Posted inFolklore

Horseshoes: Hanging for Good Fortune and Protection – Explore the Ancient Beliefs About Horseshoes as Symbols of Good Luck and Protection, Often Hung Above Doorways to Ward Off Evil Spirits and Bring Good Fortune, and the Various Traditions and Superstitions Associated with Their Placement and Orientation (Which Way Should the Open End Face?).

Horseshoes: Hanging for Good Fortune and Protection – Explore the Ancient Beliefs (A Lecture on Iron, Luck, and the Art of Doorway Decor) (Professor Erasmus "Rusty" Nailsworth, PhD, (Honorary) in…
Posted inPhilosophy

The Problem of Evil: Why Does Suffering Exist in a World (Potentially) Created by a Good Power? Explore the Philosophical and Theological Challenge of Reconciling the Existence of Evil and Suffering with the Idea of an All-Powerful and All-Good Deity, Examining Various Attempts to Address This Enduring Question.

The Problem of Evil: Why Does Suffering Exist in a World (Potentially) Created by a Good Power? 🧙‍♂️🤔 (A Lecture in Slightly Organized Chaos) Welcome, my astute and probably caffeine-fueled…
Posted inFolklore

Four-Leaf Clovers: Symbols of Luck and Rare Finds in Nature – Explore the Folklore Surrounding the Four-Leaf Clover as a Potent Symbol of Good Luck and the Rarity That Makes Finding One Seem Fortuitous, Connecting Nature, Chance, and the Desire for Good Fortune in a Small, Recognizable Symbol.

Four-Leaf Clovers: Symbols of Luck and Rare Finds in Nature 🍀 (A Lecture on Leprechauns, Luck, and Leafy Anomalies) Welcome, everyone, to today’s lecture, a deep dive into the verdant…
Posted inFolklore

Wishing Wells: Dropping Coins and Making Desires Known – Explore the Ancient and Enduring Tradition of Wishing Wells, Holy Wells, and Other Bodies of Water as Places for Making Wishes and Offerings, Uncovering Ancient Beliefs About Water Spirits, Deities, and the Power of Offerings to Influence Fate and Bring About Desired Outcomes.

Wishing Wells: Dropping Coins and Making Desires Known - A Lecture on Hopes, Holy Water, and Hubris 💰💧✨ (Slide 1: Title Slide - Image: A picturesque wishing well with shimmering…
Posted inPhilosophy

Free Will vs. Determinism: Are Our Choices Truly Our Own, or Are They Predetermined? Delve into the Philosophical Debate About Whether Human Actions Are Freely Chosen or Are the Inevitable Result of Prior Causes, Exploring the Implications for Morality, Responsibility, and Our Sense of Freedom.

Free Will vs. Determinism: Are Our Choices Truly Our Own, or Are They Predetermined? (Lecture Hall, Professor Quentin Quibble, a man with perpetually ruffled hair and a tweed jacket perpetually…
Posted inFolklore

Throwing Salt Over Your Shoulder: A Ritual to Blind the Devil and Ward Off Evil – Explore the Specific Folklore Behind This Ritual Performed After Spilling Salt and Its Connection to Beliefs About Warding Off Evil Spirits and Counteracting the Bad Luck Associated with Spilled Salt, Symbolizing the Act of Throwing the Misfortune or the Malevolent Entity Back Over Your Shoulder.

Throwing Salt Over Your Shoulder: A Ritual to Blind the Devil and Ward Off Evil – A Lecture (Disclaimer: This lecture is for entertainment and informational purposes only. We are…
Posted inPhilosophy

The Mind-Body Problem: How Do Our Thoughts Connect to Our Physical Brains? Explore the Enduring Philosophical Challenge of Understanding the Relationship Between Consciousness and the Physical World, Examining Perspectives from Dualism to Materialism and the Implications for Our Understanding of Ourselves.

The Mind-Body Problem: How Do Our Thoughts Connect to Our Physical Brains? A Philosophical Head-Scratcher! 🧠🤯 Welcome, everyone, to what is arguably the most stubbornly persistent headache in the history…
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Knocking on Wood: Warding Off Bad Luck and Tempting Fate – Explore the Possible Origins of This Extremely Common Practice, From Ancient Beliefs About Spirits Residing in Trees (Knocking to Awaken or Appease Them) to Medieval Rituals, and What It Reveals About Our Desire to Avert Misfortune, Acknowledge Good Fortune Humbly, and Perform Small Rituals to Feel a Sense of Control Over Fate.

Knocking on Wood: Warding Off Bad Luck and Tempting Fate 🪵🤯 (A Lecture on Arboreal Spirits, Medieval Mayhem, and the Power of a Good Thwack) Welcome, students of serendipity and…
Posted inPhilosophy

Descartes’ Radical Doubt: ‘I Think, Therefore I Am’ – Unpack the Philosophical Journey of René Descartes as He Doubted Everything He Knew to Find Undeniable Truth, Leading to His Famous Cogito and Laying the Foundation for Modern Western Philosophy by Prioritizing Reason.

Descartes' Radical Doubt: "I Think, Therefore I Am" - A Philosophical Rollercoaster 🎢 (A Lecture on René Descartes and the Foundations of Modern Western Philosophy) Welcome, welcome, my inquisitive students!…
Posted inFolklore

Spilling Salt: A Sign of Bad Omen and How to Counteract It – Uncover the Ancient Beliefs About Salt as a Valuable Commodity, a Symbol of Trust and Purity, and How Spilling It Became Associated with Bad Luck or Breaking a Covenant, Leading to the Common Ritual of Throwing a Pinch of Salt Over Your Shoulder to Blind the Devil or Ward Off Misfortune.

Spilling Salt: A Sign of Bad Omen and How to Counteract It – Uncover the Ancient Beliefs (Lecture Transcript – Professor Alistair Saltzman, PhD, Department of Superstition & Comparative Mythology)…