Shows
Theory UndergroundTheory Underground, 1Dime, and Recovering Anarchist | A Post-Woke IRL EventThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-02-132h 06
Theory UndergroundDeliberate Living pt. 2 - Joel Salatin's Homesteading TsunamiThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-02-111h 38
Theory UndergroundSimon Critchley at Theory UndergroundThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-02-0758 min
Theory UndergroundDeliberate LivingThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-02-051h 21
Becoming HumanSpirit News: Nietzsche on Davos, Feast Day of Thomas Aquinas, and a Hegelian Perspective on NewsSpirit News: A Hegelian Perspective on Current Affairs Philosopher Dr. Samuel Loncar explores the intersection of philosophy and modern news, emphasizing the relevance of Hegelian thought in understanding contemporary society. He discusses the paradox of news prioritizing timeliness over true relevance, the contradictions inherent in political ideologies, and the legacy of Thomas Aquinas in shaping modern thought. The conversation culminates in a Nietzschean analysis of the World Economic Forum at Davos, highlighting the complexities of globalism, AI, and the role of the European Union. www.samuelloncar.com
2026-02-0443 min
Becoming HumanGregory Shaw: Is Platonism the Answer to our existential crisis? | A Becoming Human ConversationDo we have to choose between mind and matter, or are they somehow one? We live today in a battle between two rival streams of ancient wisdom, one that demonized matter as evil and one that divinized it. The great Syrian Neoplatonist, Iamblichus, was the descendant of priest-kings, and wrote one of the most difficult and important texts of late antique philosophy: On the Mysteries. This conversation with Dr. Gregory Shaw, one of the world's leading experts on the Neoplatonism of Iamblichus, provides powerful insights into non-dualist Platonism and how ancient philosophy helps us bring...
2026-02-021h 09
Theory UndergroundA Non-Marxist Introduction to MarxAt the point in the episode where I reference the QR Code on screen, this is the link that is for: https://forms.fillout.com/t/iVU7tADnAzus
Thanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewar...
2026-01-2659 min
Theory UndergroundThe Left Side of History with Tony of 1DimeThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-01-132h 13
Theory UndergroundPhilosophy of Religion vs. Marxism and Evangelicalism | Ft. Dr. Samuel LoncarThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-01-121h 40
Theory UndergroundReclaim Writing as a Transformative ActivityA New Approach to Writing: From Neitzsche, Marx, and Heidegger through Bourdieu to Me and You.
Thanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and highe...
2026-01-1244 min
Theory UndergroundStewardship and CritiqueThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-01-092h 17
Theory UndergroundThe Left as The Shocktroops of Capital with Tony of 1DimeThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-01-0850 min
Theory UndergroundRight Ownership - The Philosophy of Stewardship - Free SideThanks for listening! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026:
Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop.
Tier 3 includes the book or thes...
2026-01-0650 min
Theory UndergroundConsumerism, Natality, and Time in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas CarolRead it for yourself here https://theoryunderground.substack.com/p/consumerism-natality-and-time-in and don't forget to give it some love!
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026: Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop. Tier 3 includes the book or thesis writer's cohort. All members get access to the monthly Post Duopoly (de...
2025-12-2538 min
Theory UndergroundPost Duopoly (not "Post Left")Thanks for watching! Thanks even more for liking, sharing, and commenting—whether it be something thoughtful or just for the algorithm. It definitely makes a difference.
Become a member of Theory Underground here: https://theoryunderground.com/subscribe
Tier 1 and higher get access to the courses and seminars going monthly throughout 2026: Intro to Theory by David McKerracher, The Philosophy of Stewardship by David McKerracher, and The Philosophy of Religion with Samuel Loncar.
Tier 2 and higher get access to a monthly writers or speaking workshop. Tier 3 includes the book or thesis writer's cohort. All members ge...
2025-12-212h 09
Becoming HumanMothering As A Subversive Activity: Hester Prynne | The Scarlet Letter, Chp 7-8, Ep. 6Chapters 7-8 are two of the most dramatic chapters in The Scarlet Letter. In this episode of The Poetry Peddler, Alexandra Barylski provides the plot essentials before diving into why Hester Prynne is an image of Courage itself.
2025-11-2531 min
Becoming HumanA Woman's Choice: Agency and Meaning in The Scarlet Letter, Chap. 4-6 | Ep. 5What if what Hawthorne called the supernatural is actually a profound way of showing in literature what modern psychology has proven to be the case? In episode five of The Scarlet Letter series, Alexandra Barylski discusses the mental health crisis, why Hawthorne might have understood our moden moment better than us, and how Hester Prynne can help us see that choice is the key to our spiritual freedom.
2025-11-1342 min
Becoming HumanWho Was John the Baptist? | A Conversation with Dr. James F. McGrathWho really was John the Baptist? A prophet? An antiestablishment rebel and activist? Jesus' teacher? In this Becoming Human Conversation, philosopher and scholar of religion Samuel Loncar interviews the scholar James F. McGrath about his groundbreaking research on John the Baptist. James F. McGrath, author of "Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist" and "John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer," and the Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, shows how John is a fascinating religious figure in his own right. Aside from h...
2025-11-0659 min
Becoming HumanFear and Trembling: Self-Knowledge Begins in Recognition, Ch. 3 The Scarlet Letter, Ep. 4In this episode of The Poetry Peddler Scarlet Letter series, poet, writer, and editor Alexandra and discusses why the path to self-knowledge begins with aknowledging our fear.
2025-11-0515 min
Becoming HumanThe Witch, the Gossips, & the Madonna: Chapter 2 of The Scarlet LetterPublic shaming is central to The Scarlet Letter, and it's one of the reasons that the story of Hester Pryne feels so relatable to our world today. In this episode of The Poetry Peddler series on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Alexandra Barylski - the show's host, a poet, and long time English teacher - explores the psychological effects of public shaming and how women must learn to navigate their public and private lives while learning to avoid (or carry) archetypal female labels.
2025-11-0311 min
Becoming HumanHalloween, Hawthorne, and the Supernatural: Introduction & Ch. 1 The Scarlet Letter, Ep. 2In this episode, Alexandra Barylski, host of The Poetry Peddler, introduces Nathanial Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter through a discussion of the often skimmed (or totally skipped) introductory chapter, "The Custom House" before her discussion of "Chapter One: The Prison." She reads some ghostly passages from introduction directly, which are perfect for Halloween, so you'll get a taste of Hawthorne's own language through her audio.
2025-11-0129 min
Becoming HumanHow the Scarlet Letter Tells Us Who We Are: A Poetry Peddler Conversation, Ep. 1You may not think that The Scarlet Letter, a novel set in Puritan America, has much to say about our contemporary crisis around what it means to human, and therefore what it means to be a woman, the plummeting literacy rates, and the ongoing debates about feminism. But, I think, it does. And I will prove it to you in these series. As part of the project, I am recording every chapter of the book with my commentary. As English teacher of many years, this is one the primary ways that I taught my students how to r...
2025-10-3056 min
Becoming HumanWhy Ignorance Rules the World: Socrates, Euthyphro, and the Search for Knowledge, Ep.1Ignorance, humanity's greatest enemy, yet also the secret source of wisdom according to Greece's greatest influencer, Socrates, whose ideas went viral, caused a cultural crisis, and led to his prosecution for impiety, disturbing the peace of a social order that refused to ask: what is real knowledge? Shortly before his trial, Socrates encountered an expert in piety, Euthryphro, and asked: what is piety? What is justice? How do we know what something really is? Euthyphro's answer might shock you. Presented by Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. (Yale University), Becoming Human Project Founder Plato Project, E...
2025-10-1725 min
Becoming HumanChristian Wiman on AI, Conciousness, and the Power of Life (part 2), Poetry Peddler Ep.2The Poetry Peddler podcast is a show celebrating living language as an expression of the human spirit. The show explores poetry's crucial role in resisting the global language crisis. Each episode invites listeners into a world where language is a vital force of human spirit, freedom, and creativity, featuring original poems, and conversations on the transformative magic of words. This episode features part two of my conversation with Christian Wiman who is the author, editor, or translator of fourteen books, most recently, Zero at the Bone, Fifty Entries Against Despair. From 2003-2013 he was the edi...
2025-10-0934 min
Becoming HumanChristian Wiman on the Wonder of the Unknown in Love and Poetry, Poetry Peddler Ep. 1The Poetry Peddler podcast is a call to revive the living power of language through poetry as a way of life. Hosted by poet and editor Alexandra Barylski, this show explores poetry's crucial role in resisting the global language crisis. Each episode invites listeners into a world where language is a vital force of human spirit, freedom, and creativity, featuring original poems, and conversations on the transformative magic of words. This inaugural episode features part one of her conversation with Christian Wiman who is the author, editor, or translator of fourteen books, most recently, Zero at the Bo...
2025-09-2820 min
Becoming HumanBecoming Human Today: Reasons for HopeWhy bother becoming human? In difficult times, it's easy to lose hope. After 5 years since launching this show with Becoming Human: Origins, I decided it's time for an update. This episode shares some of the impact of the work, its relevance today, and how you can access Becoming Human Origins right now.
2025-09-1615 min
Becoming HumanWho is The Poetry Peddler? An Interview with Alexandra BarylskiWho is the Poetry Peddler, and why is poetry so important today? Alexandra Barylski is an award winning poet, editor, and entrepreneur, and longtime producer for the Becoming Human Project. She is launching the Poetry Peddler Podcast, journal, and press, and sat down with me to discuss why editing is a critical skill today, how poetry touches the uncanny dimension of existence, how poetry and philosophy connect, and how practicing poetry as a way of life deepens our receptivity and openness to Living Language, the spiritual wellspring of consolation and joy. Join the Peddler!
2025-09-0658 min
Becoming HumanD.W. Pasulka, Christopher Bledsoe, and the Study of ReligionThis is a fifteen minute excerpt from my live Becoming Human Academy course, "The Sacred World: An introduction to Religion." In the lecture, I explain why the academic study of religion is important, how it gives us a deep understanding of inclusiveness and ways of interpreting difference that give us compassion, sympathy, and insight. These are some of the great values of the academic study of religion, especially the way it gives us a new scientific approach to context. We need different understandings of the human, particularly of human context and meaning, which is what the scholarly...
2025-08-3116 min
AfterShock: Leadership for the 5th Industrial Revolution with Caroline StokesEp. 8: Philosopher Samuel Loncar explores the hidden values shaping technology and leadershipWhat does it mean to flourish in an age defined by AI, disruption, and uncertainty?In this AfterShock episode, philosopher and writer Samuel Loncar explores the cultural forces and hidden assumptions that shape not just technology, but the way we lead. As founding editor of the Marginalia Review of Books and a consultant to scientists and institutions worldwide, Loncar reveals how narratives of progress, salvation, and transcendence quietly drive the boldest ambitions in Silicon Valley — and why they matter for every leader today.From the “Manhattan Project” mindset in AI lab...
2025-08-251h 19
Becoming HumanHow to Make Time Sacred: Mircea Eliade's The Sacred and Profane | ExplorationsWhat are rituals, and what makes something sacred? Mircea Eliade was a historian of religion, philosopher, and author widely regarded as one of the most influential scholars of religion in the 20th century. His book, The Sacred and the Profane, is a classic introduction to religion that answers these questions. Eliade is known for his scholarly work on Yoga, comparative religion, initiation rituals, hierophanies (sacred appearences), and the sacred logic manifest in our experience of space and time. In this Explorations episode, I explain how we can make time sacred by introducing Eliade's ideas and...
2025-08-1518 min
Becoming HumanHow a Celebrity Philosopher Changed History & Why He Was Forgotten: Emily Herring on Henri BergsonHow did the most famous philosopher of his time, a darling of the Parisian salons and an internationally renowned philosopher of science, disappear from memory? Dr. Emily Herring, author of Herald of a Restless World: How Henri Bergson Brought Philosophy to the People, explains the brilliant insights and legacy of Bergson in this wide-ranging Becoming Human Conversation with Samuel Loncar. The French philosopher Henri Bergson wrote brilliantly about the brain, biology, memory, time, and creativity, exploring the relationship of science, philosophy, and mysticism, yet he has been largely neglected and forgotten. As Herring explores why...
2025-05-121h 08
Becoming HumanKabbalistic Wisdom and the Modern Self-Help Movement: A Conversation with Reb AdamRabbi Adam Yitzchak Polinovskiy is a well-established coach, specializing in the art of personal and professional transformation. His expertise spans a wide range of areas, including mindset mastery, Kabbalistic wisdom, alignment strategies, and leadership development. In our conversation, we discuss the Kabbalistic background to the modern self-help and personal coaching movement, including figures like Tony Robbins, Reb Adam's personal journey of spiritual transformation, and how to overcome blocks in your business and personal life. Learn more about Reb Adam and join the latest Tree of Life cohort at rebadam.com
2025-04-261h 07
Becoming HumanThe Age of Spiritual Awakening: Rabbi Simon Jacobson in Conversation | ExplorationsAccording to Rabbi Simon Jacobson of The Meaningful Life Center, technology is catalyzing a spiritual awakening, making spiritual knowledge the "key commodity of the future." Rabbi Jacobson is a best-selling author of Towards a More Meaningful Life and reaches hundreds of thousands daily through his YouTube channel. In this far-reaching Becoming Human Conversation, we explore anxiety and "healthy angst," why religion is declining and spirituality is growing, what the spirit is, why the "messianic age" is about the elevation of human consciousness, and how he would respond if he was representing humanity to a delegation...
2025-04-141h 00
Becoming HumanHow AGI and Superintelligence Enhance Consciousness | Apocalypse, A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 7Has AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) already arrived? As the race for Superintelligent machines changes the world, how can humans prepare to thrive? Ancient spiritual traditions reveal surprising insights into how philosophy as a spiritual technology can teach us where AI is heading, and what to do about it. Instructor: Dr. Samuel Loncar | Yale University
2025-03-1424 min
Becoming HumanEducation for the AI Age: Why Can't People Read and Does it Matter? | ExplorationsHow do we reimagine education for a world of AI? What skills do people need, and why? How can philosophy as a way of life create a shared vision of human flourishing? Instructor: Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. | Yale University
2025-02-2724 min
Becoming HumanCan We Change Our Fate? An Existential Vision for Immortality | ExplorationsFate is the power of the unchosen to determine your life. It is real and we all know it, or we would never be frustrated. The key question is: can we overcome our fate? Is fate compatible with freedom? An existential strategy is the only way to overcome the power of fate and avoid being a pawn of your environment and history. To conquer fate, we must pursue a scientific understanding of reality, and overcome our limitations. The result is a life ready for immortality. Long-term planning in short-sighted Western corporations is 10 years, 30 at most. China has...
2025-02-2136 min
Becoming HumanWill Superintelligence Complete Science? The Future of PhysicsWhat happens when AGI, Artificial General Intelligence, appears and solves all the problems in science? Can we know the future of science? Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chapter 6, suggests we can predict future scientific developments based on a deep understanding of the current anomalies in our ideas. Our philosophical ideas of nature can provide an orientation towards future research, giving us a window into the future. What do we see if we look? Series: Notes on Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Ep. 7. Instructor: Samuel Loncar, Ph.D | Yale University
2025-02-0329 min
Becoming HumanCan a New Scientific Revolution Explain Consciousness? | Apocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 6Three Theses about the Future of Science We are living through the greatest scientific revolution in over two millennia. 2. A new revolution in biology connects to the AI revolution, and a scientific theory of consciousness may finally be on the horizon as a result. 3. Real philosophy should be scientific and thus able to make predictions. I make three predictions about the next 10 years of science. Together, these point towards a new theory of consciousness that is philosophically profound, scientifically productive, and existentially significant. Apocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep.6 Ins...
2025-01-311h 08
Becoming HumanCan We Have Infinite Energy? Can the Tao Make Us Immortal? | Tao Te Ching, Ep. 4The Tao Te Ching teaches that the Way offers infinite utility, seeming to promise unending energy and life. Is this possible and what, scientifically, might it mean? Exploring Chapter 4 of the Tao Te Ching, I show how the human senses point towards hidden paths of refinement and mysteriously deep sources of energy and insight, all found within the physical body. Tao Te Ching, Ep. 4 Instructor: Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. | Yale University
2025-01-2445 min
Becoming HumanDo Humans Really Exist? Do We Live in a Simulation? | ExplorationsThe simulation theory is all around us, putting somehow the meaning of our very existence into question. Do we really exist? What does it mean that we question our own existence? A true philosophy of existence must answer these questions, and explain why we ask them, guiding us towards a more conscious, free, and scientific way of life. This is the purpose of the Becoming Human Project: to realize human Existence. Instructor: Dr. Samuel Loncar | Yale University
2025-01-2114 min
Becoming HumanCan Philosophy Make You Powerful? A Vision of Human Enhancement, Philosophy of Angels Ep. 5If you can get one thing you want, what is the one thing that will give you everything else? Is it power, wealth, or wisdom? Philosophy as a spiritual way of life teaches us how to develop our human potential, leading to a radical vision of human enhancement. The idea of number is the first step to understanding the coded Messengers of spiritual traditions and how they guide us to a more scientific and positive way of life. 🙏This video is dedicated to Namagiri with gratitude. Instructor: Dr. Samuel Loncar...
2025-01-171h 04
Becoming HumanHow Do We Know What is Good?, Tao Series Ep. 3We all want to do good, but we rarely think about how we can know what the good is. In this video, I discuss Verse 8 of the Tao and its highly logical and practical insights into what is good in any situation and how we can know that we are doing what is good for ourselves and others. SERIES: Tao Te Ching Instructor: Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. | Yale University Episode 3, Tao Te Ching
2025-01-1020 min
Becoming HumanWhy Stories Are Greater Then Ideas: Was JRR Tolkien a Great Philosopher?, Apocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 4Tolkien's works have sold over 100 Million copies worldwide because they address the deepest questions humans can ask: Why is there evil and death in the world? Would Immorality be a good thing? Where did the world come from, and where is it going? Tolkien reveals a new and deeper way to engage humanity's search for meaning and hope. SERIES Apocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 4
2025-01-1034 min
Becoming HumanThe Philosophy of UAP in Scientific and Historical Context, Apocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 3The topic of UAP (UFOs) is important yet difficult to discuss coherently. Why? Because the topic requires the best tools of science and scholarship but does not agree on what those are or how they should be applied. My philosophy of science and religion provides clues to navigating profound changes in human's cosmic understanding, including the UAP phenomenon. The rise of the concept of agency in biology and AI connect to Carl Jung's psychological interpretation of the phenomenon as a manifestation of global psychic unrest and a major alteration of human consciousness.
2025-01-031h 18
Becoming HumanThe Exile and Return of the Light: Hanukkah, Christmas, and the Super Human, Apocalypse Ep. 2Did you know Hanukkah and Christmas encode deep philosophical ideas about Enlightenment, becoming Superhuman, and the Future of Humanity? The stars and the gods once governed the night sky and the dreams humans had of themselves. The Human story was thus told as a mystery of light, the evolution of the universe, and the fate of the stars. Apocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 2
2024-12-2855 min
Becoming HumanIs the Greatest Good Achieved by Struggle or Flow?. Tao Ep. 2Can yielding and flowing really be the Way to attain the good? Bruce Lee thought so. "Be Water," he famously said, channeling a central insight of the Tao Te Ching, one of great works of Chinese Philosophy.
2024-12-2321 min
Becoming HumanApocalypse: A Philosophy of Angels, Ep. 1: The MessengersThe idea of Angels, whether we believe in them or not, reveals secrets about human consciousness and how to transform it. In this episode, I use the German poet Rilke to connect deep patterns across Judaism, Islam, and Christianity and other traditions, found in their shared understanding of angels as messengers that lead to revolutionary transformations of human consciousness. Ultimately, we discover that humans across all time, cultures, and traditions all believe in some idea of what angels are, and that idea is connected to accessing inspiration and higher states of consciousness. Series...
2024-12-2232 min
Becoming HumanWhat is the Way and How do I Find it? Tao Te Ching, Ep. 1What is the Way? The Way, or Tao, is the central mystery of life, according to the Tao Te Ching, one of the greatest works of Chinese philosophy. So how do we find the Tao? What does the Way look like? This video answers that question by introducing the Tao Te Ching, and the mystery of Return... Join me at the Becoming Human Project today!
2024-12-1114 min
Becoming HumanWhat is Life and is it Good?, Explorations, Ep. 6Is life a momentary fragment, a meaningless event? Or Is life an eternal and glorious process and event? These two different ideas of life—life as intrinsically meaningless or life as intrinsically meaningful—are connected to our emotional reactions and ultimately our idea of time and our world.
2024-12-1017 min
Becoming HumanPhilosophy, Roomba, and Taco Carts: A Conversation with Chef Arturo Franco Camacho, Explorations, Ep. 5Chef Arturo Franco Camacho is the Culinary Director and Executive Chef of three of New Haven's best restaurants: Geronimo's Southwestern Kitchen, Shell & Bones Oyster Bar, and Camacho Garage. His restaurants are not only a destination for great food but fantastic atmosphere. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world's premiere culinary college, he has worked as a chef at restaurants in Spain, France, and London, and spent five years as chef aboard the world's top cruise ship, the Queen Elizabeth II. In this conversation, Chef Franco talks about his love of cooking with h...
2024-02-171h 04
Becoming HumanScientific Facts and How They Grow: Science as Self-Subverting TraditionScience is the only tradition that actively admits its own errors, gaining deeper knowledge by overcoming its tendency to orthodoxy. This happens when scientific revolutions shatter existing paradigms. The process begins with anomalies, potential facts that do not fit the paradigm. The physicist Sabine Hossenfelder sees many anomalies in current physics, and argues that physics today has lost its way because physics has followed the wrong rules, rules of beauty rather than rules proper to science. Hossenfelder's intervention in physics illustrates the profound relevance of Thomas Kuhn's discussion of rules and facts in science. Kuhn explores how...
2024-01-2658 min
Becoming HumanThings Ancient and New: The Logic of Scientific Discovery in Thomas KuhnAccording to Thomas Kuhn, the most mature sciences have only a limited tolerance for novelty. Contrary to the common image of scientific progress as a continuous series of discoveries, Kuhn shows it's actually the progress of paradigms towards ever greater precision. Progress in normal science thus does not aim at novelty but the enrichment of the depth and concreteness of the theory. Drawing on the the insights of Edward Witten's defense of string theory, Episode 5 of Kuhn: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions explores the concept of novelty and discovery in Section IV: "The Nature of Normal Science."
2024-01-1248 min
Becoming HumanCan Science Be Complete? Thomas Kuhn, Progress, and the Eschatology of ScienceThe longing for a complete science is one of the great dreams of modernity. Is such a complete science possible, and can Kuhn's idea of a paradigm help us realize it? This episode explores the origins and power of the search for completeness and unity in Western science, and reveals the unexpected spiritual origins of this ideal. Ep. 4, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: An Introduction
2023-12-2252 min
Becoming HumanWhat is a Paradigm? Normal Science and Pseudo-ScienceThomas Kuhn coined the concept of a paradigm to describe the unique achievement of science. Since Kuhn, the terms "paradigm" and "paradigm shift" have entered into popular culture, but what really is a paradigm? How does it connect to normal science? And can it help us distinguish real science from pseudo-science? All these questions, and more, are explored in this episode of my series on Kuhn. Episode 3, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: An Introduction
2023-12-1652 min
Becoming HumanThe Revolution is History: Kuhn and the History of ScienceThomas Kuhn argued that history would change our image of science, causing a revolution we are still unprepared to face. This Kuhnian revolution challenges traditional epistemology by arguing we must look to science itself to understand how knowledge develops, and looking to science demands facing history. This episode of my course on Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions explores these issues, and more.
2023-12-0846 min
Becoming HumanThomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: An IntroductionWhat is Science? What happened in the Scientific Revolution? How does Science progress? Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is the most influential book in the history and philosophy of science, addressing these and other key questions. This public series offers an introduction to this major work and includes a discussion of Kuhn's core ideas: paradigm shifts, normal and revolutionary science, and more.
2023-12-0141 min
Becoming HumanHow to Become an Individual: The Eternal in KierkegaardOn Nov. 11, 1855, after an astoundingly rich yet brief life, Søren Aabye Kierkegaard died. He requested his epitaph read simply: "That Individual." The "single individual" is the soul of Kierkegaard's work, but what does it mean to become an individual? This final episode of Kierkegaard: The Poet of Existence, explores the mystery of freedom and true individuality, and how they relate to the Eternal. COURSE RELEASE 8pm EST 10.27.2023 Course Link: www.samuelloncar.com/courses Course Code: BECOMINGHUMANWITHSK Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, cre...
2023-10-281h 02
Becoming HumanOctober 7: Why Antisemitism is a Global Philosophical Problem and an Existential CrisisAs a philosopher and scholar who writes about Christian-Jewish relations and modern German thought, I offer in this lecture an analysis of antisemitism as a philosophical problem, show its global scope, and explore its historical and existential significance as a threat to any vision of universal human flourishing. Referenced Materials Becoming Human: Origins Christianity's Shadow Founder: Marcion, Anti-Judaism, and The Birth of Protestant Liberalism Why Antisemitism is Our Problem
2023-10-171h 05
Becoming HumanExistential Ontology, Consumer Capitalism, & The Religious Stage | The Poet of Existence, Ep. 7Kierkegaard's theory of the three stages of life, the aesthetic, ethical, and religious offers profound insight into the existential realities of human life. Building on the prior two episodes on the aesthetic and ethical stages, this episode explores the meaning of the religious phase by exhibiting existential ontology in relationship to sexual and erotic desire, consumer capitalism, and humans' habit of turning people, including themselves, into mere things. Purchase | https://www.samuelloncar.com/courses Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created one of the most consequential bodies of wr...
2023-10-1049 min
Becoming HumanKierkegaard's Theory of Stages: Fear and Trembling & The Ethical Stage | The Poet of Existence, Ep. 6Fear and Trembling is the most famous book by Kierkegaard, but to understand it we have to understand his theory of stages. This episode explores the ethical stage and illustrates it through Fear and Trembling and Judge Wilhelm of Either /Or. Additional topics covered include esotericism in philosophy, romantic marriage, the erotic sphere, the religious stage, and Kierkegaard's concept of the Self as an achievement. Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created one of the most consequential bodies of writing in human history. One of the greatest literary writers, he i...
2023-09-2238 min
Becoming HumanKierkegaard's Theory of Stages: The Aesthetic Stage | The Poet of Existence, Ep. 5Kierkegaard is famous for his theory of the three stages on life's way, the aesthetic, the ethical, and the religious. Though much discussed, the stages are enigmatic and confusing to many readers. This episode outlines the nature of the theory of stages in its profound significance, and it introduces the aesthetic phase and its emphasis on possibility and seduction. Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created one of the most consequential bodies of writing in human history. One of the greatest literary writers, he is also widely regarded as the m...
2023-05-2456 minBecoming HumanKierkegaard and the Irony of Existence: From Existentialism to Modernism | The Poet of Existence: Ep. 4On Sept 29 1841, Søren Kierkegaard defended a genre-bending dissertation at the University of Copenhagen. Both rigorous scholarship and dazzling literary genius, Kierkegaard's The Concept of Irony, with Continual Reference to Socrates is the first major work in Kierkegaard's authorship. Laying the foundation for his future pseudonymous works, the dissertation explores the importance of irony in his time, and the lecture shows how the importance of Kierkegaard's work on irony is connected to existentialism, modernism, and the challenge of human existence today. Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created on...
2023-04-1450 minBecoming HumanKierkegaard and Existentialism: A Spiritual Revolution | The Poet of Existence: Ep. 3Welcome to Episode Three: Kierkegaard and Existentialism: A Spiritual Revolution, where I explore the complex character of Existentialism as a spiritual revolution connected to ancient philosophy. Often called the "Father of Existentialism," Kierkegaard is essential for understanding the rise of Existentialism, its nature, and why it has so deeply shaped our culture. Our culture has accepted Existentialism intellectually, but rejected it existentially. The episode shows how Kierkegaard illuminates the meaning of our own time. Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created one of the most consequential bodies of writing in...
2023-03-0741 min
Becoming HumanThe Genius of Kierkegaard | The Poet of Existence: Ep. 2Welcome to Episode Two: The Genius of Kierkegaard, where I explore the idea of genius, our discomfort and fascination with it, and why genius is important for understanding Kierkegaard. Series Description Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created one of the most consequential bodies of writing in human history. One of the greatest literary writers, he is also widely regarded as the most important philosopher and theologian to create much of the 20th century: movements like existentialism, modern theology, and even forms of modern nihilism can be traced back to the wo...
2022-12-0648 minBecoming HumanWhy Does Kierkegaard Matter? | The Poet of Existence: Ep. 1Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and religious thinker, created one of the most consequential bodies of writing in human history. One of the greatest literary writers, he is also widely regarded as the most important philosophers and theologians to create much of the 20th century: movements like existentialism, modern theology, and even forms of modern nihilism can be traced back to the work of Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard is known as a delightful and difficult figure; like Socrates, he is ironic and hard to understand. He is also my first great teacher, so to honor his per...
2022-11-3035 min
Becoming HumanMakoto Fujimura on Art and Faith: Explorations, Ep. 4Makoto Fujimura is an internationally recognized artist who has developed a unique fusion of traditional Japanese painting, Nihonga, with abstract expressionism. A leading writer, speaker, and thinker on the intersection of art, faith, and culture, Fujimura published Art and Faith: A Theology of Making, with Yale University Press in 2021. In this conversation, Fujimura shares his story and his wisdom on how art is a way of becoming human, how it can help us live with suffering, and even reveal the divine world in everyday life. Topics covered include Miyazaki's vision of a post-atomic Japan, how William Blake's Jerusalem transformed...
2022-11-091h 09
Becoming HumanAre We Alone? Harvard's Avi Loeb on ET, Astrophysics, and the Future of Humanity: Explorations, Ep. 3Harvard Astrophysicist Avi Loeb discusses his book, Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth, which lays out his scientific hypothesis that 'Oomuamua, the first interstellar object detected in our solar system, is likely equipment from an Extraterrestrial civilization. We discuss the state of science, why it has been closed-minded about extraterrestrial life, and what the future of science, and humanity, might be.
2022-03-0945 min
Becoming HumanThe Modern Crisis of Choice | Explorations: Ep. 2Freedom without choice is an illusion, but choice is not freedom. This episode features the first part of my series on how modernity traps us by increasing meaningless choices while destroying our freedom. Learning why we have so many choices is the first step towards accepting out situation, then transforming it with philosophy as a way of life.
2022-02-1725 min
Becoming HumanThe Revolution of the Electric Word | Explorations: Ep. 1Since the modern age is over and modernity is a myth, what comes next? This episode offers a history of the current revolution in our greatest knowledge technology: the decline of literary and the rise of a new Aural Age. To respond to the end of reading, we need a new vision of philosophy and education. Welcome to the Becoming Human Project.
2022-02-0841 min
Biotech HangoutGlobal Access Strategies: COVID Vaccines and Other MedsThis Biotech Clubhouse Session will cover insights into best practices for providing access to medicines in the developing from industry experts exploring learnings from Gilead Science’s HIV and Hepatitis C Access to Medicines Program. We take lessons from past efforts, look at the current COVID response, and discuss a path forward for low and middle-income countries’ access to COVID vaccines, as well as future life-saving medicines.
Guests: Clifford Samuel, Claudio Lilienfeld, Kash Rangan.
Host: Chris Garabedian.
Full auto-generated transcript: click here
Originally aired on June 7th, 2021 on Biotech Clubhouse. Shared with...
2021-06-091h 03
Wyatt Graham PodcastEpisode 21: Samuel Loncar on Philosophy, Religion, and ScienceSamuel Loncar recently released a ten-part podcast called "Becoming Human." I talk to him a bit about the podcast and some of the key themes, namely, the history and relationship of philosophy, religion, and science.
2020-10-231h 13
Heaven & EarthEpisode 21: Samuel Loncar on Philosophy, Religion, and ScienceSamuel Loncar recently released a ten-part podcast called "Becoming Human." I talk to him a bit about the podcast and some of the key themes, namely, the history and relationship of philosophy, religion, and science.
2020-10-231h 13
Becoming HumanEp. 10: Revolution after the Death of GodThe world we think we live in has come to an end. At the end of the journey of Series 1: Origins, we come to the beginning of something new: the future.
2020-06-091h 00Becoming HumanEp. 9: Science as Salvation and the Death of ReasonAfter the Enlightenment, Science emerges as humanity's last, best hope for salvation. But can Science save us, and if so, at what cost?
2020-05-3056 minBecoming HumanEp. 8: The Triumph of ReasonProtestantism gave birth to profound skepticism across Europe, leading to a search for certainty and a new authority that could rule in the place of Scripture or the Church. The new authority? Reason, and reason alone.
2020-05-2053 minBecoming HumanEp. 7: The Birth of the Modern World: Protestantism and AtheismAt the root of modernity is a revolution in Christianity itself, one that renews and deepens its atheism and begins to destroy the medieval Christian world, preparing the ground for a new world: the modern. Another name for modernity? Protestantism.
2020-05-1053 minBecoming HumanEp. 6: The Atheist Revolution That Changed the WorldTwo great atheist revolutions have transformed the world. The second, and most recent, was Marxism. But the first was an ancient philosophy that destroyed the gods of the ancient world, and has been a god-killing movement ever since.
2020-04-3054 min
Becoming HumanEp. 5: A Murderous Logic: Antisemitism, Christianity, and Ancient PhilosophyAs antisemitic attacks increase across the world, it's important to understand why antisemitism is so pervasive. Far from being simply an issue of prejudice and injustice, antisemitism is a major philosophical problem that lies at the roots of Christianity, and thus Western culture. Series 1, Origins: How Philosophy Remade Science and Religion
2020-04-2053 min
Becoming HumanEp. 4: Magicians and Philosophers: From Empedocles to JesusExploring a scarcely known tradition of philosopher-magicians, this episode puts magic and truth at the center of ancient philosophy.
2020-04-1045 min
Becoming HumanEp. 3: Jesus the Philosopher? A Jewish RevolutionNo single person has shaped history more than an obscure Jewish teacher who was executed by the Roman empire. Today, we know him as a god, a myth, a savior. In fact, he was the greatest philosopher of his time: Jesus of Nazareth. Becoming Human: Origins Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. (Yale)
2020-03-3142 min
Becoming HumanEp.2: The Myth of Secular Philosophy: Socrates as a Religious MartyrSocrates is perhaps our most famous philosopher. But his life and death defy our dominant ideas of reason and religion. By paying the ultimate price for his philosophy, Socrates became the West's first great religious martyr, changing his world, and ours. Becoming Human: Origins Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. (Yale)
2020-03-2151 min
Becoming HumanEp. 1: Religious Atheists: Philosophy's Untold StoryThis episode exposes modern myths about philosophy, religion, and science. To see the truth about ourselves and our culture, we need to recognize Socrates for who he really was: a religious revolutionary. Becoming Human: Origins Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. (Yale)
2020-03-1140 min