Philosophy Everyday

William B. Irvine is an American philosopher and Professor Emeritus at Wright State University, best known for his work on Stoicism and practical philosophy. His books include A Guide to the Good Life, which helped popularize modern Stoicism, and his most recent work, How to Think More and Better: Being Reasonable in an Unreasonable World (2024), where he explores evidence-based reasoning, cognitive biases, and the challenges of thinking clearly in the modern information environment. In this conversation, we discuss why many people choose the “easy way” of thinking by relying on others instead of engaging in effortful reasoning, and how this tendency is amplified by social media and AI. We explore concepts such as evidence-based reasoning, confirmation bias, and the distinction between “feelers” and “thinkers.” The discussion also covers the erosion of trust in evidence in the age of AI-generated content, and how emerging technologies may both improve and distort our ability to think clearly.

Rebecca Goldstein is a philosopher/novelist who brings serious philosophical ideas to the world of popular discussion. A trained analytic philosopher, with an interest in philosophers such as Spinoza, Plato, and Aristotle; her writing takes up many of the most ancient of questions about human existence from a contemporary perspective. She recently developed the concept of "the mattering instinct" (which represents the core impulse or drive of humans to believe their lives have importance). Here, we talk about why being happy isn't the most important thing in the world and how people are actually motivated by the desire to be meaningful. Here we also examine how we create our own sense of meaning through what Goldstein refers to as 'mattering projects', why modern life makes creating this kind of meaning difficult and how the loss of traditional forms of meaning (such as religious systems) has moved responsibility for developing a sense of personal meaning to the individual. Along the way we will reference Aristotle's concept of flourishing, Spinoza's view of living with purpose, the distinction between information and knowledge and what does it mean to lead a life worthy of consideration.

Dr. Niayesh Afshordi is a theoretical physicist and professor at the University of Waterloo, known for his work on cosmology, quantum gravity, and the fundamental nature of the universe. His research explores some of the deepest questions in physics, including the origin of the Big Bang, the nature of time, and the limits of our current theories. He is also the co-author of The Battle of the Big Bang, where he examines competing models of the early universe and what they reveal about reality. In this episode, we explore whether the Big Bang truly marks the beginning of the universe or simply the point where our current equations break down. We discuss the meaning of singularities, the possibility of something existing before the Big Bang, and whether the universe could emerge from “nothing.” The conversation also dives into quantum mechanics, the challenge of unifying it with gravity, the role of inflationary models, and why time itself may not be fundamental.

Robert Pogue Harrison is a Professor of Italian and French Literature at Stanford University and a leading scholar in Philosophy, Literature, Intellectual History. He has written many important books on topics such as Death and Youth, which include: The Dominion of the Dead; Juvenescence. Additionally, he hosts the popular podcast "Entitled Opinions" in which he discusses big picture issues of Human Existence, Culture and Meaning. In this conversation, we examine the reason for the rising discomfort in modern society regarding Death and what that may say about how we perceive meaningfulness. We compare the concepts of Dying vs. Perishing; and examine the concept of a "Secular After Life." We also look at how other cultures in the past developed their social structures based upon common mortality. The conversation also moves into technology, examining whether AI is reshaping our relationship with thinking, memory, and human connection, and what might be lost when thinking is outsourced. Throughout, we return to a central question: what happens to life when death is no longer understood as something that gives it structure and meaning?

What do you believe to be true? Are you absolutely certain? Can you really know? Does reason exist for its own sake, or is every thought simply an illusion created by your brain? This week, I look at Descartes' revolutionary experiment of doubting everything - everything about the world, how we sense things, even our own reasoning - and attempting to build knowledge back up again. He bases his conclusions on what he finds: the idea of "perfection" leads him to conclude that there must be a god. Is the argument valid? Where do your thoughts come from? How could you feel so sure about something and yet be entirely wrong? Is it possible to use logic to prove anything at all? And at the heart of these questions is one fundamental question that remains unanswered: Are you a person, or are you just using a body?

I recently talked with Dr. Gordon Pennycook who is a cognitive psychologist and has researched, among other things, why people accept false information, why some statements sound profound but have no real meaning and if using Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help decrease conspiracy thinking. Dr. Pennycook is one of the top researchers studying misinformation, cognitive reflection and what he terms "Pseudo-Profound Bullshit", statements that may seem profound but fall apart when scrutinized. We talked about the psychological mechanisms behind pseudo-profoundness and others related to human reasoning. We also discuss his recent research showing that conversations with large language models can reduce belief in conspiracy theories by presenting clear evidence and counterarguments. Could AI become a tool for improving public reasoning? Or does it introduce new risks for misinformation?This conversation explores how intuition, reflection, and cognitive laziness shape the way we think and what that means in an age of algorithms and AI. If you enjoy the episode, please consider leaving a like, subscribing, and leaving a review on Youtube, Spotify and Apple!

Steven C. Hayes is a prominent American clinical psychologist and researcher known for his foundational work in behavioral science and psychotherapy with a focus on human language, cognition, and alleviating suffering. He developed Relational Frame Theory (RFT), which explains human higher cognition, and originated Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an evidence-based psychotherapy. We explore why our evolution as social primates has left us with a mind that we can’t forget. Dr. Hayes explains how to transition from a life of emotional struggle to one of true psychological flexibility. We also explore the relationship of pursuing happiness and how this may ultimately lead to the opposite, the differences between being in pain and suffering, the concept of experiential avoidance, the concept of cognitive attachment, the evolutionary development of language and human cognition, and the science of developing psychological flexibility.

The idea that love is a feeling rather than an appetite for something may be part of the marketing surrounding Valentine's Day; in other words, love is viewed as satisfaction, completion, or a secure sense of emotions. However, Plato has an entirely different view. In this episode, I take a look at Plato's "Symposium," which is arguably one of the most upsetting, and authentic descriptions of love ever put on paper. It is through Socrates' and Diotima's explanations that Plato describes love as absence, longing, and as a movement toward something we don't yet possess.

John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist and philosopher best known for his work on the modern meaning crisis, wisdom, and the nature of human understanding. He is a professor at the University of Toronto and the creator of Awakening from the Meaning Crisis, a widely influential lecture series exploring why modern life feels increasingly disconnected, fragmented, and nihilistic. In this episode, we explore what happens to love, truth, and meaning in a nihilistic world. We discuss Socrates and Plato on eros and the examined life, the role of love in orienting us toward reality, and why truth cannot be reduced to method or calculation alone. We examine the consequences of modernity, Nietzsche’s warning about nihilism, the loss of wisdom as a way of life, and why rationality without care leads to a crisis of meaning. We also consider whether love is a condition for truth rather than its rival, and how recovering wisdom may be essential for confronting the challenges of modern life.

John Cottingham is one of the world’s leading scholars of René Descartes and early modern philosophy. He is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Reading and the author of several influential books on Descartes, ethics, and philosophy of religion. Cottingham is also widely known for his work on the Cambridge Edition of the Works of Descartes, where he served as editor and translator, helping shape how Descartes is read and understood today. In this episode, we explore Descartes’ philosophy from its foundations to its modern consequences. We discuss the method of radical doubt, the meaning of “I think, therefore I am,” the mind–body problem, and why consciousness still resists purely scientific explanation. We also examine the central role God plays in Descartes’ system, whether reason alone can justify belief, and how these ideas continue to shape debates in philosophy, science, and artificial intelligence today.

Nothing can be trusted to be real, or at least, that’s the starting point. In this episode, I break down René Descartes’ method of radical doubt by walking through the First and Second Meditations, step by step. What happens if you treat everything that can be doubted as false? That includes; your senses, your body, the external world, and even mathematics. Source of Discussion: Meditations on First Philosophy, René Descartes, 1641.

Dr. Avi Loeb is a prominent theoretical physicist specializing in astrophysics and cosmology. He serves as the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University, where he previously chaired the Astronomy Department and founded the Black Hole Initiative. He has authored over 800 papers and popular books like Extraterrestrial on potential signs of alien technology. Follow the podcast for more conversations on cosmology, science, and philosophy.

As we enter 2026, I wanted to take a step back and reflect on some of the books I read this year, and what they made me rethink about life, meaning, power, consciousness, and society. Check out the chapter names to see books discussed in this video. Let me know in the comments what you’re planning to read in 2026, and whether you have read any of these before.

Was education ever meant to make you employable or fix your career? In the final book of Politics, Aristotle argues that this assumption misunderstands education from the beginning. According to Aristotle, education primarily exists for the sake of leisure, here understood as freedom from necessity and the condition for contemplation. This understanding proposes that a life organized entirely around usefulness and efficiency may function, but it cannot flourish. In this episode, I unpack Aristotle’s most demanding claims about education, virtue, habituation, music, physical training, and the role of the city in shaping character. Aristotle draws sharp distinctions between usefulness and nobility, cleverness and virtue, play and leisure, work and the activities that are worth pursuing for their own sake. There might be some FPS drops in the beginning of the video, which gets better later. This was due to unidentified technical issue during the recording. I apologize for this. However, the audio and the pacing is consistent throughout the episode, so it should not diminish the quality of experience.

Did Aristotle sketch the foundations of something like Universal Basic Income in ancient times? In Book VII of Politics, he argues that no citizen should live in a state of constant labor and necessity, because leisure is the precondition for virtue, philosophy, and judgment. In this episode, I walk through his surprising claims about basic sustenance, land distribution, civic roles, military power, and why a well-designed city must give its citizens the freedom to think, reflect, and flourish. Aristotle connects everything: virtue, happiness, citizenship, leisure, even city walls and cold plunges into one vision of how a society creates excellent human beings. Source for this discussion: Aristotle, Politics, Book VII (Chapters 9–14).

Aristotle never treated philosophy as a luxury or something that you do when you are bored. In Book Seven of Politics, he forces a difficult question: can the philosophical life become a retreat from real action? And if so, what does that say about the lives we choose? What is worth pursuing at the end of the day? And what is ultimately meaning of life? In this episode, I break down Aristotle’s argument that happiness is found in living life according to virtue, and both philosophical / scientific life and active civic life are virtuous. Virtue comes from action and from the choices you make, the habits you build, and the character you sharpen. Thought without action becomes passivity. Action without thought becomes chaos. The good life lies in the tension between them. Aristotle also explores the oldest divide in human life: the active citizen versus the pure thinker.

In this episode, I walk through Book 6 of Aristotle’s Politics, a section where he becomes unusually practical. Here he stops talking about ideal systems and starts asking a simpler question: what actually keeps a community functioning? Why do some forms of shared rule remain stable while others constantly shift? Aristotle looks at freedom, equality, participation, and the habits of everyday life. He studies how farmers, merchants, and workers naturally shape different patterns of governance often without intending to. He examines why different groups see justice differently, how equality gets defined, and why the character of a population matters as much as its laws.Source of discussion in the video: Aristotle’s Politics, Book VI, Chapters 1–8.

I talked to Dr. Anil Seth, neuroscientist, author of "Being You", and one of the world’s leading thinkers on consciousness, to explore one of the deepest questions in philosophy and science: What does it mean to be aware, and why does it feel like something to be you? Dr. Seth’s work is amazing as it bridges neuroscience, philosophy, and artificial intelligence. Just to be clear, the theory of controlled hallucination that Anil advocates doesn't suggest the external world doesn't exist. It simply means our access to it is always filtered through the interpretive and predictive mechanisms of our own brains. Portrait credit: Ramon Haindl / Die Ziet

What did Aristotle really think about monarchy? In this episode, I finish Book V of Aristotle’s Politics, exploring how monarchies rise, fall, and sometimes turn into their opposite. Along the way, we look at Aristotle’s comparisons with democracy, and his practical reflections on power, virtue, and moderation. This discussion is entirely historical and philosophical in nature, focusing on Aristotle’s ideas in their original context. Source of discussion in the video: Aristotle’s Politics, Book V, Chapters 10-12.

I sat down with Dr. Spencer Greenberg, mathematician, entrepreneur, and host of the Clearer Thinking podcast, to explore one of the most fascinating puzzles of human nature: why even the most intelligent minds can fall for irrational beliefs. In this conversation, we discuss: (1) Is intelligence alone to protect us from bias and self-deception? (2) How emotions, heuristics, and evolution shape our irrational choices (3) Is there any cost of being perfectly “rational”? (4) Whether truth-seeking can conflict with happiness or fulfillment (5) How to recognize when you’re playing status games instead of searching for truth (6) Why positive thinking and self-help can sometimes backfire (7) How to train your mind to think more clearly in a world full of noise.

What makes a society lose its moral strength?Did Aristotle already warn us about how virtue slowly fades not through sudden corruption, but through small unnoticed habits that change who we become?In Book V of Aristotle’s Politics, he explores why even the best systems weaken over time, and why preserving balance depends less on power and more on character.

I sat down with Dr. Stephen Hicks, philosopher and author of Explaining Postmodernism, to explore some of the biggest questions in modern thought: what the Enlightenment really changed, how confidence in reason began to crack over time, and why modern philosophy still struggles with truth, meaning, and progress.

What is the source of all conflicts? Aristotle thought that the answer had something to do with human nature itself. In this episode, I talk about Book V of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle finally stops describing systems and now also starts dissecting their psychology. He explores how ambition, resentment, and pride drive people toward conflict, and why the rich and poor never agree on what “justice” means.Source of discussion in the video: Aristotle’s Politics, Book V, Chapters 1–6.

I sat down with Dr. Massimo Pigliucci, philosopher, evolutionary biologist, and one of the most influential voices bringing Stoicism into the modern age. In this episode, we explore timeless ideas that matter more than ever today: Why Stoicism keeps returning in times of crisis? What you actually control, and what you don’t? The biggest misconceptions about Stoicism. How Stoicism compares with Nietzsche, Aristotle, and Christianity? What Stoicism can teach us about living well in chaotic times?

Aristotle links his ethics to politics, arguing that just as virtue is found in the middle, so too is stability in the city.The middle class, the “middling element,” becomes the true stabilizer, citizens who know both how to rule and how to be ruled. From there, Aristotle maps how regimes endure or fall, how incentives like fines and pay shape participation, and how military power cavalry or infantry reshapes constitutions.Finally, he lays out a three-part system of deliberation, offices, and courts, a design that looks strikingly like an early form of checks and balances.Source of discussion in the video: Aristotle’s Politics, Book IV, Chapters 11–16.

I sat down with Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, a leading voice in AI safety and author of AI: Unexplainable, Unpredictable, Uncontrollable. In this episode, we dive into questions that challenge reality itself: Are we living in a simulation? Can superintelligent AI ever be controlled? What makes humans truly special? Could we one day solve death itself?

Should the wealthy few rule, or the poor majority? Should politics belong to those with leisure, or can every citizen truly take part? In these chapters, Aristotle digs into the messy reality behind democracy, oligarchy, polity, and tyranny.He shows that oligarchies, like democracies, come in degrees. He insists that politics always returns to one fact: those with leisure have the time to rule, while those busy with survival often step aside. Out of this tension, the mixed constitution of polity emerges, balancing rich and poor, freedom and wealth.This episode explores how Aristotle moves past theory to confront the lived struggles between the few, the many, and the one.Aristotle’s Politics, Book IV, Chapters 5–10.Chapters:(00:00) The Few, the Many, or the One?(02:23) Four Faces of Oligarchy(03:33) When Regimes Wear Masks(06:31) Politics Requires Leisure(11:30) Soft, Strong and Extreme Oligarchies(14:48) Aristocracy vs Polity: Virtue or Balance?(19:08) Defining Polity(24:43) The Emergence of Polity(28:57) Aristotle's Political Realism

Is politics about ideals, or about what actually works? Aristotle shifts from dreaming about the perfect city to wrestling with the messy reality of real regimes.Instead of chasing one utopia, he asks sharper questions: what is the best regime most cities can actually attain? Should we measure politics by ideals of justice and virtue, or by what circumstances allow? And who shapes whom do laws make constitutions, or do constitutions give birth to laws?This episode dives into that pivot: from ideals to practice, from perfect blueprints to the lived struggle of real constitutions.Aristotle’s Politics, Book IV, Chapters 1–4.Chapters:(00:00) The Question That Won’t Die(04:52) Balancing Idealism with Reality(07:13) Who Shapes Who: Laws or Regimes?(10:05) The Six Regimes Explained(16:53) Why Regimes Differ Everywhere(21:13) Against Lazy Binaries in Life(26:08) Four Faces of Democracy(27:56) When the People Become a Tyrant(33:31) Conclusion: The Practicality of Politics

Who should rule, the one or the many?Aristotle wrestled with this question in Politics, and his answer is anything but simple. On one side stands the idea of a single extraordinary ruler. A man of unmatched virtue, flexible enough to judge every situation like a wise doctor who can go beyond the handbook. On the other side is the law: impartial, passionless, reason stripped of jealousy and anger. Then there is the multitude, the collective judgment of free citizens whose perspectives balance out the flaws of any single person.This episode explores the tension between law and leadership, between equality and excellence, and between the good citizen and the good man. Along the way I touch on modern echoes, from the corruption of crowds to the myth of genius leaders, even to Batman’s strange position as a bad citizen but a good person. Aristotle's Politics Book III, Chapter 15-18Chapters:(00:00) Collective Intelligence vs. Individual Insight(02:13) Should Laws Rule or Leaders?(06:30) Crowd Wisdom or Crowd Madness?(08:27) Historical Context of Governance(12:01) The Nature of Justice and Equality(15:41) The Problem With Absolute Power(21:59) Why the Masses Can’t Always Be Trusted(24:31) The Case for the Perfect King(28:30) Aristotle’s Final Answer: The True Ideal Regime

In this episode, I dive into Aristotle’s controversial idea, the “natural king.” This is the one person whose virtue and wisdom are so far above everyone else’s that ruling them would be unjust. Aristotle says such a ruler should lead willingly accepted by all, a model of kingship that sounds strangely familiar in the age of artificial intelligence. Could a superintelligent AI fit this description? And if so, should we let it rule? Or would that be the fastest road to digital dystopia? I also explore Aristotle’s blueprint for mixed government, his early version of checks and balances, and why he thought both mob rule and oligarchic control were dangerous. Politics, Book III, Chapters 11–14 Chapters:(00:00) Are the Many Wiser or Dangerous?(01:48) Why Aristotle Didn’t Fully Trust the Crowd(05:06) Only Experts Can Judge Experts?(08:43) The Importance of Law and Authority(09:59) Justice Isn’t About Rich or Poor(12:06) Relevant Inequalities in Political Life(13:23) The Risks of Misidentifying Leadership(16:28) The Exceptional Individual: Blessing or Threat?(19:49) Natural Kingship: Aristotle’s Ideal Ruler(28:03) Would Aristotle Let Superintelligent AI Rule?

In this episode, I explore Aristotle’s brutal critique of both democracy and oligarchy and why he believed neither the rich nor the poor should rule simply because they can.For Aristotle, justice is about purpose rather than wealth or equality. Cities exist for living well, and not just for mere survival.This is where Aristotle draws the line between power and legitimacy. He doesn’t care how many people rule. He cares why they rule, and who actually benefits from it.Politics, Book III, Chapters 6–10Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Aristotle's Politics(00:51) Transition to Regime Types(02:45) Understanding the Purpose of the City(06:19) Political Rule vs. Despotic Rule(09:27) Classification of Regimes(14:05) Critique of Democracy and Oligarchy(17:50) The Role of the Middle Class(21:54) Justice in Governance(26:26) Mob Rule vs. Tyranny(27:40) Critique of Law-Based Systems(28:18) Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Does being a good person automatically make you a good citizen? In this episode, I dive into one of Aristotle’s most important distinctions between moral virtue and political virtue. You can be honest, kind, and just, yet still fail the test of citizenship. Why?Aristotle claims that the real citizen is someone who takes part in deliberation and decision-making in the community. That means power, participation, and free time to to engage in politics. So where does that leave others?This is Aristotle at his most precise and provocative.Politics, Book III, Chapters 1–5Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Citizenship in Aristotle's Politics(06:11) Practical Observations on Citizenship(12:54) Good Citizen vs. Good Person(22:10) The Virtue of Citizenship

Sparta was worshipped, by both ancient and modern admirers. But what if the truth behind the myth is weaker, even a little absurd?In this episode, I go deep into Aristotle’s breakdown of Sparta. A regime that trained its men for war, ignored its women, enslaved its workforce, and collapsed the moment peace arrived.I also explore what Aristotle thought about Crete, Carthage, and the lawgivers who tried and often failed to build the perfect city.I also talk about Aristotle's criticism of his contemporary thinkers from Plato’s Republic to Phaleas of ChalcedonAristotle's Politics Book II, Chapters 6–12Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:49) Critique of Plato / Socrates(11:35) Understanding Conflict and Crime in Society(20:35) Further Critique of Utopian Thinkers(23:00) Lessons from Sparta, Crete, and Carthage

What if the perfect society is actually a trap?In this episode, I dive into Book II of Aristotle’s Politics, where he dissects Plato’s idea of a utopia, shared property, shared families, total unity. On the surface, it sounds noble. But Aristotle peels back the layers and asks: what happens when everyone owns everything... and no one owns anything?I talk about why radical equality might backfire, why too much unity can destroy what makes a city work, and how the push for perfection often ends in dysfunction.Watch if you’ve ever questioned whether perfection is worth chasing.From the “Politics” Book II, Chapters 1–6.Chapters:(00:00) Exploring Aristotle's Political Philosophy (05:45) The Best Regime for Human Flourishing (08:06) Critique of Plato's Republic (13:19) Unity vs. Diversity in Society (28:27) Property: Common or Private?(37:33) Practical Feasibility of Political Theories

Is there such a thing as getting rich the right way?In this episode, I dive into Aristotle’s views on wealth, money-making, and the purpose behind it all. Aristotle saw a clear difference between natural and unnatural ways of getting rich.Why did he think the endless pursuit of profit could distort your soul?What kind of wealth is worthy of respect, and what kind isn't?This video is deeper look at how to live with purpose, even while building wealth. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about the race for “unlimited money,” Aristotle might help you ask better questions.From the “Politics” Book I, Chapters 8–12.Chapters:(00:00) Hierarchies and Political Animals(03:48) Economic Life and the Emergence of Commerce(08:19) The Purpose of Goods and Their Natural / Unnatural Uses(11:29) The Art of Making Money(15:16) Commerce and Self-Sufficiency(19:49) Natural vs. Unnatural Wealth(23:16) Thales and the Role of Knowledge in Wealth(26:41) Household Ruling

Why did Aristotle say that anyone who lives outside society is either a beast or a god?In this first episode of the Politics series, I go back to the origins of the city, the household, and the idea that humans are, by nature, political animals. This is about what kind of creature the human being is, and what happens when he tries to exist alone.I also dive into one of the most controversial parts of Aristotle’s thinking: slavery. Was he defending the brutal institution of his time, or was he describing a more uncomfortable truth about human inequality? Did he, in a strange way, predict the end of slavery with his thought experiment about self-moving tools?This episode covers Chapters 1–7 of Book I. It’s raw, it’s messy.There’s a slight delay between my voice and video in some parts of this episode, first launch jitters. I decided to share it anyway rather than sit on it. Future episodes will be more professional. Thanks for sticking with it.If you prefer, you can also just listen in the background, the audio is clean throughout.From the “Politics” Book I, Chapters 1–8.Chapters:⁠(00:00⁠) Introduction to Aristotle's Political Philosophy(⁠05:22)⁠ Emergence of Political Communities⁠(18:02)⁠ Understanding Households and Hierarchies⁠(33:25)⁠ Justification for Hierarchies⁠(44:15)⁠ Conclusion and Future Discussions

How do art, AI, and ideology shape how we see the world?In this first episode of Philosophy Everyday, I speak with Dr. Rebecca Marks, an art historian with a PhD from Cambridge University.We explore one of my favorite paintings, Raphael’s The School of Athens, its meaning, symbolism, and place in the Renaissance.We also discuss how AI might influence the future of art, how ideology shapes perception, and the deeper philosophical questions behind creativity, meaning, and human experience.Follow me on Instagram → https://instagram.com/philosophy.everydayFollow Rebecca on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/culture_dumper/Follow Rebecca's substack → https://culturedump.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web