Two Guys Searching For Truth On The Road That Never Ends...

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself - Chief Seattle of the Duwamish and Suquamish

In our second of two episodes on Artificial Intelligence (AI), we look at what it’s like to have conversations with ChatGPT and AI. We compare its functionality and use at its launch and how that has changed over time. We also take a close look at how it responds to historical questions, the antediluvian world, the ranking of the smartest animals, and folk music lyrics, among other topics. We ask it about Descartes, Leibniz, and others and it provided us with incredibly profound analysis – even comparing NuWa, Noah, and the I Ching!

Lastly, we examine its ability to pass a bar exam, it’s interaction with religions and religious figures, and what the future could look like as the human and AI world continue to integrate and co-exist. From here, we will begin discussing David Hume and slowly move into the modern philosophical period. Discussing individuals like David Hume and Immanuel Kant are necessary to be able to understand some of the more complex philosophies put forth in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

Man is condemned to be free because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It's up to you to give life a meaning - Jean-Paul Sartre

In our first of two episodes on Artificial Intelligence (AI), we look at what AI has been in the past, what it is currently, and what it could be in the future. We also discuss whether AI can learn things, experience time, and what AI may be telling us about what it means to exist.

We also go over machine learning, deep learning, and the various types of AI: reactive AI machines, limited memory AI, theory of mind AI, and self-aware AI. We also look at some of the ways AI may revolutionize our future, including through technology, education, medicine, transportation, communication and so on. Lastly, we finish the episode with two AI-generated poems – one in the style of Dylan Thomas and one in the style of William Shakespeare.

In our next episode, we will discuss the ChatGPT bot specifically and try to understand what it can tell us about ourselves, AI, and the universe.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality - Dante Alighieri

In our forth episode on the Stoics, we enter into the world of Marcus Aurelius. A name that many have undoubtedly heard of, but can sometimes be misunderstood or overlooked amidst a packed Roman Emperor pool. But Marcus was different. He was a rare breed of Philosopher-Emperor and someone who, in the face of constant change, uncertainty, and restraint found freedom, happiness, and peace. He documented his inner thoughts in a journal that would later be called his Meditations, which unlike many of the works we have looked at thus far, was not intended for publication. In it, he speaks of those he is grateful for, those who have taught him so much, and those who allowed him to be the person he was.

Marcus also clearly spells out his version of Stoicism and builds on Seneca and Epictetus, as well as many others. He talks of our interconnectedness with the universe and the rational order of things. At length, he speaks of the temporary nature of fame and how little honor is in such a pursuit. He zooms in on everyday life, while also backing up and viewing ages, decades, centuries, and beyond all at once and tries to find the meaning of our existence and how to best live one's life. Lastly, we wrap up by contrasting his ideas with those of Plato's and Eastern Philosophy's Virtuous Ruler.

From here, we will have a two-episode series on AI, robotics, and philosophy and then begin our way working towards Contemporary Philosophy. We thank you all for your input in the polls, we will keep this in mind as we plan our episodes.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

Ah, fill the cup: What boots it to repeat how time is slipping underneath our feet: Unborn tomorrow and dead yesterday, why fret about them if today be sweet - Omar Khayyam

In this third of our four episodes on the Stoics, we continue our discussion of Seneca. We speak on excerpts from various chapters on one of his most well-known essays, "On the Shortness of Life." In it, we see Seneca continue emphasizing the importance of friendship, of living in the present moment, and not placing importance on material things. He reminds us of the importance of philosophy, and how it is almost like unlimited access to an unlimited library, traversing all ages and concerning nearly every topic one may need counsel and guidance on. He also writes on controlling the emotions and the importance that we not let worry or anxiety overcome us - they detract us from the present and prevent us from fully building the best future we can. This short essay is well-written and covers a lot of points that echoes central key ideas of Roman Stoicism.

We began our transition to discussing Marcus Aurelius by picking back up where we left off regarding the Roman Empire. We go over each emperor between Nero, at the time of Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. This background is important to understanding the background that Marcus Aurelius was brought into and how he was affected by the time he lived. It is also a quick reminder of the chaos, controversy, and expansionism that was, to some degree, the Roman Empire. It also provides a general understanding of the early Roman Empire, for those interested in the historical aspect of the podcast. Our next episode will discuss Marcus Aurelius' most significant work, The Meditations. 

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

Railing against the past will not heal us. History has happened, it's over and done with. All we can do is to change its course by encouraging what we love, instead of destroying what we don't - Arundhati Roy

In this second of four episodes on the Stoics, we introduce Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Seneca, like Marcus Aurelius as we will learn in later episodes, had a life that an outsider may view as incredibly privileged, but was very restrained and difficult for someone trying to live a Stoic life. Later in his life, Seneca came out of exile to be appointed as advisor to the newly crowed Roman Emperor Nero. It is a telling story of not only what the Roman Empire political life was like, but a foreshadowing of what was to come. Rome rose quickly, became excessive, and eventually was untenable.

We discuss Seneca's life, the state of the Roman Empire, and how he was able to fully implement his own brand of Stoicism as a guiding light in his otherwise difficult times. We each chose a few excerpts from Seneca's most well-known work, Letters on Ethics or Letters from a Stoic. In them, Seneca addresses topics such as life, time, being of good character, and so on with his dear friend Lucilius, who had his own struggles to be a Stoic as procurator of Sicily.  In our next episode we will continue with Seneca and introduce Marcus Aurelius to examine how a Roman Emperor relied to Stoicism to navigate his desires, power, and search for spiritual freedom.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world - Anne Frank

We venture into the world of Stoicism in this first episode of four in a mini-Stoicism series. We begin with the story of Zeno of Citium, one of the first Stoics. We then touch on Chrysippus and his many contributions, before discussing Epictetus’ Enchiridion at length. The Stoic handbook, like the Dhammapada or Dao De Jing, begin to form a new way of looking at things. A perspective that proponents of Stoicism have developed to live more in accordance with the present moment. Some of today’s topics include free will, the opinions of others, worldly pleasures, and temperance.

From here, we will begin discussing Seneca, his life, and his works, as well as with Marcus Aurelius. As we go into Roman Stoicism, the foundation remains the same, but the application varies slightly and it becomes a more refined and adopted philosophy, and shows appreciation and traces to its Greek roots throughout.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong - Voltaire

The fourth episode of our four-part series on Baruch de Spinoza picks up where we left off with the last episode, and finishes our examination of his Ethics. Specifically, this episode focuses on parts two through five.

After understanding how Spinoza viewed God in our last episode, we then look at how he viewed the individual within the universe, or substance. We picked up our prior discussions of the monism v. dualism, or mind-body problem, as look further into Spinoza's claims of parallelism of mind and body. We consider how Spinoza argues for freedom, given his deterministic position, and how that differs from those who came before and after him, and point out the similarities and differences where appropriate.

Then we discuss Spinoza's view on emotions, and how it plays a central role in understanding individual freedom and that knowledge and control can allow for greater freedom, even in a deterministic world. From here, we will begin looking at the Stoics and their useful philosophy that will complement our discussion of Spinoza, who was strongly influenced by Stoicism, bridge the gap from prior episodes, and lay the foundation for future discussions.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion, it is easy in solitude to live after our own, but the great man is he, who in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

The third episode of our four-part series on Baruch de Spinoza takes a close look at his Ethics, and specifically focuses on the first part of the five parts within the literary and philosophical work. His idea of God, or as he referred to it "Deus sive Natura" (God or Nature), is closely examined.  For Spinoza God and Nature were interchangeable and God was not a creator of the universe but everything within the universe was God. We briefly discuss pantheism and panentheism, as well as the mind-body problem (monism vs. dualism) and demonstrate his formulation as a rational ontological-like argument for the existence of not only God but determinism, monism, and the nature of human existence. By this point, the consistency within his reason and his dedication, not only to philosophy, but to living a philosophical lifestyle, should be evident and persuasive. Spinoza made lasting contributions to the field of philosophy and is a testament to the link between Eastern and Western thought. In our next episode, we will look further into monism vs. dualism and discuss additional topics mentioned in parts two through five of the Ethics.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CritoGlaucon

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self - Ernest Hemingway

The second episode of our four-part series on Baruch de Spinoza is a continuation of his key philosophical ideas and his ideas regarding epistemology. We've selected excerpts of the text to help highlight Spinoza's thought process, and how he starts from being hesitant to give up certain things for an uncertain good and concludes by demonstrating there can be no other way to reach the good. Spinoza explains the concerns of fame, riches, and sensual pleasure, and how these barriers to the good hold more power over us than we think. Later in the episode, we introduce some ideas to make the next two episodes more useful by discussing what Spinoza means by "God" and the monist vs. dualist debate that was going on at the time and fundamentally divided philosophers and affected their approach to philosophy. Next, we will begin discussing his Ethics and hopefully shed greater light on the importance of his philosophy and the cohesiveness of his ideas.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good - Carl Sagan

We begin the first episode of a four-part series on Baruch de Spinoza, a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese origin and one of the great rationalists of early modern philosophy. In our first episode, we recount his life and some of the key events that would go on to shape his philosophy and relationship with religion, rational thought, and God. One such event was his excommunication at the age of 24. It would mark a turning point in his life, where he would spend much of his days crafting state-of-the-art telescopic lenses and his philosophic legacy. We also briefly introduce some of the ideas we will expand on during discussions of his two monumental works: the Emendation of the Intellect and the Ethics. We also highlight his way of life, and his saintly character that separated him from his contemporaries in a way that lends further credibility and strength to his philosophy.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act of faith to assert that our thoughts have any relation to reality at all - G. K. Chesterton

In this episode we continue our discussion of Chinese philosophy, and specifically the I-Ching as our second episode in the two-part series. We examine a variety of different hexagrams and look at what they tell us of reality, social interactions, and the good. We also look at how hexagrams can change, and what the I-Ching’s ability to capture this change could mean. Simulation theory is also discussed, but this time through the lens of the I-Ching and its relationship to binary code and tortoises and turtles. Next, we will begin looking at some more renaissance thinkers and their thoughts on rationalism, idealism, realism, metaphysics, and epistemology beginning with Baruch de Spinoza.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has - Margaret Mead

In this episode we continue our discussion of Chinese philosophy and look at the I-Ching through a two-part series of discussions. We start by discussing the three principal cosmological theories of the universe in ancient Chinese thought, i.e., Tai Ji (Yin and Yang), Wu Xing (Five Elements), and Ba Gua (Eight Trigrams), and work our way towards the foundations of the I-Ching and the legend of Fu Xi and Nü Wa. We also speak about the striking similarities between the I-Ching and how we understand the world today scientifically, as well as how it is believed to have influenced prominent historical figures, such as Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. In the next episode, we will look specifically at hexagrams within the I-Ching and discuss its meaning in philosophy and the contemporary world.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

It is difficult to find happiness within oneself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else – Arthur Schopenhauer

In this episode we discuss Lao Zi, an ancient Chinese philosopher, and the Dao De Jing, a combined literary work of 5,000 characters comprising 81 chapters or poems. We also note the meaning within the naming of “Dao De Jing,” as well as possible origins of the book. Our discussion looks at five chapters within the Dao De Jing and demonstrates their applicability today and their instructiveness for tomorrow. Topics covered include environmentalism, virtue, universal values, the search for the Dao, and the interesting similarities Daoist thought has with Socratic and Platonic thought. As you will notice, the Dao De Jing is a book of complex simplicity and a work that forces introspection, reflection, and pursuit of the Dao. We hope you enjoy this discussion and that it inspires you to look at this influential and accessible text. Our next episodes will also begin to take a deeper look at Eastern Philosophy before moving into Renaissance thinking and more modern Philosophical ideas and works.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul, and get to know a man, don’t bother analyzing his ways of being silent or of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas. You will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he’s a good man – Fyodor Dostoevsky

In this episode we discuss Plato's Phaedo, one of his most notable works. In this episode, we lay out the four arguments Socrates puts forth before he dies. The first is the Cyclical Argument, then the Theory of Recollection Argument, then the Affinity Argument, and finally the Argument from Form of Life. We also describe, as it is presented in the book, Socrates in his final moments. We assess the strength and weaknesses of these arguments and examine them for additional context and value that could shed more light on the truth. We also address the soul and afterlife generally. This is an introduction to our next episode which re-examines an Eastern Philosophical text, the Dao De Jing. Also importantly, this episode will conclude, for a while, our episodes focused on Plato and Socrates. We will return to them in the future, but for now, we want to take their ideas and examine their evolution and applicability over time.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth - Fyodor Dostoevsky (Crime and Punishment)

In this episode we continue our discussion as the second part, in a two part series, of Plato's Symposium. As we mentioned in the first part, the Symposium consists of a gathering of people, including Socrates in this instance, who took turns giving speeches devoted to the God of Love, Eros. Each person would go around giving their own take on what they believe love is and how that relates to the God of Love, with each similar, but importantly different from the speech before it. Like the first part, we discuss issues of love, sexuality, cultural influence on love, and even Socrates' practice of standing meditation. After speaking about Alciabiades and Socrates, and their relationship from the battlefield to the moment the symposium was taking place, we also talk briefly about Diotima and her role in Plato's Symposium and of Plato's philosophy more generally.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Metaphysics is a dark ocean without shores or lighthouse, strewn with many a philosophic wreck - Immanuel Kant

In this episode we begin discussing the first part, in a two part series, Plato's Symposium. The Symposium consists of a gathering of people, including Socrates in this instance, who took turns giving speeches devoted to the God of Love, Eros. Each person would go around giving their own take on what they believe love is and how that relates to the God of Love, with each similar, but importantly different from the speech before it. We discuss issues of love, sexuality, cultural influence on love, and even Socrates' practice of standing meditation. We will finish this discussion in the next episode and speak more to the piece as a whole.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Everything has been figured out, except how to live - Jean-Paul Sartre

In this episode we revisit the Republic by Plato, specifically book 10 and discuss the Myth of Er. This myth is posed by Plato as a way to describe a possibility for the afterlife and a general discussion about reincarnation, free will, determinism, and the universe as a force holding all those things together. We also briefly contrast it with the Buddhist notion of reincarnation. These topics will also appear in greater detail in future episodes.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries - Rene Descartes

This episode is a continuation of our discussion of Socrates and centers around the Socratic dialogue of Meno. The question posed by Meno is whether virtue is taught, acquired by practice, or whether it comes by nature, and Socrates uses a mathematic puzzle to answer the question. We discuss the dialogue, its broader context, its relevance, and how it ties into the episodes and topics previously mentioned on the podcast. It also provides an answer to Meno's Paradox, or the Learner's Paradox and introduces the Theory of Knowledge as Recollection. We also briefly speak to the limitations of this answer provided by Socrates, and the greater debate between Rationalists and Empiricists that we will be discussing soon in upcoming episodes as we move back into the Renaissance Philosophers.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we'll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence - Aristotle

In this episode we continue our discussion the trial and death of Socrates. We pick up from the Apology of Socrates and discuss the Crito. Crito was a wealthy friend of Socrates who sought to help him escape from prison. This dialogue is a well-written exchange between the two over the moral implications of escaping and the role of the individual within the state. There is a brief discussion on whether or not the Crito is compatible with the Apology of Socrates and why more checks and balances were not argued for in the Republic.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we'll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

Space and time are the framework within which the mind is constrained to construct its experience of reality - Immanuel Kant

In this episode we begin discussing the trial and death of Socrates. It begins with the Euthyphro, which we have previously addressed, and then picks up with the Apology of Socrates. It is better understood as Socrates's legal defense to the two charges of impiety and corruption of the youth, rather than Socrates apologizing. We talk about some of the arguments put forward by Socrates, in response to the charges, as well as Socrates's view of himself and his role within society. Also, we briefly touch on the impact that the trial itself had on the observers, such as Plato, as well as the many generations of philosophers who came after Socrates.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we'll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

In so far as the mind sees things in their eternal aspect, it participates in eternity. - Baruch Spinoza

In this episode we speak about Voltaire and specifically his satirical literary work "Candide," as a response to our previous episode on Leibniz. We start off with an overview of Candide, and from there we discuss themes of the work, its applicability in other areas we have discussed on the podcast, and also how Leibniz might respond to this critique. We also discuss some of the critiques of Candide, and whether or not those critiques hold up. Voltaire is an important figure, both in literature and philosophy, and he provides an interesting point of view and insight into the culture he lived in by the way he critiques Leibniz.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we'll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

This is the best of all possible worlds. - Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

In this episode, we introduce Leibniz. We begin speaking of his many achievements and contributions to the world, and also give some background to the other rationalists with whom he was a part of. We consider his principles, theory of monads, and how his faith was instrumental in both his rational thought and his thoughts of metaphysics. We briefly discuss free will and his thoughts on God's role in the world. In the next episode we will consider Voltaire and his view on Leibniz's thoughts, as well as discuss critiques of Leibniz by Plantinga, Bertrand Russell, and Kant.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or any episode requests. We would love to hear from you! Thank you for listening and we'll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!

In the last episode we discussed if the truth can be relative, can morals? What if an individual were raised by wolves? What is to say about cultures that differ in their values, or maybe more importantly, what about the things that are shared? Join Glaucon and Crito in our discussion of relative vs. objective morality.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or any episode requests. We would love to hear from you!

Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the more often and steadily we reflect upon them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me - Kant

On today's episode of Two Guys Searching For Truth On The Road That Never Ends, Crito and Glaucon explore whether or not the truth is relative. They discuss what it means to believe something is true versus to know truth, and the contours of objective truth. What would it mean if the truth were relative, find out on this episode.