#1012 - Alex O’Connor & Joe Folley - Is Being Smart Worth the Depression?

In a panel discussion, Chris, Alex O’Connor, and Joe Folley delve into the practical applicability of philosophy, contrasting ancient Greek approaches with modern interpretations that are often compartmentalized into fields like epistemology and ethics. They explore whether modern philosophy has lost its way by becoming too abstract, and discuss the importance of metaphysics in grounding ethical commitments, using Stoicism and Epicureanism as examples. The conversation further explores neglected schools of philosophy, particularly Aristotelian metaphysics and the pre-Socratics, and touches on the darker aspects of philosophy, including nihilism and antinatalism, before concluding with a discussion on the philosophy of mind, panpsychism, emotivism, and the ethical responsibilities of philosophers as influencers.