Fighting Anomie: Recent Episodes
Marshall McCready
Fighting Anomie is podcast of informal and approachable conversations about big ideas in the realms of philosophy, religion, politics, psychology, and sociology.
What do the words “Heaven” and “Hell” mean? When people use these words, what things or places are they indicating? Do these terms have any meaningful content?
In this episode, I explore the meanings of these terms. I start with null sets in mathematics, relate null sets to words and thoughts, and then contextualize religious ideas like Heaven, Hell, Life, Death, and The Eternal in light of those relationships. In the process, I cover indexicals, perceptual paradoxes, the existential difference between nothingness and no-thing-ness, and the psychological construction of reality.
Episode Links:
Null sets
Peirce’s Theory of Signs (Modern semiotics)
Indexicality and indexical terms
Mundane Ontic Paradoxes blog post
Fighting Anomie is a podcast and blog about life’s big questions.
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Email me at fightinganomie@gmail.com
Substack blog
YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Marshall’s website
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fightinganomie.com
When you ask people "What is God?" they tend to give you "who" answers. They talk about God's roles, virtues, and strengths. But what actually is God? In this episode, I raise this lofty question and share my perspective.
My approach is primarily inspired by the writings of sociologist Émile Durkheim. I compare the soul to the psyche, present religiosity as cultural discipline, and discuss "God" as a culturally embedded social psychological phenomenon.
Episode links:
Recent anomie podcast
Short fictional story (“I Only Have Nothing to Give”)
The What of God blog post
Perspectivalism wiki
Pragmatism wiki
Tuesdays with Morrie
Why Honor Matters
How (Not) to Speak of God
The Divine Conspiracy
Religious people washing feet
Fighting Anomie is a podcast and blog about life’s big questions.
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!
Substack blog
YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Marshall’s website
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fightinganomie.com
The social self, social emotions, anomie, types of social disruptions, responses to anomie, preventing and fighting anomie.
Seth Abrutyn’s article on anomie
Fighting Anomie is a podcast and blog about life’s big questions.
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!
Substack blog
YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Marshall’s website
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fightinganomie.com
I discuss the two senses of time, lifetime and meantime, and why distinguishing between the two matters.
Blog post on time
For feedback, email fightinganomie@gmail.com.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fightinganomie.substack.com
I discuss humility and certainty and how they relate to psychic health and psychopathology.
Nothingness & Faith: The path of self-awareness
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fightinganomie.substack.com
I discuss the nature of identities, the act of identification, and how these things relate to the social construction of language.
I Identify as Hot, Cool, Smart, Skilled, and Good
The Joy of Overcoming: What Pride Month is Really About
Self-Portrait in Black and White
Glen Loury on Lex Friedman
A Hidden Life (A film about human sacrifice under undemocratic rule)
Animal
Boys vs Women (Website about athletic advantages)
Secret Hitler board game
Awesome lecture on Nietzsche’s perspectivalism
Awesome lecture on William James’ pragmatism
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fightinganomie.substack.com
I explain George Orwell’s concept of doublethink and how you can do it so that you can avoid self-deception and become more free.
My doublethink article
William James’ essay on habits
Megan Phelps-Roper’s memoir
Book on intra-individual gene conflict
Awakening from the Meaning Crisis
The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (Birdman)
Donate to Alyona’s Ukraine fund: @Alyona-McCready on Venmo
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fightinganomie.substack.com
I talk to interdisciplinary sociologist Dr. Kevin McCaffree about whether there is such a thing as “a scientific worldview.” Our conversation touches on human free will, the meaning of meaning, and the nature of truth.
Dr. McCaffree’s Google Scholar
Intriguing book review by Dr. McCaffree
Worldview Foundations Research Team
Putting the Panic Back in Moral Panic Theory
URL to add Fighting Anomie to your favorite podcast app: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/253248.rss
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fightinganomie.substack.com
2018 blog post about media evaluations of mass shooters
Self-Encounter: A Study in Existentialism (1961)
URL to add Fighting Anomie to your podcasting app: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/253248.rss
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fightinganomie.substack.com
Ram and I discus, the popularization of science and its effect, Colin Kaepernick, the philosophy of habit formation, Dr. Phil, and a lot of other stuff.
Links:
Marshall’s website
Guns Akimbo movie
John Oliver’s segment on the Uighurs
Two Psychologists Four Beers podcast
In this episode, Mario, Ram, Micah, and I discuss Lecture III of William James’ series of lectures on pragmatism titled “Some Metaphysical Problems Pragmatically Considered.” We touch on the nature of consciousness, debate the metaphysics of color, try to identify what we mean by “love,” and more.
Links:
Recommended Podcast: “An enlightening, frustrating conversation on liberalism (with Adam Gopnik)”
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/enlightening-frustrating-conversation-on-liberalism/id1081584611?i=1000442918438
Pragmatism and Other Writings - William James
https://www.amazon.com/Pragmatism-Other-Writings-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140437355
In this episode of the Fighting Anomie podcast, I discuss two of the lectures on pragmatism delivered by William James as well as the philosophical tradition of pragmatism with my friends Micah Brouwer and Ram Prasanna. The conversation is part of a new series on William James including his pragmatic philosophy, metaphysics, and general approach towards life. Each episode in the series will entails a group discussion between several myself and several thoughtful friends of mine.
Links:
The Partially Examined Life podcast (Check out their episodes on James and Pragmatism!)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-partially-examined-life-philosophy-podcast/id318345767
Pragmatism and Other Writings - William James
https://www.amazon.com/Pragmatism-Other-Writings-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140437355
The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America - Louis Menand
https://www.amazon.com/Metaphysical-Club-Story-Ideas-America/dp/0374528497
Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error - Kathryn Schultz
https://www.amazon.com/Being-Wrong-Adventures-Margin-Error/dp/0061176052
Sociology of Georg Simmel - Kurt Wolff
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1298490669/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
12 Rules for Life - Jordan Peterson
https://www.amazon.com/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021
The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God - Dallas Willard
https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Conspiracy-Rediscovering-Hidden-Life/dp/0060693339
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion - Jonathan Haidt
https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777
In this episode, I sit down with my friend Ram to discuss the meaning and limits of "rationality," the relationship between rationality and ideological disagreement, and the influence of censorship on thinking.
Links:
Follow HardConvos on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardConvos
Tetlock’s study of expert predictions: https://press.princeton.edu/titles/11152.html
Link to Andrew Sullivan’s column: http://nymag.com/author/andrew-sullivan/
Documentary about “Bronies”: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2446192/
In this episode of Fighting Anomie, I sit down with my good friend Nathan Worden to talk about human agency. Do humans have free will - do we determine our futures? Juxtaposing this hopeful idea next to the impersonal physical laws of the universe and the potential existence of an all-powerful God makes for an anxiety inducing yet thought provoking discussion.
For more information and related content, visit marshallmccready.com