The Wisdom Of
Kristian Urstad and Stephen Webb
In this podcast we explore great works of philosophy and literature and art, and try to pull out of them what’s most interesting and inspiring! Whether they come from the works of Plato, or Dostoevsky or Picasso, here we explore ideas that move mountains and rock the soul! So, come join us, won’t you? Come worship at the alter of ideas, and come celebrate the dancing of thought. Welcome to the Wisdom Of!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 22, 2025 • 14min
Samuel Beckett - "I can't go on. I'll go on."
This is the famous last line in one of Beckett's novels. But it's not just a last line, it's a credo for human existence! ... Check out my new book! It's called: The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Aug 17, 2025 • 11min
Reclaiming the power of Melancholy!
We treat melancholy as a pathology, something to be cured or eradicated. But we've lost sight of it's real value! ... Check out my new book! It's called: The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Aug 17, 2025 • 14min
Alexander Nehamas - Platonic Irony!
Socrates doesn't just undermine his interlocutors, Plato undermines us! Or so argues the contemporary philosopher Alexander Nehamas! ... Check out my new book! It's called: The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Aug 14, 2025 • 11min
The Pathetic Nature of the Sycophant!
They all gushed over Nero, and they're no different today! It's all very embarrassing and sad.... Check out my new book! It's called The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Aug 8, 2025 • 12min
Aristotle and Nietzsche - A return to TOUCH in a disembodied age!
In our age of digitization, our sense of touch has clearly been demoted. For thinkers like Aristotle and Nietzsche, the cost is enormous! ... Check out my new book! It's called The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Aug 8, 2025 • 19min
The Absurd and the Sand: A Camusian Reading of Woman in the Dunes
Woman in the Dunes is a 1964 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara. It's about a guy who gets trapped in a sandpit and has to keep shovelling sand to stay alive! It's a repetitive and futile situation! Ring any bells? ... Check out my new book! It's called The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Aug 4, 2025 • 16min
The Philosopher and his Poodles: Schopenhauer's Ethics of Compassion!
The German philosopher Schopenhauer believed that compassion was the true foundation of morality. It worked best when it came to his dogs! ... Check out my new book! It's called The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Jul 23, 2025 • 14min
The Fissure of Being, or Why You’re Never Whole: Sartre’s Existential Bombshell!
Why are we not like rocks or cabbage? Because there's a hole or fissure at the heart of our being! Or so says the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre! ... Check out my new book! It's called The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
Jul 16, 2025 • 14min
Carl Jung, Heidegger, and the California Gold Rush!
Explore the fascinating transformation of gold from a symbol of value to a mere commodity during the California Gold Rush. Delve into the philosophical insights of Carl Jung and Martin Heidegger, who scrutinize the implications of this shift on human existence. Discover Heidegger's critique of modern technology and its impact on how we perceive resources, challenging listeners to seek deeper connections with the world around them.
Jul 11, 2025 • 12min
Star Wars vs. Star Trek - Why Star Trek is better!
Star Wars and Star Trek: Which of these is more philosophically interesting? And which of these two universes would you want to live in? I got my answer! ... Check out my new book! It's called The Last Human: How Technology is Changing What it Means to be Humanhttps://www.amazon.com/Last-Human-Technology-Changing-Means/dp/1069510831/
