“If I exist, I am a living creature to whom ideas are incidents, like aeroplanes in the sky; they pass over, more or less followed by the eye, more or less listened to, recognised, or remembered; but the self slumbers and breathes below, a mysterious natural organism, full of dark yet definite potentialities; so that different events will awake it to quite disproportionate activities. The self is a fountain of joy, folly, and sorrow, a waxing and waning, stupid and dreaming creature, in the midst of a vast natural world, of which it catches but a few transient and odd perspectives.”~ George Santayana, Scepticism and Animal Faith
The Hustle is not for everyone. Some of us cynics suspect that to Hustle too hard tends to turn one into a mere butler, a tea-toting sycophant in the medieval mansion of memetic evolution. To Hustle is to be in service of an ambition, non-epistemic and not of your own choosing– the proverbial rat in the maze seeking the cheesy compensation of its captor. Get money, get fame, get tenure, get published… get bent. It’s time someone presented an alternative orientation. To that end we humbly submit our bumbling product for your perusal, we overripe fruit of the late bloom, we Dawdlers.
Foragers not farmers; scouts not soldiers; eclectics not officiants; wolves not shepherds. Unaffiliated apes attempting conceptual congress from “transient and odd perspectives”.
On the Dawdler’s Philosophy Podcast you will hear two icarian humans do their darnedest to wrestle Big Ideas. Some novel and some derived, some treasured relics of the academy and some exiled to the fringes, some commonplace and some obscure. Whether the topical taxonomists consign to their curios labelled “science” or “philosophy”, if it catches a Dawdler’s eye it’s a candidate for consideration.
This podcast consists of long form discussions between two old friends; one a “philosopher” and one a “scientist”, both thoroughly habituated to conceptual consumption. Harland, the epistemologist, metaphysician, and out-of-fashion Grand System Builder and Ryan, the evolutionary theorist, numerical modeler, and out-of-energy Child Rearing Male share more than a birthday and a penchant for perspicacity. Though our particular persuasions permit a pleasurable discursive friction, our ultimate affinity for inquiry facilitates a cooperative coordination. For two to three hours each week, these Dawdlers engage in pertinent palaver. Sometimes of a particular work, sometimes addressing an intellectual figure, sometimes presenting a construction of their own, but always striving to sound the depths and linger in the breadth of the topic at hand.
Our discussions reside in the motherland of the Maybe, on the continent of the Conditional, in a state of Suspicion, eschewing the comfortable confines of the domains of dogma and the arena of agenda. Our joys include having a “new” thought on-air, encountering an unfamiliar idea, and cooperatively constructing persuasive arguments, all the sweeter if contra some cherished claim. We’re here to learn lively, to expand exposure, to communicate, understand, and progress. This is not the place to find unforced passion, manufactured drama, or gratuitous gossip. We’re with her:
… and oh yes, there’re jokes.
Here, nothing is off the table, but nothing comes for free. Everything is up for debate, and open to dispute. In a spirit of zetetic skepticism, The Dawdler’s Philosophy is willing to countenance any claim, but will likely soon follow up with, “Ok, so what’s your argument?”. We participate freely, without fear of reprisal, without audience to cater, and to the best of our momentary cognitive abilities in the exchange of signals; where we can, minimizing noise.
Our intention, that after sharing some hours with us, the mindful listener will: 1) have had some new memes successfully installed on their neck-top, 2) greater grok the whys and wherefores behind some thinkers and thoughts, and 3) have enjoyed a couple laughs and a generally good time. Invigorating, amiable, and occasionally intelligent, all those who love ideas and words, philosophy and science, inquiry and inklings, texts and arguments, are cordially invited to while away some spacetime with a couple of Dawdlers. Cheers!
Harland Grant
Harland Grant, the fluxion bumpkin, the last recluse, transgressive troubadour and outlaw ontologist, dawdles along, half asleep in frog pajamas. An existential artist and antagonistic linguist he dodges dogma while pursuing persuasion. Harland prefers arguments to idols, and ideas to ideals. Glory be to the Letter, and to the Fun, and to the Holy Chimp. As it was in medias res, 'is' not and E-prime can be: conversation without end. Amend.
Idea appears great! But the modalities are not made very clear; is it an invitation for holders of new ideas to contact Harold Grant? If yes, where? How?
Or, are ideas for podcasts are are pre-set?
My non-autocorrected name is Harland Grant, and I may be reached at dawdlersphilosophy at gmail dot com. Topics for the podcast are determined by Harland and Ryan at their whim and fancy, but they remain open to suggestions. Thanks for checking us out.