Uses of Philosophy for Living: Freedom

[@IraBundy]

I came across your channel while doing research, and I'm so glad I found it. I started with learning about the ancients, and since then I'm just working my way through all of your lectures. Since I got my degree I feel like mentally I just haven't been as engaged as when I was actively studying. My cup was filled and I was focused on applying what I know to the world. Yet now I feel I want to empty that cup. I'm learning so much, and I feel like my general perspective is broadening. Thank you so much for uploading all these tremendous talks. You're a fantastic speaker, and they're reinvigorating my desire to think, possibly more than I've ever felt!

[@mindhack2878]

No external freedom without internal first . As above so below . Great lecture

[@Andrew-y1q9f]

Absolutely amazing! I want to sincerely thank you for posting these lectures. You da man, lol!

[@mecapoonslayer4245]

nice job Wes loved this lecture you deserve 100thousand subs.

[@No_Direct_Translation]

Awesome lecture as always. You've set your bar high!

[@alan2here]

Thanks for the actually insightful self driving car dilemma. Others I've heard have been really dim.

[@TamingofSpyro]

Thanks wes!

[@LiamPorterFilms]

I love your lectures and you're one of my heroes of free thought... Buuut... Are you saying that there cannot be any general differences in ability between women and men, or different races, that are not explained completely by self-fulfilling social constraints?

[@wescecil3920]

In the case of race - absolutely. There is no definition of race, no genetic foundation for race, and in any case we are all only a 'few' generation removed from our origins in Africa - even those who still live in Africa. With sex it is a little more challenging. The evidence suggests that intellectually, men and women have equal capacities. Physically, of course, there are differences that may influence certain aspects the general responses of men and women to the world - but those are at best subtle and based on averages. In any case, if some evidence is produced of actual differences, they would be swamped completely by the influence of socialization.

[@LiamPorterFilms]

Ok. But to take leaf out of your book, would you deny the basic meaning of race, "root"? In ancient history Greeks and Romans encounters men of different names: Persians, Gauls, Huns, Celts, Egyptians. They were, as they are today, unmistakenly of different "roots", of different "races," were they not?

[@angelarioteariote2609]

Wes Cecil

[@angelarioteariote2609]

Thanks

[@angelarioteariote2609]

Wes Cecil to

[@alexrafter]

Great stuff

[@topekastatehospital8604]

Been waiting for this :D!

[@mattr2961]

Such a fantastic lecturer

[@alexanderbrandt9816]

Alright!

[@austinjohnbaker9521]

Well actually I think it is a law that when a traffic light goes out the intersection does become a four way stop. I think your point still stands that the US as a car familiar country easily follows those rules. But I’m just saying I think I was taught in drivers ed to take a malfunctioning traffic light as a four way stop.

[@shubhankarsingh4065]

21:00

[@samisaleh6186]

I would love to see you conversate with Sam Harris on his podcast, Waking up.

[@Wingedmagician]

oh God yes

[@SrNkolaidis]

ben stiller is overrated

[@-MDasan]

thaaaanks

[@Wingedmagician]

I thought this was going to be when it gets to the point 39:00 "how do you address it?". But no it ends with it stated pretty clearly, 58:42, I think this is the answer/solution at the very end. I tend to be very skeptical about anything that brings up racism, sexism and so on nowadays. People usually underplay the legal equality that was gained and the now ubiquitous taboo against discrimination... they exaggerate non-issues, giving in to radical ideology, confirmation bias and regressive rhetoric. They jump around with mental gymnastics and confuse the issue with fluff and filler just to soften you up, then they present the conclusion of limiting free speech or creating job quotas or.... This video didn't do that so I'm not criticizing it with all this necessarily. I like the conclusion but please don't take so long to get to it or make it clear that this is what all this is amounting to, knowing what is contaminating the public discourse you should be very clear about what you mean (and what you don't) and cut to the chase maybe.

[@andreiandrei9059]

58:22 Actually, you can bring people justice. Justice can be delivered by a society that guarantees equal opportunities to every child (so in the end every one gets what he/she deserves): real education accessible (compulsory) to every child, abolition of both the material inheritance custom and the dynastic money creation monopoly and meritocratic (not hereditary aristocratic-Confucian) Rule. A just society would manifest the maximum amount of liberty possible. Democracy (being impossible) is a joke and who believe that America (or any other capitalist country) is a democracy would have unpleasant surprises after all and every popularity contest called "election". Another word is possible.

[@post-structuralist]

Merely an interpretation of justice. It's tyrannical to think that your justice is just one size fits all. Education and "equal opportunities" does not work when there are no equal people. It's just oppression, wrapped to make it look like this is a wholly good.

[@post-structuralist]

And I have to mention that giving equal opportunities to everyone is still going to produce inequality much similar to what we have now.

[@andreiandrei9059]

@@post-structuralist Justice is NOT oppression. For every man to get what it deserves is just. Deeds over birth is just. People are different so different outcomes given equal opportunities is just.

[@post-structuralist]

@Andrei Andrei No, that's seemingly flawed. That's a grand narrative. It is hubristic to believe that to you, justice is completely objective and you know its essence.

[@post-structuralist]

@@andreiandrei9059 If you impose your idea of justice on everyone, that's oppression. Will you do to dissenters? Will you strike them in the name of justice? You are no different from a tyrant under the guise of the right.

[@RoyalAnarchist]

Mr. Cecil, there are heritable variations of average intelligence (and the standard deviations of intelligence) between the races. Human races can be compared to dog breeds. We are all the same species so certain traits are all in common, but significant variations developed as adaptations to different environments. I’ve wondered why people seem so fervently afraid of applying the principles of natural selection to humans, and I believe it’s because they fear that doing so will lead to inhumane treatment of others. I will then say here that we do not have to treat each other inhumanely just because the average intelligence is not equal for all racial populations

[@christopherhamilton3621]

What an utterly ignorant statement to make, especially in the context of the present talk…. Wow!

[@aMulliganStew]

"'Freedom'? That is worship word. Yang worship. You will not speak it." -- Star Trek. episode "Omega Glory"