Episodes
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera | Review and Analysis
I started writing this one while Mr. Kundera was still alive. He has since passed on, but his legacy will exist forever in history as a moment as fixed as the Big Bang itself. I hope my tribute to him and his novel does justice to his work.Music by OB-LIX, Zakhar Valaha, Aleksey Chistilin, and...
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Artificial Intelligence: The Ethics and the Future of Humanity
Progress is speeding up even as the world barrels toward one of innumerable disasters. What lies ahead, and what should we do when we get there? In the best-case scenario, we may still have control over our direction. Tony Talks Back: Philosophy and Literature https://linktr.ee/tonytalksback ...
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Artificial Intelligence: Probability and Inevitability
It's a great day for an existential crisis! What are the odds that you ever existed at all? Find that out and more on our latest foray into the insanity of existence! Tony Talks Back: Philosophy and Literature https://linktr.ee/tonytalksback PODCAST Youtube…
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Artificial Intelligence: Emergence From Nothingness
There's no real answer for the question of why we are here. At least not one that we know. Sure, the big bang, evolution, emperors and economies. But that doesn't answer the question of why. Why are we here? Well, we emerged. From what - that is the question. As always, thanks for listening. It...
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Artificial Intelligence: Life is Weird
When the robot overlords come for me, tell them I'm out grabbing a byte. I joke, but artificial intelligence may legitimately mean the end of life as we know it if we're not careful. In this series I'll be investigating the many facets of AI and what the future may hold for humanity. Tony Talks...
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Consciousness and Artificial Intelligence | Tony Talks Back Season 3
There is little doubt in my mind that artificial intelligence is the most fascinating, utterly confusing, and potentially dangerous development mankind will go through. In the near future, we will need to face ethical questions of such kind as, do we grant personhood to AI? How do we determine…
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Political Philosophy: Voltaire and Freedom of Speech
Quite a messy episode. Freedom of speech is messy. Even so, I hope to convince you of the truth of what Voltaire stood for. Tony Talks Back: Philosophy and Literature https://linktr.ee/tonytalksback PODCAST Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tonytalksback Spotify:...
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Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic, Revisited
As with many of Plato's works, it is legitimately impossible to overstate the impact and significance of Plato's Republic on our society, development, and life in general. As I explore the smallest fraction of the wisdom within, I relay and relate my thoughts on the January 6th attack on the...
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Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse | Review and Analysis
Hermann Hesse wrote in German, but the concepts within are indescribable in any language. Watch and listen to my struggle to understand. And please, if you can...enlighten us. Video link: https://youtu.be/PeBec7wzgGM Read Siddhartha from Project Gutenberg:...
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Political Philosophy: Take a Break From Politics
In Defense of Sam Harris. Politics are not the most important thing in my life; that spot is reserved for philosophy. Sam Harris found himself in a defensive political game for much of the past few years, which is really a shame as his academic work seems to me much more important a place for Sam...
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Political Philosophy: Capitalism, Adam Smith, and The Wealth of Nations
Love it or hate it, we are all here today because of capitalism. There are few if any global systems more well-developed than our markets and free trade. Listen to my personal philosophy, the general philosophy of capitalism, and its modern foundations in the writings of Adam Smith in this rather...
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Political Philosophy: Read Me My Rights, John Locke
What does it mean to be a liberal? The grandfather of liberalism, John Locke, will tell you it boils down to three fundamental principles of human existence: the right to life, liberty, and property. It is no exaggeration to say that John Locke laid the foundations of freedom for the world to...
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Political Philosophy: Hobbes and the Sea Monster, Leviathan
**Not an actual sea monster. This monster is in fact one that we've created ourselves, and is composed of our own bodies. The societal contract that binds us together. Where does it come from? How has it persisted? Why do I always ask so many questions? Come with me into this little dive with...
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Political Philosophy: Democracy Killed Socrates
Alternate title: In Defense of The Republic. Philosopher-King, Philosopher-King, who is fit to rule? Is mob justice true justice, or is it unjustly cruel? Call me Dr. Seuss, because my rhymes are fire. This episode covers a rather large range of topics, but the prevailing theme throughout is the...
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Philosophical Pessimism, Buddhism, and...Hope?
True Detective very much helped to popularize the view of pessimism as tenable philosophical ground to the national television-viewing audience. The story of Rust Cohle is one of bleak reality almost too real to bear. Thomas Ligotti, likewise, broadcast his own philosophical pessimism to...
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What Even Is Philosophy?
The importance of philosophy to the development of society and civilization as we know it is impossible to overstate. So why does philosophy often have the feel of an old forgotten relic, passed by by so many today? And how might we restore philosophy to its central position in the cultivation of...
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The Socratic Approach to Death (Featuring a Good Helping of Alan Watts)
When faced with a terrible unknown, sometimes the best place to look for guidance is in ancient wisdom. Death is one of these unknowns. Many of us humans living and dead profess faith in an afterlife. Why does death still feel so alien, even with our self-proclaimed beliefs? Socrates discussed...
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Being Like Socrates / I Know That I Know Nothing (and I’m content)
"The unexamined life is not worth living." Out of all historical figures democratically sentenced to death, Socrates is by far my favorite. Who was Socrates, you ask? Wonderful question. Read his apology to the men of Athens here: http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html Tony Talks Back:...
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Brains and Zombies: The Location of Consciousness (Or Is It?)
Ever wake up one morning and realize that no one actually knows anything about anything? That's what the consciousness debate is like. Presumably everyone already has intimate firsthand knowledge of their own consciousness...so why can't we agree on anything? I'm throwing a few ideas out there…
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The Very Basics of Consciousness: What is a Mind?
Descartes and Princess Elisabeth. Name a more iconic duo. Is dualism of the mind and body the answer? Or is the mind-body problem insurmountable? Will physicists be able to tell us what consciousness is? I don't have answers, only more questions. Also, what is it like to be a bat? Just curious....
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Existentialism: Kierkegaard, Faith, and Alan Watts
With special mentions Descartes and Aristotle. Faith is a problem; so many of us believe or want to believe in something beyond ourselves, and yet the existentialist dilemma threatens the very idea of objective meaning central to many religious traditions. So what do we do with that? Kierkegaard...
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Hello World, or: How To Have An Existential Crisis
Questions asked and never answered: what is consciousness, what are we all doing here, what is the meaning of life? Tony Remis tries to make sense of all of this nonsense with a quick introduction to existentialism and the types of problems the show will discuss. Music for the episode is courtesy...
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Your favorite philosophical entertainer.
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Tony Remis
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