Review by James (PPE)

The Philosophize This! podcast offers an exciting and accessible route into philosophy. Stephen West, the podcast host, guides the listener through the works of some of the most important philosophical thinkers in a way that is easy to understand, even for somebody with no prior experience with the subject. Starting with the Ancient Greek philosophers, including such famous names as Plato and Aristotle, West explains the major works of each philosopher chronologically, helping the listener build a more contextualised understanding of these ideas. Each thinker’s works are condensed into 30 minute episodes (or a series of 2 or 3 for more important concepts), making the podcast extremely easy to listen to. Each episode of the series, now over 150 long, does not heavily rely on any knowledge from previous episodes, so is also useful for exploring any topics that one may have a prior interest in. I first found the podcast when trying to explore the ideas of Albert Camus, one of the first philosophers I was introduced to. The set of episodes on existentialism, specifically Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre, was perfect for me as a newcomer to philosophy. West uses real-world examples and a simple manner of speech to convey the details of Camus’ thought, laying a foundation of knowledge and interest which encouraged me to explore the philosopher’s primary works. The podcast format encourages active thought into the ideas at play. West makes great use of this and considers opposing arguments and interpretations during the episode, helping the listener to build a deeper understanding of the ideas. This podcast is an indispensable resource for exploring interests in philosophy, no matter what level of knowledge you start from.

Discover the Philosophize This! podcast at philosophizethis.org

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Published: 3 March 2022

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