What do the words “Heaven” and “Hell” mean? When people use these words, what things or places are they indicating? Do these terms have any meaningful content?

In this episode, I explore the meanings of these terms. I start with null sets in mathematics, relate null sets to words and thoughts, and then contextualize religious ideas like Heaven, Hell, Life, Death, and The Eternal in light of those relationships. In the process, I cover indexicals, perceptual paradoxes, the existential difference between nothingness and no-thing-ness, and the psychological construction of reality.

Episode Links:

Null sets

Peirce’s Theory of Signs (Modern semiotics)

Indexicality and indexical terms

Mundane Ontic Paradoxes blog post

Fighting Anomie is a podcast and blog about life’s big questions. 

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Substack blog

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Marshall’s website

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When you ask people "What is God?" they tend to give you "who" answers. They talk about God's roles, virtues, and strengths. But what actually is God? In this episode, I raise this lofty question and share my perspective.

My approach is primarily inspired by the writings of sociologist Émile Durkheim. I compare the soul to the psyche, present religiosity as cultural discipline, and discuss "God" as a culturally embedded social psychological phenomenon.

Episode links:

Recent anomie podcast

Short fictional story (“I Only Have Nothing to Give”)

The What of God blog post

Perspectivalism wiki

Pragmatism wiki

Tuesdays with Morrie

Why Honor Matters

How (Not) to Speak of God

The Divine Conspiracy 

Religious people washing feet 

Fighting Anomie is a podcast and blog about life’s big questions. 

Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Substack blog

YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Marshall’s website

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fightinganomie.com

The social self, social emotions, anomie, types of social disruptions, responses to anomie, preventing and fighting anomie.

Seth Abrutyn’s article on anomie

Fighting Anomie is a podcast and blog about life’s big questions. 

Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Substack blog

 YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Marshall’s website

Get full access to Fighting Anomie at www.fightinganomie.com/subscribe

I discuss the two senses of time, lifetime and meantime, and why distinguishing between the two matters.

Blog post on time

For feedback, email [email protected].

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I discuss humility and certainty and how they relate to psychic health and psychopathology.

Nothingness & Faith: The path of self-awareness

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I discuss the nature of identities, the act of identification, and how these things relate to the social construction of language.  

I Identify as Hot, Cool, Smart, Skilled, and Good

The Joy of Overcoming: What Pride Month is Really About

Self-Portrait in Black and White

Glen Loury on Lex Friedman

A Hidden Life (A film about human sacrifice under undemocratic rule)

Animal

Boys vs Women (Website about athletic advantages)

Secret Hitler board game

Awesome lecture on Nietzsche’s perspectivalism

Awesome lecture on William James’ pragmatism

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I explain George Orwell’s concept of doublethink and how you can do it so that you can avoid self-deception and become more free.

My doublethink article

William James’ essay on habits

Megan Phelps-Roper’s memoir

Book on intra-individual gene conflict

Awakening from the Meaning Crisis

The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (Birdman)

Donate to Alyona’s Ukraine fund: @Alyona-McCready on Venmo

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I talk to interdisciplinary sociologist Dr. Kevin McCaffree about whether there is such a thing as “a scientific worldview.” Our conversation touches on human free will, the meaning of meaning, and the nature of truth.

Dr. McCaffree’s Google Scholar

Intriguing book review by Dr. McCaffree

Worldview Foundations Research Team

Putting the Panic Back in Moral Panic Theory

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2018 blog post about media evaluations of mass shooters

Self-Encounter: A Study in Existentialism (1961)

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Ram and I discus, the popularization of science and its effect, Colin Kaepernick, the philosophy of habit formation, Dr. Phil, and a lot of other stuff.

Links:

Marshall’s website

Guns Akimbo movie

John Oliver’s segment on the Uighurs

Two Psychologists Four Beers podcast

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