philosophy – Jacke Wilson

August 11, 2023

The History of Literature #489 — Schopenhauer (aka The Tunnel and The Hole)

“It is difficult to find happiness within oneself,” said the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), “but it is impossible to find it anywhere else.” In spite of his pessimism – or perhaps because of it – Schopenhauer, who was virtually unknown until the last few years of his life, went on to influence generations of Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books

Arthur Schopenhauer, History, philosophy, Writers

July 16, 2023

The History of Literature #463 — Friedrich Nietzsche (with Ritchie Robertson)

Sigmund Freud once said of the philosopher and cultural critic Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) that “he had a more penetrating knowledge of himself than any man who ever lived or was likely to live.” Well known for his iconoclastic views and intoxicating prose style, Nietzsche went from near obscurity in his lifetime to dominating the ideas Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books

friedrich nietzsche, History, Literature, philosophy, Ritchie Robertson

May 29, 2022

The History of Literature #409 – “Fear and Trembling” (The Story of Abraham and Isaac) by Soren Kierkegaard

In our last look at Søren Kierkegaard, we left our hero after he had just left the love of his life, Regine Olsen, in favor of a life devoted to God and philosophy. In this episode, Jacke looks at one of the great products of that seismic schism: Fear and Trembling, or Kierkegaard’s analysis of God’s Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books, history of literature

Abraham, christianity, Isaac, Literature, philosophy, Regine Olsen, Søren Kierkegaard

May 12, 2022

The History of Literature #405 – Kierkegaard Falls in Love

The nineteenth-century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) is well known as the father of existentialism and one of the great Christian thinkers of all time. But it is in his relationship with Regine Olsen – his love for her, their brief engagement, and the horrible breakup, in which he left her for a life devoted Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books, Fiction, history of literature

Literature, love, philosophy, Regine Olsen, Søren Kierkegaard

March 15, 2022

The History of Literature #355 – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Brilliant and contentious, the Swiss-born political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (`1712-1768) is one of the key figures of the Enlightenment, with a fame and influence that continues to this day. But although we know him best for his Social Contract, which influenced both the American Constitution writers and the French revolutionaries, in his own time he was Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books, Fiction, history of literature

French Revolutionaries, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Literature, philosophy, Social Contract

January 18, 2016

History of Literature Episode 27: The Upanishads (Part Two)

How did the Universe begin? What is the nature of individual consciousness? How do these relate to one another? Host Jacke Wilson continues his look at the set of ancient Indian mystic writings known as the Upanishads (ca. 700 B.C.) and rediscovers the impact they once had on his own spiritual journey. Podcast: Play Continue reading

Arts, Authors, books, history of literature, Podcast, Writing

ancient mystic writings, atman, brahman, epiphany, hindu, india, Literature, philosophy, Religion, self, upanishads, yajnavalkya

January 29, 2015

It’s The Jacke Wilson Show! Life’s Unanswerable Questions, Part 2 (Episode 2.2)

ONE…ONE ONE…ONE ONE… IT’S THE JACKE WILSON SHOW!!!!! Our quest for a more professional sheen to the podcast continues with Life’s Unanswerable Questions (Part 2) – Another play for Bryan Cranston and Kate Winslet, the untold story of Joseph the beleaguered father of Jesus, a look at why we love when we know it hurts Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, Podcast, The History of Jacke, The Jacke Wilson Show, Writing

Humor, jesus, joseph, life’s unanswerable questions, Literature, philosophy, Podcast, psychology

January 19, 2015

Embrace Your Inner Beatle! (“I Am The Walrus”)

Whoa. The dice tumble, the dial spins…and the gods have chosen! Oh, ye gods. What a sense of humor you have. A work of genius? Yes. It’s a big one this time. A landmark in weird, mindblowing creativity. In context, maybe the strangest song ever written, and yes, I’m including Revolution 9 in that calculus. Continue reading

Tao Te Beatles, Writing

beatles, Creativity, Genius, i am the walrus, inspiration, john lennon, madness, music, paul mccartney, philosophy

January 12, 2015

Embrace Your Inner Beatle! Nowhere Man by John Lennon

THE SELECTION Aha! This week we use the perfect randomizer: four spins of a Life board game dial. Szzzzzzzzz-tika-tika-tika…. and the gods of creativity have chosen! NOWHERE MAN (LENNON-MCCARTNEY, RUBBER SOUL) http://youtu.be/GruVywUtohs Oh, wow. Once again, the gods seem to have looked out for themselves. Here’s another divinely inspired song, or at least divinely delivered. Continue reading

Tao Te Beatles, Writing

beatles, Creativity, Genius, George Harrison, inspiration, john lennon, music, nowhere man, paul mccartney, philosophy

January 9, 2015

It’s The Jacke Wilson Show! Life’s Unanswerable Questions (Episode 2.1)

ONE…ONE ONE…ONE ONE… IT’S THE JACKE WILSON SHOW!!!!! Season Two! We’re off to a GREAT start with the new Jacke Wilson Show season. New producer, new studio…and a much more professional sheen. In episode 2.1 we cover Life’s Unanswerable Questions, as contributed by you, the listeners. Hope you enjoy the show! You can stream the Continue reading

Authors, Fiction, Podcast, The History of Jacke, The Jacke Wilson Show, Writing

Humor, life’s unanswerable questions, Literature, philosophy, Podcast, psychology