In this podcast we explore the relationship between a scientifically rational and a spiritual approach to reality. That is the relationship of Athens and Jerusalem. Our currently prevalent Western worldview is supposed to be based on rationality. If production of weapons of mass destruction, degradation of the natural environment, and increasing deterioration of mental well-being are signs of rationality, the term is to be considered a dangerous one. In all these, one can detect lack of ethical and existential considerations which renders this worldview essentially an irrational one.
On the other hand, various forms of religious dogmatism and fundamentalism lack true spirituality, as they fail to create both a personal experience of serenity and upliftment and a social practice of empathy, solidarity, and equality.
Essentially, both scientific and religious dogmatism seem to fail due to their disregard for a true and holistic view of human nature. Neither traditional Athens nor historical Jerusalem, alone, have been able to help our deepest human potential flourish, which we consider the task of our modern school system.
In this episode, we explore the reasons why human beings act the way we do. Having previously examined what philosophy has to do about human actions, we now broaden our scope to address the question in more general terms. We begin with reward and punishment as external factors, then expand our inquiry to consider various dimensions of the human inner life—asking whether these dimensions, too, are rooted in hedonistic principles of action, or if they perhaps transcend such a framework. One dimension that defies inclusion in this narrative concerns the meaning of life: the nature of the human being, the nature of existence, and what constitutes a meaningful relationship between the two. Can we speak meaningfully about such questions? And can we bring these inquiries to the fore in a way that bridges Athens and Jerusalem?
21 Sept 2026
Practical implications of the Will
In this episode, we explore the practical implications of different views on human will. We ask if a libertarianism and a compatibilism view of the will, will create different way of acting and being in the world. We try to explore the question through different practical cases. Depending on the view, we see different kind of action or attitude to action, but there is also something in our conversation suggesting that it is not differing views on the will that determine action. Rather, it seems to be something deeper in practice that causes us to do what we do. And this conclution turnes us toward maybe a deeper question; What is it that causes our action? Our guest Soren Sabet is with us today too.
3 Sept 2026
The will
In this episode we examine the human will. We look at the will from different perspectives or perhaps different language games. Our main discussion takes place within a larger academic discussion that both empirically and logically discusses the will in relation to the distinction between brain and mind. Here we attempt to show different perspectives on the human will and where this discussion ends empirically and moves on to a metaphysical discussion. Eventually we introduce another language game that more fundamentally asks whether we have will at all or whether will is an expression of man's inability to be good to himself.
The guest in todays episode is Soren Sabet.
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