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)…
Posted inPhilosophy

Socrates and the Power of Questioning: The Philosopher Who Knew Nothing, Yet Taught Everything – Dive into the Socratic Method and His Relentless Pursuit of Truth Through Dialogue and Questioning Assumptions, Exploring Why He Was Both Revered and Condemned for Challenging the Status Quo in Ancient Athens.

Socrates and the Power of Questioning: The Philosopher Who Knew Nothing, Yet Taught Everything (A Lecture: Prepare to Have Your Assumptions Grilled!) (🔔 Class Bell Rings 🔔) Alright, settle down,…
Posted inFolklore

Walking Under a Ladder: Inviting Bad Luck and Crossing Boundaries – Explore the Possible Origins of This Widespread Superstition, From Ancient Religious Symbolism (Seeing a Ladder Leaning Against a Wall Forming a Triangle, a Sacred Space) to Practical Danger, and What It Tells Us About Our Tendency to Avoid Perceived Risks and Embrace Folk Beliefs, Even When the Logic Isn’t Immediately Apparent.

Walking Under a Ladder: Inviting Bad Luck and Crossing Boundaries (Lecture Begins) (Image: A cartoon ladder leaning precariously against a wall, a black cat strolling underneath, a person recoiling in…
Posted inPhilosophy

Aristotle’s Pursuit of Happiness: Finding the Good Life Through Virtue – Explore the Ancient Greek Philosopher’s Ethics and His Idea That True Happiness (Eudaimonia) is Achieved Through Living a Virtuous Life and Cultivating Excellent Character, Offering Practical Wisdom for Flourishing.

Aristotle's Pursuit of Happiness: Finding the Good Life Through Virtue (Lecture Hall doors swing open with a dramatic flourish. A figure, dressed in a slightly rumpled tweed jacket and sporting…
Posted inFolklore

Breaking a Mirror: Why Does It Mean Seven Years of Bad Luck? Uncover the Ancient Origins and Evolution of This Extremely Common Superstition, Exploring Possible Connections to Beliefs About the Soul Being Reflected in a Mirror, the Value of Mirrors in the Past, and What This Fear Reveals About Our Deep-Seated Anxieties of Breaking with the Past and Inviting Misfortune Into Our Lives.

Breaking a Mirror: Why Does It Mean Seven Years of Bad Luck? A Deep Dive into Reflections, Souls, and Superstition (Welcome, esteemed students of the spectacularly superstitious! 🎩🔮 Today, we…
Posted inPhilosophy

Plato’s Theory of Forms: Are We Living in a Shadow World? Uncover the Philosophical Idea That the Physical World is Just an Imperfect Reflection of Perfect, Eternal Forms and Explore How This Concept Shaped Western Thought on Reality, Knowledge, and Ideals.

Plato's Theory of Forms: Are We Living in a Shadow World? 🤔 (A Philosophical Lecture: Prepare for Mind-Bending!) Welcome, my intrepid knowledge seekers! Grab your thinking caps (or tinfoil hats,…
Posted inFolklore

Mirrors in Folklore and Superstition: Portals, Reflections, and Bad Luck – Explore the Diverse and Often Contradictory Beliefs About Mirrors, From Their Use in Scrying and Fortune-Telling (Seeing the Future or Other Realms) to Superstitions About Breaking Them (Bringing Seven Years of Bad Luck) and Their Connection to the Soul and the Spirit World.

Mirrors in Folklore and Superstition: Portals, Reflections, and Bad Luck - A Lecture (Image: A cracked antique mirror reflecting a distorted face. Use a slightly spooky, but also humorous, artistic…
Posted inFolklore

The Folklore of Crossroads: Meeting Places of Power and the Supernatural – Explore the Profound Beliefs and Rituals Associated with Crossroads in Various Cultures, Seen as Liminal Spaces Where Different Worlds (Human, Spiritual, Supernatural) Meet, Often Connected to Magic, Dealings with Spirits, Important Decisions, and Rites of Passage.

The Folklore of Crossroads: Meeting Places of Power and the Supernatural (Professor Armitage leans forward, adjusting his spectacles precariously on his nose. A mischievous glint sparks in his eye.) Alright,…