For those interested in an overview of the history and practice of Stoicism, author Massimo Pigliucci soars as a tour guide par excellence, as does his unique background as a scientist, philosopher, practicing Stoic, author, and communicator. Focus on what you can control; anything else is a harmful double edge sword, it wastes time and energy on what you cannot influence and it distracts from what you can. Stated more eloquently by the author (bold my emphasis): “Stoicism is not... Read more
Episode 4 is here! This episode features a conversation with James Franklin. Dr. James Franklin is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of New South Wales in Australia and founder of the “Sydney School” in the philosophy of mathematics. He completed his PhD in 1981 at the University of Warwick, on algebraic groups. Since 1981 he has taught in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of New South Wales. His research areas include the philosophy of... Read more
Episode 3 is here! This episode features a conversation with William Jaworski. Dr. William Jaworski is an author, consultant, and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University in New York. His research focuses mainly on consciousness and its relation to the brain, as well as artificial intelligence and its implications for human well-being. He’s authored a number of books on philosophy of mind from the vantage point of Aristotelian metaphysics which made up the bulk of our discussion. Bill and... Read more
A controversial philosopher and theologian; to say the least – Soren Kierkegaard has always been one of my favorites. I’ve always been inspired by his writings on authenticity and truth as subjectivity, and how misunderstood his perspective is/was. In his writings, it is often apparent how far Kierkegaard was from the traditional Christian dogma of his day. He certainly identified as a Christian, but how he defined Christianity (and any authentic belief for that matter) is very much a signature of his thought.... Read more
A fantastic quote from one of Martin Luther King Jr’s sermons “Love in Action” on how slavery was propagated. “Slavery in America was perpetuated not merely by human badness, but also by human blindness. True, the causal basis for the system of slavery must to a large extent be traced back to the economic factor. Men convinced themselves that a system that was so economically profitable must be morally justifiable.” He goes on to say that “men conveniently twisted the insights... Read more
Episode 2 is here! This episode features a conversation with Randal Rauser. Randal is a systematic and analytic theologian, Associate Professor of Historical Theology at Taylor Seminary in Edmonton, and author of several books including An Atheist and a Christian Walk into a Bar, which was definitely source of inspiration for my and Adam’s book Meta. Besides giving our book a nice blurb, Randal hosted Adam and I on his podcast and at his home in Edmonton. We also had... Read more
Episode 1 is here! My podcast, like my blog, features the big questions; served with swagger. Science, philosophy, psychology, religion, well-being – the big questions and how these all intersect – the aim of my writing is ultimately the aim of my podcast. The genesis of this podcast ultimately originated from my interest in these areas and some very cool live conversations I’ve been part of with other writers, philosophers, and theologians (and a/theologians). The first episode of the Soapbox Redemption podcast... Read more
After having some very cool conversations with other authors, philosophers, and theologians, I’ve decided to timestamp these conversations and launch the Soapbox Redemption podcast. The vibe of the podcast will follow that of my blog; the big questions, served with swagger. Topics will include philosophy, religion, science, well-being, and culture. I’ve already snagged some very cool guests in my friend and coauthor Adam Lee (from the Patheos Nonreligious channel), James McGrath (another Patheos Progressive Christian) Massimo Pigliucci (philosopher and author), and... Read more
“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” It’s a moving line, allegedly by Thoreau (pictured left), but it’s actually misquoted. Though the first and second parts of the quote are similar in nature, the misquotation may very well be a blending of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and Oliver Wendell Holmes “The Voiceless”. The first part is definitely from Thoreau’s Walden: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What... Read more
I remember hearing a shortened version of this beautiful poem from a moving scene in the movie Coach Carter. The full version is actually taken from author, speaker, and activist Marianne Williamson’s (who’s also running as a 2020 Democratic nominee for Presidency) poem “Our Deepest Fear” from her book Return to Love. Incredibly moving words that ring close to one of my favorite verses, Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In