191 episodes

Beginner friendly if listened to in order! For anyone interested in an educational podcast about philosophy where you don't need to be a graduate-level philosopher to understand it. In chronological order, the thinkers and ideas that forged the world we live in are broken down and explained.

Philosophize This‪!‬ Stephen West

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.9 • 1.6K Ratings

Beginner friendly if listened to in order! For anyone interested in an educational podcast about philosophy where you don't need to be a graduate-level philosopher to understand it. In chronological order, the thinkers and ideas that forged the world we live in are broken down and explained.

    Episode #191 ... The modern day concentration camp and the failure of human rights. (Giorgio Agamben)

    Episode #191 ... The modern day concentration camp and the failure of human rights. (Giorgio Agamben)

    Today we talk about the philosophy of Giorgio Agamben. Human rights, a political tactic to dehumanize groups that has been growing in popularity, governments declaring states of emergency and how the concept of potential may in fact be a unifying force.
    https://www.philosophizethis.org

    Sponsors:
    Hello Fresh: https://www.HelloFresh.com/ptfree
    Better Help: https://www.BetterHelp.com/PHILTHIS

    • 32 min
    Episode #190 ... Are emotions a waste of time? - Neo-Stoicism (Martha Nussbaum)

    Episode #190 ... Are emotions a waste of time? - Neo-Stoicism (Martha Nussbaum)

    Today we talk about the lessons found in the ancient Greek play titled Hecuba. We talk about the great Stoic ethicists Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. We talk about Martha Nussbaum and her work looking to infuse classical Stoic ideas with all that we've learned in the sciences over thousands of years. We talk about compassion. Shame and guilt. Her capabilities approach. It's a whole lot of fun for the whole family. :)

    SPONSORS:
    Better Help: https://www.BetterHelp.com/PHILTHIS
    AG1: https://www.drinkAG1.com/philo

    • 34 min
    Episode #189 ... Everything that connects us is slowly disappearing. - Byung Chul Han pt. 2

    Episode #189 ... Everything that connects us is slowly disappearing. - Byung Chul Han pt. 2

    Today we talk about the disappearance of rituals, truth, community, communication, public spaces and talk about the importance sometimes of being an idiot. Hope you love it! :)
     
    Sponsor:
    Better Help https://www.BetterHelp.com/PHILTHIS
     
    Get more:
    Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis
    Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@philosophizethisclips
     
    Be social:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwest
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcast
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philosophizethispodcast
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow
     
    Thank you for making the show possible. 🙂
     

    • 32 min
    Episode #188 ... Achievement Society and the rise of narcissism, depression and anxiety - Byung-Chul Han

    Episode #188 ... Achievement Society and the rise of narcissism, depression and anxiety - Byung-Chul Han

    Today we talk about positive power, neoliberalism, narcissism as a reaction to modern life, how technology makes isolation easier, and some tactics to find peace in the digital panopticon. 
     
    Thanks for supporting the podcast by checking out our sponsors:
    Better Help: https://www.betterhelp.com/PHILTHIS
    LMNT: https://www.DrinkLMNT.com/PHILO
     
    Get more:
    Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis
     
    Be social:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwest
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcast
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philosophizethispodcast
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow
     
    Thank you for making the show possible. 🙂
     

    • 35 min
    Episode #187 ... How much freedom would you trade for security? (Foucault, Hobbes, Mill, Agamben)

    Episode #187 ... How much freedom would you trade for security? (Foucault, Hobbes, Mill, Agamben)

    On today's episode we talk about the upsides of a surveillance state. The ongoing social dilemma of freedom vs security. The value of privacy. States of exception. And Deleuze's Postscript on Societies of Control. 
    Sponsor: 
    Rocket Money - https://www.RocketMoney.com/PT
     
    Get more:
    Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis
    Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@philosophizethisclips
     
    Be social:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwest
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcast
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philosophizethispodcast
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow
     
    Thank you for making the show possible. 🙂
     

    • 39 min
    Episode #186 ... Are we heading for a digital prison? - Panopticon (Foucault, Bentham, Cave)

    Episode #186 ... Are we heading for a digital prison? - Panopticon (Foucault, Bentham, Cave)

    Today we talk about Jeremy Bentham's concept of the Panopticon. Michel Foucault's comparison to society in 1975. The historical role of intelligence as a justification for dominance. The anatomy of free will, and how a digital world may systematically limit our free will without us knowing it. 
     
    Thank you to the sponsors of this episode: 
    LMNT - www.drinkLMNT.com/PHILO
    Better Help - www.betterhelp.com/PHILTHIS
     
    Get more:
    Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis
    Philosophize This! Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@philosophizethisclips
     
    Be social:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamstephenwest
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethispodcast
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philosophizethispodcast
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophizethisshow
     
    Thank you for making the show possible. 🙂
     

    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
1.6K Ratings

1.6K Ratings

Jean-Claude Ham Damme ,

Great show

Condenses the biggies into hugely entertaining, informative and impassioned episodes. Host seems like a total babe. Using this podcast to help with my own writing project. Really value its existence. Good job!

Not important123 ,

My favourite podcast

Great stuff thanks so much for making them!

Emma_2232 ,

A great resource

Have listened to this podcast since the start. Stephen West was my first introduction to philosophy, on a bit of a whim really, but that has since led to a great deal more study and interest; a credit to the amount of time and effort he invests to produce a quality, understandable and thoroughly listenable show that has now grown into a substantial catalogue of work. I still come back to listen regularly and am glad it’s going strong.

Ashamedly posting a quite belated review now to balance a couple of bitter reviews about adverts - I don’t like them either, but why do people think that this sort of resource can be produced for free?

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

James English
BBC Radio 4
Chris Williamson
BBC Radio 4
Sophia & Cinzia
Fearne Cotton

You Might Also Like

IAI
Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey
David Guignion
Edmonds and Warburton
BBC Radio 4
Ellie Anderson, Ph.D. and David Peña-Guzmán, Ph.D.