https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/facts-and-statistics/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/24/health/lonely-adults-gallup-poll-wellness/index.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/16/who-declares-loneliness-a-global-public-health-concernhttps://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/unlock-loneliness/loneliness-young-people-research-briefing#:~:text=BBC.,new%20BBC%20Radio%204%20survey.Video on Kafka and TikTok: https://youtu.be/JuaWj0GVU9o?si=ErfYiLqGWy7-gyYF00:00 Kafka Populi01:13 A Question of Identity08:11 Isolation in Public14:45 Mundane Helplessness21:24 A Portrait of Fear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I love a philosophical thought experiment, and I love a tier list. So today we are going to rank some of the most famous thought experiments in history. Thank you so much to the friend who was kind enough to send me his list to react to.Uploaded 17-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Mary's Room10:27 Ship of Theseus16:01 The Teleporter Problem25:55 Utility Monster33:10 Euthyphro Dilemma38:06 Russell's Teapot43:22 Fake Barn Country51:45 Are you a Brain in a Vat?58:46 Wittgenstein's Beetle in a Box1:07:17 Chinese Room Argument Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 23-08-24Debates about God are almost always pitched as between atheists and theists. But we do not give very much thought to the middle position. What about the skeptic's position on the issue? What are the strong arguments in favour of agnosticism?Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Image: Square made of Two Triangles. Credit to Michael Angelkovich. Licenced under CC 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en00:00 Agnosticism and Scepticism02:02 The Limits of Analogy07:32 The Problem of Understanding God14:12 Possibilities, Plausibility, and You20:05 Knowledge, Belief, and Doubt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An argument that has become increasingly popular in apologetic or cultural apologetic circles is arguing for the cultural influence of Christianity through the "Tom Holland Argument". I talked to a prominent Christian critic of that argument to see why he thinks Christians should not take this route.Uploaded 26-08-26Also check out Matt’s Substack here! It is really good!: https://substack.com/@thisisleisfullofnoises?r=2ohjsz&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=imageSupport me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What is the "Tom Holland Argument"06:20 Why shouldn't Christians use it?16:46 The trouble with defining Christianity29:15 The difficulty of writing history through ideas41:15 Your morals aren't self-evident50:30 History, Epistemology, and Storytelling55:35 What are some good arguments for cultural Christianity?1:03:15 When are historical arguments persuasive?1:12:46 Secular Ethics and Self-Help Bros1:22:30 What I envy about religious people1:27:40 Can everyone go to Heaven?1:39:07 What was the greatest idea you came across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social Media. It is something everyone seems to agree has some pretty negative consequences, along with some positives. But we rarely stop and ask what it is about this simple collection of words and images that seems to cause so much distress. And in The Transparency Society, Byung-Chul Han aims to answer this very thing. So, let's learn how we killed privacy, and why you hate social media.Uploaded 27-08-24Support me on Patreon here (you absolutely wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Transparency Society01:39 The Society of Exhibition07:47 Forced Intimacy and No Intimacy14:15 The Uninformative Deluge20:14 Transparency and Control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crushes are a fascinating aspect of human life. They have a tendency to reduce even the most rational person to a neurotic mess. But what exactly is it that makes a crush so powerful and so painful, and why do we get them? Well, this question is explored in detail in Stendhal's magnificent book On Love. And we will explore this very topic in this video.Uploaded 31-08-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Touch of Irrationalism01:43 Crystallisation and Fantasy08:24 Love's Labour's Lost (and Won)15:09 Identity, Vanity, and Ego21:26 Dignifying the Crush Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices