Merlin Reads

Merlin Reads

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Merlin Reads episodes

  • Peter Wessel Zapffe - The Last Messiah - Part 2

    "The Last Messiah" is an essay by Norwegian philosopher Peter Wessel Zapffe in which he presents his views on human existence and the problem of consciousness. Zapffe argues that the human condition is marked by an inherent sense of meaninglessness and purposelessness, which creates an existential despair. According to him, humans have evolved to be too intelligent for their own good, as they are able to perceive their own mortality and the meaningless nature of the universe.


    Zapffe presents the concept of the "last Messiah", a hypothetical figure who would arise to save humanity from this despair. The Messiah would accomplish this by either eliminating humanity's ability to perceive the world in its true meaningless form or by convincing humanity to willingly relinquish its consciousness.


    Zapffe argues that humans have developed various coping mechanisms, such as humor, religion, and culture, to deal with this despair. However, he contends that these mechanisms are ultimately futile in overcoming the problem of consciousness. Zapffe proposes that the only way to truly overcome the problem is through a complete rejection of consciousness and an embracing of a kind of "cosmic anesthesia."




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    15 min
  • Peter Wessel Zapffe - The Last Messiah - Part 1

    "The Last Messiah" is an essay by Norwegian philosopher Peter Wessel Zapffe in which he presents his views on human existence and the problem of consciousness. Zapffe argues that the human condition is marked by an inherent sense of meaninglessness and purposelessness, which creates an existential despair. According to him, humans have evolved to be too intelligent for their own good, as they are able to perceive their own mortality and the meaningless nature of the universe.


    Zapffe presents the concept of the "last Messiah", a hypothetical figure who would arise to save humanity from this despair. The Messiah would accomplish this by either eliminating humanity's ability to perceive the world in its true meaningless form or by convincing humanity to willingly relinquish its consciousness.


    Zapffe argues that humans have developed various coping mechanisms, such as humor, religion, and culture, to deal with this despair. However, he contends that these mechanisms are ultimately futile in overcoming the problem of consciousness. Zapffe proposes that the only way to truly overcome the problem is through a complete rejection of consciousness and an embracing of a kind of "cosmic anesthesia."




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min
  • Immanuel Kant - What is Enlightenment?

    In his essay "What is Enlightenment", Immanuel Kant argues that enlightenment is the emergence of humanity from its self-incurred immaturity. According to Kant, immaturity is the inability to use one's own understanding without the guidance of another. Kant argues that individuals must use their own reason to think and act for themselves in order to achieve enlightenment.




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    16 min
  • Venkatesh Rao - The Gervais Principle - Part 8

    The Gervais Principle is a social and organizational theory proposed by Venkatesh Rao that describes the dynamics of corporate hierarchies. The principle is based on the TV series The Office and its portrayal of office politics, with the main characters representing different types of employees.


    According to the Gervais Principle, there are three types of employees in every organization:


    Sociopaths: These are the people at the top of the corporate hierarchy who are primarily interested in power and control. They are often charismatic, manipulative, and ruthless in their pursuit of their goals.


    Clueless: These are the middle managers and bureaucrats who are often well-intentioned but lack the skills and knowledge to be effective leaders. They are easily manipulated by the sociopaths and are often the ones who carry out their directives.


    Losers: These are the low-level employees who lack the ambition and drive to move up the corporate ladder. They are often exploited by the sociopaths and clueless and are seen as disposable by the organization.


    The Gervais Principle argues that organizations are structured in a way that rewards sociopathic behavior and punishes ethical behavior. The sociopaths are the ones who rise to the top of the organization, while the clueless and losers are used as pawns in their power games.


    The principle also suggests that the most successful organizations are the ones that embrace the Gervais Principle and use it to their advantage. By understanding the dynamics of corporate hierarchies, they can create structures that enable them to achieve their goals while minimizing the negative effects on their employees.


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    44 min

About Merlin Reads

From the publisher's feed

This is an audiobook reading podcast, all the books read here are in the public domain, philosophical essays or internet posts that anyone can read for free already.

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