I Learned Nothing

Pat was feeling fractured about our current stage of history so Ben soothes what ails him by singing him the dulcet tones of Postmodernism. Jk that shit is discordant af. Ben gets into the main themes of Postmodern thought (if you can say there are any) such as the Fragmentation of Subjectivity, the Destruction of Narratives, and the soul-devouring effects of Late-Capitalism and Hyperreality. Pat loved it! And you will too! Don't forget to check out our Patreon for more KNOWLEDGE: patreon.com/ILearnedNothing

Pat was feeling some kinda way so Ben walks him through the life and thought of W. E. B. Du Bois, Black American philosopher and co-founder of the NAACP. Welcome to the barbecue.

Pat was feeling mythical so Ben unveils the ur-motif of all of humanity's drama: The Monomyth. Conceived by Joseph Campbell in his seminal work "The Hero with A Thousand Faces", the Monomyth, AKA The Hero's Journey, takes a page from Freud's theory of psychoanalysis and Carl Jung's theory of the Collective Unconscious to explain the human phenomenon of myth as template by which to navigate life's punctuated stages and their accompanying crises and traumas. While Campbell's theory has plenty of holes and blind spots, it's still a fun read and almost makes sense if you think about it. Also, CHECK OUT OUR PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ILearnedNothing to hear bonus episodes and our ridiculous takes om world mythologies, cults, and comic books.

Pat was feeling trapped so Ben tuned him on to the wacky linguistic thought experiment developed by Ben's Main Man Ludwig Wittgenstein. Are humans capable of having a private language? Not just shibboleth for your crew but a private language only YOU know about? Wittgenstein says NO, you idiot. And it has something to do with a beetle in a box. Fuck you.

Pat was feeling sluggish so Ben ramps him up to accept the new outrun philosophy of Accelerationism all over his face. The WisdomBois begin with a quick recap of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guatarri's theory of deterritorialization and cap it off with a snappy rundown of Marx's thoughts on Late Capitalism and its prophesied self-destruction before exploring Accelarationism's darker, right-wing side espoused by British philosopher/twat Nick Land. This one's a wild one so strap in. We love you. Also, check out our Patreon: patreon.com/ILearnedNothing.

Pat was feeling jolly (lol get it? Xmas?) so Ben regales him with more tales about the expansive ethical theory known as Utilitarianism. Why? Because it's Christmas! Ignore the fact that this episode is 2 days late for that. Because get this: Utilitarianism stipulates that what is good is to increase joy & happiness for the greatest number of people. Especially children! And who's better at that than that fat fuck Santa Claus. You're welcome bitches! Merry Christmas!

Pat was feeling shrewd so Ben clued him in on the HOTTEST ethical theory of the past 3 centuries: Utilitarianism! That's right folks. Ben and Pat are tackling Utilitarianism and you better believe it's a motherfucking two-parter. Conceived by the debauched mind of Jeremy Bentham and developed by English philosopher, MP, and fiend John Stuart Mill, Utilitarian is a consequrentialist theory of morality that operates under the central axiom that "it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong." Seems legit right? Except when you explore specific scenarios that highlight "the greater good" at the expense of individual dignity and suffering. Would you kill an innocent person to save the world? What if that person was your mom, you sick fuck? That's Utilitarianism. Strap in!

Pat once trusted the bedrock reliability of logic so Ben went ahead and shattered that nonsense by teaching him about The Liar's Paradox, the oldest, most stubborn, and most infuriating logical paradox in the history of paradoxes, SON! Check THIS out: "This sentence is false." Is the preceding sentence true? Or false? If it's true, then it's false. If it's false, then it's true. What the?! Tune in to find out how mad Pat get's as we try to solve this humdinger. Also, for more truth, knowledge, and righteousness, check out our Patreon: www.patreon.com/ILearnedNothing

Folks! Put on some sunscreen and pull out your floaties because Pat & Ben are taking you on a tropical, aquatic adventure! We're releasing one of our COVETED Patreon episodes so you can get a taste of what you've been missing. In this installment, Pat teaches Ben about possibly the most ludicrous experiment in the history of science. What happens when you mix a loony neuroscientist, a 22 year old intern, 3 dolphins, and the 1960s in a house full of water? Listen to find out! Spoilers: It gets very erotic. And, for just $5 a month, you can access hard-hitting exposés like this one every single week. Well how about that? Just join our Patreon at patreon.com/ILearnedNothing