Two Beers Until Phronesis

Four guys with varying experiences in the world of music talk about performing, listening to and working with music. We explore a few questions like - What are the challenges facing the music industry today? How can music shape identity and meaning? Can any genres be considered pretentious or is pretention a myth? Is there a valid argument for "culturally appropriating" music? And can pop music be considered a bad thing?

Drawing from our gigging experiences and academic study we chat about the psychology of music, its appeal as a universal language and how it can be seen as a kind of therapy.

Our thoughts summarised: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-music.html

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Editing by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

For our 50th episode we thought we'd try something a little different… Our off the cuff conversation takes us from experience machines to belief in god, free will, happiness and humanism. We ask whether it makes sense to think of a non-religious life as meaningless and whether "unearned" or "false" happiness is desirable (or indeed, even possible). What is the relationship between meaning and happiness and is there something valuable in the pursuit of both? We'd love to have more improvised chats like this and expand on a lot of these ideas in the future.  

Articles by Connor & Nye:  
https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/herefordshire-humanists.html
https://nyejames.com/blog/

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

This is what the wait has been for... Two drunk blokes talking about giants.  

Giambattista Vico was an Italian Enlightenment philosopher and historian who, for some reason, believed in giants. Though somewhat obscure, his ambitious work "Scienza Nuova" attempts to combine all humanities into a single subject and explain the cyclical nature of human history and has influenced countless thinkers.

Giants have featured in the mythologies and folklore of virtually every civilization. Human or other-worldly, whether a metaphor for the violent forces of nature or a relic bygone ages, giants are often used to explain magnificent phenomena. We look at common themes from Celtic, Norse and Greek myths. Despite global similarities, giants can differ greatly in their nature. Religious beliefs, storytelling, cultural attitudes and maybe even fossils can help explain how and why giants stand so tall across the stories of humanity.  

Our thoughts, summarised: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-vico--giants.html

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Editing by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Why do atheists and theists never seem to convince one another? Why do modern debates about God never work? What exactly is the difference between reason and religion?  

When medieval Christians like Thomas Aquinas got their hands on the logic and rationalism of Aristotle they worked to combine their scripture with the reason of philosophy… but would it work? Years later we still try to prove and "unprove" god but perhaps there is another solution. Søren Kierkegaard, whilst struggling with his own faith seemed to suggest a reason why Christians and atheists just can't seem to get along and keep arguing past one another…  

Pencil drawing of Kierkegaard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Søren_Kierkegaard#/media/File:Søren_Kierkegaard_(1813-1855)_-_(cropped).jpg
Our essays can be found here: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/the-writing-room.html
Previous episode: https://youtu.be/M9uUjjTu_T4  

*Right, so we lost a bit of this episode whilst recording online… we mostly managed to cover it, apologies however for any funny sounding audio in one or two places*

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

We've all heard of it but have you ever wanted to find out what Quantum Mechanics actually is? Well here's a Christmas treat! As promised, Nye explains QM from the ground up; starting with the history and context of why and how it was theorised. Going through all the major scientific developments and players leading up to its inception, we break down some of the relevant concepts and round it all off with a bit of a chat.

Apologies for any minor audio issues or repetition of points made in other podcasts.

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Editing, audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

The Dark Ages; philosophy is all but unknown to this world of staunch faith and brutal conflict. A relatively new religion has arisen in the Middle East, carving out an empire from the Pagan and Christian Kingdoms left in the wake of the collapse of the ancient world. As their culture grows and interacts with others, pioneering Muslim intellectuals are tasked with translating the works of antiquity as they are unearthed from the past....  

In a revolutionary gamble, Al Kindi challenged convention by suggesting that the calculative reason of Aristotle was akin to the revelation found in scripture and faith. Could he convince the pious of his time to adopt philosophy or had he failed before even beginning?  

We've written a bunch of uni essays on these subjects that can be found here: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/the-writing-room.html

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Philosophy graduates attempt to understand science.  

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Named after Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi, the Fermi Paradox characterises the contradiction between optimistic probabilistic arguments for the existence of life elsewhere in the universe and the lack of evidence for it. In this podcast Nye explains why most estimates (such as the Drake equation) are so high and covers the suggested explanations for this famous contradiction. In doing so Nye unpacks many of the statistics that highlight the extraordinary vastness of space and the miracle of life itself.

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Outraged by the death of his mentor Socrates, and the thoughtlessness of ancient Greek society, a young Plato set off travelling on his adventures. It was during this time that Plato turned to writing his first dialogues. Using the character of Socrates in some of the craziest ancient fan fiction ever written, Platonic dialogues explored questions of truth, reality, virtue and the soul; often all at once.

While Alfred North Whitehead's statement that "All of philosophy is a footnote to Plato" - may be the philosophical equivalent of saying "stairway to Heaven is the world's best song" - he wasn't far wrong! In exploring these questions, Plato set the ball rolling for topics like epistemology, the mind-body problem, indirect realism and political philosophy. Though his answers may leave something to be desired to the modern reader, Plato's burning questioning and inexorable influence is still nonetheless felt today; from classrooms, counselling and even Hollywood blockbusters like the Matrix.

These early dialogues generally focus on more grounded issues like courage, justice and art and seem to reflect the qualities of the recently deceased Socrates more accurately. However, even at such an early stage, we can begin to see how Plato's method established Western thought itself...

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Edited by Connor.   
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.   
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

What's the point in fasting? How do we stick to a diet that works? These are some of the questions we ask in this episode as we explore Julian Baggini's book, Virtues of the Table.

The debates and attitudes around knowing when not to eat are equally as crucial to flourishment as questions concerning where food comes from and the importance of good cooking. We explore how blanket rules and blind adherence can confuse these practices in a "post-death-of-god" world and how misunderstood nutritional health can be in the contemporary times.

Gordon Ramsay on Onions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCGS067s0zo
Julian Baginni: https://www.julianbaggini.com

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Despite being mistaken for Hertfordshire or confused with Somerset, tiny Herefordshire is packed with interesting stories, the world's best cider and irreplaceable natural beauty.

Zach and Connor chat about some of the strange tales, historic Herefordian landmarks and the intrinsic value of nature in this more laidback episode.

Mappa Mundi: https://www.themappamundi.co.uk
Weston's Cider: https://www.westons-cider.co.uk
Flag Competition: https://www.the-shire.co.uk/herefordshireflag
Hereford Cathedral: https://www.herefordcathedral.org
Wye Valley: https://www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
Offa's Dyke" https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/offas-dyke/
Bulmer's Cider: https://www.bulmers.co.uk/age-gate?dest=%252F
Visit Herefordshire : https://www.visitherefordshire.co.uk
Our Thoughts Summarised: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-herefordshire.html

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Food and the issues surrounding it have never been more important. Culinary attitudes and traditions can reveal a lot a about a period or place and we live in a world of staggering choice and raging debates. Cultivating attitudes and questions to not just what we eat and how we do it but where it comes from, what it says about us, how it fits into broader ideas relating to how we live our lives, how we think about meals and when to stop eating are some of the most unavoidable, fundamental and neglected areas of ethics. From animal rights and cultural traditions to class issues, food says a lot. If you like either philosophy or food then this one's probably gonna be worth a listen... If you like both then you're laughing!

The first in a three part series, this one in particular focuses on contemporary philosopher Julian Baggini and the issues surrounding the sourcing of food... Where does "good" food come from and how can we be sure? Should we shop local or at large "commercial" chains? Is veganism the way forward? Is there a moral reason to shop seasonally? How should we feel about labels like FairTrade, free range and organic? We also talk about nutrition, moral virtues and most importantly, how most of these ideas are all interconnected.

Over the next few episodes we'll talk about fasting and dieting as well as cooking and eating.

The points we made, summarised: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/sourcing-food.html
Julian Baginni: https://www.julianbaggini.com
Peter Hitchens ranting about skinny cappuccino: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oac_O5u3Dnc
Bow hunter, Cameron Hanes: https://www.youtube.com/user/cameronhanes
Sam Harris' wife on pansychism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqP5ukwyfp0
Westons Cider: https://www.westons-cider.co.uk
'Gangster gardener', Ron Finely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdISPtllh1U

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Connor and Sam take a moment to discuss how the reality of ethics is much more complex, banal and terrifying than anything found in fiction. 

Evil is not a cartoony mysterious force and usually not committed knowingly, making it scarier than anything we could ever know.

Should religious institutions play a role in politics? Should our heritage and beliefs be reflected in public life? Or should the private and subjective relationship with God be kept out of civic life? Should the State remain neutral and not impose belief or inequality onto those who happen to think differently?

Secularism can mean a lot of different things to different people and there are a plethora of historical reasons for that. In some cases it protects religious freedoms, in others it curtails religious influence, and in many situations it does both.

In this episode we take a very brief look at these issues over a cider or six and discuss one of the most misunderstood and topical ideas going.

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Edited by Connor.   
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  ​
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Armed with more than a few chilling "ghost stories" to hand, we explore the claims of the paranormal from both personal experience and rational thinking. We convey the value of scepticism, criticism and critical thinking and talk a little about how ghosts suddenly became scary as they drifted out of religious and natural contexts and into the modern horror genres of fiction. We also touch on genies or djinn, pseudoscientific theories and the similarity between religious belief and the belief in spooky ghosts…   

- An article by Connor: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/are-sceptics-close-minded.html   

- The TED talk mentioned: https://youtu.be/n8yhaFd_GpM   

 - A good video on Jinn (there are other good videos on spirits in folklore here too): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvdedlbyrQM

- Some thoughts on the paranormal: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-spooky-ghosts.html

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Edited by Connor.   
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Across the world, thousands of religious adherents believe they can "experience God", but what exactly does this mean? Back for Series III, but still podcasting over Discord, Connor, Sam and Joe set up their microphones to talk about mysticism.  

This chat takes us to the poetry, dancing and sword-swallowing of Islamic Sufi mystics to Zen Buddhists and even bonkers English esoteric traditions. We talk about these more experiential branches of faith and what they get up to. In a heated discussion, we also discuss why "spiritual", might be an unhelpful word. Drawing upon the philosophy and psychology of religion from thinkers like William James, we offer our thoughts on religious experience and how they fit into what we might call "unconventional" religion.  

…Connor also invents the phrase "whatever your biscuit". 

Some thoughts on religion, mysticism and spirituality: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-mysticism.html

Sufi music mixed with tales of coming of age: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQVlNt6DAxY 

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  

Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

We're back! In our first episode we decided to chat a little about ethics and how different moral theories tackle questions of right and wrong...

Mostly focusing the classic theory of utilitarianism, our new guest Al argues for its application in moral situations. Meanwhile Connor and Joe take a more sceptical view, questioning whether moral rules and theories actually help guide moral action at all.

Diving into concepts like moral sainthood and virtue we ask if we can we quantify or conceptualise morality or whether we're committing a category error by thinking that ethics is something we can reason and calculate. We ask whether is moral action is even the best way to think about ethics. Is character, or something else entirely, a better way of truly capturing the heart of ethics?

...Al wanted this episode to be called Big ethics with Big Al and we thought that was terribly funny.

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

SPOILER WARNING. To cap off Series Two, we thought we would talk about one of our favourite films - Ex Machina; a science fiction thriller released in 2014. Ex Machina concerns artificial intelligence and handles themes about technology, purpose and consciousness with a bit of religious mythology thrown in.     

Part review, part analysis: we give an overview of the film's themes and run through some of the general ideas relating to AI mentioned in the movie… The Turing Test, The Chinese Room, Mary's Room (or the Knowledge Argument), Machine ethics and AI Consciousness. We also talk a little about Devs, Frankenstein, Annihilation and Westworld.    

Emergence Explained: https://youtu.be/X_IuG3kJY_g
Our thoughts summarised: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-technology.html

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.    
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

The Forest of Dean is an area in and around Gloucestershire brimming with local heritage and communal history. We talk about the Forest's mining culture, as well as some of its historical quirks, before hosting the world's first (and only) Forest dialect quiz!

We then explore the controversy of the decline of mining culture and its impact on communities, the dilemmas of wild boar and finally solve the age-old mystery of who killed the bears.

Finally we finish up with some ghost stories, folklore and ponder whether the Beast of Dean is a load of old bollocks.

 We'd love to chat more about history, heritage and culture on these podcasts so let us know if you know any spooky stories or interesting places…   

- The story of who killed the bears can be found, as well as many other of the tales we mention can be found http://deanweb.info/history5.html 

 - Some dialect poetry about sheep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aifa-MPt-80&feature=emb_title  

- Here is some info on freemining:
http://www.wyedeantourism.co.uk/freeminers
http://www.minersadvice.co.uk/index.htm  

- A documentary on Freemining: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKIHH3BD4ik  

- Some stuff on Dennis Potter: https://intranet.yorksj.ac.uk/potter/  

- The world's strangest place: https://littledeanjail.com/

- Some of our thoughts: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-the-forest-of-dean--gloucestershire.html

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Edited by Connor.  
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.   
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Hope everyone is having a nice Easter despite the current circumstances. This will be the first episode we release during the lockdown and we've got loads more on the way…   

In this episode Connor, Nye, Joe & Zach take a look at some of the weirdest Easter traditions on Earth; from anti-Satan butter to willow whipping. Finally Zach can rest easy knowing the true date and religious significance of Easter, Connor goes on a rant about neo-paganism and we learn the dastardly ingredients of chocolate eggs.   

Butter lamb number 1: https://townsquare.media/site/10/files/2019/04/Butter-Lamb.png?w=980&q=75
Butter lamb number 2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Lamb_Butter.jpg  
Our thoughts summarised: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/thoughts-on-easter.html

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.   
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Spanish Museums would have you believe that Spain once enjoyed a "Golden Age" of interfaith relations. That's right, after the Islamic Conquests and (according to some) even during later Christian rule, all the Abrahamic Religions got along just swell… or did they?   

Connor and Joe dig out some old undergraduate essays from their time at university and try to remember their field trip to Córdoba in Southern Spain as they answer this question. Focusing mainly on the Jewish experience of rule under the Caliphates and Christian Kings, it turns out that history is a lot more complicated than people are letting on…  

Here are some photos of some of the things we reference… https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/spain-pictures.html

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

This is kind of a sequel to our episode "alcohol & sobriety". 

There was once a day when you could smoke in pubs, lager was considered a lady's drink and pints would cost 11p.   
In this episode Connor, Nye, Kieran and Zach talk about the history and conventions of the public houses - from the very first "pub quizzes" to the history of "lock ins". Since most of us have worked behind a bar and been involved in making beverages we also talk about campaigning for ale, cider mills and some of the moral issues surrounding the bar industry.  

(It was decided Zach's scream didn't need any special effects) 

- Henry Weston's Cider: https://www.westons-cider.co.uk/ciders/
- CAMRA: https://camra.org.uk
- An American Video made in WW2 to help soldiers understand the British pub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GCcoaSq3x4  
- Wychwood Brewery (Hobgoblin): https://www.wychwood.co.uk
- Bespoke Brewery (Beware the Bear): http://www.bespokebrewery.co.uk/brews/

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 Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Well our plan was to dig into some of the conventional questions surrounding the philosophy of sport… however in true philosophy fashion we ended up bickering for half an hour about how to define sport itself!

After we were finally done with the semantics we explored some aspects of self-realisation through control and harnessing skill. Drawing inspiration from experiences with boxing, e-sports, jujitsu, darts and more, we discussed how sport can challenge and encourage personal growth.  Identity is distilled into the expressive form of sports - not dissimilar to art. As we discuss, its all about learning boundaries while incorporating the shadow of the self; both testing and tempering our physical and moral limits. We also talked a little about "accessing" sport and fan culture.

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Editing by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

"If you could, overnight, suddenly transform physically and acquire all the skills and knowledge to become the best in the world at a particular sport, which sport would that be?". What would that mean for your identity? And would it be unethical to compete in that sport? We have a few more of these improvised questions to come.

Think teleporting is cool? Think again. As Nye and Connor continue to ask each other random questions, Nye explains why he would never let Scotty beam him up...

Who owns poo? Especially if its the result of food you stole? These are just some of the banal philosophical questions that Nye and Connor ask each other in their spare time.

We thought we'd try something new and ask each other classic and less conventional philosophical conundrums. If you're into it, we could do this all year and we've got plenty more on the way...

In this outtake from Series 2 Connor, Nye, Joe & Elliot engage in some morbid existentialism. Whilst discussing alcohol we ponder our relationship with death. Basically it's some drunk blokes pretending to be wise... as usual.  The episode "Alcohol & Sobriety" is available in full.  The rest of Series 2 now available and being released!

When you're on a roll explaining a philosophical thought experiment but you accidentally incur a Freudian slip...  In this outtake from Series 2, Nye attempt to explain Boltzmaan Brains during a discussion on epistemology.  Series 2 now available and being released!

Here's a very small clip taken from series 1 where Sam talks about the benefits of regularly practicing mindfulness. Listen to the full episode and many more from series 1 and 2 on all platforms!

In the last century, the funeral industry in the West has diversified. Traditional Christian funerals are out and football anthems and Twix coffins are in! But are all these trends and pluralities truly revelatory of an emergent revolution in open and thoughtful conversation on death? Or is this just the ultimate way of extravagantly and competitively keeping up with the Jones'? Connor and Joe ponder some of the bizarre quirks of the funeral industry, as well as "funeral poverty", as they answer this question.  

An undergraduate essay from Connor, where most of the real thinking was done in greater detail: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/is-death-a-taboo-in-western-society-an-analysis-through-the-funeral-industry.html

Twix coffins: https://images.app.goo.gl/gewmoADZJDGdq6Mk9
Sitting at your own wake: https://images.app.goo.gl/3aaDxL2BXG1GQ4429

Death Salon: https://deathsalon.org
Dying Matters: https://www.dyingmatters.org

People don’t know will plans (study): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10825710/The-real-reasons-why-death-is-still-so-taboo-hard-to-talk-about-with-your-loved-ones.html

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Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Joined by yet another new voice for series 2, in this episode we ponder the reality that we may all be functioning alcoholics. With some of the usual crowd plus our mate / pub-manager / Connor's old boss, Elliot, we discuss our relationship with recreational drinking both culturally and personally.  

Armed with some facts, figures and a few personal anecdotes we explore the role of the good old fashioned pub, from the allure of escapism in drinking and the psychology of abstaining from drink entirely. As you may expect there are some tangents too... including some banter about Ronnie O'Sullivan and a debate about libertarianism and the role of the state.  We have a lot more to say on this topic so expect to hear more in the future!  

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (Allegedly founded a whole century before Connor said it was): https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/nottinghamshire/ye-olde-trip-to-jerusalem/ 

Some studies into drinking trends...
Average spend is up: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49873533
Younger people drinking less: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45807152

An American Video made in WW2 to help soldiers understand the British pub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GCcoaSq3x4

Continuing our discussions of the history of Western philosophy, we arrive at Socrates. This was a man who never wrote anything down, yet has become one of the most influential people to have ever lived. Executed for annoying important people with questions like "what is truth?" and "what is justice?", Socrates was charismatic, ugly and entirely unique.   

Most of what we know about Socrates is through his student, Plato, who wrote him as an enigmatic character to espouse his own ideas. Subsequently, we know jack shit about him. Nevertheless, what we are left with (for better or worse), is the romantic ideal of the eternally curious, impoverished and ironic figure, handed down to us through history.  

*We unfortunately lost some audio where we discussed his status as an "atheist Jesus" and some of his more quirky traits. However this is the final episode prior to upgrading our recording equipment to much higher quality*  

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Editing, audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

In this episode, Connor and Bertie discuss the similarities between religious belief and more colloquial beliefs like fate, luck and the paranormal.  

As we drink more scrumpy, we attempt to parameterise religiosity and delve into the psychology of superstition. Then conversation takes us into our own gambling experiences, genies, biblical scripture, logical fallacies, self-fulfilling prophecies, Hindu gods and fortune telling.  

Skinner's pigeons: https://pigeonsuperstition.org/skinner/ 
Post hoc ergo propter hoc: https://youtu.be/5A7hSaoRv0g

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 Edited by Connor.
Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  

Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Where did philosophy begin? Why is it important and how has it changed over the centuries?  

These are the kinds of questions we'll be looking at in this history series as we chat over a few beers about all the major thinkers in philosophy. We thought it would be more interesting to stylise these episodes as discussions rather than throw facts at you or close read a bunch of books. With the intention of concisely exploring the conversations of Western thought, all the way to modern times, we hope you learn something and maybe form some opinions along the way.  

Kicking it all off, we're looking at the Presocratics, widely considered the first people to start engaging in philosophical questions. But, considering the wacky stuff they came out with, their dubious historical veracity and the fact that Empedocles threw himself into a Volcano, why should we care about them at all? How does their legacy affect fields like modern physics? Lets find out.

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Editing, audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.  
​Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Since ancient times, attitudes to competitive sports have played an integral role in shaping and reflecting culture. For the Greeks they were a cornerstone of virtue and identity. Christianity has often taken a decidedly more negative view of sport, with Tertullian even going as far as to say such activities were "entirely out of keeping with the religion of Christ", warning of their promotion of "rage, bitterness, wrath and grief". As sports slowly returned to a more prominent cultural force, they were seldom met with worthy consideration from philosophers and thinkers, (until very recently), yet play an ever increasing role in our lives and global society.

Between an athlete and a non-sporty (lazy) philosophy graduate, we take an evening to ponder the role that sport plays in modern life and our respective upbringings. The first of many episodes on sport, we'll be examining the field in both personal and academic contexts; exploring first-hand experiences with boxing, cycling, yoga, e-sports and more!

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Editing by Connor.

Audio & music mastering / production by Nye James.

Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin)

Resurrecting the ghosts of the recently graduated "Two Joes", Nye and Connor commune over a few drinks to discover the true meaning of the spooky season. Kicking off series two in this more lighthearted episode, we tell stories of séances, discuss the paradox of horror, ponder Halloween's place in culture, talk horror movies, learn the Christian and Celtic history of All Hallows Eve and more! Enjoy.   

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Editing, audio & music mastering / production by Nye James. 

Jingles recorded by Nye (guitars, keys, maniacal laughter) & Connor (harmonica, mandolin, crows)

In this episode Connor invites Zach to discuss the secular worldview of Humanism, a positive non-religious philosophy. The two sit back and take an hour to reminisce about their experiences running a local Humanist group and attempt to explain what exactly Humanism means and how its grounding and ethics might differ from religion. Drawing from dodgy experiences with "New Atheism", degrees in religion and a dissertation on Humanism, Connor also highlights some of the issues with the philosophy and its relationship with religiosity.  

We reflect on the good times and bad we had in the group, from religion-bashing and gate-crashers, to countryside walks and friendships made, as well as Humanist causes and ceremonies. We also touch on ideas of morality, truth and the ingredients to a kermit cocktail.

Here is an article by Connor: https://twobeersuntilphronesis.weebly.com/herefodshire-humanists.html

Sam and Connor sit down to talk about another ancient classic that lots of people pretend to have read - this time its Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Written over 2000 years ago, the book is still very much alive today. Quoted by generals of the Gulf War, with around 250 annual publications in East Asia alone that apply it to areas such as business and sport, it features on the required reading lists of military recruits worldwide. Its a book that has a concrete cultural legacy that is still being felt globally.   

A succinct guide to war, we talk about how and why this book is relevant to civilians of the 20th century and how it has survived to this day, as well as the history of its authorship and how Sun Tzu's martial philosophy compares to the Taoists and Hellenistic works of his contemporaries. 

We also talk briefly about The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, a bunch of other works and some ideas on war ethics, the value of public reading and religious attitudes to war. (Sorry about the lorries and planes.)

High on caffeine and life one morning, Sam rushes to tell Connor about stoicism. So, for once, we aren't drinking, as we unpack the ideas of the Ancient Greek and Roman stoics and how those ideas are useful today - We talk about reducing anxiety, mental illness and finding meaning in life, all while exploring some of the criticisms of stoicism. From the Myth of Sisyphus, and the Ancient wisdom of Aristotle, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius to modern Virtue ethicists, online happiness courses and mindfulness we explore our initial reaction to the school of thought. Reading from the philosophy chair, Sam offers up wisdom from over 2000 years ago that is better than most self-help books today.  

Apologies for the poor audio quality. This is something we will be fixing in the future.