Best Untimely Reflections Podcasts (2025)

1
Untimely Reflections #34: Gnostic Informant 1:50:48

23d ago1:50:48

1:50:48

Gnostic Informant on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ We discussed the following topics: why the Torah is probably younger than commonly believed; the influence of Hellenism on Judaism as well as the New Testament; the Carpocratians (syncretists of Greek philosophy & Christian religion); the link between Platonism & Christianity; Nietzsche's argum…

1
The Gay Science #14 (III.148-III.175) 2:05:29

2d ago2:05:29

2:05:29

Renaissance & Reformation, the critique of saintly virtue, the color we have thrown onto life and how it differs from that of the ancient world, and Nietzsche's attempt to "untangle the knot" of his moralization of the world by returning to the style of the moral maxim. Rapid fire epigrams finish out book III, we cover a large swatch of them in thi…

1
The Gay Science #13 (III.132 - III.147) 1:47:27

9d ago1:47:27

1:47:27

Discussion of the origins of Christianity as the apotheosis of sin, the Christian attack on the passions versus the Greek deification of the passions, as well as scattered remarks about German pessimism, and diet as the cause of one's metaphysics.

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The Gay Science #12 (III.125-III.131) 1:53:58

16d ago1:53:58

1:53:58

Extended discussion of The Madman passage (#125), including analysis of the metaphysical and moral implications, the surrounding context, and other interpreters - Girard, Freud, Jung, Heidegger, and Deleuze; then, discussion of half a dozen more aphorisms that follow.

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The Gay Science #11 (III.114-III.124) 1:47:24

1M ago1:47:24

1:47:24

The text proceeds from epistemology to morality. Nietzsche suggests that value judgments are at the foundation of perception. Exploration of herd instinct & herd conscience. Suggestion that the moral skepticism of Christianity was turned against Christianity. Preparation for the Madman passage.

1
The Gay Science #10 (III.108-III.113) 1:31:05

1M ago1:31:05

1:31:05

Continuing with The Gay Science readthrough, and begin with book III. This book begins with the first passage to contain the saying, "God is dead", and Nietzsche then uses the metaphor of "the shadow of God" to refer to the falsification of our understanding of reality as a result of thousands of years of metaphysical error. These errors may in fac…

1
Reaction to Jordan Peterson on Lex Fridman 1:10:14

1M ago1:10:14

1:10:14

This is a special episode before we get into The Gay Science walkthrough analysis, and it is something of an experiment. I know the video is not perfect, I would have formatted it a bit differently, plus the my audio is quieter than I wanted it to be. But, I may do more videos like this in the future and plan to up my game. In any case, I think the…

1
112: Leo Tolstoy - "What is Art?" 1:33:44

2M ago1:33:44

1:33:44

I released a song today! Go check it out on Invisible Oranges: https://www.invisibleoranges.com/slumbering-sun-together-forever/ The new single is also live anywhere that you stream music, including spotify, apple, etc. You can also visit our bandcamp to pre-order the album or purchase the single now: https://slumberingsun.bandcamp.com/album/starmo…

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111: Protagoras, The Sophists & The Art of Rhetoric 1:14:11

2M ago1:14:11

1:14:11

In this episode, we consider some of the philosophically insightful sections of Nietzsche's lectures on rhetoric & the Sophists. In particular, we examine the figure of Protagoras, of whom we have little information, but who is credited with establishing the Sophists as a philosophical school focused on rhetoric. The latter half of the episode conc…

1
Nietzsche's Five Nos 26:27

2M ago26:27

26:27

Short form episode; audio version of a Youtube release. Additional content coming on Thursday! Creating a listicle of Nietzsche's ideas is always problematic, but thankfully Nietzsche occasionally provides us with one. In his notes, collected in Will to Power, Nietzsche records his "Five Nos": five ideas that he roundly rejects, and positions his p…

1
Untimely Reflections #33: Craig (Acid Horizon) - Deleuze's Anti-Oedipus & Lynch's Eraserhead 1:32:41

2M ago1:32:41

1:32:41

A rhizomatic discussion. Craig tells us his history with philosophy, and his journey through the work of Jung, Hillman, Deleuze and others. We then discuss Anti-Oedipus and some of the core concepts, such as the Deleuzian reinterpretation of desire and the unconscious, and the body without organs. Then, as a tribute to the late, great David Lynch, …

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110: Nietzsche Contra Peterson - Yes, We Can Create Values 1:16:32

3M ago1:16:32

1:16:32

This episode is a polemic. While I have addressed Jordan Peterson's misunderstandings of the "God is dead" aphorism, or his bungling of Nietzsche's view of truth, here we address one of his most often repeated distortions of Nietzsche's philosophy. According to Jordan, Nietzsche said we can create our own values, but, in fact, this is impossible. I…

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109: Carl Jung - Psychology & Alchemy, part 2 1:44:07

3M ago1:44:07

1:44:07

Today we continue with Psychology & Alchemy. This week, we'll spend the beginning of the episode considering the parallel between the lapis philosophorum and Christ, and the unusual claim of the alchemists that man can redeem God. The rest of the episode concerns Carl Jung's extended dream analysis of a single patient, which he found to be laden wi…

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108: Carl Jung - Psychology & Alchemy, part 1 1:42:29

3M ago1:42:29

1:42:29

The alchemists claimed that they explained "the obscure by the more obscure, the unknown by the more unknown", and accordingly, the secrets of the alchemical work have remained largely a mystery to the public consciousness. While most think of alchemy as charlatanism, the promise to "turn lead into gold", this is far from the truth, and fails to gr…

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Untimely Reflections #32: Dr. Gregory Sadler - On Stoicism & Philosophy as a Guide to Life 1:34:44

3M ago1:34:44

1:34:44

Very pleased to finally be joined by Gregory Sadler on the podcast! Greg is one of the more popular teachers of philosophy in the modern age, and given his recent courses on Stoicism, we decided to make that the focus. I hope you all enjoy our conversation: about philosophy as a guide to life, Stoicism versus Epicureanism, distortions of Stoicism a…

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107: Søren Kierkegaard - Fear & Trembling 1:23:29

4M ago1:23:29

1:23:29

Among the 19th century forerunners of existentialism are Friedrich Nietzsche and Søren Kierkegaard. While there is much that divides these two thinkers - one is atheist and the other a Christian, one seeks faith in Fate and the other in God - there are some curious similarities between these two great minds. Kierkegaard is a Christian against Chris…

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106: Emil Cioran - On the Heights of Despair 1:23:37

4M ago1:23:37

1:23:37

Cioran is notorious as the depressive philosopher par excellence. While figures such as Schopenhauer, Ligotti and Benatar have advanced logical arguments for their pessimistic outlook, Cioran's work is completely missing any such justification for his depressive feeling for life. Instead, his work is a lyrical outpouring of his inner life. In this …

1
Love Never Faileth (Redux) 1:01:22

4M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

This is a revision and re-recording of Episode 04 of the podcast, "Love Never Faileth". I felt that it wasn't my best work in terms of execution, but one of the best episode concepts. As a New Year's special, enjoy this redux of a classic episode. Some parts have been added, some have been removed, and overall I think the lecture flows better and b…

1
Anti-Christmas Special 51:31

4M ago51:31

51:31

Is this an anti-Christian screed? Far from it. Today we take a deep dive into one of Nietzsche's core concepts from the Antichrist: the reversal of our understanding of the terms "soul" and "spirit". While many Christians do not even give much thought to the difference between these terms, this was, historically, a key distinction. Nietzsche's grea…

1
The Gay Science #9 (II.98-II.107) 1:21:36

5M ago1:21:36

1:21:36

Finishing book 2 of TGS! This coming Tuesday, a Wandering Above a Sea of Fog episode, then a break for a week. Episode art: Priestess at Delphi by John Collier

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The Gay Science #8 (II.84 - II.97) 1:43:36

6M ago1:43:36

1:43:36

Continuing with The Gay Science readthrough! More sections on art, the eternal war between prose and poetry, the Apollinian and Dionysian, and more. Episode art: The Human Condition by Rene Magritte.

1
Q&A #11 2:25:08

6M ago2:25:08

2:25:08

Patrons: "Have you ever said Yes to a single joy?" Salts: "Yes"

1
The Gay Science #7 (II.76-II.83) 1:45:38

6M ago1:45:38

1:45:38

"Many lies tell the poets" - Homer. Nietzschean exploration of art, of truth and appearance in the artistic world, the way that madness, art and ritual relate, and the translation of artistic expression into different cultural contexts. Join me for this continuation of our The Gay Science readthrough!…

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All Hallow's Special - Robert Chambers' Repairer of Reputations, featuring Mynaa 1:53:15

6M ago1:53:15

1:53:15

In this episode, Mynaa and I discuss The Repairer of Reputations, the first story in Robert Chambers' collection, The King in Yellow. Concepts in Chambers work contributed to the creation of the 'weird fiction' genre, and remain influential on media today - including the King in Yellow, the notion of a book that can drive you mad, and names such as…

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105: Arthur Machen - The Great God Pan 1:38:48

6M ago1:38:48

1:38:48

Samhain is fast approaching, and this week we're going to have two spooky episodes of the podcast. This episode will be a philosophical exploration of the significance of Arthur Machen's weird fiction/horror novella, "The Great God Pan". While I'd originally planned this for the second leg of the season, we're interrupting The Gay Science readthrou…

1
The Gay Science #6 (II.57-75) 1:47:11

6M ago1:47:11

1:47:11

Welcome back to The Gay Science! In this episode we commence with book II, which begins with an exploration of perspectivism and the pitfalls of scientific realism, and quickly moves into ruminations on women and relationships. It's no one's favorite part of Nietzsche, but in this talk we'll clean all of the philosophical meat off of the bone, beca…

1
104: Donna Tartt - The Secret History 2:05:18

7M ago2:05:18

2:05:18

Donna Tartt's novel The Secret History is a loveletter to Greek tragedy, that begins with a dedication from Nietzsche and Plato. Central to the story is the concept of the Dionysian, and the attempt of the main characters to experience the Dionysian. Richard Papen's fatal flaw is his "morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs". His undying qu…

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103: Euripedes - The Bacchae 1:58:19

7M ago1:58:19

1:58:19

The Bacchae is a parennially popular Greek tragedy that portrays the coming of Dionysus to Greece. The Dionysian strikes Hellas like a wave of madness, and the play is full of miracles, illusions and other violations of the natural order. Often interpreted as a play about the conflict between religious experience and established dogma, or between t…

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102: Michel Foucault - Madness & Civilization 1:29:47

7M ago1:29:47

1:29:47

Michel Foucault is one of the most influential philosophical thinkers of the 20th century. He remains a controversial figure, but undoubtedly he had a profound impact on the way we think about mental health and mental illness up to the present day. In this episode, we take a deep dive into his work, Madness & Civilization: A History of Insanity in …

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101: Aeschylus - The Oresteia 1:51:55

8M ago1:51:55

1:51:55

Aeschylus' Oresteia is the only extant trilogy of Greek drama. Alongside the Parthenon, the Oresteia is considered one of the two greatest 'monuments' to the Golden Age of Athens. In this trilogy - The Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides - Aeschylus dramatizes a rite of passage from savagery to civilization. Over the course of the na…

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100: Peter Sloterdijk - Nietzsche Apostle 1:29:43

8M ago1:29:43

1:29:43

Welcome to the ONE HUNDREDTH EPISODE of The Nietzsche Podcast. Today we're examining the speech of Peter Sloterdijk, given on the centennial of Nietzsche's death, and transcribed into the essay entitled, "Nietzsche Apostle". Sloterdijk puts forward the theory that languages are fundamentally an instrument of 'group narcissism' by which the group re…

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99: Carl Jung - The Undiscovered Self 1:45:58

8M ago1:45:58

1:45:58

In 1956, Jung wrote the essay entitled, "Past and Future" in German, but we know it in English as "The Undiscovered Self". Having witnessed the horror of the world wars, and the ongoing apocalyptic danger of the Cold War, Jung attempted to explain why it was that societies sometimes went mad. This is how Europe experienced the outbreak of The Great…

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98: Yukio Mishima - Sun & Steel 1:24:18

8M ago1:24:18

1:24:18

Yukio Mishima (born Kimitake Hiraoka, 1925-1970) wrote dozens of stories, including famous works such as Confessions of a Mask, and Patriotism. He was considered for a Nobel Prize in literature about half a dozen times, through he never won it. His works were adapted into films, which received international acclaim. He wrote modern No plays which w…

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97: Sophocles - Oedipus Rex & Oedipus at Colonus 1:34:20

8M ago1:34:20

1:34:20

Welcome to season five of The Nietzsche Podcast! First of all, a warm thank you to all of my listeners and patrons who have helped to make this show such a phenomenal success. For our first episode in this new collection of episodes, we're diving headfirst into the Oedipus plays of Sophocles: Oedipus Rex & Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles triumphed wi…

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The Gay Science #5 (I.45 - I.56) 1:52:01

9M ago1:52:01

1:52:01

Concluding with our readthrough of book I of The Gay Science! We'll return with book II in a short while. In the meantime, we're going back to regular episodes of the podcast in the immediate future, covering a variety of topics. Cheers!

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The Gay Science #4 (I.30 -I.44) 1:45:24

9M ago1:45:24

1:45:24

Join me for the next installment of our readthrough of The Gay Science. Here, we cover a number of aphorisms concerning: fame and its effect on friendship; the dying words of Roman emperors; the hidden significance of all historical events; the desacrelizing effects of market forces upon society; and the value in knowing the supposed motives of hum…

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The Gay Science #3 (I.21 - I.29) 1:40:11

9M ago1:40:11

1:40:11

In this episode, we discuss the way in which selfishness is the root of all selfless morality, how corruption produces greatness, why the ascetic is driven by ambition, and the age old question, "What is Life?"

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The Gay Science #2 (I.10 - I.20) 1:47:59

10M ago1:47:59

1:47:59

Join me this week, for a discussion of significant aphorisms from The Gay Science, including Consciousness, Evil, and The Feeling of Power.

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20240715 Patriots and Tiki Torches with David Cranmer Underdown 43:26

10M ago43:26

43:26

Send us a text John welcomes regular contributor David Cranmer Underdown for a deep dive into the so-called "patriot" marches -- from Charlottesville to Patriot Front -- and follow connections that hint at the groups' intentions and purpose.By John OLoughlin

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The Gay Science #1 (Preface, I.1 - I.9) 1:58:42

10M ago1:58:42

1:58:42

We begin our walkthrough + analysis of The Gay Science today, starting with some brief remarks on the background context of the work, a loose examination of the preface, and an intense exegesis of the first nine aphorisms. Excited to dive into this one with all of you1

1
Q&A #10 2:12:49

10M ago2:12:49

2:12:49

Answering questions from Patrons for our tenth Q&A episode! Thank you everyone, first episode analyzing The Gay Science next week.

1
Wandering Above A Sea of Fog #3 1:07:01

11M ago1:07:01

1:07:01

Updates on my life, the new direction for the podcast, revealing the next book that we’re analyzing, and general thoughts on the spirit of the show, what binds the community together, and self celebration about the release of my book.

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Monkey Viruses, SV 40, and the Oral Polio Vaccine 47:34

11M ago47:34

47:34

Send us a text John OLoughlin welcomes guests Nick Petosky and Adam Finegan for an insightful discussion of the SV40 monkey virus that contaminated the Sabin oral polio vaccine (as well as the Salk vaccine) and has been linked to an increase in cancer today.By John OLoughlin

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96: Nietzsche as Educator 1:06:54

11M ago1:06:54

1:06:54

A summary of Nietzsche's teachings, examined by considering the parallel of Schopenhauer's influence on Nietzsche with how the modern person could adopt Nietzsche as a similar type of influence. I attempt to distill the central message of Nietzsche's philosophy, and explain how this interpretative framework helps elucidate new angles to many of his…

1
95: The Journey to Hades 1:59:54

11M ago1:59:54

1:59:54

In the aphorism, "Journey to Hades" in Human All Too Human Vol 2, Nietzsche lists eight thinkers who helped to shape his thought. Each of these eight is paired with another thinker, a choice which is intentional and intended to reveal something about each pair. These eight are: Epicurus and Montaigne; Goethe and Spinoza; Plato and Rousseau; Pascal …

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94: Nietzsche Reviews His Own Books 1:19:05

11M ago1:19:05

1:19:05

The second part of a two-parter we began near the beginning of this season. The completion of our analysis of Ecce Homo. In this episode, we consider Nietzsche's reviews of his own books, and argue that it presents a creative narrative of Nietzsche's life: Nietzsche as a tragic figure. Nietzsche mythologizes himself and the circumstances of his gre…

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93: The Idle Hours of a Psychologist 1:26:10

12M ago1:26:10

1:26:10

The Twilight of Idols is described by Nietzsche as a work of leisure: a leap sideways, a bit of sunshine, a form of play rather than work. The laboriousness of 'notebook psychology', in which one strains and squints and spies on reality, could not be further from this natural discernment based on what one is given. In this episode, we explore exact…

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92: The Four Great Errors 1:22:08

12M ago1:22:08

1:22:08

A deep dive into one of the most important passages in Twilight of Idols. We’ll explore Nietzsche’s critique of our erroneous habits of thought: mistaking the effect for the cause, false causality, creating imaginary causes, creating a doer of the deed, and free will. We explore Nietzsche’s explanation for how these errors take hold of our thought,…

1
Q&A #9 1:41:26

12M ago1:41:26

1:41:26

The ninth time that I’ve done this.

1
Untimely Reflections #31: Quinn Williams - On Deleuze, and Methods of Interpretation 1:33:30

12M ago1:33:30

1:33:30

My friend Quinn and I discuss whether Deleuze is an accurate interpreter of Nietzsche. What are the faults of Deleuze's interpretation, and what are its merits? We discuss the eternal return, the anti-Hegelian attitude of Deleuze, ressentiment and bad conscience, and the Deleuzian understanding of will to power. More broadly, we discuss what it is …

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