About Reality Podcast

E. S. Dallaire
  • 5.0 (1)
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

About reality? About a monster, then: a hydra, to conquer which we must go straight for the heart. What good has reason in this fight for our lives? What good morality? What beauty? So asks the philosopher, noble creature, absurd creature.

  1. 11/21/2025

    Part 2: Honoré de Balzac's 'Lost Illusions'

    Hey! This episode is one of five older episodes from 2020-2021 that I am re-uploading to this channel. They are episodes from back when I first got into podcasting, when I called my podcast 'Metaphor & Reality', instead of 'About Reality'. You'll see the older cover art for the 'Metaphor & Reality' version of the podcast uploaded with these five episodes to tell them apart. I always liked these episodes, and have had them saved on my computer since discontinuing the older podcast. You'll notice these older episodes feature writers from a range of disciplines, not explicitly to do with philosophy. Moving forward I want to continue diagraming the influence I've always drawn from the broader range of human inquiry over the years, and I'm reposting these older episodes wherein I don't think twice whether the idea I want to elaborate comes from a work of fiction, poetry, history, politics, etc. Hope you find the ideas in these episodes are worth sticking around for, and that you like them as I do, and can forgive them their faults!

    1h 3m

  2. 11/20/2025

    Novelist as Visionary: On Cormac McCarthy's 'Blood Meridian'

    Hey! This episode is one of eight older episodes from 2020-2021 that I am re-uploading to this channel. They are episodes from back when I first got into podcasting, when I called my podcast 'Metaphor & Reality', instead of 'About Reality'. You'll see the older cover art for the 'Metaphor & Reality' version of the podcast uploaded with these eight episodes to tell them apart. I always liked these episodes, and have had them saved on my computer since discontinuing the older podcast. I'm re-posting them now because I want to bring these earlier episodes 'into the mix' of what's to come in this philosophy series—you'll notice the older episodes feature the books and thinkers you'll likely recognize, whereas 'About Reality' episodes are more about the development of my own philosophy. Moving forward I want to keep the influence past books have had on my own thought and writing very much alive, because I don't think older texts are given their proper due these days—individuals much the same as you or I, but perhaps with less distractions, have examined life's questions with much insight, going back centuries.   Hope you find the ideas in these eight episodes are worth sticking around for, and you like them as I do, and can forgive them their faults!

    1h 10m

  3. 11/20/2025

    Honoré de Balzac's 'Lost Illusions'

    Hey! This episode is one of five older episodes from 2020-2021 that I am re-uploading to this channel. They are episodes from back when I first got into podcasting, when I called my podcast 'Metaphor & Reality', instead of 'About Reality'. You'll see the older cover art for the 'Metaphor & Reality' version of the podcast uploaded with these five episodes to tell them apart. I always liked these episodes, and have had them saved on my computer since discontinuing the older podcast. You'll notice these older episodes feature writers from a range of disciplines, not explicitly to do with philosophy. Moving forward I want to continue diagraming the influence I've always drawn from the broader range of human inquiry over the years, and I'm reposting these older episodes wherein I don't think twice whether the idea I want to elaborate comes from a work of fiction, poetry, history, politics, etc. Hope you find the ideas in these episodes are worth sticking around for, and that you like them as I do, and can forgive them their faults!

    45 min

  4. 11/20/2025

    A Reading of Book VIII from Plato's 'Republic'

    Hey! This episode is one of five older episodes from 2020-2021 that I am re-uploading to this channel. They are episodes from back when I first got into podcasting, when I called my podcast 'Metaphor & Reality', instead of 'About Reality'. You'll see the older cover art for the 'Metaphor & Reality' version of the podcast uploaded with these episodes to tell them apart. I always liked these episodes, and have had them saved on my computer since discontinuing the older podcast. You'll notice these older episodes feature writers from a range of disciplines, not explicitly to do with philosophy. Moving forward I want to continue diagraming the influence I've always drawn from the broader range of human inquiry over the years, and I'm reposting these older episodes wherein I don't think twice whether the idea I want to elaborate comes from a work of fiction, poetry, history, politics, etc. Hope you find the ideas in these episodes are worth sticking around for, and that you like them as I do, and can forgive them their faults!

    52 min

  5. 01/10/2025

    56. To Practice Philosophy, One Must Learn How to Love

    To be honest, as I upload this episode I am realizing I may have expressed this sentiment in a previous recording, that the philosopher must first learn how to love if they are to practice philosophy aright. 'Philosophy' as a 'love of wisdom', where emphasis always seems placed on the wisdom, rather than the love; however, to love is to transcend one's self concern for the concern of another, and to learn how to do this is the beginning of wisdom, for why else seek to be wise? Unless one equates wisdom with utlitarian knowledge an individual may possess which they can then use to their advantage, including over others. We don't equate wisdom with such a thing in this podcast series, though. As always, if you are enjoying the episodes, consider (seriously) becoming a supporter on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esdallaire?view_as=patron

    32 min

  6. 01/06/2025

    55. When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a Philosopher

    If I am going to claim to practice philosophy, and ostensibly occupy the position of philosopher and represent myself as such, I better be able to back that up by what I am saying. That's a pretty simple description of a basic responsibility of the philosopher, but it applies to anyone professing to be any identifiable figure and impactful member within society, that they must speak like that person they present themselves as: doctor, police officer, lawyer, veterinarian, history professor. Speaking with the integrity of one who has dedicated themselves to truly be ___, may just be at the core of any endeavour in this life—one must choose their words with much consideration of their intent, and of course the philosopher is compelled to ask how anyone can be certain of their intention, and their desire to be. Please consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esdallaire?view_as=patron

    26 min

  7. 05/08/2024

    54. The Moral Consequence of Our Being

    In this episode, philosophers are those who have become cognizant of the moral weight of their thought, and are concerned by it. In fact, they see thinking as equivalent with the recognition of the moral impact of their being within reality; in other words, they think that to be amoral is to be without thought, while to be immoral is to act against the inevitable conclusions of thought, which are always underscored by the acknowledgement of the moral consequence of our being.

    25 min
  8. 53. Nature Is Not A Problem / Psychologists are Civilization's Ministers

    03/19/2024

    53. Nature Is Not A Problem / Psychologists are Civilization's Ministers

    Low energy episode. First one recorded in weeks, and I'm uploading it to see how it feels. Another idea for this episode's title could be: 'Moments of Empty Satisfaction'. Peace and love to you

    22 min
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About

About reality? About a monster, then: a hydra, to conquer which we must go straight for the heart. What good has reason in this fight for our lives? What good morality? What beauty? So asks the philosopher, noble creature, absurd creature.

Information

  • Creator
    E. S. Dallaire
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright - E. S. Dallaire - All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    About Reality Podcast