Larry Shapiro, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at University of Wisconsin, joins these Fools to talk about why it’s essential for philosophy to play a central role in other disciplines. In particular, as science attempts to answer some of the “big questions of philosophy” - free will, consciousness, and happiness - philosophy has a great deal to offer. Larry introduces ideas from his upcoming book and shares some of his own perspectives on these big questions - and every other question these Fools throw at him. Enjoy!

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When you think about it, forgiveness is pretty weird, and these Fools have some questions: What does it really mean to forgive? What happens inside of us when we forgive? Can we show someone kindness without forgiving them? Does forgiving make us better? Must the other person have a role, i.e., repentance? What is the relationship between forgiveness and justice? These fools discuss. Hope you enjoy!

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How much is it our choice to belong, versus the situation being right? An interesting topic, especially for two Fools who, growing up, didn’t feel they belonged. A discussion of fate, destiny, karma, and the story of Oedipus Rex follow as we explore aspects of belonging, autonomy, the relationship between religion and mysticism, and other aspects and implications of being in the very human predicament of experiencing existence as both an individual, and a part of a collective. Thanks for listening!

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Dr. Michael Wolfe, tutor at St. John’s College and leader of the Middle Eastern studies program there, joins these Fools for a great discussion. Since discovering him in graduate school, Dr. Wolfe was and remains captivated by the great 12th-century Sufi mystic Ibn-al-Arabi, and we go pretty deep into his views on the nature of God, consciousness, and reality (is it a dream? Could synchronicity exist if the universe is essentially material?) These fools loved this conversation and can’t wait to have Dr. Wolfe back - hope you enjoy it as well!

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Professor Steven Nadler of the University of Wisconsin joins these Fools to talk about the life and work of Baruch Spinoza, who was expelled from Judaism in the 1600s for his radical views on God and Nature. We discuss Spinoza’s view on living a successful life, the ideas of Freedom and Passion, whether Free Will can exist, and also other areas in Nadler’s realm of expertise such as medieval Jewish philosophy and its relationship to theology. It was a pleasure hosting Dr. Nadler and we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed the conversation!

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Erik Erikson, renowned psychoanalyst and student of Sigmund Freud, says we have these innate drives around which ego and consciousness are formed. This brings up a discussion of the ego and its relationship to free will, that elusive philosophical question. Also arising is the Herculean task we are all given - to bind the internal and external world in our attempt to make sense. Enjoy the journey!

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See the Fools and Sages show notes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GVCVW1h2_-4JOU22KREzTO0lVDiN3icg?usp=drive_link

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

05:25 The Intersection of Psychology and Philosophy

08:07 Freud: The Pioneer of Psychoanalysis

17:38 The Roots of Virtue

21:22 Hope, Will, and Purpose

38:20 Love and Care

45:42 Wisdom

52:49 Ethics and Responsibility

In the Fools and Sages One Year Anniversary Episode, these fools discuss various aspects of the nature of “madness” and the role it plays in society, and in human creativity and evolution. Threads of the conversation include “transgenerational trauma,” comparing the cognitive models offered by shamanism and western psychology, and the relationship between madness and the idea of a collective mind. We hope you enjoy this episode, and that we’ll all be together for another year at least, evolving our thinking together.

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Glenna Gerard has been involved in education, business, and consulting for over 30 years, much of that as a practitioner, facilitator, and teacher of “Bohm Dialogue,” a method for creating shared understanding, and even shared meaning, developed by the Nobel Prize-winning quantum physicist, David Bohm. Glenna joins these Fools for a far-ranging conversation that touches on many topics, including her experience working with David Bohm, Dialogue and its role in organizations and institutions, the nature of concepts such as emergence, fragmentation and coherence, the unique role of language as a framework for reality, and of course consciousness itself, and meaning. It was truly a joy to host Glenna and we know you will enjoy this very special episode. Thanks for tuning in!

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See the Fools and Sages show notes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GVCVW1h2_-4JOU22KREzTO0lVDiN3icg?usp=drive_link

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Glenna Gerard

05:24 The Importance of Dialogue

08:48 David Bohm's Influence on Dialogue

16:10 Understanding Fragmentation and Wholeness

19:57 The Role of Language in Dialogue

26:05 The Interconnectedness of Human Experience

32:21 Exploring Bohm Dialogue in Depth

38:14 Creating a Container for Meaningful Conversations

43:58 Letting Go of Outcomes

48:29 Transmission of Wisdom in Dialogue

54:46 Navigating Conflict as a Resource

01:04:35 Facilitating Self-Sustaining Dialogue

01:10:58 Power Dynamics in Work Environments

01:14:04 Leadership and Organizational Change

01:24:05 Dialogue as a Way of Being

01:27:21 New Dialogic Practices