This week I have posted about certain teachers, philosophers who have influenced what I have come to believe.
John Vervaeke in the field of Cognitive Science draws upon the Neoplatonic tradition of Plotinus also the work of Martin Heidegger and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, within his synoptic integration model of Cognitive Science.
Hubert Dreyfus again with his deep understanding and ability to make Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty to some extent accessible to me, but what I learned has had a profound impact on me and how I form daily practices from their Philosophy.
Joseph Campbell who again has the great skill as a teacher to interpret and communicate the works of Jung, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer amongst many others. Which have become a bedrock of my beliefs.
Then there is Alan Watts who interprets many of the wisdom traditions and again is a fantastic teacher.
To finish off the week I want to also add a video by Peter Adamson.
Peter Adamson’s podcast series
“The History of Philosopy without any gaps”
Is just amazing!
I found this podcast during the Pandemic and devoured it all.
What I find wonderful about Adamson is how he credits the influence of Islamic philosophers upon Jewish and Christian scholastics.
Adamson is again fundamentally a fantastic teacher.
In this particular video Adamson asks us to consider who we trust when we outsource our beliefs.
Adamson also sets out definitions of sources who use first principle thinking and sources that defer to authoritative set prior beliefs.
Lots of food for thought here and good practice to always re-question who we choose as our guides when we outsource our beliefs.