I have taken a pause from our regular programming to respond to the flood of people asking me to talk about coronavirus. In the beginning of this episode I briefly address anxiety and coping strategies. But because I believe these are addressed widely elsewhere, I then move on to what I can truly lend to you: perspective. This podcast focuses on the ways in which the Western world’s technologies and spiritualities have blinded us to some of the realities of what it means to be human. Tune in...

Alex Farrow is both a philosophy teacher AND a really extraordinary stand up comedian (I’ve seen his show live!) so this is a heck of a podcast. Alex and I chat about what he learned teaching philosophy to high schoolers in London, what makes something funny, the precise science of crafting a joke, and the shifting landscape of  political correctness in comedy today. Check out the night he runs in Oxford @ http://www.jerichocomedy.com/ Find him on Twitter @...

A listener wrote in and asked me: Stefani, if you were Emperor of the World for a day, what would you do? I sat down and put some thought into the question, and came up with a list of four things involving education, safety, freedom, and meaning. Take a dive into the fun question with me, and hope over to Insta or Facebook to chime in in the discussion. --- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen...

This week I have the enormous pleasure to chat with freelance philosopher Steve Patterson, who studied philosophy and became an expert in logic entirely outside of the academy. Steve and I chat about his adventurous career, as well as the state of logic in our world today. Steve chats with me about what the philosophy of logic can teach us about quantum mechanics, about economic systems, and about our abilities to know and love one another. Steve is the host of Patteron in Pursuit, a top...

In last week’s question, a listener claimed that we were polar opposites. I think this was on the basis of what he perceived my views to be about some things. I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about something really important to me: not identifying WHO you are with WHAT you believe. Instead, focus on HOW you believe. When you do this, you break out of the philosophical box and open yourself up to more growth, learning, and connection than anyone following the traditional model....

Today I chat with one of the pioneers of philosophy podcasting, John Perry. But Professor Perry is such a pro that he’s not actually a podcaster: he hosted the philosophy radio show Philosophy Talk for decades. We chit chat about the state of philosophy today. Tune in for an entertaining dip into how philosophers today are wrestling with what it means to be true, and John’s thoughts on free will, logic, and the value of...

A listener writes in and asks me to unpack intersectionality (which is basically the idea that categories of marginalisation on the basis of group identity such as gender, race, and ability can intersect to create unique sociopolitical situations). I start at the bottom, telling you all about the origins of the term and its legal implications. Then I explore what it means now, which involves explaining how people in different groups (generally, progressives and conservatives) relate to the...

What’s up with yoga as a spiritual practice? Is it legit, or just wishy washy new age woo woo? In this podcast I chat with long-time yoga advocate David Garrigues. We get to the heart of what yoga can do for you, as well as talk about how issues of appropriation, consumerism, and trendiness affect (or don’t) this centuries old sacred practice. Links: Books, retreats, articles: http://davidgarrigues.com Youtube: http://davidgarrigues.com/youtube   Podcast: http://davidgarrigues.com/podcast...

A listener writes in and asks, how do I know if I’m objective? I say right off the bat: you aren’t. Period. No such thing truly exists. BUT, this doesn’t mean you should take offense (because we’re all just human), or lose hope. Truth exists - we are simply all on a journey toward it. In this podcast, I explain why we all think we’re right but probably aren’t, then provide my 4 ways of trying to seek truth and be as objective as possible. ------ To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book,...

Finally, a Naked Humanity episode devoted to feminism! I chat with scholar-activist Professor Hannah McGregor, and we get to the heart of feminism and why it matters in today’s world. We talk about misconceptions of feminism, how feminism can be useful for your daily life, and how feminism helped Hannah figure out why she was getting impolite with airport security. -------- Links: http://hannahmcgregor.com (http://hannahmcgregor.com) http://secretfeministagenda.com...

Alright, four steps might be a *hair* of an oversimplification, but not by too much. In this episode, a listener writes in and tells me she feels listless, uninterested in life, meaningless, and alienated from the people around her. What gives? Is there anything she can do to fix this existential malaise? Drawing on my experiences working with biochemistry and nutrition alongside my philosophical work, I provide four categories of approach I think are useful for addressing such down and...

Ever shocked by people’s complete lack of empathy? In this episode, I chat with experimental psychologist Dr Daryl Cameron, who runs a lab at Penn State that investigates empathy. What circumstances enhance or diminish our capacity to be empathetic? Many of us think that having empathy is difficult - but why? Can this difficulty be overcome? Could understanding empathy help us unlock our potential to be good humans and live more satisfying lives? ----- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE...

A listener writes in and asks, can multiple religions be true at the same time? I respond by describing what I think are four different ways of thinking about religious truths and beliefs: metaphysically assertively (I’ll explain this in the podcast!), symbolically, as gesturing towards a universal truth, and with mystery. I happen to personally like the last three pretty equally, and enact each of them to some degree or another in my personal life. Tune in to learn more about what I believe...

This week I have on experimental psychologist Jessie Dezutter of KU Leuven University in Belgium, who studies how people make meaning, with a focus on how people deal with existential concerns later in life. We chat about how humans need to tell their stories, how Alzheimer’s and later life experiences shape emotions, the importance of acknowledging and accepting death, and how you can build your own personal feelings of meaning so that life (and death) are less scary. This was a really...

Eckhart Tolle is the famous spiritual guru who wrote “The Power of Now” - a book about being present, letting go of your ego, and becoming a happier and better person. Is it all BS? Or is it worthwhile? In this X episode I respond to a listener question about whether she should like Tolle. I use it as an opportunity to talk about what Tolle has in common with Christianity and Buddhism, and I argue in favour of universal love, care, and forgiveness, no matter which spiritual form it...

Friedrich Nietzsche is a controversial figure. He proclaimed “God is dead!” and has often been held up as a hero of Nazis and the alt-right. A closer look at Nietzsche reveals however that what he said is actually really valuable and relevant to our modern moment. In this chat with political and historical theorist Hugo Drochon, I get to the bottom of Nietzsche and how he was able to predict so much about today’s landscape from 150 years back. We discuss the death of God, the “ubermensch,”...

A listener writes in and asks, why are some people so obsessed with reason? He asks the question because “prioritizing reason to know the world” is listed as a mission statement of a church he tried going to. I respond. I talk about limitations to reason and the kinds of danger we get in (including really big political danger) when we get obsessed with our own rationality. It’s a dense podcast, but it’s really important for anyone who’s interested in a few different things: gender...

Super-intelligent machines are coming - but what does that mean for us? Will they become like Gods? Maybe. Will we treat them like Gods? Some people are already doing it. In today’s fascinating episode, Dr Beth Singler and I talk about how some people are already worshipping technology, how humans tend to mirror religious myths in other kinds of stories, and what kinds of dangers are involved when we try to predict the future. --------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a...

A listener writes in and asks: am I a slut? I use what I know about the histories of religion, philosophy, and culture to explain why the idea of a slut exists at all, and options for handling it. I also argue that we need to get rid of shame based on promiscuity and instead pay attention to how well we treat people. Some monogamous people, for example, treat their partners terribly, and some promiscuous people treat them with great love and care. This observation can teach us much about how...

One of the biggest misconceptions in the world today is that religion is irrational, or disproved by science. Wrong. When you actually study religion and science, like I have, you learn that it’s a much more complex and potentially harmonious picture. Today’s guest, Tom McCleish, is a renowned physicist who also writes books about science and his faith. Tune in to learn how the histories of Christianity and science were mutually beneficial up until about 200 years ago. See the world through...

Postmodernism has been rumored to be BOTH the cause of Donald Trump’s popularity as well as the movement that will ultimately be the ruin of him. How could it be both at once? In this episode I respond to a listener who wrote in and asked: “What the heck is postmodernism?” I set the record straight. In it you’ll learn not just how postmodernism got started but also whether it’s to blame for the mess we’re in it. ------ To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the...

What is the meaning of life? You might not know it, but you probably assume a lot of things that affect your feelings about it. For instance, it is a very common bias for people to think that life is meaning for others, but not necessarily for themselves. Philosopher Iddo Landau asks, Why is this the case? Why do so many people today think life is meaningless? What’s the difference between people who think life is meaningful and people who don’t? I chat with Iddo in this episode and he...

This week a listener asks, does humanity seem small and insignificant to you? Does it scare you? I reflect on how modern humans are more worried about insignificance than any before, and I describe two primary philosophical ways of solving the problem. You could very generally describe them as ‘eastern’ and ‘western.’ I share which I prefer and why it works for me. (Note: this is an "x" episode and the only episode this week!) ---- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review...

We grow up hearing about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the midnight ride of Paul Revere. These are glorious tales of courage and triumph. But what other stories aren’t being told? Today Stefani chats with the co-founders of Uncomfortable Oxford, an organization that leads walking tours around Oxford showcasing the less comfortable bits of Oxford’s history: moments of racism, sexism, classism, colonialism. Stefani and the founders Olivia Larsson and Paula Durand chat about the ugly...