Twitter: @opendoorphil • @d_parsonage
Site: opendoorphilosophy.com/
85 episodes
2021 to present
Average episode: 56 minutes
Open in Apple Podcasts • RSS
Categories: Two Hosts
Podcaster's summary: Andrew has a degree in philosophy, Taylor is working on a degree in philosophy, and Mr. Parsons taught philosophy to them both. Together they explore philosophy and its application to life, so come along! The door is always open. Open Door Philosophy on Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected]
| Episodes |
| 2024-Apr-16 • 68 minutes Ep. 81 Religious Experience, Part 1 In the book of Exodus, God appears to the biblical patriarch Moses in the form of a burning bush, and tells him he is to lead the Isrealites, enslaved by the Egyptians, to freedom. In the Bhagavad Gita, the source of all things, lord Krisha, appears to prince Arjuna as his charioteer and helps him understand his identity and potential on the eve of a major battle. These appearances by gods, however, are not reserved just for the spiritual heroes of old. Millions of people around the world report having simi... |
| 2024-Apr-02 • 75 minutes Ep. 80 Philosophers on God with Guest Jack Symes What’s the most important question in philosophy? Our guest Jack Symes believes it to be the question of God’s existence, no matter where you fall on the belief spectrum. In this episode, Jack discusses with us his latest book, Philosophers on God: Talking about Existence which directly address this question. What is the origin of the universe? What are the most powerful arguments for and against the existence of God? What do thinkers outside of the Abrahamic faiths have to say about such questions? And wh... |
| 2024-Mar-19 • 55 minutes Ep. 79 From Wollstonecraft to Wolf: Women Who Shaped Philosophy, Part 3 Included in this episode are feminist icons Mary Wollstonecraft and Simone de Beauvoir, champions of new ethics Mary Midgley, Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, and Elizabeth Anscombe, and contemporary powerhouse on love and other moral stances Susan Wolf. It's a lot packed into one hour! Join us for this final installment of the series: Women Who Shaped Philosophy!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on In... |
| 2024-Mar-05 • 39 minutes Ep. 78 Ban Zhao and Christine de Piaza: Women Who Shaped Philosophy, Part 2 Throughout the history of philosophy, women have been active, yet markedly absent from much of the scholarship. If you go into a book store or do a google search for the greatest philosophers, you would most likely see one or two women, at most on any given list. How can those two things coexist together? In Han Dynasty China, a female scholar was employed by the Emporer to write on the role of women. Plagued by the looming accusations of withcery and devil worship, a woman in the Medieval France wrote a tr... |
| 2024-Feb-20 • 39 minutes Ep. 77 Diotima and Hypatia: Women Who Shaped Philosophy, Part 1 Throughout the history of philosophy, women have been active, yet markedly absent from much of the scholarship. If you go into a book store or do a google search for the greates philosohers, you would most likely see one or two women, at most on any given list. How can those two things coexist together? In Ancient Greece and Rome, a few women were revered as philosophical teachers. Plato occasionally included women in his famous dialogues. In Alexandria, Egypt, daughters of scholars were educated, and one r... |
| 2024-Feb-06 • 68 minutes Ep. 76 Looking for Beauty: The Philosophy of Beauty, Part 2 Whether concepts such as the Golden Ratio or more subjective standards of aesthetic judgments, beauty has been the subject of debate for every era of philosophical history. In the ancient world, it was the Greeks that formed much of what the ancient era would think about when considering beauty in concepts such as symmetry and ratios. The Enlightenment era philosophers of the modern period, influenced by the new emphasis on reason, grappled with the subjective nature of beauty and proposed a way that beauty... |
| 2024-Jan-23 • 60 minutes Ep. 75 Engaging with Beauty: The Philosophy of Beauty, Part 1 Beauty and aesthetics seems to be one of the least discussed branches of philosophy, yet occupied the minds of some of the greatest philosophers such as: Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Hume, just to name a few. Its appeal is immediately obvious, however, when someone asks the seemingly simple question of exactly what beauty is. The conversation that typically follows involves topics such as: what exactly are standards of beauty, if these standards are objective or entirely in the eye of the beholder, and under... |
| 2024-Jan-16 • 1 minutes Trailer - Welcome To Open Door Philosophy! Welcome to Open Door Philosophy! We're happy you stopped by!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2024-Jan-09 • 36 minutes Ep. 74 Preview of 2024 Join us as we discuss our goals and plans for Open Door Philosophy in 2024. We discuss upcoming guests, episode topics, and more!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2024-Jan-02 • 14 minutes ODP Nonsense 3: Latin, Booze, Neck Ties, Camera Angles In this bit of nonsense, Andrew tries to convince Mr. Parsons to learn Latin, no one is sure what whiskey is, Mr. Parsons ditches the neck ties, and there's some dissatisfaction with camera angles. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Dec-26 • 68 minutes Ep. 73 Year-In-Review and Our Favorite Books of 2023 In this episode, we put a bow on the year that was 2023! We look back on the podcast and this year's meaningful events in our lives. We then discuss our favorite books of 2023; No Spoilers!Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our listeners. We'll see you in 2024!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Dec-12 • 71 minutes Ep. 72 The Concept of Property What do you own? Why do you own it? Are things owned individually or collectively? Do citizens own public parks and do they have an obligation to its maintenance? Can you own ideas or other intangible things like money and time? Join us for this exploratory episode on the concept of property. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilos... |
| 2023-Dec-05 • 6 minutes ODP Nonsense 2: Cardigans, Fraud, Mysterious Travel, and Polish In this bit of nonsense, we talk about Taylor's cardigans, how Mr. Parsons avoided fraud, Andrew's mysterious travel, and the difficulties of the Polish language. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Nov-28 • 59 minutes Ep. 71 Education, Justice, and the Ideal Society: 20th Century Political Philosophy with Strauss, Rawls, Nozick In this episode, we delve into the rich work of political philosophy by Leo Strauss, John Rawls, and Robert Nozick. We begin with Strauss's influential ideas on liberal education, examining how he views cultural cultivation as essential for intellectual development and a bulwark against the homogenization of mass culture. Strauss's Aristotelian perspective on nurturing the individual's nature through education sets the stage for a deeper exploration of societal structures.Transitioning to Raw... |
| 2023-Nov-20 • 7 minutes ODP Nonsense 1: Mullets, Football, Beckham, Astros Need a bit of the ODP crew without the philosophy? Welcome to ODP Shorts!Andrew needs a haircut and thinks David Beckham is a fine American, Mr. Parsons' football team is struggling, and Taylor reviews former Houston Astros Jerseys. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Nov-14 • 74 minutes Ep. 70 Enlightenment Political Philosophy: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau At one point in history, European countries were ruled by monarchs. The Catholic Church also exerted a great deal of control. And our physical explanations for why nature is comprised the way it is relied on metaphysical explanations reliant on God. Then enter the Enlightenment. Thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were instrumental in this transition from Medieval conceptions of the divine rights of kings and original sin to that of representative governments, rights, and hu... |
| 2023-Oct-31 • 71 minutes Ep. 69 Spooky Philosophers Halloween Spectacular! Welcome to a very spectral, spooky episode of Open Door Philosophy! Since this episode releases on Halloween, we thought how better to celebrate than talk about our spookiest philosophers! You'll have to listen to find out who they are though, because suspense is the name of the game!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy... |
| 2023-Oct-17 • 58 minutes Ep. 68 The Ethics of War We know war happens all the time, unfortunately. Caught up in war are states and individuals who wish for others to see their actions as reasonable, for the best, and ultimately just. But it seems war involves many actions which are considered wrong in other circumstances, killing another human being for example. Most people will agree that self-defense is justifiable, but how far does that defense go before it becomes vengeance? And a particular difficulty for aggressor states is that they must have just... |
| 2023-Oct-03 • 70 minutes Ep. 67 Where Should I Start with Philosophy? Philosophy is a notoriously massive subject, and for someone unfamiliar, it might be difficult to figure out where to start. Do you look for a famous name on the bookshelf? Try to choose a subject? Start with self-help? Maybe join a book club? In this episode, we answer a listener question by exploring how to get started in philosophy by recounting our own experiences and plotting a course. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected]... |
| 2023-Sep-19 • 73 minutes Ep. 66 Can Science and Wisdom Traditions Complement Each Other?” The Shawnee, a native American tribe, tells a tale of brother crow and brother buffalo which imparts the wisdom of balance: to only hunt the buffalo when it is necessary for food and skins, but to remember that each creature is our brother and sister too. Tales like this one are not uncommon in many indigenous cultures around the world. Through an illustrative story set in nature, they transmit the ethical, epistemological, and metaphysical beliefs of the tribe from one generation to the next on topics such... |
| 2023-Sep-05 • 72 minutes Ep. 65 Authority, Labels, and Oranges On first listen, you might think this episode is about the Tao Te Ching. We thought it would be too, but it became a meandering conversations about the origin of authority, premises that lead to conclusion, justification, wisdom versus reason, and social media. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Aug-22 • 56 minutes Ep. 64 What Is Happiness? It’s pretty common in the self-help age we live in, with piles of well meaning books and as many podcast as the stars, to pursue happiness. But often the focus is on what we can change or tweak in our life to obtain it rather than what exactly it is. What is happiness? Perhaps if we identify what happiness is, we can create a foundation on which to build.Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @o... |
| 2023-Aug-08 • 64 minutes Ep.63 The Philosophy of Love, Part 2 Love is a driving factor in our decisions. People plan their lives around who they love: they stay close to their parents, take a completely random job to stay with their spouse, and save hundreds of thousands of dollars for their future children’s education. But just as the people we love drive our decisions, so do what activities we love. Famously, Paul Gauguin ran away from his wife and children, culture and country to pursue his love of painting in Tahiti. The composer Piotor Tchaikovsky gave up a poten... |
| 2023-Jul-25 • 66 minutes Ep. 62 The Philosophy of Love, Part 1 Around 2500 years ago in Ancient Greece, Empedocles contemplated the essential questions of the universe, including the role of love and strife. Empedocles is known as a pre-Socratic philosopher, although he was primarily a poet. In his surviving works, On Nature and Purifications, Empedocles posits that the cosmic powers of Love and Strife govern the four indestructible elements of the universe. Love unifies the elements with each other and draws like to like. Since then, philosophers, poets, and thinkers ... |
| 2023-Jul-11 • 66 minutes Ep. 61 Philosophy and Literature Roughly 3700 years ago, in the fertile crescent of mesopotamia, the first Western epic was composed. The character Gilgamesh, and his friend Enkidu, have many adventures battling mighty beasts. But when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is thrown into, what we would today call, an existential crisis, as Gilgamesh grapples with themes such as friendship and love, mortality, free will and fate, and the search for meaning. Since that time, literature has been consistently used as a vehicle to explore philosophical themes... |
| 2023-Jun-27 • 60 minutes Ep. 60 Language and Meaning, Who Was Ludwig Wittgenstein? The Analytic Tradition, Part 2 Ludwig Wittgenstein was born in 1889 into a wealthy and aristocratic family in Austria. He was a brilliant child, and he was educated at some of the best schools in the country.After graduating from Cambridge University, Wittgenstein began a career in mathematics and logic. He quickly made a name for himself as a brilliant thinker, and he published several important works on these subjects.In the early 1900s, Wittgenstein began to turn his attention to philosophy. He was particularly interested in the philo... |
| 2023-Jun-13 • 56 minutes Ep. 59 Who Was Bertrand Russell? The Analytic Tradition, Part 1 One of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, British philosopher Bertrand Russell's reach is inescapable. He was a true polymath, with interests in mathematics, logic, philosophy, politics, and social reform. And he was also a controversial figure, often outspoken in his criticism of the status quo. Join us as we ask, who was Bertrand Russell?Episode ResourcesA History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand RussellThe Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand RussellProblems of Philosophy by Bertr... |
| 2023-May-30 • 61 minutes Ep. 58 Should We Hope? Join us for this exploration of the concept of hope from a philosophical perspective. What is hope? Can hope ever be justified? What are the uses of hope? And what do different philosophical schools say about hope? Plus a visit to the bookshelf!The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet: John GreenLife is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way: Kieran SetiyaSign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Do... |
| 2023-May-16 • 66 minutes Ep. 57 Cultivation of the Soul The philosophy of Transcendentalism advocated for living simply, evaluating tradition, and cultivating your inner-self. Join us as we explore some of the practices that Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson participated in attempting to cultivate the soul. We also discuss the new Snapchat AI. Apologies for the poor audio track. Episode ResourcesTranscendentalism and The Cultivation of the Soul by Barry M. AndrewsNature and Other Essays by Ralph Waldo EmersonWalden, Civil Disobedience, and Other Writi... |
| 2023-May-01 • 55 minutes Ep. 56 Kierkegaard on Despair Surely despair is a state of mind we all experience from time to time, and once through it we never want to experience such a state again. The Danish philosopher and father of Existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard, believed that despair was a universal feature of existence. In other words, none of us are getting out of it, and it's also not a temporary state, but something we endure all the time. Fear not though, Kierkegaard has an answer. Join us as we explore is text The Sickness Unto Death as well as ca... |
| 2023-Apr-18 • 60 minutes Ep. 55 Our Third Annual Marcus Aurelius Extravaganza! Who doesn't love a little Marcus Aurelius? Join us for our third annual visit with our old philosophical friend, Marcus. He hasn't change much, but maybe we have. Also tune in for another installment of ChatGPT versus Mr. Parsons and Taylor orchestrated by the gamemaster Andrew, as well as a visit to the bookshelf! Good times had by all. Episode ResourcesMeditations by Marcus Aurelius (Hays Translation)Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Waterfield Translation)Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Doo... |
| 2023-Apr-04 • 59 minutes Ep. 54 Hinduism, Eastern Philosophy, Part 4 Hinduism is the oldest continuous eastern philosophy in the world. In this episode we look at a bit of it's history, some of it's main beliefs, the influential Bhagavad Gita, and offer some practical application. Episode ResourcesThe Bhagavad Gita Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Mar-21 • 61 minutes Ep. 53 Buddhism, Eastern Philosophy, Part 3 The Four Noble Truths, The Eight Fold Path, the interdependent nature of all things, and licking honey from a razor blade. Buddhism has a tremendous following world wide, but with such notoriety comes many misconceptions, or at least misguided approximations, from those who do not practice or live in a region where it is widely practiced. Join us this episode as we focus on some of the more philosophical claims Buddhism makes such as the nature of suffering.Episode ResourcesOld Path White Cloud :Walking in ... |
| 2023-Mar-07 • 59 minutes Ep. 52 Confucianism, Eastern Philosophy, Part 2 One of the three great Chinese philosophical traditions, join us as we explore Confucianism. What is the gentleman? What does it mean to be benevolent? And why follow the rites?Episode ResourcesThe Analects Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2023-Feb-21 • 61 minutes Ep. 51 Taoism, Eastern Philosophy, Part 1 "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name."Thus begins one of the most famous and mysterious claims in philosophy from one of the two primary texts of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Join us as we explore the philosophy of Taoism which values balance, flexibility, and non-attachment in this first of a four part series on Eastern Philosophy!Episode ResourcesTao Te Ching - Feng/English TranslationSign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosop... |
| 2023-Feb-07 • 60 minutes Ep. 50 Listener Questions! It's our 50th episode, and we decided to celebrate by answering your questions! Do we have free will? What's a philosophical tv show/movie we like? What got us into philosophy, and what keeps us there? And more! Plus a little retrospective, some looking forward, and a lot of laughs!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilos... |
| 2023-Jan-24 • 55 minutes Ep. 49 Who Was Jean-Paul Sartre? *cue dramatic music*Out of the ashes of World War II arose a philosophy based on embracing the absurdism of existence, being authentic, and enduring the existential nausea that resulted. One of it's many champions was French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, who scaled the mountain of criticism to become one of the most popularly known figures of the mid-twentieth century. With his emphasis on radical freedom and responsibility, a solidified movement called Existentialism was born. Join us as we explore ... |
| 2023-Jan-10 • 56 minutes Ep. 48 Who was Simone de Beauvoir? One of the most popular philosophers of the mid 20th century and influential member of 2nd wave feminism, Existentialist Simone de Beauvoir was a significant novelist, essayist, autobiographer, and champion of social issues. Join us as we explore and discuss the life and ideas of Simone de Beauvoir. Episode Resources:Becoming Beauvoir by Kate Kirkpatrick How To Be Authentic by Sky ClearlyAt the Existentialist Cafe by Sarah BakewellSign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us vi... |
| 2022-Dec-27 • 56 minutes Ep. 47 Our Favorite Books of 2022 Join us as we review our favorite books we read in 2022!Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2022-Dec-13 • 70 minutes Ep. 46 Higher and Friendly Powers with Guest Peg O'Connor A staple of Alcoholics Anonymous is the surrender of agency to a providential, theistic god, but what exactly does this mean? And are there other ways to connect with our spiritual center? Peg O'Connor thinks so. Join us as Peg offers us a field guide to William James' great work The Varieties of Religious Experience through her wonderful new book on overcoming addiction and suffering: Friendlier and Higher Powers. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via emai... |
| 2022-Nov-29 • 53 minutes Ep. 45 Who Was Aristotle? In our episode on Plato, we quoted Alfred North Whitehead as saying, “All of philosophy is a series of footnotes to Plato.” For almost 1500 years, however, many philosophers and historians believed that all of knowledge, including philosophy, was a footnote to Aristotle. The Philosopher, as he is known, contributed greatly in fields of biology to rhetoric, physics to ethics. But what made Aristotle so special? And why should we care about Aristotle today after so much of his work, such as the Sun rotating a... |
| 2022-Nov-15 • 51 minutes Ep. 44 Who Was Plato? The 20th century English/American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead once famously said “All of philosophy is a series of footnotes to Plato.” Though a highly contested claim, no matter where you land on it, the quote does at least cause one to consider the inescapable presence of Plato. Who was this follower of Socrates who founded a school after which schools across the globe are still named today - the academy? And why is it that he is considered amongst the trinity of foundational philosophers in the we... |
| 2022-Nov-01 • 52 minutes Ep. 43 The Complete Works of Epictetus with Translator Robin Waterfield One of the big three stoic sources from antiquity is Epictetus, and central to any understanding of such works is a good translation, yet the work of translation is not a straight forward task of simply taking words in another language and finding their equivalent in whatever language it is your are translating it into. Robin Waterfield is a celebrated translator of many ancient Greek and Roman texts, and here in this episode we discuss with him his latest translation, the complete works of Epictetus. Sign ... |
| 2022-Oct-18 • 44 minutes Ep. 42 Who Was Socrates? Imagine you’re in Ancient Athens, around 410 BCE, walking through the local market. There, an older man approaches you and begins to pepper you with questions. They start off simple enough, but by the end, you end up, annoyed, disagreeing with what you first claimed to be true. This man was probably Socrates, the most famous and influential philosopher of all time. But Socrates is surrounded by mystery. He never wrote anything down and we don’t even know where his beliefs stopped being documented and his st... |
| 2022-Oct-04 • 54 minutes Ep. 41 Who Were the Pre-Socratics? Most people are generally aware of the story that philosophy began a very long time ago in Greece, and the three largely responsible for its beginning were Plato, Aristotle, and the great Socrates, but they weren’t the first philosophers. There was a rich tradition of thinkers who came before The Big Three, an unaffiliated group who demonstrated a degree of curiosity that would become synonymous with philosophical thinking and lay the foundation of what would eventually be known as Greek Rationalism. Schola... |
| 2022-Sep-20 • 47 minutes Ep. 40 The Ring of Gyges: What Would You Do? What if you had a magic object, say a ring, that when used would render you invisible, allowing for you to get away with whatever you wanted? How would you use this power? For good actions, or bad? And what is good (virtue) and bad (vice) anyway? Join us as we unpack this classic thought experiment from Plato's The Republic.Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us vi... |
| 2022-Sep-06 • 48 minutes Ep. 39 The Problem of Evil - Philosophy of Religion, Part 5 If God has all the omni traits associated with theism, such as being all powerful, all knowing, and all good, how then can we square the fact that human begins, supposedly loved by God, encounter and endure so much suffering and evil? It seems like God, being all powerful, could get us out of this aspect of existence. Join us for this final episode of our introductory series on the Philosophy of Religion. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoo... |
| 2022-Aug-23 • 56 minutes Ep. 38 How To Be Authentic with Guest Skye Cleary How can I live authentically in a 21st century context given all the brute facts of not only my life, but the seemingly inflexible conditions of existence? Philosopher Dr. Skye Cleary has tapped into the rich life and philosophy of French existentialist Simone de Beauvoir to offer us some answers to such questions with her new book How To Be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment. Join us for this insightful interview.Contact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Ph... |
| 2022-Aug-09 • 63 minutes Ep. 37 Is the Universe Intelligently Designed: The Teleological Argument - Philosophy of Religion, Part 4 It seems almost intuitive that the universe and everything within is intelligently designed, but Charles Darwin's theory of Evolution By Natural Sections turned the argument on its head. Join us as we discuss the Teleological Argument, or the Argument from Design, in this latest series on topics related to the Philosophy of Religion. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comCon... |
| 2022-Jul-26 • 64 minutes Ep. 36 The Universe Had To Begin Somehow: The Cosmological Argument - Philosophy of Religion, Part 3 This episode we look at yet another proof of God, this time one which argues that God is a necessary aspect in the creation of the universe. This is known as the Cosmological Argument and is championed by many great thinkers, including Thomas Aquinas. Also included is a riveting game of Name that Saint! This is part 3 of our series on the Philosophy of Religion. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at ... |
| 2022-Jul-12 • 58 minutes Ep. 35 Can Logic Alone Prove God's Existence: The Ontological Argument - Philosophy of Religion, Part 2 Many attempt to prove God's existence based on experience, but what if there were a way to prove the existence of God by using nothing but logic? Sound fishy? Anslem of Canterbury didn't think so. Join us as we look at the Ontological argument, most famously put forth by Anselm. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected]... |
| 2022-Jun-28 • 65 minutes Ep. 34 What is God? Philosophy of Religion, Part 1 Join us for this multi-part series on the philosophy of religion. We begin with discussing the scope of this particular branch of philosophy, and then discuss what we can and cannot know about God, which include attributes such as omnipotence and omnibenevolence. We'd love to hear from you! Below are ways you can best contact the show. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphil Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophy Open Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.c... |
| 2022-Jun-14 • 58 minutes Ep. 33 Thought Experiments and Their Value With Guest Helen De Cruz What are thought experiments? What role do they play in philosophy, and how might they be helpful to us in our own lives? Join us for this special episode with guest Dr. Helen De Cruz as we discuss her latest book, Philosophy Illustrated: Forty-Two Thought Experiments To Broaden your Mind. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected]... |
| 2022-May-31 • 66 minutes Ep. 32 Philosophy as a Way of Life, Part 2 Critical of philosophy as a discipline too focused on abstract theory, French philosopher Pierre Hadot posits that ancient philosophy is meant to be an aid to living well. In this episode we provide commentary and analysis of his essay Spiritual Exercises from his book Philosophy as a Way of Life on topics such as learning to die, dialoguing, and other aspects critical to living a good life. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOp... |
| 2022-May-17 • 64 minutes Ep. 31 Philosophy as a Way of Life, Part 1 Critical of philosophy as a discipline too focused on abstract theory, French philosopher Pierre Hadot posits that ancient philosophy is meant to be an aid to living well. In this episode we unpack his essay Spiritual Exercises from his book Philosophy as a way of life. In the following episode, we will provide commentary and analysis. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphil Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophy Open Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com Con... |
| 2022-May-03 • 56 minutes Ep. 30 Epictetus, The Slave Who Became a Stoic Master - Stoic Thinkers Part 4 Born into slavery in the first century, Epictetus founded a school of philosophy and became a stoic master. Join us for an overview of the life and philosophy of Epictetus. This is part four of our series on Stoic thinkers. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphil Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophy Open Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com Contact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterC... |
| 2022-Apr-19 • 62 minutes Ep. 29 Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic Emperor - Stoic Thinkers Part 3 Born in the second century, Marcus Aurelius is one of the best known philosophical thinkers and highly regarded for his book "Meditations". Join us as we review the life and philosophy of the Roman emperor and Stoic thinker Marcus Aurelius. This is part three of our series on Stoic thinkers.Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at opendoorphilosophy... |
| 2022-Apr-05 • 60 minutes Ep. 28 Seneca and the Stoic Life - Stoic Thinkers Part 2 This episode focuses on the life and philosophy of Roman statesman and Stoic practitioner Seneca the Younger. Plus an advert to get you in the outdoor grilling frame of mind! This is part two of our series on Stoic thinkers. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphil Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophy Open Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com Contact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy Newsletter... |
| 2022-Mar-22 • 57 minutes Ep. 27 Introduction to Stoicism - Stoic Thinkers Part 1 The beginning of a four part series on the stoic thinkers Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. This episode focuses on the history and central tenants of stoicism, plus a Houston Rodeo themed sponsorship!Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email ... |
| 2022-Mar-08 • 53 minutes Ep. 26 Listener Q&A In this episode we answer questions submitted by our listeners! Are insects worthy of moral consideration? What topics do we like to debate? Are humans inherently entitled to anything? Plus a special advert with an eye on summer, and a visit to the quote corner!Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter her... |
| 2022-Feb-22 • 54 minutes Ep. 25 Philosophers on Consciousness With Guest Jack Symes Jack Symes of the podcast The Panpsycast joins us to discuss his brilliant new book Philosophers on Consciousness: Talking About the Mind and have a few laughs as well. Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open... |
| 2022-Feb-08 • 57 minutes Ep. 24 Materialism and Panpsychism - The Mind-Body Problem Part 2 In this episode, we introduce the Mind-Body positions known as Materialism and Panpsychism, plus we acknowledge our sponsors and visit the Quote Corner! Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphil Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosoph... |
| 2022-Jan-25 • 60 minutes Ep. 23 Consciousness Introduction and Dualism - The Mind-Body Problem Part 1 In this episode, Andrew and Derek introduce the topic of Consciousness or the Mind-Body Problem, discuss the position called Dualism, visit the bookshelf, and introduce new sponsors! Open Door Philosophy on Twitter @d_parsonage or @opendoorphilOpen Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.comContact us via email at [email protected] up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at contact@opendoorphilo... |
| 2021-Nov-30 • 56 minutes Ep. 22 - Our Favorite Philosophy Books Welcome to the final episode of season one where we discuss our favorite philosophy books!! Don't worry. We'll be back in the beginning of 2022! Until then, enjoy these book recommendations! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us on Twitter and Ins... |
| 2021-Nov-16 • 63 minutes Ep. 21 The Eternal Tao "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." Join us this week for our first episode in Eastern philosophy about the famous work, the Tao Te Ching by Laozi. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @opendoorphilosophy I... |
| 2021-Nov-02 • 55 minutes Ep. 20 Introduction To Transcendentalism Emerson and Thoreau. We've all heard these names, and perhaps we've even heard of the philosophy they practiced in some way. Join us on an exploration into the philosophy of Transcendentalism!! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us on Twitter and ... |
| 2021-Oct-19 • 74 minutes Ep. 19 Problems in Philosophy with Guest Dr. Gregory Sadler This week, we have Andrew's favorite online philosophy educator, Gregory Sadler, join us to talk about problems that come up with philosophy: misrepresentations in pop culture, how it's represented in schools, and of course, the ever present trolley problem! We're beyond excited and hope you are too! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes y... |
| 2021-Oct-05 • 55 minutes Ep. 18 Virtue's Path To Happiness - Ethics and Morality, Part Four In this fourth of a four episode series, Andrew and Mr. Parsons discuss Virtue Ethics as a way to determine proper ethical and moral action. Mr. Parsons recounts a recent, personal moral quandary. Andrew has terrible allergies. Sign up for our newsletter here! Open Door Philosophy NewsletterContact us via email at [email protected] Open Door Philosophy on Instagram @opendoorphilosophyOpen Door Philosophy website at opendoorphilosophy.com |
| 2021-Sep-21 • 57 minutes Ep. 17 Kant You Get Enough? (Duty Ethics) - Ethics and Morality, Part Three Do we have a duty to act a certain way? Do we have a duty to ourselves and others? Kant we do this? Learn the answer to all of these questions and puns in this episode! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @opendoorphilosophy If yo... |
| 2021-Sep-07 • 52 minutes Ep. 16 Calculate the Best Possible Decision with Utilitarianism - Ethics and Morality, Part Two Have you ever wondered how you can calculate the best possible decision? For the second episode on our four-episode arc, we take a deep dive into the ethical system, Utilitarianism. We'll talk about the philosophers of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart-Mill and their approach to how we should live the most ethical lives! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any ... |
| 2021-Aug-24 • 61 minutes Ep. 15 Why Morality Matters - Ethics and Morality, Part One What is morality and why is everyone so crazy about it? Are some decisions better than others? What's the difference between ethics and morality? Join us on the first episode of our four-episode arc about morality! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us... |
| 2021-Aug-10 • 60 minutes Ep. 14 Pragmatism and William James with Guest Jeffrey Howard Do you make judgements about how to live from our personal experiences? Well, Pragmatism might be for you. For our first episode about an American philosopher, we invited Jeffrey Howard, the editor-in-chief at Erraticus, and podcast host at Damn the Absolute! to learn more about this field of philosophy. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us ... |
| 2021-Jul-27 • 55 minutes Ep. 13 Kierkegaard - The Father of Existentialism Take a "leap of faith" with us on this week's episode where we discuss Derek's trip to Copenhagen, where he visited the father of Existentialism, Soren Kierkegaard. We discuss ideas such as subjective truth, God, and, of course, the famous expression "Leap of Faith". After this episode, we promise you won't be either in fear or trembling (bad joke), unless that's your truth! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information abo... |
| 2021-Jul-13 • 59 minutes Ep. 12 How To Do Philosophy When thinking about philosophy, the question of how it is practiced is rarely discussed. If one holds, as Open Door Philosophy does, that one ought to practice philosophy in order to live well, then it seems that the question of how it is done is necessary. This week, we dive into how philosophy should be practiced. Join us for a great episode! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us... |
| 2021-Jun-29 • 64 minutes Ep. 11 A Philosopher's Guide To Friendship Why do philosophers want to talk about something as uninteresting as friendship? Aren't their more important things to think about? For Roman philosopher, Marcus Tullius Cicero, the answer was no. Join us this week to learn why he thought so and what the ideal friendship actually is? Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the... |
| 2021-Jun-15 • 51 minutes Ep. 10 Do We Have a Soul? In this week's episode, we switch topics and look at a question which has plagued philosophers throughout the ages: If we do have a soul, is it immortal? The most famous answer to this question is perhaps done by the great philosopher, Plato, in his book Phaedo. We look at Plato's best argument, and consider if the argument stands under our criticism! This isn't an episode your soul is going to want to miss! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more inform... |
| 2021-Jun-01 • 59 minutes Ep. 9 The Life and Ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche with Guest Carson Knox This week we visit with Nietzsche scholar Carson Knox. In addition to Nietzsche's biography and unique writing style, we cover well known Nietzschean ideas such as the Will to Power, Eternal Recurrence, and the Ubermensch. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also... |
| 2021-May-18 • 45 minutes Ep. 8 Falling Upward: The Second Half of Life In this episode, we look at a book by Fr. Richard Rohr entitled Falling Upward: A Spiritually for the Second Half of Life. We consider topics such as the role of suffering, non-dualistic thinking, and how we might come into a more generous and compassionate understanding of ourself and others. This continues our theme from the previous episode on how the way we live impacts how well we die.Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get acces... |
| 2021-May-04 • 50 minutes Ep. 7 What Does It Mean To Die Well? Why should we think about death? How does the quality of our life impact the quality of our death? Philosophers have been thinking about these issues for thousands of years. Check out today's episode to learn more about these topics and how to prepare for the only inevitability in life: death. On a much lighter note, please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any q... |
| 2021-Apr-20 • 57 minutes Ep. 6 Marcus Aurelius and Stoicism In this episode, we review the life of Marcus Aurelius, one of our philosophical role models, on his 1900th birthday! We discuss his place in Roman history, the book "Meditations" for which he is so well known, many quotes, and offer an overview of the philosophy of living known as Stoicism. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to ... |
| 2021-Apr-06 • 46 minutes Ep. 5 Who Are You? Maybe. This week Andrew and Mr. Parsons discuss what it means to have an identity by thinking about Heraclitus. No, not the philosopher! The plant! Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us on Twitter @opendoorphil and Instagram @opendoorphilosophy If your life is in ... |
| 2021-Mar-23 • 48 minutes Ep. 4 Do You Exist? This week, Mr. Parsons and Andrew explore the nature of reality through the influential ideas of Descartes, particular in his work Meditations and Discourse on Method. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist. Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] You can also find us on Twitter @opendoorphil and Instagram @opendoorph... |
| 2021-Mar-09 • 44 minutes Ep. 3 A Beginner's Guide to Aristotle On this episode, Mr. Parsons and Andrew discuss perhaps the most influential philosopher of all time, Aristotle. We discuss his basic biographical facts, his lasting impact on science and the empirical approach to knowledge, and a bit about ethics. Also, James the cat wants to engage with philosophy. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist.Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to r... |
| 2021-Feb-23 • 46 minutes Ep. 2 Plato's Allegory of the Cave This week Mr. Parsons and Andrew discuss the famous, "Allegory of the Cave". We discuss the meaning of truth, the form of the good, and the purpose of philosophy. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist.Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] can also find us on Twitter @opendoorphil and Instagram @opendoor... |
| 2021-Feb-09 • 35 minutes Ep. 1 What is Philosophy? Derek Parsons and Andrew Graziano start off the podcast by discussing what philosophy is, and what it isn't. Please check out our website at opendoorphilosophy.com where you can find more information about the show and get access to our booklist.Also, feel free to email us any questions or any quotes you want us to review on the podcast by emailing [email protected] can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @opendoorphilosophyIf your life is in need of some philosophy, the door is always ... |