The Living Philosophy

In A Conflict of Visions Sowell distinguishes between the two visions that have shaped the landscape of the modern era (and beyond): the Constrained Vision and the Unconstrained vision. From Hobbes's "bloody war of each against all" to Rousseau's "man is born free but is everywhere in chains" we see these visions develop and grow in the modern era, shaping the world we find ourselves in. A Conflict of Visions which Thomas Sowell published in 1987 and has always spoken of as his favourite book is a fantastic exploration of the exact type of historical trend exploration that I'm so fond of. While Sowell's verion of Unconstrained vision suffers somewhat from his Constrained vision bias it is not irreparably so and the whole book has become one of my favourites and one I know I'll be returning to for many years to come. In this episode we are going to review and give a summary of A Conflict of Visions. I hope you enjoy!____________________Further Reading:- Sowell, T., 1987. _A conflict of visions: Ideological origins of political struggles_________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!)▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Media Used:1. Dark Times  — Kevin MacLeod2.  Lightless Dawn — Kevin MacLeod3.  There’s Probably No Time — Chris Zabriskie4.  Mesmerize  — Kevin MacLeod5.  Evening Fall Harp — Kevin MacLeod6.  Long Note Three — Kevin MacLeod7. Anguish — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod [https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic](https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic)Subscribe to Chris Zabriskie [https://www.youtube.com/c/chriszabriskie](https://www.youtube.com/c/chriszabriskie)_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction2:21 What is a Vision?4:25 Constrained vs. Unconstrained: Human Nature4:47 Constrained Human Nature6:45 Unconstrained Human Nature10:20 Unconstrained: Progress and Change11:42 Constrained Progress: Progress and Change15:15: Summary of the Constrained and Unconstrained Visions16:56 An Attempt at Synthesis: A Developmental Perspective

The Three Metamorphoses is Nietzsche's map of the development of Re-Valuers of Values — the Übermensch. At the beginning of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche's Zarathustra delivers his first discourse — The Three Metamorphoses.In the first 100 days of the channel I made a video exploring this topic. Recently I sat down to transcribe the video and release it in article format on the website. Instead, I ended up overflowing with thoughts and insights. This is one of those incredibly rich corners of Nietzsche that I return to again and again. I wrote draft after draft and ended up with far too much for a short YouTube video (perhaps a lecture someday would be a more suitable format). I pared back the many pages into what you see here.It is fascinating to cover old ground loaded with the learnings from more recent studies and with the Q3 quest that has been taking shape on the channel of late. The creation of this video was one of those weeks (even more than other weeks) where I felt immensely blessed with what this channel has become.In brief Nietzsche's Three Metamorphoses charts the metamorphosis from man into camel; camel into lion and finally lion into the child. The camel submits to a higher law; the lion fights the dragon "Thou Shalt" which creates the space for the child to create a new tablet of values — for Nietzsche's Revaluation of All Values.Thus Spoke Zarathustra and the philosophy of Nietzsche are inexorably bound together. This was the book that Friedrich Nietzsche most believed in and adored (and where the idea of the Übermensch emerged). It transformed his inner world and this story of Nietzsche's Three Metamorphoses is pivotal to that transformation._________________📚 Further Reading:- Nietzsche, F. and Kaufmann, W., 1954. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The Portable Nietzsche. trans. and ed. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Viking.- Jung, C.G., 1998. Jung's Seminar on Nietzsche's Zarathustra: Abridged Edition (Vol. 99). Princeton University Press._________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!)▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy_________________🎶 Audio Used:Despair & Triumph  — Kevin MacLeodDark Times  — Kevin MacLeodThere’s Probably No Time — Chris ZabriskieShores of Avalon  — Kevin MacLeodLong Note Three — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic Subscribe to Chris Zabriskie https://www.youtube.com/c/chriszabriskie_________________⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:51 The First Metamorphosis: Man to Camel 3:09 The Second Metamorphosis: Camel to Lion 8:26 The Third Metamorphosis: Lion to Child

In the episode on Foucault we touched briefly on the question of what might happen if we combined Jung's analysis of the gods with Foucault's analysis of power. There is a precedent for this question in the work of the philosopher loved by both thinkers: Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book, On the Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche talks about how the gods can have very different effects on their believers. In the Judaeo-Christian tradition, God is the embodiment of the superego. He is the ideal that judges; we are creatures with Free Will and whether we thrive or fail is on ourselves. In the Greek tradition on the other hand we have the pantheon of bickering gods. If misfortune befalls us it isn't simply because of something we have done but perhaps becuase of some conflict among the gods that we have no power of. In this way the Greeks "used their gods precisely so as to ward off the “bad conscience,” so as to be able to rejoice in their freedom of soul—the very opposite of the use to which Christianity put its God." ____________________Further Reading:-   Nietzsche, F., 1989. On the Genealogy of Morals, trans. Walter Kaufmann. _Basic Writings of Nietzsche_, pp.437-599.-   _The Labors of Hercules_. [online] Available at: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!)▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________🎶 Music Used:1.  Allégro — Emmit Fenn2.  Lost Frontier  — Kevin MacLeod3.  Magnetic - Documentary Background MusicSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod [https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic](https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic)Subscribe to Emmit Fenn: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcmssGR3ICxlt_7eV47FUhQ_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction - The Judaeo-Christian Guilt1:49 Herakles and the Greek Relationship to Gods4:15 In the Context of the Recent Episodes_______________#philosophy #thelivingphilosophy #nietzsche #jung #foucault #religion #jordanpeterson

The Presocratic Heraclitus of Ephesus is a philosopher's philosopher. His work was beloved by Socrates, Plato, Hegel, Nietzsche and Heidegger. The philosopher from Ephesus is commonly known as the philosopher of fire (thanks to Aristotle) or, for those with a little more nuance, he is known as the philosopher of panta rei or flux — of constant never-ending change. But there is another side of Heraclitus's philosophy that is less talked about and that is his philosophy of Logos. This element of the Presocratic philosopher's work was taken up by the Gospel writer John who opened his Gospel with the line "In the beginning was there was the Logos and the Logos was with God and the Logos was God". John wrote his work in Ephesus and so the comparison with Heraclitus can't be avoided. For Heraclitus Logos is the unchanging eternal principle that is the true nature of reality. That leaves us with something of a paradox in a way that is very similar to Parmenides, who also wrote about the contrast between the world of Being and the world of Becoming. As well as Parmenides we will also be looking at how Heraclitus's work can be situated as part of the tradition of the Perennial Philosophy and can be fruitfully connected with the Eastern philosophies of Buddha Gautama and of Lao-Tzu. ____________________Further Reading:- Curd, P. and McKirahan, R.D., 1996. A Presocratics Reader- Geldard, R.G., 2000. _Remembering Heraclitus_. Richard Geldard.________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!)▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy_______________Media Used:1.  There’s Probably No Time — Chris Zabriskie2.  Lost Frontier  — Kevin MacLeod3.  Juniper — Kevin MacLeod4.  Eastern Thought — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod [https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic](https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic)Subscribe to Chris Zabriskie [https://www.youtube.com/c/chriszabriskie](https://www.youtube.com/c/chriszabriskie)_________________⌛ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction2:06 Aristotle's View4:22 The Other Half of Heraclitus6:52 Heraclitus and the Mystical Tradition_________________#heraclitus #thelivingphilosophy #philosophy #history #ancienthistory

Dissecting Michel Foucault's groundbreaking theory of power, challenging traditional views, and introducing force relations as a key concept. Exploring how power operates at both a theoretical and empirical level and its impact on relationships and institutions worldwide.

Exploring the distinction between femininity and masculinity, the podcast delves into the reevaluation of Feminism and Womanism. It challenges the traditional view of Feminism as a Womanist movement and discusses the triumph of masculine and feminine values in society.

Ken Wilber, developer of the Four Quadrants model, discusses how it offers a comprehensive map of knowledge and human experience. The model highlights interconnectedness, hierarchy of experiences, and the potential to understand cultural conflicts. It explores conflicting ideologies and the balance between personal change and social justice movements.

Jordan Peterson’s idea of Postmodern Neo-Marxism is a conspiracy theory. It is also the Shadow in the Jungian sense of Jordan Peterson. Nothing whips Peterson into a more passionate frenzy than the Postmodern Neo-Marxist idea. And to hear the way he talks about the “main villains” of the Postmodern Neo-Marxist movement — Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida — this diagnosis becomes all the more obvious. Peterson goes beyond the bounds of reason and strays into the possession of his Shadow. Little wonder then that Peterson’s discourse has captivated all sides of the political spectrum. It constellates the Shadows both of his supporters and of his detractors. In this episode we explore Peterson on Postmodern Neomarxism — his argument, where it's wrong and what it tells us about Peterson.______________Sources: Jordan Peterson Clips1. Jordan Peterson Manning Centre speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf2nqmQIfxc2. Joe Rogan Episode 958 clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCfIuFmULkg3. Postmodernism in a Nutshell – Jordan Peterson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el6TVEMnS3E4. Postmodernism Diagnosis and Cure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4c-jOdPTN85. Jordan Peterson: You’re Oppressed! The Dangers of Postmodernism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-8slOBngqk 6. Interview with John Vervaeke (timestamped to relevant point): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLg2Q0daphE&t=2817s&ab_channel=JordanBPeterson 7. Postmodernism in a nutshell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el6TVEMnS3E 8. Why Postmodernism is so Dangerous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URktRTE1S0A 9. Foucault the Reprehensible clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBFSDd_5tiE Other sources:1. Jonas Ceika: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHtvTGaPzF42. Jordan Peterson “why the rage bruh” clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EFyADe8B4E&t=5m47s3. Jacobin article on Foucault’s experimentation with neoliberalism https://jacobinmag.com/2019/09/michel-foucault-neoliberalism-friedrich-hayek-milton-friedman-gary-becker-minoritarian-governments 4. Psychology and Religion by Carl Jung https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123636.Psychology_and_Religion 5. Jung 1939 Lecture (source of the bete noire quote) https://carljungdepthpsychologysite.blog/2021/11/30/27-january-1939-psychology-and-yoga-meditation-lecture-10/#.YgFF7Or7S3A 6. Foucault quote about Marxism from Didier Eribon’s biography of him https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1385058.Michel_Foucault 7. Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2218102.Maps_of_Meaning8. Robert Johnson’s (Jungian psychologist) book on the shadow: Owning Your Own Shadow https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9544.Owning_Your_Own_Shadow 9. French elections and the Communist Party: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Communist_Party#Popular_support_and_electoral_record 10. Conspiracy theory definition: Goertzel T. (1994). Belief in conspiracy theories. Political Psychology, 15, 731–742.____________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Audio Used:1. Despair & Triumph — Kevin MacLeod2. Lost Frontier — Kevin MacLeod3. There’s Probably No Time – Chris Zabriskie4. Drums of the Deep — Kevin MacLeodSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusicSubscribe to Chris Zabriskie youtube.com/c/chriszabriskie _________________⌛ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction04:06 Peterson’s Postmodern Neo-Marxist Argument09:04 Counterargument I: Peterson’s Misunderstandings11:40 Foucault as Peterson’s Shadow Double20:23 Counterargument II: The Neomarxist Conspiracy

Is Buddhism a religion or philosophy? I have debated many times over the years with people who are fond of Buddhism but tend to dislike religion. Of course anybody who has studied Buddhism in any depth knows that Buddhism is a religion first and foremost. Is Buddhism a philosophy? Yes but in the way that Christianity is a philosophy that is to say that there is a philosophy within it but that is not what defines it. In this episode we examine different schools of Buddhism and their supernatural beliefs in order to answer the question is Buddhism a religion or philosophy. The resounding answer is that yes Buddhism is a religion and no Buddhism is not atheist. We will also be challenging the claims that tend to get piled in with this school of thought: firstly that Buddhism isn't a violent religion and second the question is buddhism atheist. ________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy_________________⌛ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction03:59 Why People Think Buddhism Isn’t a Religion06:23 Theravadin Buddhism08:43 Mahayana Buddhism 11:00 Buddhism and Violence12:28 Final Thoughts

Metamodernism might be the most important idea you come this year. According to Hanzi Freinacht, the pioneer of political metamodernism, metamodernism is a new cultural phase that transcends and includes (to use Ken Wilber’s Integral Philosophy language) the previous phase of Postmodernism (which is turn transcended and included the previous phase of Modernity). Hanzi Freinacht is one of a number of pioneering Metamodernist thinkers as well as the Dutch art scholars Robin van den Akker and Timotheus Vermeulen who first sparked the Metamodern phenomenon with their 2010 paper Notes on Metamodernism. In this episode we are going to look at the characteristics of this new Metamodern cultural trend. its relationship to the previous trends of Modernity and Postmodernity and why, in this world in crisis, we need Metamodernism. ____________________Further Reading:• The Listening Society by Hanzi Freinacht• Metamodern Manifesto by Luke Turner http://www.metamodernism.org/• Notes on Metamodernism by Robin van der Akker and Timotheus Vermeulen https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3402/jac.v2i0.5677 ________________⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy________________Media Used:1. 1812 Overture, — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky2. Lost Frontier — Kevin MacLeod3. Juniper — Kevin MacLeod4. Mesmerize — Kevin MacLeod5. There’s Probably No Time — Chris ZabriskieSubscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic_________________⌛ Timestamps:00:00 Introduction03:11 The Metamodern Synthesis05:50 What is Metamodernism?07:34 Ironic Sincerity: the Tone of Metamodernism________________#philosophy #thelivingphilosophy #metamodernism #metamodernity #metamodern #metamoderna