Unsolicited advice
Unsolicited Advice is a podcast that offers philosophical perspectives intended to be helpful in everyday life. The host shares ideas and frameworks that listeners can apply as they see fit. Its approach is practical rather than academic, encouraging people to take what works for them and leave the rest. The show is produced in English for a general audience.
Episodes
Dostoevsky's Radical Philosophy of Love
Dostoevsky is considered a great thinker on many topics. His ideas about God, Theology, Morality, and Social Reform are famous throughout the world. But I want to take a step back from all that and examine what I take to be a cornerstone of his philosophy: his ideas about love. Because all at once his ideas on love are hopeful, optimistic, demanding, and terrifying. And I am excited to look at the
The Terrifying Philosophy of Edgar Allan Poe
Out of all gothic horror, the name "Edgar Allan Poe" towers as one of the most significant writers of the genre. His exploration of every and any dark aspect of the human psyche is phenomenal to behold. And today we will whet our appetite with three of his short stories, to explore this man's tortured genius.Uploaded 15-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/Unsol
So, what is actually in the Book of Mormon? | Heliocentric
I have a soft spot for the weirdest and most wonderful aspects of religious life, and someone who shared my adoring attitude here is @HeliocentricOfficial. I was lucky enough to have Jared stay at my house recently, and I knew I had to have him on the podcast.Uploaded 03-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_sour
Pleasure Will Destroy Society | Brave New World
To learn more than ever from important non-fiction books, join me on Shortform: https://shortform.com/joseph. You’ll get a 5-day free trial and a discounted annual subscription. One of my favourite books on Shortform is Thinking Fast and Slow (NB - this is an affiliate link, so at no extra cost I will get a small percentage of your sign up)Uploaded 19-06-24Brave New World is one of the most fascin
The Most Terrifying Story Ever Written | I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
There are many post-apocalyptic tales. Some are hopeful, some are hopeless, some are funny, and some are tragic. But few are as bleak as Harlan Ellison's I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. A terrifying warning about AI, Existential Terror, Hatred, and More, Ellison's story remains one of the greatest post-apocalyptic tales of all time. And is, perhaps, the most disturbing story ever written.Upload
The Secret Behind Dostoevsky’s Genius
Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 31-08-26Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of my favourite authors, and almost universally recognised as one of the greatest writers of all time. He left behind not only his novels and published works, but a plethora of journals and notes that some very interestin
When is Ignorance Bliss? | Professor Jimmy Licon
Ignorance is one of the most maligned concepts out there. For many of my videos I take it for granted that knowing more is always better. And yet the philosopher Jimmy Licon offers a different perspective. His work highlights where ignorance is beneficial, both ethically and epistemically.Uploaded 16-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_
Why Crushes are So Painful
Crushes are a fascinating aspect of human life. They have a tendency to reduce even the most rational person to a neurotic mess. But what exactly is it that makes a crush so powerful and so painful, and why do we get them? Well, this question is explored in detail in Stendhal's magnificent book On Love. And we will explore this very topic in this video.Uploaded 31-08-24Support me on Patreon here (
Self-improvement has sold us a lie
Self-improvement is a noble aim, but can it go too far? I think it can, but I also think that in our rush to condemn self-improvement and self-optimisation, we often forget that obsession is sometimes a wonderful thing, and we ought not to condemn it wholesale.Uploaded 20-09-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_sou
Is God Evil?
Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 17-07-24The Problem of Evil is one of those questions that has stayed with philosophers and philosophy as a whole for millennia. It can be summed up in a single statement: why would an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God allow evil to exist in
Why Everything Today Is Bulls***
The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice07241Uploaded 01-07-24Why does it seem like BS is around every corner in the modern age? Wherever we go there is usually someone trying to fool us, hoodwink us, or manipulate the truth to serve their own ends. But what exactly is Bulls****, and why should we care about it? Well, today we
Plato’s Guide to Fixing Politics | The Republic
There are few philosophy books as iconic as Plato's Republic. It is simultaneously an examination of what "goodness" is, a metaphysical treatise, and a political manifesto. And today we are going to look at this wonderful ancient text, and ask whether its insights are applicable to our own time. And how, just maybe, we might be able to fix politics.Uploaded 25-05-24Support me on Patreon here: http
Debating Free Will with a Cambridge Philosopher | Dr. Nathan Hawkins
Freewill is a hot-button issue both in philosophy and in popular discourse, so I sat down with Dr. Nathan Hawkins, who has written extensively in defence of Freewill, to have a friendly discussion and debate about it. I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 24-04-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=
The Philosophy Everyone Fears | Live Talk and QnA
We are told that we are in a meaning crisis, but what is it and how do we solve it? This is the question I want to pose (and give some sketch answers to) in this talk. I hope you enjoy. So let's get to the bottom of why everyone is so nihilistic now.Uploaded 03-04-26Addendum 1: I actually don’t think this as much anymore - I’ve read a few of Nietzsche’s letters since this talk that indicate he pla
Analyzing Unhinged Am I The A**hole posts with Philosophy
People from all over the internet flock to ask a very important question: Am I The A**hole? Today we are going to look at some of the most interesting finds from that subreddit, and see where philosophy is eminently applicable.Uploaded 05-05-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creators
The Philosopher the Modern World Needs | Simone Weil
Simone Weil is one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century. Yet she remains tragically underrated and underread. This is a shame, because she is a truly fascinating and original thinker, with a lot specifically to add to our understanding of the modern world.Uploaded 10-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipbo
Why you NEED to read Franz Kafka
There are few authors who speak as clearly to the problems of modernity as Franz Kafka. But in him, we also find reassurance that our problems are not unique, or pathetic, but have been felt and understood by those who came before us. And, above all, are dignified enough to fashion great art out of them. So here let's look at Franz Kafka, and how he is the perfect philosopher for the modern age.Up
Dostoevsky's Warning to the Self-Destructive
Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of the most brilliant and eclectic writers in history. And here we will examine one of his most personal books - The Gambler. It is a masterclass in how to ruin your own life through self-destructive acts, and we will look at it in detail today. Get ready to learn how noble intentions can set us on the path to misery, and how we keep ourselves there. Let's dive into Dostoe
The 7 Levels of Logical Thinking
Try Brilliant's tutor for free: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 29-06-26Logic and Logical thinking is one of my favourite topics, and also one of the most interesting and important fields of study out there. But it is quite difficult to give a broad view of what the field is or what it is all about. So today we are going to
No, not all relationships are transactional
Learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscriptionUploaded 14-05-26I am often told that "all relationships are transactional". I think this is not only a lie, but a pernicious lie, and here is exactly how I respond to it. Moreover, the popularity of this phrase points to a wider set of cynical attitudes
The Thought Experiment Tier List
I love a philosophical thought experiment, and I love a tier list. So today we are going to rank some of the most famous thought experiments in history. Thank you so much to the friend who was kind enough to send me his list to react to.Uploaded 17-08-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaig
Why Kafka Hated People
Franz Kafka is one of the most brilliant yet anxious writers of the 20th century. And in his "Letter to my father" he outlines exactly where his fear of other people comes from. Here he outlines both his troubling relationship with his father Hermann, and gives a masterclass on the origins of his social anxiety, and social anxiety in general. So here is why Kafka hated people.Uploaded 09-07-24Supp
Torturing Myself with Insane One Star Reviews of Classic Books
Like anyone, I have favourite books, and many of them are classics. And I sometimes like to go on Goodreads and read one star reviews of them, to torment myself a little. Today, I will share this with you.Uploaded 01-03-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_conte
Why You're So Lonely | Camus' The Stranger
There are few experiences as terrifying as feeling totally alone. Being lonely and feeling alienated from everyone else around you. And nowhere is this explored better than in Albert Camus' landmark novel, The Stranger. So get ready to dive into this wonderful novel, and maybe answer the question of why we are so lonely.Uploaded 12-06-24Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patre
How to Lie With Statistics (and get away with it)
Aren't statistics wonderful things. If used correctly they can provide profound illumination on how the world is. But let's say you didn't want to do that. How would you use every trick in the book to manipulate, fool, and lie to people with statistics to believe whatever you want them to. Well, that is just what we are going to look at today.Uploaded 04-06-24Support me on Patreon here: https://pa
Reacting to your HOTTEST book takes
Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 10-06-26I love a hot takes video. We have done a few about philosophy, but I am interested to see your hottest takes on literature, and books more generally. There are some really spicy ones here, and I'm looking forward to reading them.Support me on Pat
The Internet is All Ragebait Now. Here's Why
It has become almost cliche to observe that the internet often seems to bring out the worst in us. Yet the question of why remains elusive. So today we are going to check out a number of philosophers who, in my view, can help us understand our current internet predicament, and hopefully try to solve it.Uploaded 22-06-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/Unsolicited
How Nihilism Destroys You | Tolstoy's Confession
An Existential Crisis is a uniquely painful experience. It robs all the joy out of life and leaves us a heaping mess on the floor. But luckily, we can turn to some of the greatest minds in history to guide us through. And foremost among these is Tolstoy's Confession, where he outlines how he fell into existential despair, and how he eventually started to dig himself out of it.Uploaded 14-07-24Supp
How to Live a Meaningless Life | Albert Camus and Absurdism
Few thinkers are talked about as much online as Albert Camus, and few works are discussed as much as The Myth of Sisyphus. But for all that, I haven't seen a video that does a long, chapter-by-chapter guide to the text. So I thought I would fill the gap, and ask - how can Sisyphus actually be happy?Uploaded 28-04-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvi
9 novels that are better than any self-help book
Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 22-05-26I have often said that I think reading good fiction and novels can improve your life, as much if not more than books written with that purpose in mind. So here is a list of phenomenal works of fiction to get you started, each of which I am confid
The War On The Humanities
It is no secret that the humanities are under threat. This is for many reasons, but among them is the idea that the humanities are "useless". But at the same time, I am a bit dissatisfied with many of the ways we currently defend these fields. So today we re going to look at the war on the humanities, using Eric Adler's book "The Battle Of The Classics".Uploaded 22-07-26Support me on Patreon here
Dostoevsky vs. Nietzsche | Philosophy Fight
DISCLAIMER: This is an old video and my understanding of Nietzsche has moved on considerably since I put this out. I am deeply unhappy with my treatment of ressentiment and of Nietzsche’s account of psychology here.Uploaded 09-06-24When it comes to 19th century philosophy, and especially 19th century existentialism, two names are never far from the conversation. Dostoevsky and Nietzsche are two un
We need to talk about Wuthering Heights
Learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 08-03-26Wuthering Heights has been getting a lot of publicity recently, largely because of the new film, but also just because it is brilliant! And today I wanted to share some of my own observations about what I think is one of the greatest nov
How a Society Collapses
The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare https://skl.sh/unsolicitedadvice08241Uploaded 01-08-24Among the work of Albert Camus, there is one work that stands out as the bleakest story he has ever written. The Plague documents a pestilence that devours the town of Oran in French Algeria. It is a disturbing tale that explores the depths of human despair, as well
Debating Philip Goff on Consciousness, God, and Drugs
I am a naturalist, and Philip is a panpsychist, and as a result we disagree an awful lot on questions to do with consciousness and God. So we met up to chat about both of these topics, as well as the subject of religious experiences, and see what common ground we share. This was a very fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy!Uploaded 10-05-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://p
Answering your personal and philosophical questions | 900k QnA
Thank you so much for 900 thousand subscribers! I am so grateful and I look forward to answering your questions!Uploaded 29-05-26Support me on Patreon here (you lovely person): https://patreon.com/UnsolicitedAdvice701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkSubscribe to my Substack here for more of my writings: https://josephfolley.subst
One star reviews of classic books that actually understood them perfectly
Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code UNSOLICITEDADVICEUploaded 14-07-26You know the drill! Here are some one-star reviews of classic books. But this time I wanted to do something a little bit different. Rather than simply look to them for entertainment, I wanted to pick those reviews that, even though they were unif
Taking Philosophy Memes Seriously
Ancient Greece had the philosophical dialogue, ancient Rome had the hexameter poem, the enlightenment had the essay, and the Romantics had the philosophical novel. But today, we will look at the modern choice for communicating philosophical ideas: memes. And rather than simply laugh or mock them, we are going to take them seriously to see what we can learn from them.Uploaded 05-08-24Support me on
The Hidden Problem with Religious Arguments
Head to https://squarespace.com/unsolicitedadvice to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code unsolicitedadviceUploaded 23-08-24Debates about God are almost always pitched as between atheists and theists. But we do not give very much thought to the middle position. What about the skeptic's position on the issue? What are the strong arguments in favour of agnosticism?Suppo
I don't like the way we talk about books now
Learn for free on Brilliant for a full 30 days: https://brilliant.org/Unsolicitedadvice/ . You’ll also get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.Uploaded 10-04-26The way we talk about books online has been bothering me for a while, and I wanted to talk a bit about it. We'll be talking a bit about ragebait, a bit about snobbery, and a bit about literacy, and we'll try to paint a slightly different
Why Nietzsche HATED Religion
This is an old video on Nietzsche and does not really reflect my current views on him. Sorry about that.Uploaded 20-07-24There has been increasing discourse online about the concept of a "Christian Revival" or otherwise a general religious revival. And I find this very interesting because almost exactly the same debate took place over the course of the 19th century. And chief among the critics of
The Christian Case Against Cultural Christianity | Matt Whiteley
An argument that has become increasingly popular in apologetic or cultural apologetic circles is arguing for the cultural influence of Christianity through the "Tom Holland Argument". I talked to a prominent Christian critic of that argument to see why he thinks Christians should not take this route.Uploaded 26-08-26Also check out Matt’s Substack here! It is really good!: https://substack.com/@thi
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