As we continue recovering from being under the weather, we bring you one of our Easter favorites. On this holiday episode of Red Letter Philosophy we ask the question, what’s so good about Good Friday? We also discuss the frame or boundary that is Holy Week. In the words of Peter Kreeft, “it takes boundaries to make anything interesting. If a pictu…

This St. Patrick’s Day finds us under the weather. Rather than miss the day, we offer/bring one of our St Patrick’s Day favorites. Is St. Patrick’s Day a celebration of the Irish; Irish history, Irish storytelling, Ireland herself, or is St. Patrick’s Day a celebration of a saint and of the one who molded the saint? We couldn’t decide. So, on this …

In this episode we contemplate the problems of silence and unbelief through the eyes of Jean Paul Sartre and Frederick Nietzsche. Do these two great atheist philosophers agree, fundamentally, with the great Christian philosophers? Take up and listen.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Every once in a while Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day; this episode is for such days. Love and death are visitors from another world, doors in the wall of the world. Join us as we contemplate love and death.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

After a three month hiatus, Red Letter Philosophy returns. The boys pick up their discussion of the problem of silence and the problem of unbelief. In particular, they look at an intriguing argument from famed author, Andrew Klavan.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day: a trinity of holy and deathly days. In an increasingly secular age, these days become excuses to indulge the appetites: hedonism & ghoulishness. However, these days are days of profundity and depth when seen in the correct light. Join us as we contemplate mystery, death, and spirit in this episode of Red Le…

Do we live on a silent planet? Are we merely insignificant specs of dust adrift in an indifferent cosmos? Or do we have reason to think otherwise? We’re on the road and searching for answers; join us, will you?Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Do you struggle with belief? Are you disturbed by the apparent silence (or indifference) of the universe? If so, then this is the episode for you. Join us for a discussion of belief, silence, and much more in this first episode of season six.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

The Grand Canyon is a place where the veil between this world and the next world grows thin; a place where we learn to take life, but not ourselves, seriously. In this episode, we look again at the death and spookiness that surrounds the canyon.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

In this episode, we continue our contemplation of a mystery. We began, two episodes ago, with G. K. Chesterton and his comment about seeing in “the light of the supernatural”. In the last episode we continued our musings with Peter Kreeft and his comments about the sea within. Now, we come to Thomas Howard and his comments about perception & realit…

The Summer of the supernatural continues. In this episode we revisit and refresh a pervious episode, The Sea Within. Perhaps the supernatural isn’t so far from the natural; perhaps what we call natural is supernatural from a certain point of view.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Approximately five years ago we posted our first episode. The episode was, and is, titled, Life Is A Pigsty. In this episode, we reexamine, and elaborate upon, that first episode. Morrissey, Chesterton, & the messiness of life, on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

In this episode of Red Letter Philosophy, we bid farewell to season five. We’ve been on a metaphysical journey through Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and contemporary philosophy. What conclusions can be drawn from our journey? Will we make it back home? “Tune in” and find out.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Is it, as Freud said, that we are projecting our fathers onto the face of God, or is it that we project our inner knowledge God onto the face of our fathers? Do our desires and expectations come from a higher place? In this episode of Red Letter Philosophy, we explore the relationship between fatherhood and reality. Take up and listen.…

Is it that nothing means anything or that everything means everything? Two myths, two ways of understanding life and the world; the culmination of Augustine, Pascal, and our season: on this week’s Red Letter Philosophy. Take up and listen.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

St. Augustine’s wrote that “Amor meus, Pondus meum”; My love is my gravity. Perhaps our search for what truth and reality is not only an intellectual search? Perhaps the heart can have reasons of which reason knows nothing? In this episode we take up these questions.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

The essence of Motherhood: a metaphysical question. Motherhood is surely many things, but if it is anything, it is also surely a kind of life, a life of prayer. A mother is one who raises her mind and heart to God on behalf of her family, and that is something worth noting and celebrating.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Hume, contrary to popular belief, never intended to destroy belief in God. He only meant to destroy a certain conception of belief, and belief in God. In this episode we contemplate Hume’s criticism of, and argument for, belief in God.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

The English philosopher and mathematician, W. K. Clifford, famously wrote that, “It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” Clifford’s approach to belief has come to dominate the way many intellectuals approach matters of belief, especially belief in God. In this episode we argue that Clifford n…

In honor of Holy Week, this week’s episode is devoted to the mystery of faith. In keeping with this season, we contemplate this mystery with a Modern philosopher, Blaise Pascal. Enjoy.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Philosopher Peter Kreeft wrote that David Hume was, “the most formidable, challenging, and difficult to refute skeptic in the history of human thought. His logic is powerful.” In this episode we taste the fruits of Hume’s empiricism. Have the empiricists helped us to overcome radical skepticism? Are we closer to touching the true, the good, and the…

Is St. Patrick’s Day a celebration of the Irish; Irish history, Irish storytelling, Ireland herself, or is St. Patrick’s Day a celebration of a saint and of the one who molded the saint? We couldn’t decide. So, on this episode we offer you both one of Ireland’s finest sons and her greatest saint. We offer for your listening pleasure The Selfish Gia…

David Hume was the last of the great British Empiricists. He is the empiricist, nay, the philosopher of the Enlightenment, outside of perhaps Kant, who has exhibited the most influence over contemporary philosophers. He was also a party guy. Join us as we drink in some Hume and find out why he was (and is) such a big deal.…

Bishop George Berkeley was one of the three great British Empiricists. His view, Esse Est Percipi (To be is to be perceived), is as infamous as Descartes’ view, Cogito Ego Sum (I think, I am). In this episode we imbibe the thoughts of one of the most peculiar philosophers of all-time. Drink up!Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote that, “the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.” In this episode we celebrate St. Valentine’s Day by contemplating the heart. In particular, we read and reflect upon H.P. Lovecraft’s poem, "A Garden".Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

John Locke was first of the great British Empiricists. Locke, and the empiricists who came after him, rejected the philosophy of the rationalists. In this episode, we uncork the empiricists, and drink in their philosophy. Truth, reality and Locke, on this week’s Red Letter Philosophy.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Why is there something rather than nothing? This is a perennial philosophical question; a question taken up, perhaps most famously, by the Enlightenment rationalist, Leibniz. Leibniz and God, on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Meet G. W. F. Leibniz. Leibniz is known as the last “universal genius”. What does Leibniz have to say about truth and reality? Is he worth imbibing? In this episode, we take up these question. All aboard the Red Letter Express.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

What does it mean to believe? Is belief a virtue? This week we celebrate Christmas by pondering Christmas belief. In particular, we ponder these questions aboard The Polar Express.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

17th century philosopher, Baruch Spinoza, wrote, “nothing exists from whose nature some effect does not follow.” Spinoza, a philosophical child of Descartes’, sought to draw out the logical implications of Descartes’ philosophical revolution. Monism, pantheism, and Spinoza on this week’s episode of Red Letter Philosophy.…

What is ultimately real? According to Descartes, reality is composed of two substances, mind and matter. Why did Descartes think this? More importantly, why should we care? In this week’s episode, we take up these questions.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Is gratitude a virtue? Gratitude is not listed among the four cardinal virtues. Gratitude is not listed among the three theological virtues? Should it be among the virtues? Does the Thanksgiving holiday get overlooked? A series of questions and reflections on the Thanksgiving holiday on this week’s Red Letter Philosophy.…

In this episode, we continue to contemplate Descartes’ response to the challenge of nominalism, doubt, and radical skepticism. In particular, we ponder a piece of wax. Does a piece of wax hold the key to understanding knowledge, reality, and God? Descartes and the meaning of it all, on this week’s Red Letter Philosophy.…

The Red Letter Express resumes its journey. After their encounter with Ockham, our hosts are in search of answers. They are offered Cartesian Delight - the philosophy of Rene Descartes. Does Descartes have the cure for what ails our hosts? Rationalism, Skepticism, and Descartes on this week’s Red Letter Philosophy.…

This Halloween we invite you to sit with the Clive, procurer of libations facilitator of seekers and wanderers. Clive recites and reflects upon the poetic musings of H. P. Lovecraft. He warns us to be wary of what the moon brings. Happy Halloween.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

The Red Letter Express makes its first unexpected stop. Join our hosts as they try to make sense of their predicament. Was the train derailed or is this a minor inconvenience? The insights of Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas run into the challenge of nominalism and William of Ockham.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

In this episode we join our hosts as they reflect upon the practical insight of Plato, and especially Aristotle. The Red Letter Express chugs along peacefully allowing our hosts to contemplate the nature of change and relationships. All aboard!Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

The Red Letter Express presses on. In this episode, we temper last episode’s discussion of Parmenides and Heraclitus with a shot of Plato and Aristotle. What is the one among the many? What is the being in becoming? What is the reality behind a world of appearances? In this episode we imbibe responses from Plato and Aristotle. All aboard!…

Join us as we embark on a journey. Invited by a man with no name to a destination unknown; we travel. In this inaugural episode, we encounter two ancient spirits, namely, Parmenides and Heraclitus. All aboard the Red Letter Express.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Peter Kreeft once said that “it takes boundaries to make anything interesting”. But summer is not only a boundary. What is it that draws us to it? What is it that we seek? Join us as we attempt to unpack its essence, in this final episode of our summer series.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

Enchiladas and French fries? Socks and sandals? Bad taste, and the aesthetics of Summer, on this episode of Red Letter Philosophy.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

This Summer, between seasons, we're talking about why we love Summer. Something in the imagination binds together the things of Summer. Last episode we contemplated the sounds of the Summer. This episode we imbibe the Cinema of the Summer. Join us as we contemplate one of the great movies of Summer, “Jaws”.…

Two Summers ago, we reviewed Bruce Brown’s movie, The Endless Summer. The film captured our desire, and our need, for Summer. Summer is a season, a foreshadow, and for some, a way of life. Its literal meaning is in its metaphor. This week we kick off the Summer season by imbibing the sounds of the Summer. In this episode we contemplate The Beach Bo…

What do President John Adams, Bishop Fulton Sheen and the 4th of July have in common? And why should you care? Pull up a chair and celebrate the birth of the United States with some philosophical fireworks and an unusual brew of philosophers.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

In this episode we close out season four. What conclusions can be drawn, what similarities can be observed, amongst our four philosophers? Join us for one last round with Blaise Pascal, G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

G. K. Chesterton wrote that, “God chooses ordinary men for fatherhood to accomplish His extraordinary plan.” In this Father’s Day episode we contemplate the significance of the ordinary (ordinary men) and the dulness of the extraordinary (extraordinary men).Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

In this episode, we conclude our discussion of Wittgenstein, the Villain. In particular, we discuss the question, “does Wittgenstein illuminate or obscure our understanding of God?”Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

As we come to the end of our series on Wittgenstein, we look at an intelligent challenge to a Wittgensteinian understanding of life and language. Is Wittgenstein a hero or villain? In this episode we look at a charitable and intelligent argument for Wittgenstein, the villain.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy

G. K. Chesterton wrote that, “if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. […] If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change.” In other words, if want to remember something, if you want others to remember something, then you cannot leave it alone. You must remember. In this Memorial Day episode of Red Letter Philosophy, we…

Wittgenstein wrote that, “whereof one cannot be speak, thereof one must be silent". Elsewhere he wrote that, “What can be shown cannot be said." In this episode we examine what some call the later Wittgenstein. Take up and listen as we contemplate the the Wittgenstein, the mystic.Kirjoittanut Red Letter Philosophy