Samir Chopra is a philosophical counselor and professor emeritus of philosophy at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Samir has written books on the politics of technology, the legal theory of artificial intelligence, military aviation history, and cricket. He is the author and coauthor of many books, including Shyam Benegal: Philosopher and Filmmaker, A Legal Theory for Autonomous Artificial Agents, and Eye on Cricket: Reflections on the Great Game. He has contributed articles to Aeon, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Nation, Jacobin, The Washington Spectator, and Outlook and Open magazines. As of July 2019, he is a certified philosophical counselor.
In this episode, Samir Chopra discusses the role of anxiety in our lives and how it can be addressed through therapy and philosophical reflection. He emphasizes the importance of becoming fully realized agents, taking responsibility for our actions, and accepting our anxiety as a natural part of being human. Samir also explores the intersections between philosophy and psychology, highlighting the philosophical foundations of various therapeutic modalities. He encourages a balance between a universal perspective that recognizes our interconnectedness and a particular perspective that appreciates the uniqueness of each individual.
For more information on Samir and to read his many writings, check out his website at https://samirchopra.com/ Follow me @joshkorac on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for video clips, podcast previews, and more mental health content! If you are in a mental health crisis, please call 988 or go to your nearest emergency room. To contact me, please reach out at sojourncounselingco.com/josh or josh@sojourncounselingco.com.
Chapters
00:00 Becoming Fully Realized Agents
36:17 Taking Responsibility for Our Lives
39:30 The Importance of Agency
43:36 Anxiety and its Role in Therapy
48:48 Accepting and Living with Anxiety
54:59 The Intersections of Philosophy and Psychology
57:37 Compassion and the Unique Nature of Each Individual
