Philosophize This!

Love this podcast. So thoughtful, intelligent, amusing and educational. Thank you for this wonderful work,

Perhaps it’s a bit unfair to write a review this critical of content from a decade ago, but I’ve been making my way through your back catalogue. I really in general don’t mind the hundreds of attempts at humor that fall flat, you go overboard at times when I would prefer you stay on topic but there’s a charm to it as well, it’s like having a dorky, cheesy professor’s lecture in my ear. Until I landed on the suicide episode…I intend to continue listening and shrug it off but man it just did not sit well with me to hear such a sensitive subject approached with the same cavalier, quip-a-minute tone. If you can’t approach a subject like this one without trying to crack-wise constantly, maybe you shouldn’t cover them. I can handle the reflections on the moral ethical implications of committing suicide, what i can’t handle is the irreverent tone. Overall, I’m still enjoying the show as a broad overview on the most significant and influential philosophical voices throughout history; it serves as a helpful companion piece as I dig into their material on my own. Thank you for putting yourself out there in this way and providing this content for years. I do hope the callous approach to sensitive subjects softens over time.

I recently sought out this podcast because I wanted to do some light learning while washing the dishes. I noticed some topics that I had been interested in before but didn’t have the time or will to commit to. For me, these episodes have served as tasty appetizers that have started a deeper line of inquiry, which often involves reading the highlighted text and then getting turned on to related texts. Thanks so much for synthesizing these ideas down into approachable segments.

The Dostoyevsky episodes are excellent- couldn’t recommend this show more! Thanks for everything Stephen!