Unsolicited advice
Unsolicited advice
0
Unsolicited Advice is a podcast that offers philosophical perspectives intended to be helpful in everyday life. The host shares ideas and frameworks that listeners can apply as they see fit. Its approach is practical rather than academic, encouraging people to take what works for them and leave the rest. The show is produced in English for a general audience.
Епизоде
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So, what is actually in the Book of Mormon? | Heliocentric 05.10.2026 2ч 5минI have a soft spot for the weirdest and most wonderful aspects of religious life, and someone who shared my adoring attitude here is @HeliocentricOfficial. I was lucky enough to have Jared stay at my house recently, and I knew I had to have him on the podcast.Uploaded 03-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Who is Sweet Daddy?07:10 How did you come to Atheism?11:45 What is actually in the Book of Mormon?33:51 What was it like being in a Jehova's Witness Church?54:42 What is Christian Science?01:12:50 Why are you a nihilist?1:27:35 Why are conversations about God and morality so difficult?01:56:46 What is the most interesting idea you've come across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
When is Ignorance Bliss? | Professor Jimmy Licon 05.10.2026 1ч 51минIgnorance is one of the most maligned concepts out there. For many of my videos I take it for granted that knowing more is always better. And yet the philosopher Jimmy Licon offers a different perspective. His work highlights where ignorance is beneficial, both ethically and epistemically.Uploaded 16-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Professor Licon's Substack: https://substack.com/@syntheticsocratesProfessor Licon's Youtube channel: https://youtube.com/@uncommonwisdomllc?si=0gAAWQjEY9oNn8WG00:00 What are the benefits of ignorance?14:53 What are the benefits of not thinking?24:52 When is virtue signalling good?45:11 Should politics be less transparent?1:07:35 Should our politics be less rational?1:27:45 Will AI kill philosophy?1:43:13 What is the most interesting idea you've come across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Self-improvement has sold us a lie 05.10.2026 57минSelf-improvement is a noble aim, but can it go too far? I think it can, but I also think that in our rush to condemn self-improvement and self-optimisation, we often forget that obsession is sometimes a wonderful thing, and we ought not to condemn it wholesale.Uploaded 20-09-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The cult of self-optimisation07:54 Keeping Score22:41 The existential temptation of optimisation38:14 In defence of obsession Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Is God Evil? 05.10.2026 33минHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 17-07-24The Problem of Evil is one of those questions that has stayed with philosophers and philosophy as a whole for millennia. It can be summed up in a single statement: why would an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God allow evil to exist in the world? And this all raises one question: is God evil?Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Theodicy and Theology01:58 The Problem(s) of Evil07:11 Good Beyond Pleasure and Evil Beyond Pain12:14 Divine Command Theory18:31 The Incomprehensibility of God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Philosophy Everyone Fears | Live Talk and QnA 05.10.2026 1ч 17минWe are told that we are in a meaning crisis, but what is it and how do we solve it? This is the question I want to pose (and give some sketch answers to) in this talk. I hope you enjoy. So let's get to the bottom of why everyone is so nihilistic now.Uploaded 03-04-26Addendum 1: I actually don’t think this as much anymore - I’ve read a few of Nietzsche’s letters since this talk that indicate he placed more argumentative importance on the origins-based points than I had interpreted at first.Addendum 2: Watching this back I give the wrong impression - Ann Blair does argue there was a big shift in the way we manage information here, but I accidentally make it sound like there was less continuity than Blair argues (see chapter 1 of her book for more details)Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/Thank you to Discourse Collective for welcoming me to their event and to @elliotbewick for filming and running the QnA00:00 Talk44:51 QnA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Philosopher the Modern World Needs | Simone Weil 05.10.2026 58минSimone Weil is one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century. Yet she remains tragically underrated and underread. This is a shame, because she is a truly fascinating and original thinker, with a lot specifically to add to our understanding of the modern world.Uploaded 10-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Needs of The Soul14:32 Suffering and The Poem of Force29:11 Social Prestige and the Power of Words41:49 Friendship, Necessity, and Hatred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why you NEED to read Franz Kafka 05.10.2026 34минThere are few authors who speak as clearly to the problems of modernity as Franz Kafka. But in him, we also find reassurance that our problems are not unique, or pathetic, but have been felt and understood by those who came before us. And, above all, are dignified enough to fashion great art out of them. So here let's look at Franz Kafka, and how he is the perfect philosopher for the modern age.Uploaded 19-08-24Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Loneliness sources:https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/facts-and-statistics/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/24/health/lonely-adults-gallup-poll-wellness/index.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/16/who-declares-loneliness-a-global-public-health-concernhttps://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/unlock-loneliness/loneliness-young-people-research-briefing#:~:text=BBC.,new%20BBC%20Radio%204%20survey.Video on Kafka and TikTok: https://youtu.be/JuaWj0GVU9o?si=ErfYiLqGWy7-gyYF00:00 Kafka Populi01:13 A Question of Identity08:11 Isolation in Public14:45 Mundane Helplessness21:24 A Portrait of Fear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
No, not all relationships are transactional 05.10.2026 55минLearn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscriptionUploaded 14-05-26I am often told that "all relationships are transactional". I think this is not only a lie, but a pernicious lie, and here is exactly how I respond to it. Moreover, the popularity of this phrase points to a wider set of cynical attitudes that have gripped our collective psyche, and I want to unpack them.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Presumption of Transaction12:14 Egoism and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy21:52 The Seduction of Cynicism34:49 Cynicism within LimitsThis video is sponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Thought Experiment Tier List 05.10.2026 1ч 22минI love a philosophical thought experiment, and I love a tier list. So today we are going to rank some of the most famous thought experiments in history. Thank you so much to the friend who was kind enough to send me his list to react to.Uploaded 17-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Mary's Room10:27 Ship of Theseus16:01 The Teleporter Problem25:55 Utility Monster33:10 Euthyphro Dilemma38:06 Russell's Teapot43:22 Fake Barn Country51:45 Are you a Brain in a Vat?58:46 Wittgenstein's Beetle in a Box1:07:17 Chinese Room Argument Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Reacting to your HOTTEST book takes 05.10.2026 52минHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 10-06-26I love a hot takes video. We have done a few about philosophy, but I am interested to see your hottest takes on literature, and books more generally. There are some really spicy ones here, and I'm looking forward to reading them.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Literature is Just Content10:31 Audiobooks Don't Count15:11 Intention and Interpretation26:50 Movies are Better than Books34:42 Modern Books are Bad38:35 We care too much about relatability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Hidden Problem with Religious Arguments 05.10.2026 33минHead to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 23-08-24Debates about God are almost always pitched as between atheists and theists. But we do not give very much thought to the middle position. What about the skeptic's position on the issue? What are the strong arguments in favour of agnosticism?Support me on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN7Image: Square made of Two Triangles. Credit to Michael Angelkovich. Licenced under CC 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en00:00 Agnosticism and Scepticism02:02 The Limits of Analogy07:32 The Problem of Understanding God14:12 Possibilities, Plausibility, and You20:05 Knowledge, Belief, and Doubt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
I don't like the way we talk about books now 04.10.2026 50минLearn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 10-04-26The way we talk about books online has been bothering me for a while, and I wanted to talk a bit about it. We'll be talking a bit about ragebait, a bit about snobbery, and a bit about literacy, and we'll try to paint a slightly different way forward.Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 Literary Ragebait10:20 The Origin and Variety of Snobs23:40 The Capture of Value35:45 The Worship of KnowledgeThis video is sponsored by Brilliant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why Nietzsche HATED Religion 04.10.2026 35минThis is an old video on Nietzsche and does not really reflect my current views on him. Sorry about that.Uploaded 20-07-24There has been increasing discourse online about the concept of a "Christian Revival" or otherwise a general religious revival. And I find this very interesting because almost exactly the same debate took place over the course of the 19th century. And chief among the critics of religion as an answer to nihilism was the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. So it is worth hearing him out - even if we end up disagreeing with him. Let's find out if a religious revival is really the answer.Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person you): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 Religious Revival - A Dilemma01:48 Lived Religion07:05 Religion and Nihilism: A False Dichotomy14:08 Religious Authority and its Critics21:11 Nihilism and The Will Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Christian Case Against Cultural Christianity | Matt Whiteley 04.10.2026 1ч 49минAn argument that has become increasingly popular in apologetic or cultural apologetic circles is arguing for the cultural influence of Christianity through the "Tom Holland Argument". I talked to a prominent Christian critic of that argument to see why he thinks Christians should not take this route.Uploaded 26-08-26Also check out Matt’s Substack here! It is really good!: https://substack.com/@thisisleisfullofnoises?r=2ohjsz&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=imageSupport me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 What is the "Tom Holland Argument"06:20 Why shouldn't Christians use it?16:46 The trouble with defining Christianity29:15 The difficulty of writing history through ideas41:15 Your morals aren't self-evident50:30 History, Epistemology, and Storytelling55:35 What are some good arguments for cultural Christianity?1:03:15 When are historical arguments persuasive?1:12:46 Secular Ethics and Self-Help Bros1:22:30 What I envy about religious people1:27:40 Can everyone go to Heaven?1:39:07 What was the greatest idea you came across in the past year and why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Most Hated Philosophers in History | The Sophists 04.10.2026 58минThe Sophists are potentially the most hated philosophers in history. But as far as I can tell, this is based on a series of misunderstandings and misrepresentations. When we look at the existing evidence in more detail, what is instead revealed are a group of interesting and original thinkers. So here is my sophist apologia. I hope you enjoy it.Uploaded 04-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/00:00 The Villainous Sophist07:50 Arguments Leading Nowhere24:27 Corrupting the Youth36:30 Man is the Measure of All Things45:00 What to do about the Sophists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Why You Hate Modern Work 04.10.2026 32минWhy do we all hate work so much? And why does it seem to have only got worse in the modern era? Well, according to philosopher Byung-Chul Han, our psychological attitude towards work and productivity has fundamentally shifted in a disastrous direction for our mental health, our happiness, and our long-term fulfilment.Uploaded 23-07-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Burnout Society01:27 Discipline and Achievement08:07 Isolation and Individualism14:53 No Rest for the Wicked20:33 Means, Ends, and Self-Hatred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How To Think Like a Philosopher 04.10.2026 32минThroughout history, philosophers have tackled a number of questions, but on the side they have provided something almost as valuable - an implicit guide on how to think like some of the brightest minds in history. And that is what we shall be exploring today. So here is how to think like a philosopher.Uploaded 27-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Philosophers' Guidebook01:07 Let's Get Specific06:29 Originality and Creativity12:08 Courage and Inquiry18:03 Doubt and Dubitability22:39 Theory, Practice, and Habituation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Debating William Lane Craig, Philip Goff, and Jessica Frazier on God and Morality 04.10.2026 1ч 51минEarlier this year I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with some enormously clever people and talking about God, goodness, and meaning, and I am delighted to share it with you now. Thank you to Premier Unbelievable for filming it and for allowing me to post it here.Uploaded 27-07-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.substack.com/0:00 The Story of Everything1:00 William Lane Craig: Where Did Reality Come From?5:34 Can Life Have Meaning Without God?10:07 Hinduism, God and the Universe14:57 Philip Goff’s Mystical Experience24:04 Craig Challenges Goff on Mystical Experience27:38 Does Meaning Need God?45:04 Creation, Brahman and Christian Theism51:05 Is God Separate From the Universe?1:00:02 Good, Evil and Ultimate Reality1:14:38 Have We Moved Beyond Objective Meaning? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How to Turn Suffering Into Art 04.10.2026 32минThough many philosophers throughout history have talked about beauty and suffering, very few have done this to the same extent as Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book The Birth of Tragedy he explores how the sufferings and pains of life can be rendered beautiful through art, and this ties in interestingly with his wider philosophy. So let's see what this great thinker can teach us about the life of art and the art of life.Uploaded 23-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 A Tragic Life01:30 Apollo, Dionysus, and Unbearable Truths07:30 Beware Greeks Bearing Scripts13:40 Humanity as Art and Artist19:59 An Excess of Apollo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Biggest Problem with Social Media Nobody Talks About 04.10.2026 34минSocial Media. It is something everyone seems to agree has some pretty negative consequences, along with some positives. But we rarely stop and ask what it is about this simple collection of words and images that seems to cause so much distress. And in The Transparency Society, Byung-Chul Han aims to answer this very thing. So, let's learn how we killed privacy, and why you hate social media.Uploaded 27-08-24Support me on Patreon here (you absolutely wonderful person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSign up to my email list for more philosophy to improve your life: https://forms.gle/YYfaCaiQw9r6YfkN700:00 The Transparency Society01:39 The Society of Exhibition07:47 Forced Intimacy and No Intimacy14:15 The Uninformative Deluge20:14 Transparency and Control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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