Here we discuss Schopenhauer's view of the WILL vs Heidegger's concept of BEING. This is cool!

14 SCHOPENHAUER THE WILL PART 2: this is totally cool. His concept of the Will is mind bending!

In this episode of Dave’s Candid Philosophy, Dave explores the surprisingly practical ideas of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, a man often misunderstood as the patron saint of luxury and indulgence. In reality, Epicurus argued for something far simpler — a calm life built on friendship, modest pleasures, and freedom from unnecessary fear. Dave digs into Epicurus’s famous ideas about happiness, why we worry too much about death, and how much of human misery comes from chasing things we don’t actually need. Two thousand years later, Epicurus still offers a radical suggestion: happiness might not come from getting more, but from realizing how little is required for a good life.

In this episode of Dave’s Candid Philosophy, Dave dives into the gloomy but strangely insightful world of Arthur Schopenhauer, the philosopher who believed that beneath our thoughts and plans lies a deeper force he called the Will — an endless biological drive pushing us to seek, want, and strive. Why do we stand in front of the refrigerator late at night even when we’re not hungry? Why do desire and dissatisfaction seem built into life itself? Dave explores Schopenhauer’s dark view of human motivation and connects it to modern neuroscience and the idea that our brains are constantly working to reduce internal tension and maintain balance. The result is a surprisingly modern portrait of the restless human mind — and a few ways we might occasionally quiet it.

This episode explores Absurdism—the idea that humans crave meaning in a universe that offers none—and shows how that tension plays out not just in philosophy, but in everyday life. We move through three major figures of the Absurd. Kafka reveals the anxiety of modern systems that don’t make sense yet still judge us. Beckett shows the strange truth that much of life is waiting—time passes, but nothing really happens. Cioran strips away comforting illusions and turns despair into clear‑eyed, even humorous lucidity.

Then comes the twist: Seinfeld. A “show about nothing” becomes the perfect modern expression of Absurdism—ordinary frustrations inflated into meaning because humans need something to care about. Across philosophy and sitcoms, the message is the same: the universe provides no plot, so humans invent one.

The takeaway isn’t nihilism, but freedom. Meaning isn’t discovered—it’s made, out of routines, jokes, habits, and persistence. The universe offers no instructions, so we improvise. And somehow, that’s enough.

NIKOLAI BERDYAEV: THE EXISTENTIALIST WHO BELIEVED FREEDOM COULD SET THE UNIVERSE ONFIRE

SUMMARY OF RELIGOUS EXISTENTIALISTS

GABRIEL MARCEL: THE EXISTENTIALIST WHO TURNED HOPE INTO A SURVIVAL SKILLMIGUEL DE UNAMUNO: THE EXISTENTIALIST WHO WRESTLED GOD IN A DARK ROOM AND CALLED ITTUESDAY

Today we journey through:
• Paul Tillich, who made anxiety sound like a sacrament,
• Gabriel Marcel, who believed hope begins with an open door and a warm beverage,
• Miguel de Unamuno, who wrestled God, doubt, and despair like they were all roommates who wouldn’t do their dishes,
• and Nikolai Berdyaev, who made the cut only because Dave’s discount laptop battery miraculously stayed alive long enough.

9 EXISTENTIAL THERAPISTS PART 2

9 EXISTENTIAL THERAPISTS PART 1