Psychology, Philosophy & the Task of Thinking

This video explores the further reaches and possibilities of thinking, especially within the domains of psychology & philosophy. In addition, in this video I attempt to articulate the values that have shaped my own, personal journey as a thinker.

[stanleycates]

Yogi Berra stated "you want me to think and hit at the same time" It takes a mature mind to think in great detail beyond the present. Jacob Bronowski's "Science and Human Values" was a great help to me in understanding modernity as opposed to religion. Atheists have no beautiful songs or churches to build and hold community, thus the absurdity of sky gods remains. Most problems and questions are now solved by algorithms. In the workplace computer knowledge is a must and is replacing thinking. Most people will never take a class from a philosopher. Retired at 81 I find you tube to be a wonder as I can explore the minds of some of our past and present thinkers. To what end? :) I have no idea.

[johnparadise]

8:43 “The irony of our time is that knowledge has become mostly a form of garbage” My thoughts exactly!

[astarpery]

This vid contains the most important ideas i think i've ever heard. I felt that i should focus my thoughts on practising a few ideas repetitively vs. always searching for more philosophies, but the current information age culture made me think I'm crazy and if i could JUST find that one illusive perfect one, I'd be set. I'm glad im not alone with the feeling that rather than keep hoovering up information, we should practise the ideas we resonate with repetitively until we become one with them.

[danguerriero]

I never had one professor as good as this guy.

[Infinite]

"to un-know"--nice one mate! I like the orderly fashion in which you present complicated ideas

[mattongh]

"Like a child"..love tat phrase..
i hv to listen it all over again..Thankq for yr insights!

[zetterberg]

Fantastic essay. Great Emerson quote. I also like Emerson's proscription that everyone should "write ones own Bible". Something like, everytime one reads something from thinkers more profound than oneself, if one should happen to be hit up upside the head with an insight brick-- to write it down in one's own Bible

[kevinfrancis]

Thanks again for another informative video.

[Helios]

I like this video a lot :) I myself love to announce while thinking: "Everything is true". It's a great starting point due to not dismissing anything based on prior experiences or teachings. You may end up having several conflicting opinions/conclusions on a topic at the same time, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Second, I'm toying with this question "What is the essence of teaching" in my head for a while now, the preliminary result is "It's about teaching the existence and the importance of certain knowledge." If they never know it exists, they can't inquire and reason with it. If they don't know what it's good for, they might not be interested. It's important that one knows what he lacks so that he wants to learn it. Just a thought about the underlying theme of teaching in your videos.

[wcropp]

Joyous wisdom. We need ever more useful conceptualizations and metaphors that allow us to flourish in the world together. I see this as the project of all serious inquiry, from Aristotle to Nietzsche, whether they say so or make more grandiose claims. Even physics and math--which may seem to have a more objective, instrumental, amoral truth to them--still need to serve human ends. Whether we understand the Truth of the universe or not, we still have to allow room for beauty and virtue. Sometimes having a few tools to use instead of just a hammer better facilitates this. Logical consistency has its place, and is useful in its own way. However, progress sometimes requires bending the rules a little, and wearing some different hats. Maybe all these things can be made to cohere one day, but I do think the mystics and post-modernists are onto something as far as our inability to reduce everything to one consistent narrative. The world may just be too messy for that. Until we have a theory of everything, it is better to allow yourself the freedom to explore, hopefully in a way that brings you joy. Great talk, thanks!

[seanbrown]

Eric, thank you very much for these videos! Have you ever created a recommended reading list? I would love to find a few books about existentialism and Buddhism as an overview. Thank you

[lukaskulikauskas]

Greetings Eric.

I was wondering. You share your personal experience with the meditation practice. What do you think about "contemplative education"? Maybe you use some of its methods, principals, as you teach?

[suomipoika]

I have always thought there is 2 type of people on earth. Followers and leaders. Follower relies on leader, while leader provides for the follower. Follower never comes up with the answer, it's the leader who provides the answer. Philosophical thinkers are important because they are the one to question the leader.

[carlschultz]

Why is it our existence is considered a “condition” as in the term “human condition” .... a condition is an inability to choose, yet life is nothing but choices and therefore not a condition, why then do incur the label of “human condition “ ?

[satnamo]

I am like this cup of tea, so full of stuffs that nothing more can be added.

Come back to me when my cup is empty.

Come back to me with an empty mind.

Empty my self of everything and let my heart be at peace.

Exercise and peace of mind are the key to a happy and fulfilling life.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.

[SuperGnarley]

I know that this video will inspire objectively bad ways of thinking. Sad.