The Philosophy of Absurdism

The Philosophy of Absurdism

What is the meaning of life? One of the most famous Europeans to tackle this question was Albert Camus, a French writer and thinker who is often accredited with being the founder of Absurdism. In his book The Myth of Sisyphus he outlines how he sees the human condition. As inquisitive and curious creatures, we want meaning. The universe is indifferent to us and will never give us meaning. This tension = the absurd.In today's episode, we contemplate if we agree with diagnosis of Camus (and the wider field of Existentialism). We question if our lives truly are meaningless. And if they are, where do we go from there?In segment one, we ask if happiness is possible if we accept that life has no meaning, before tackling the Absurd more explicitly in segment two. In the moral dilemma, we question how we would feel about a machine that could calculate our most compatible path in life. Would we accept the diagnosis, or reject it, knowing that you might experience lower levels of satisfaction and happiness.Enjoy ❤️---------------------Credits: Thumbnail art by Tomi Olopade (@eddieapollo on instagram)

The Morality of Media

Media has always been a fundamental part of modern society. Before social media and smartphones, news shows dominated televisions around the world. Before TV, radio and newspapers were widely distributed and consumed. Ultimately, distributing information is always a good thing for the people. But the distribution of media has never been neutral, often used as a tool to control and manipulate the cultural conversation.In today's episode, we consider two forms of media, their owners, characteristics and history. Legacy Media (large newspapers and established media companies) and Social Media (eg. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter). We weigh up their respective harms and benefits and assess if they have been a net positive for society. Enjoy ❤️

The Morality of Fame ft Gary Lineker

You might not be as recognisable as our guest this week, but you do have people in your life who look up to you- a younger sibling, a friend or a loved one. When you voice your opinion, they are listening carefully and your words have a real impact. And with that power, comes responsibility. This week we consider the impact of your opinions, what being perceived by others does to you psychologically and the moral responsibility of having a lot of eyes on your every move. And there is no person better to join us for this conversation than the man himself Gary Lineker. In this conversation, Gary reflects on his career with the BBC and being outspoken about Gaza, while also exploring philosophical dilemmas and ethical judgements. In segment one, we consider why an opinion is valuable. While Tef takes a deontological approach, Beno and Gary lean towards a utilitarian view- assessing the value of an opinion with its real life impact in the world. In segment two, we discuss the added moral obligations of a large platform. Tef admits that he judges public people when they don’t speak out on political issues, whereas Gary and Beno are more understanding of the difficulties of taking a stance. Here, Tef and Beno pose a famous philosophical dilemma to Gary- The Trolley Problem. Enjoy ❤️ Join us on: * Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bit.ly/tt-sub] * ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠ [https://tiktok.com/@thinktwiceworld] * Instagram⁠ [https://instagram.com/thinktwiceshow] * Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/ThinkTwiceShow] (exclusive content, early access) Credits: Thumbnail art by Tomi Olopade (@eddieapollo on instagram)

The Politics of Revolution ft Fiona Lali

If we have an ineffective political system, is voting ever going to set you free? Class tensions, economic instability and a distrust of politics are at an all time high. Perhaps the scene is set for a revolution. ‘It easier to imagine the end of the world, than the end of capitalism’ Slavoj Žižek A fundamental transformation of our society may seem highly unlikely, maybe even a chaotic, undesirable outcome. But today’s guest would argue that is this capitalist propaganda. Today we have Fiona Lali, the brilliant leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party join us to talk about revolution. We initially ask if electoral politics can ever deliver the kind of economic liberation that people so deeply crave. Will casting votes materially improve the lives of the working class? Our conversation analyses who really holds true power and whether true liberation is even possible at all. And if the answer is no, how should we engage with electoral politics with that knowledge? In the face of an undemocratic and ineffective political system, what should we do? In segment two we ask ourselves whether revolution is TRULY desirable. We discuss historical examples, including the Russian, French and Haitian revolutions and analyse the modern day situation through a Marxist perspective. In the moral dilemma, we tackle a common problem that voters across the UK face- strategic voting. Enjoy ❤️ Credits: Thumbnail art by Tomi Olopade (@eddieapollo on instagram) Topics: Karl Marx, Revolution, Socialism, politics, general election, local elections 2026, Reform UK, Labour Party, Revolutionary Communist Party

The Philosophy of Consciousness ft Bel Cobain

We usually assume consciousness is something our brains produce- something happening inside us as we move through the world. But what if that is wrong? What if, the universe itself was conscious and we unknowingly 'tap in' to its frequencies and wavelengths which shape our lived experiences? Or perhaps consciousness is a fundamental property of matter, living in subatomic particles that combine in a particular way to provide our human experience? That would have profound ramifications for the way we live our lives. And could transform the way we see loneliness, a growing epidemic in the global north. Joining us to discuss this vast topic is Bel Cobain, the intelligent and enigmatic musician hailing from East London. We explore spirituality, materialism, Thomas Nagel's test for consciousness and how our physical environments impact who we are.