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I’ve recently started using Rumble,  one of the alternatives to YouTube. A recently recorded philosophy series, scheduled for next year on my The Philosophers in Their Own Words playlist on YouTube, is airing early on Rumble! It’s about William James’ book The Will to Believe and Other Essays, and I invite you to look over it here.

The only reasons I can give you to watch me talk about William James are already in the title of this post. I can elaborate very briefly on the first two reasons by saying that I’d appreciate any help making my efforts to put philosophy on Rumble successful and that I think it’s good to help Rumble compete with YouTube. I can also elaborate on the third reason with the following summary of some of the extremely cool philosophy in this series:

Specifically, let’s talk about James’ essay “Is Life Worth Living?”

In “ILWL,” James argues that the religious picture of the universe makes life worth living and is (if true) is a very good reason not to commit suicide. Here are the main points from this beautiful little essay:

Behind one of philosophy’s better beards lurks its friendliest smile.

1. The religious view of the universe is consistent with what we know from science.

2. The religious view is supported by our very human need to see the universe as making some sort of moral sense. That need is the twin sister of another very human need: the need to see the universe as governed by uniform laws of physics. This latter need is not, as all good empiricists have learned from Hume, the result of science but the foundational assumption of science. Following through on the one need is rational, and so following through on its sister need is rational too!

3. The religious view enables us to live well. And living is, after all, the point of thinking.

4. It is just possible that whether the religious picture of the universe is factual is–in part–determined by whether we believe it. As James says in “The Will to Believe,” some truths can only be tested by our believing in them; and any rule that you should only believe what has already been proven is a rule which would prevent us from ever knowing such truths. This would be, he says, a totally irrational rule.

The conclusion of the whole analysis is this: Religion can be entirely rational; also, if you’re thinking about killing yourself, don’t!

“Is Life Worth Living?” is a beautiful and moving piece of philosophical writing from one of the greatest minds of recent western history, who also happens to be the friendliest philosopher I know.

Please consider learning more about James if you have time and interest! The videos on “ILWL” begin with the 7th video in the series; the James videos are airing once per weekday.  (The last two videos on “ILWL” should air the mornings of 15 and 16 Feb., North America time.) There’s more James on my YouTube channel, and his writings are public-domain; here’s the Gutenberg edition of The Will to Believe and Other Essays.

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  1. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    The Hume background just finished airing on my “The Philosophers In Their Own Words” playlist.  A compilation video should be available here at about 5:30 AM Eastern time on February 15.

    Here’s another series on Rumble, some of my moral and political philosophy videos. Mostly Augustine and Aquinas and Boethius and Confucius. Give me a couple of weeks, and I think I can toss some serious Aristotle and Locke and Kant and Mill up there!

    Here’s more James, from “The Will To Believe,” the first essay in the book Will to Believe and Other Essays; the best 2-minute introduction to one insight from a great mind I can come up with: “Avengers Music Goes with Philosophy: William James vs. W. K. Clifford”!

    • #1
  2. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    (@aarong3eason, would be delighted to talk about this on AK-47!  If you’re interested.)

    • #2
  3. Clifford A. Brown Member
    Clifford A. Brown
    @CliffordBrown

    Reason enough to register membership with Rumble.

    • #3
  4. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Another new post recommending some Rumble.

    • #4
  5. Gossamer Cat Coolidge
    Gossamer Cat
    @GossamerCat

    Am looking forward to listening to this series. I just signed up for my Rumble account.  It is a sad day in America that I had some trepidation in doing so.

    • #5
  6. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):

    Am looking forward to listening to this series.

    It’s an honor that any ordinary person would spend any time listening to a weirdo nerd like me talk about philosophy.

    • #6
  7. Samuel Block Support
    Samuel Block
    @SamuelBlock

    Ugh.. I’m gonna have to do a whole sign-uppy thing. I suppose I can swing it for the great Teacher of Philosophy. 

    • #7
  8. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Samuel Block (View Comment):

    Ugh.. I’m gonna have to do a whole sign-uppy thing. I suppose I can swing it for the great Teacher of Philosophy.

    Oh, dear. Is there such a person? I don’t know if I can handle that kind of competition.

    • #8
  9. Samuel Block Support
    Samuel Block
    @SamuelBlock

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Samuel Block (View Comment):

    Ugh.. I’m gonna have to do a whole sign-uppy thing. I suppose I can swing it for the great Teacher of Philosophy.

    Oh, dear. Is there such a person? I don’t know if I can handle that kind of competition.

    He’s a pretty cool dude that was on YouTube before it got lame. 

    Also, I was asked who referred me to Rumble. I didn’t know the username. Maybe you’d rather not, but maybe Rico members would like to give you credit.

    • #9
  10. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Samuel Block (View Comment):

    Also, I was asked who referred me to Rumble. I didn’t know the username. Maybe you’d rather not, but maybe Rico members would like to give you credit.

    I have no idea if it matters at all. I don’t care either way. I think my username is TeacherOfPhilosophy.

    • #10
  11. CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill
    @CarolJoy

    I am very much enjoying your presentations, with yesterday’s being about Confucious and today viewing  your video # 1 on rumble.

    I can’t comment while on Rumble as I need to find my password.

    You have a very engaging manner, on film anyway.

    • #11
  12. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    I am very much enjoying your presentations, with yesterday’s being about Confucious and today viewing your video # 1 on rumble.

    I can’t comment while on Rumble as I need to find my password.

    You have a very engaging manner, on film anyway.

    Thanks!

    • #12
  13. Gossamer Cat Coolidge
    Gossamer Cat
    @GossamerCat

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):

    Am looking forward to listening to this series.

    It’s an honor that any ordinary person would spend any time listening to a weirdo nerd like me talk about philosophy.

    Loved the 48 second philosophy bits on YouTube.  I’m not sure what a “rumble” is on Rumble but I gave you one anyway.

    • #13
  14. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):

    Am looking forward to listening to this series.

    It’s an honor that any ordinary person would spend any time listening to a weirdo nerd like me talk about philosophy.

    Loved the 48 second philosophy bits on YouTube. I’m not sure what a “rumble” is on Rumble but I gave you one anyway.

    Thank you.

    I’m still learning it myself, but I think a “Rumble” on Rumble parallels a “Like” on YouTube.

    • #14
  15. Midwest Southerner Coolidge
    Midwest Southerner
    @MidwestSoutherner

    Signing up and slotting time in my schedule this week to watch. Looking forward!

    • #15
  16. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Signing up and slotting time in my schedule this week to watch. Looking forward!

    You do a philosophy nerd a great honor.

    • #16
  17. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):
    I’m not sure what a “rumble” is on Rumble but I gave you one anyway.

    I’ve heard people try to explain it. (There are videos on YouTube that try to explain how it all works.) I still don’t get it.

    • #17
  18. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Saint Augustine: I can elaborate very briefly on the first two reasons by saying that I’d appreciate any help making my efforts to put philosophy on Rumble successful and that I think it’s good to help Rumble compete with YouTube.

    The title originally included the clause “Help me out on the internet.”

    Oh well.

    • #18
  19. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    I think I’ve subscribed to your channel. On Rumble I’m The Spokesrider rather than The Reticulator. Or maybe I have an account under each name, but I definitely have one as The Spokesrider because I’m planning to upload some Bicycle Touring and Roadside History videos. I can’t make any sense out of Rumble’s monetization system, but as long as I can stay clear of it I guess I don’t care. I’m not really looking for monetization; I just want a friendlier place than YouTube.  I’m also experimenting with Vimeo as a place to park my videos. 

    So far I like your style of lecture. 

    • #19
  20. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Saint Augustine:

    The conclusion of the whole analysis is this: Religion can be entirely rational; also, if you’re thinking about killing yourself, don’t!

    It occurred to me yesterday that William James’ arguments that life is worth living might just possible help someone who needs help now, and suicide rates are up.  So here’s a compilation of the videos on “Is Life Worth Living?” on YouTube. (Still processing just at the moment. A longish video.)

    • #20
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