The world needs more philosophy. More to the point, we all need to engage with the world with a more philosophical attitude. My name is Douglas Giles, I am a philosopher by trade and temperament. I understand that philosophy is an active search for concepts on which we can build a better life. Long fascinated by ideas, I am motivated by an earnest desire to bring philosophy out of its insular ivory tower and into everyday life where it can be put to good uses. As a university philosophy prof ...
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The media is talking a lot about how influential podcasts are, including suggesting podcasts influenced the recent US election. I insert some philosophy into the interesting anachronism of podcasts, the three basic types of podcasts, and what they say about society.Douglas Giles
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This isn’t an “I told you so.” This is an “all right, let’s talk about where we go from here” post-election. #politics #philosophyDouglas Giles
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The concept of “Christian” nationalism has been in the news lately. That’s understandable given how often and how much certain groups are pushing the belief that America is a Christian nation and even that it should be an exclusively Christian nation. At least, that’s what they say on their external packaging.…
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Both Hitler and Trump are pathetic and delusional. Both are far right authoritarians. But their movements have different motivations and goals. Calling Trump a fascist may seem like a convenient shorthand description, but it masks the depth of the real movement behind Trump. The truth is difficult but important to understand.…
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Philosophy of Election 24 Series #5 Freedom is a word many people use, but few people have any substantial understanding of the meaning of the concept. To mention that fact isn’t cynical or disparaging. The concept of freedom, like all significant philosophical concepts, is deep, complex, multidimensional, and nuanced. It is beyond simplistic defin…
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The Importance of Trump's Comments that Immigrants Are Eating Dogs - Philosophy of Election '24
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It matters what Trump said. Here's why, and here's how it connects with my book, Why Trump.Douglas Giles
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I talk about Minnesota, tater tots, and a possible sea change in American politics. Could the Harris-Walz campaign actually be directed at the 60% of the body politic?Douglas Giles
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When people show you who they are, believe them. Politics is about power, and power has a political dimension. Power manifests not just on a grand scale but also on a very personal scale. Not all power is ugly and coercive, but some of it is.Douglas Giles
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The same old culture war is now directed at Kamala Harris.Douglas Giles
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Some say that a week is a lifetime in politics, and last week showed how true that is. Now the election can turn to focus on Trump. I've been busy the past two months finishing my new book, Why Trump? Why Some People Support Him—How the Rest of Us Can Respond. I read from the first chapter, Chapter 1. Framing the Issue. https://amzn.to/3Y3NeFm http…
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A reading of the first chapter of my recent book, available for sale everywhere. Links to where you can purchase the book. Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and PowerDouglas Giles
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A look at two ideologies that are shaping political discourse. Text transcript and reference links: https://insertphilosophyhere.com/the-fundamental-contradictions-in-anarchism-and-libertarianism/Douglas Giles
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What’s right and wrong about the Columbia protests and what’s right and wrong about political action. Can we have an intelligent conversation about what’s going on at Columbia University? Probably not. I’ll try anyway, although a conversation requires willing and sincere participants. Referenced in this episode: Ethics of Dissent and Protest Left W…
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There’s an important difference between them. This episode is a follow-up to Episode 12, "What Lurks Behind Conspiracy Theories." The subject of conspiracy theories is of great interest, probably because 2024 is an election year in many countries. In this episode, I respond to a comment made by several listeners and explain the difference between a…
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My new book has been released. Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power: The Core Dynamics of Political Action The Kindle version is available here. The paperback version is available here.Douglas Giles
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One reason I am so passionate about the value of education comes from what I learned working two work-study jobs when I was an undergraduate. g8uqfqu6Douglas Giles
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Part 1: People Aren’t Stupid — They’re Lazy Thinkers Many people evade the ethical responsibility to think deeply Part 2: How to Have an Argument (More of a Debate Really) How to disagree without being disagreeable Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.comDouglas Giles
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Politics brings out the worst of people; it doesn’t have to. Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.comDouglas Giles
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What’s going on underneath the hype? A philosopher looks into the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift and indicts the music industry that tried to exploit her. Comments? Contact me at: InsertPhilosophyHere.comDouglas Giles
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My long-term slightly scientific study of fluffpreneurship. We are now in the Epoch of the Memeocene in which things are oversimplified and vapid. It is an age in which society recognizes facile imitation more than substance. Not surprisingly, the snake oil merchants have adapted to the times. What they sell and how they sell it has been pared down…
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Do you love Christmas? That’s cool, I respect that. Have fun. I want to talk about and with those who don’t consider Christmas the “most wonderful time of the year,” because I respect them too.Douglas Giles
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Cooperation, loyalty, adherence to the rule of law. These are noble virtues, of which the following are necessary for a free and open society. But there are times when it is necessary to step outside these noble virtues. There are times when dissent is a virtue. There is a time for peace and a time for protest.…
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Understanding political movements is essential for building a human-centered politics. I therefore propose a distinction between reactionary movements and populist movements based on their different worldviews, goals, and targets of their opposition. Support this podcast: https://ko-fi.com/insertphilosophyhere…
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Men hating women is a symptom of a deeper problem. This episode inserts philosophy into the abuse of women and explores the social causes behind misogyny and subordination of women. Comments? Contact me at InsertPhilosophyHere.comDouglas Giles
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Are you an individual? Sounds like a silly question, doesn’t it? You’re you, right? You aren’t anybody else. But it’s not quite that simple. First off, being good philosophers, we have to define our terms. What do we mean by “an individual?” There are many answers to that question. Let’s begin at the beginning.…
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Scottish philosopher David Hume in the 1700s changed Western philosophy with his strong critique of science. Hume showed that science is based on three assumptions that have no rational basis. Hume's critique so impressed Immanuel Kant, that it led Kant to develop his critiques of reason that revolutionized philosophy and science. Today. Hume's arg…
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I haven't recorded a philosophy lesson in awhile, so here is an audio version of a new video I am producing for my university course. My other videos are at https://www.youtube.com/insertphilosophyhereDouglas Giles
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For the last seven years, I’ve had quite a few people here in Europe ask me to explain Trump and his MAGA sycophants. Their incredulous questions are understandable. What’s in MAGA minds? How could they believe such things? Why are they so full of hate? I reference two books in this episode: The Rise of Victimhood Culture and Rethinking Misrecognit…
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Spoiler Alert: I will divulge as little as possible about the specifics of the movie as I talk about the real-life implications of its philosophical ideas, but, obviously, some content of the movie will leak out. Yes, Barbie is a surprisingly philosophical movie. I had low expectations for Barbie. I’ve never been a fan of corporations or dolls, and…
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Much will be said and written about the latest set of indictments handed down against former President Trump. I will leave it to the legal analysts to dissect the minutiae and details of the indictment. I'm a philosopher. So, I want to talk about what is behind all of this, what's really going on with all of this? What are the fundamental principle…
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Dr. Eve Poole is my honoured guest to talk about her latest book Robot Souls. Two of the biggest design problems in Artificial Intelligence are how to build robots that behave in line with human values and how to stop them ever going rogue. One under-explored solution to these alignment and control problems might be to examine how these are already…
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Condensing their philosophies to their most influential ideas.Douglas Giles
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A subject that has been in the news quite a lot lately as a political issue is diversity, equity, and inclusion, (DEI) and this is a topic that's dear to my heart as a philosophy professor. We need DEI programs, and I am very concerned about the efforts to try to reverse DEI initiatives in higher education. Plus, I am also aware of how part of that…
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We truthfully tell students about the importance of education, but all of the students are being shortchanged and overcharged for their experiences in higher education. Tuition is rising, but the money isn’t going toward education. The reasons are the three wrong priorities now dominating higher education.…
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Much has been made and certainly much more will be made about Joe Biden’s age after he announced he is running for president. Some people suggest that he is too old to run for president. It is prejudice to assume that age makes one unqualified for any role, including the President of the United States. Being in one’s 80s does not in and of itself m…
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A short podcast this week, relating an experience I had with a businessman who reminded me about the essence of philosophy.Douglas Giles
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About the meme of the tradwife - the traditional wife. #Philosophy #MarriageDouglas Giles
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Contemplating the "heretical" idea of teaching an Intro to Philosophy course not beginning with Plato or even any of the Ancient Greek philosophers. I present my arguments.Douglas Giles
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Donald Trump was in the news a lot yesterday, ALL over the news. That's understandable, as is the reality that many people oppose Trump. They have good reason, but as a philosopher, I have to ask whether Trump is really the problem people should be opposing.Douglas Giles
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Today, we assume and demand that government by at the consent of the governed. It was not always so. 17th century philosopher John Locke established the concept of government as a convenience, as a service we can hire and fire if it does not serve our interests.Douglas Giles
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The dominant paradigm in astrophysics is that the universe began in a “big bang,” probably from a singularity, and that the universe, the very fabric of space itself, has been expanding ever since. But does that paradigm of the expanding universe hold up in the face of evidence?Douglas Giles
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Do you remember Pet Rocks? You need to be older to remember them, but here’s a good history of them. The Pet Rock was the ultimate triumph of marketing over substance. Seeing the recent increase in the number of books and articles about Stoicism reminds me of Pet Rocks. I explain why in this episode.…
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In recent years, there has been concern about the role of the digital world in movements and forces that could be considered to be anti-democracy. But what, if anything, has the online world changed in the public sphere and democracy that could potentially contribute to anti-democratic behavior? To address this broad question, I bring together seve…
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This week marks the one-year anniversary of this podcast, but more importantly, it is the one-year anniversary of Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. In this week's episode, I focus on two questions: why do some people who claim to be anti-war refuse to be against Putin's war, and what factors led them to hold such a hypocritical position. Supp…
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What are UFOs? It is a surprisingly emotional subject. A large percentage of people who come across this article will read very little of it, having already assumed their preferred conclusion, and not take seriously the argument I am presenting. I hope that does not include you, dear reader. I wrote this to try to have a discussion about the issues…
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I welcome your comments, Contact me at InsertPhilosophyHere.com. Much of the defense of capitalism takes the positives of free enterprise and incorrectly attributes them to capitalism and much of the condemnation of capitalism incorrectly includes free enterprise in that condemnation. To have a fruitful, honest discussion, we need to get past error…
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The words “woke” and “wokeness” have recently entered the political lexicon. These words puzzle me as to what they mean and why people use them. “Woke” and “wokeness” are used mostly, if not exclusively, as an insult. They are used mostly, if not exclusively, by the Right. In our current memeocene epoch, the “woke” insult is often attached to an at…
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To “go vegan” is a legitimate dietary choice, but I am about to become a heretic in the vegan evangelists’ eyes, because I will dare to question the vegan dogma. There are multiple fallacies in the vegan ideology but for brevity, in this article, I will concentrate on the “veganism will save the planet” claim. It’s about the climate crisis. Veganis…
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How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy ISBN: 978-1-7358808-8-4.e-book: https://amzn.to/3I42f1S. Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Wz78V9. A fresh and original presentation that is easy for students, instructors, and general readers to use. This well-written, insightful history of philosophy is basic enough to be underst…
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Inserting some philosophy into the concept of the New Year. Although the “new year” is celebrated with fanfare and increased alcohol consumption, aside from hangovers, absolutely nothing changes between 31 December and 1 January.Douglas Giles
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