EPISODE · Sep 14, 2023 · 51 MIN
The Rigor of Angels: Kant, Borges, & Heisenberg with William Egginton
from Other Life · host Justin Murphy
I'm joined by author William Egginton to discuss his new book The Rigor of Angels. We talk Borges, Kant, and Heisenberg—and the big idea(s) they had in common. We discuss the antimonies of knowledge and the possibility that art is their solution. We discuss Coltrane, intelligence, creativity, biography, academia, and specialization vs. generalism. At the end, we discuss writing and publishing, the changing landscape of the book publishing industry, and how to think about writing for different audiences.Chapters:(0:00:00) - The Rigor of Angels(0:10:43) - The Antinomies of Knowledge(0:19:55) - Impact of Great Art and Thinkers(0:23:41) - Curiosity and Conviviality(0:30:31) - Creativity and Intelligence(0:43:28) - The Future of Writing and Publishing(0:49:27) - Academic vs. Popular WritingWilliam Egginton:✦ Buy the Rigor of Angels: https://amzn.to/3Rj3fDV✦ William on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WilliamEggintonOther Life✦ Subscribe to the coolest free newsletter in the world. https://otherlife.co✦ Become a member. https://otherlife.co/upgradeIndieThinkers.org✦ If you're an independent writer, join the next cohort of https://IndieThinkers.org
What this episode covers
I'm joined by author William Egginton to discuss his new book The Rigor of Angels. We talk Borges, Kant, and Heisenberg—and the big idea(s) they had in common. We discuss the antimonies of knowledge and the possibility that art is their solution. We discuss Coltrane, intelligence, creativity, biography, academia, and specialization vs. generalism. At the end, we discuss writing and publishing, the changing landscape of the book publishing industry, and how to think about writing for different audiences.Chapters:(0:00:00) - The Rigor of Angels(0:10:43) - The Antinomies of Knowledge(0:19:55) - Impact of Great Art and Thinkers(0:23:41) - Curiosity and Conviviality(0:30:31) - Creativity and Intelligence(0:43:28) - The Future of Writing and Publishing(0:49:27) - Academic vs. Popular WritingWilliam Egginton:✦ Buy the Rigor of Angels: https://amzn.to/3Rj3fDV✦ William on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WilliamEggintonOther Life✦ Subscribe to the coolest free newsletter in the world. https://otherlife.co✦ Become a member. https://otherlife.co/upgradeIndieThinkers.org✦ If you're an independent writer, join the next cohort of https://IndieThinkers.org
NOW PLAYING
The Rigor of Angels: Kant, Borges, & Heisenberg with William Egginton
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Mar 19, 2026 ·34m
Mar 3, 2026 ·44m
Feb 21, 2026 ·30m
Feb 18, 2026 ·11m
Feb 11, 2026 ·45m