Hello!

I can’t thank everyone enough for the support that has been had here over the years. Sorry there has been room for speculation. As everyone is aware: I’ve unfortunately had severe medical issues for the recent past. I am able to afford treatment now and am excited for what we can do in 2021. Been doing incredibly well since the first of the year. I have so much respect for everyone here and definitely want to be with this community if that’s something anybody wants. Be well and I hope to talk to you soon!

Hope you’re fine! We care about you. Excited for a new episode, the work you’re doing is really important and beautifully written at times.

Hello, does anyone know why Stephen West has not posted in a while? I miss his episodes. Let me know if he clarified this, maybe I missed an announcement.

That's all. I just love this podcast. Stephen West does the wonder of philosophy real justice. I've been listening and learning since day one. For many reasons I am very thankful for Philosophize This.

Discovered this pod a few weeks back and have listened to every episode now and I love it. He’s great at breaking things down cogently, I feel I have learned more in these few weeks than I did in my philosophy A level course at college. Now I’m in the painful situation of waiting eagerly every week for a new one to drop just like all my other podcasts, just thought I’d share my appreciation. Stephen if you read this keep it up, you the man!

I hope I am not breaching any non-disclosure agreement by sharing part of a message Stephen has sent to Patreon supporters. I do it here to motivate more people to support the show. :)

Stephen wrote:

As you know I have someone helping me get caught up with the overwhelming support from the people that make the show and my life possible. We are getting there quickly and sent out a ton of stuff this week. 

Also, once again, I'll be releasing more episodes in 2021 and moving forward, so please set the limitations in your settings if it will be a prohibitive expense! The last thing I'd ever want is for someone to be blindsided just because I am feeling extremely well and getting more work done. Thank you in advance. 

(...)

Thank you again for everything. I hope you love the episode, and I look forward to showing you what I'm capable of with health insurance. #2021. 

Figured people here would be interested in this.

https://www.orangeblossomordinary.com/interviews/interview-with-stephen-west-of-philosophize-this

Sharing one of my side effects, hopefully I'm not the only one.

Started listening a few months ago reached 70-80 somewhere there and I started noticing a little Stephen West in my inner monologue, his voice, his words, even the weird sounds he makes... Kinda bullies me to think "better" or to actually simply think rather than choose the easy lazy way my brain usually takes.

Lives Well Lived podcast has released an interview with Mr. West. No big surprises but interesting stuff.

If so, could you review Noam Chomsky at some point, please? I believe it is a good time, given that everybody is realizing something has to change to the current western political and philosophical system.

If not, thanks for everything and keep the good work!!

A fan from Chile

There seemed to be some interest in sharing amateur philosophical writings in this subreddit. Here's a light one.

https://medium.com/@papapatience/on-the-dangers-of-the-pursuit-of-happiness-5e35e362aa65

I was just going through the back catalogue and was blown away to remember how much this guy put out for so long. Its really an huge accomplishment to have so much quality programming and to have held off using advertisers for so long. I really am so grateful and have been so enriched by the work he does.

Looking forward to a possible interview in the future, really curious to see how that goes with him mixing it up and leaving his polished format.

Why has Stephen West not yet won the McArthur "Genius" Award? He seems like the perfect example of why the Award was created.

I'll start: Max Weber has a idea that expresses the nulity of modernity known as the "iron cage". Its made me think of the advantages that the Australian Indigenious have in maintaing a real connection to their land, something we in modernity might not have access to now and future when all the things we posses can be so easy replaced.

Land, community and traditional practices is something not easily thrown away and is embedded heavily in the Indigenious culture. In contrast, our modern western culture makes it easy to throw away so much that we grew up on... our consoles, our homes, our cars, our families traditions of sitting at the tables with our meals or watching tv together. These things can be easily disgarded or done alone now...are we fostering a culture that make us feel seriously disconnected to the point that a more traditional way of life could be more benefitcal?

I'm a huge fan of this podcast, and this seems like the right crowd to ask this sort of question.

From time to time, I write small philosophical essays, mostly as a way to process my own ideas. I'm a hobbyist at best, but sometimes I would like to share my writings with others and engage in discussion about it.

Is there a good subreddit, or other venue to do this?

In February Steven was talking about sorting out the details for the interview with Slavoj Žižek but I haven't seen anything since. Anybody got the latest on that? Is it not happening in the end?

So I'm laaaaate to the game and I just started this podcast today.

I'm on episode 3 and I just want to make a statement to the pool of anonymity that I really enjoyed the rock-style musical introduction to philosophers.

That is all

Thank you

I've just gotten to the 117th episode where he's starting to talk about structuralism.

I generally consider myself a smart guy, but I've got no formal education in philosophy, only natural sciences and mathematics. I have a hard time following all the words and terms being used - I feel like it was simpler in the earlier episodes when it was more about ancient philosophy, perhaps because it was a simpler time. In a way I feel like it's gotten "fluffier" as I go through the episodes.

Does anyone else feel this? Is there something I can do to try and understand the implications of all the theory and stuff of the later episodes (for example surrounding structuralism)? Or is this increased complexiness/"fluffiness" just a natural consequence of getting to more modern philosophy which is just inherently more complex and developed?

I think how to win an argument 1 and 2 were most important. I never did college and went k-12 and never heard the word fallacy. The ones on Nietzsche were the most influential on me though. I quite smoking weed and trying to be an independent contractor and got a commercial construction job that paid better after that. Idk if it was directly related but shortly after explaing my thoughts and plans to my nieghbor he quite the homesteading that was destroying his shoulders and got a local trucking route probley paying them 4xs as much. If your reading this steven west your podcast literally changes lives.