In this episode we start by discussing the development of philosophy. Or rather, our thesis is that there has actually been no particular development of philosophy. Rather, it seems as if there have perhaps been some degenerate thoughts within Western philosophy over the past 2500 years. Furthermore, we examine the idea of ​​which rationality actually motivates action. Why is it that scientific knowledge does not necessarily change human practice, while much indicates that the motive for our practices is philosophy and understanding of life. By implication, philosophy is the most practical rationality we have as humans. In that case, a new problem arises. If philosophy is what motivates humans to act, and this philosophy has not changed in 2500 years, does that mean that we still act the way they did 2500 years ago?

In this episode, we talk about the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. We have with us an expert on his philosophy, Professor Roe Fremstedal at NTNU, Norway. He presents his interpretation of Kierkegaard as an ethical thinker. We start from the distinction between knowledge and faith. A central point is that when it comes to faith, we cannot be certain. While when it comes to knowledge, we can have evidence that supports the knowledge. The uncertainty of reason means that humans must choose. We cannot help but relate to faith and questions without evidence. Refusing to relate to faith will also be a choice. In the podcast we discuss that even those who say they do not believe have a belief. And those who are good people, but think they do not believe, actually believe deep down.
However, we will not be completely clear in this podcast when it comes to answering life's essential questions, rather there will be a good deal of nuance in Kierkegaard's philosophy and not least clarification of some of the misconceptions about him. Enjoy!

For further reading: Roe Fremstedal, Kierkegaard on Self, Ethics, and Religion: Purity or Despair, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press 2022
And soon to come: Roe Fremstedal, The Ethical and the Religious, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press in press 2026 (Elements in the Philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard

In this episode we talk about Hitler's philosophers and the book: Nils Gilje (2026). Hitlers filosofer - nasjonalsosialisme, filosofi og religion i mellomkrigstidens Tyskland. Solum Bokvennen.

There are three philosophers in particular which the podcast is based on. These are Martin Heidegger, Alfred Baeumler and Ernst Krieck. All three cultivated academic freedom and had developed a philosophy that fit with Nazism before Nazism came to power. Heidegger's romantic philosophy is central to our episode. Especially his hubristic idea that man can revolutionize the world spiritually. His goal was to get the German people to think anew. We link this and many of his other thoughts to cultural essentialism and the belief in politics as the distinction between friend and enemy. This ends up in a metaphysical decisionism. In such a realpolitical atmosphere, there is not much room for religious or ethical thinking.