“Placebo Magick” is Garrison Benson’s podcast series explaining his concept of “magick” from a strictly non-supernatural, psychological point of view; as he says, “magick is a metaphor, and metaphors are magickal”. In this episode he considers the advantages of imaginary afterlives and also the practical legacy lessons to be drawn from this perspective on death … Read moreThe Placebo Magick Podcast on the Metaphorical Afterlife
Nontheistic spirituality and spiritual naturalism are umbrella terms for spiritual disciplines that require no faith in the literally supernatural. Examples include Humanism, numerous forms of atheistic/secular Paganism, Humanistic Judaism, Secular Buddhism, The Satanic Temple’s approach to Satanism and so-on, as well as present-day revivals of ancient philosophies such as Stoicism and Epicureanism. My Way of … Read moreThe Willing Suspension of Disbelief: Poetic Faith and Nontheistic Spirituality
Philosophical approaches to mortality from Socrates, Epicurus, and Zhuangzi, considering whether it’s logical to fear your own death or the deaths of your loved ones, with sidebars on Thomas Nagel and the Fear of Missing Out.
Leigh E. Schmidt’s essay for Aeon.com examines the phenomenon of public memorials representing humanism, freethought and atheism: American freethinkers had long been preoccupied with the public memorialising of their incredulity and anticlericalism. They wanted to enshrine their commitment to scientific rationality over biblical revelation, their strict construction of church-state separation, and their worldly focus on … Read more“Monuments to Unbelief”
Syrio Forel, First Sword of Braavos (played by actor Miltos Yerolamou) offers an object memento mori ergo carpe diem lesson to Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) in this scene from the first season of Game of Thrones.
“Religion does not help me. The faith that others give to what is unseen, I give to what one can touch, and look at. My gods dwell in temples made with hands; and within the circle of actual experience is my creed made perfect and complete: too complete, it may be, for like many or … Read more“Every Thing to be True Must Become a Religion”: Oscar Wilde’s Confraternity of the Faithless
By Tony Wolf Beginning about thirty years ago, increasingly since my father died in mid-2016 and with great intensity since the start of this year, I’ve been developing an embodied philosophical/artistic approach to – and “poetic faith” in -the reality of death and its implications for living meaningful lives. It draws inspiration from aspects of … Read moreMy Way of Life and Death
Social philosopher, Religion for Atheists author and School of Life founder Alain de Botton presents his concept of Atheism 2.0, a life-stance and process of inquiry that begins with the understanding that the “supernatural” is fictional and then asks “how can this fiction help us live meaningful and fulfilling lives?” This is also the premise … Read moreAtheism 2.0 with Alain de Botton