Episodes

  • William O. Stephens, Ph.D., retired Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Creighton University with interests in ancient philosophy, ethics, and Stoicism, has contributed significantly to the field through interviews, podcasts, and translations, including a revised edition of "The Ethics of the Stoic Epictetus."

    Scott Aikin is a Professor of phiolosophy at Vanderbilt University. His research encompasses the theory of knowledge, ancient philosophy, informal logic, and philosophy of religion, focusing on the justification of beliefs, conceptions of knowing in ancient philosophy, epistemic appraisal of arguments, and conditions for knowledge of God, seamlessly integrating his research interests with his teaching in formal logic, ancient philosophy, and epistemology.

    Matthew Sharpe, an accomplished author and Associate Professor, has a rich background in philosophy with over two decades of teaching and supervision, contributing significant works and numerous articles across a broad spectrum of philosophical disciplines, including the history of ideas and Stoic thought, and is actively involved in the modern Stoic community and Stoicon events.

































    Matthew Sharpe, an accomplished author and Professor at the Australian Catholic University, has a rich background in philosophy with over two decades of teaching and supervision, contributing significant works and numerous articles across a broad spectrum of philosophical disciplines, including the history of ideas and Stoic thought, and is actively involved in the modern Stoic community and Stoicon events.





































  • Shane Trotter is the author of Setting the Bar: Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Era of Distraction, Dependency, and Entitlement. As a writer, educator, and High-School Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, he has been challenging youth development norms for over a decade. Shane believes that too much emphasis on comfort and a lost sense of community standards has left people feeling purposeless, disconnected, and trapped in self-limiting patterns. Shane has been featured by multiple coaching clinics and Spartan.com. His articles have been published by websites with millions of readers, such as Quillette, Areo, and Breaking Muscle, where he was an Expert Coach in Residence and helped start the Breaking Muscle podcast. His blog, Inspired Human Development, focuses on exploring the principles of human thriving. Subscribe to get his newsletter, Stuff They Never Told You, for free each week.





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  • Brittany Polat is a writer, researcher, and presenter on practical Stoicism. Her books help people from all walks of life find inner peace and long-lasting happiness through tried-and-true Stoic techniques. Brittany holds a Ph.D. in applied linguistics, but she currently studies human nature through the lens of Stoic psychology and philosophy. She is a steering committee member of Modern Stoicism, a board member of The Stoic Fellowship, and co-founder of the new nonprofit Stoicare (www.stoicare.com). Brittany strongly believes in the power of Stoicism to help us flourish as individuals and as a society.







    Join us on March 23rd for a collaborative conference by The Walled Garden Philosophical Society and Stoicare: Lighting The Way: Philosophical Role Models of the Past & Present



  • Martha Alter Hines is a multifaceted professional with a rich background as a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and body worker, boasting twenty years of experience. In addition to her roles as a mother, astrologer, channel, and healer, Hines has made significant contributions to the field of social work, particularly in her capacity as a supervisor of social workers. Her career took a pivotal turn in 2018 following a profound spiritual awakening that redirected her path away from traditional social work towards embracing her roles as a channel and healer. Guided by this spiritual call, Hines now utilizes astrology, channeling, and various spirit-guided healing modalities to facilitate deep, transformative experiences for individuals, helping them to reconnect with their true essence across all dimensions of existence.
    Hines is dedicated to creating grounded, safe spaces that enable beings to rediscover their identities on a soul level, drawing upon her extensive experience in psychotherapy and bodywork. She believes firmly in the urgency communicated by the spirit world for individuals to remember their true selves, encompassing their connections to the Earth, spirit, soul, body, heart, mind, cosmos, and the divine. In her current practice, Hines integrates her professional background with the wisdom of the spirit world and the inherent knowledge within every being as part of the infinite divine. Her approach transcends traditional therapy, rooted in robust trauma-informed skills, to offer a holistic path to healing and self-discovery.

    In this episode, Martha gives a talk and offers a meditation as a part of our online event, Lighting Candles: A Vigil for Humanity. The full event video is available to members of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society at https://thewalledgarden.com/lighting-candles-a-vigil-for-humanity/.

  • Rocco Jarman is a renowned poet, philosopher, and mystic, recognized for his commitment to personal and societal transformation. With a deep belief in the infinite potential of humans, Jarman has overcome his own struggles with brokenness, disconnection, and confusion, finding a profound sense of gratitude and belonging through his journey. His life's work revolves around a transformative formula that shifts individuals from a state of brokenness to wholeness, and from confusion to understanding.Jarman possesses exceptional insights into psychology, human behavior, and societal dysfunctions, blending science and mysticism to offer solutions to contemporary challenges. His unique perspective aims to demystify both science and mysticism, encouraging a focus on essence over unnecessary complexities.In addition to his philosophical endeavors, Jarman boasts a 25-year career in corporate transformation and leadership. His expertise spans organisational development, strategy, project management, and technology. He is dedicated to contributing his vast knowledge and experience to The Walled Garden and its community, driven by a profound sense of love and a commitment to being a force for good in a world he views as in need of healing and enlightenment.

    In this episode, Rocco gives a talk titled "Lighting Candles." This talk was a part of our online event, Lighting Candles: A Vigil for Humanity. The full event video is available to members of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society at https://thewalledgarden.com/lighting-candles-a-vigil-for-humanity/.






  • Sharon is one of the pioneers of the contemporary Stoicism movement, and the author behind the best-selling interpretation of Epictetus’ writings, “The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness.” As a musician and prominent writer, Sharon seeks to liberate the wisdom of the past in order to facilitate deeper meaning-making and personal flourishing.

    In this episode, Sharon gives a talk titled "Drift & Return." This talk was a part of our online event, Lighting Candles: A Vigil for Humanity. The full event video is available to members of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society at https://thewalledgarden.com/lighting-candles-a-vigil-for-humanity/.







  • Sharon is one of the pioneers of the contemporary Stoicism movement, and the author behind the best-selling interpretation of Epictetus’ writings, “The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness.” As a musician and prominent writer, Sharon seeks to liberate the wisdom of the past in order to facilitate deeper meaning-making and personal flourishing.


    In this episode, Sharon gives a talk titled "The Meaning of Your Life Will Never Be Convenient."







  • Rocco Jarman is an Australian mystic, poet and philosopher. He's the author of Keeper of the Flame: A Message from Tomorrow, and Stepping Through: Following our own star through the door to Tomorrow. His podcast is called the Eyes Wide Open Life Podcast, and you can find Rocco at eyeswideopenlife.org and as a contributor on thewalledgarden.com.

    To register for our upcoming event, Lighting Flames: A Vigil for Humanity, go to thewalledgarden.com/allevents/lighting-candles/

  • Contributing Philosopher Judith Stove gives a talk entitled "Losing Our Memories: Stoicism & The Suppression of Truth."

    About this talk: New legislation in Australia seeks to levy large fines on media companies for sharing ‘misinformation and disinformation.’ But who decides, and what is the impact on the historical record? Our starting point is two Stoic-related texts from Seneca and Tacitus, concerning Roman Imperial suppression of texts and frank discussions. As Tacitus wrote in 98 CE: ‘Rome of old explored the utmost limits of freedom; we have plumbed the depths of slavery, robbed as we are by informers even of the right to exchange ideas in conversation. We should have lost our memories as well as our tongues had it been as easy to forget as to be silent.’

    Read Judith's writings: https://thewalledgarden.com/rootsofthegarden/

  • In this episode, we hear from Prof. Joe Siracusa regarding the current conflict in Israel and Palestine as well as the most pressing diplomatic and political challenges of 2023 to date.

    Dr. Joseph Siracusa is an Chicago-born historian, professor and author with 40+ years in Australian higher education and over 50 books on history, diplomacy, politics, and nuclear weapons to his name. Joe currently teaches at Curtin University, and he serves as the President Emeritus of the Australia Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. By merit of the wisdom and understanding that Joe has cultivated over his life, we have called him to become the Honorary Professor of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society.

  • Tsoof Baras is a versatile and skilled percussionist with over 16 years of performance experience in orchestral percussion, hand drumming, novelty percussion and more in a range of styles. He is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, with a Bachelor of Music, Majoring in Advanced Percussion Performance. Tsoof is a member of multiple ensembles performing locally in Brisbane and nationally. He recently published a book called How to Get Good, wherein he explores the fundamentals of making progress in any skill or discipline. ABOUT THE WALLED GARDEN The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is a global community of philosophers and students gathering in search of truth, wisdom, virtue and the Divine. There are many ways to get involved: Attend Events: http://thewalledgarden.com/events Find a Philosophical Mentor: http://thewalledgarden.com/mentoring Explore Our Groves: http://thewalledgarden.com/groves Become a Member: thewalledgarden.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Event Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-iliad-at-grace-san-francisco-a-public-reading-event-tickets-511419889657 The International Readers of Homer: https://www.internationalreadersofhomer.org/ Kathryn Hohlwein is a poet, author, teacher, world traveler, and Homerist. Born in the Rocky Mountains, she graduated from the University of Utah in 1951 and received an M.A. from The Bread Loaf School of English of Middlebury College in Vermont 1953. For 37 years, she taught poetry, creative writing, world literature, poetry in translation, and the Homeric imagination at the University of Utah, Ohio State University, and for many years at California State University, Sacramento. Her publications include: Touchstones: Letters Between Two Women 1953 to 1964, The Middle Kingdom, What's Funny About Forever, and The Little Chapel in Donegal. Upon retiring from teaching, she founded the International Readers of Homer, through which she created multilingual, audience-participation readings of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the International Readers of Homer has delighted audiences in London, New York, Los Angeles, Brussels, Montevideo, Alexandria, Tehran, Athens, and the Greek islands of Kos and Chios. She is looking forward to the upcoming reading of The Iliad in San Francisco in May 2023, just a week shy of her 93rd birthday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Adriana Barton is a journalist, a former staff reporter at The Globe and Mail, and the author of Wired for Music: A Search for Health and Joy Through the Science of Sound. Her book, published by Greystone Books in October 2022, is a blend of science and memoir that argues that music is an age-old system to boost human health, connect us to each other, and add meaning, resilience, and joy. Drawing from neuroscience, anthropology, and evolutionary biology, Barton's book has received critical acclaim, with Publishers Weekly calling it "witty and soulful," and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, describing it as "beautifully written" and "riveting." ABOUT THE WALLED GARDEN The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is a global community of philosophers and students gathering in search of truth, wisdom, virtue and the Divine. There are many ways to get involved: Attend Events: thewalledgarden.com/events Find a Philosophical Mentor: thewalledgarden.com/mentoring Explore Our Groves: thewalledgarden.com/groves Become a Member: thewalledgarden.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Alex Petkas is a renowned writer and host of the Cost of Glory podcast, where he shares his passion for history by uncovering the best stories and insights from great heroes of the past. After leaving a successful career in academia to focus on his work, Alex's dedication to helping people draw energy and practical insights from the past has earned him a reputation as a thought leader in the industry. In addition to his peer-reviewed research, he also writes for several non-academic publications, including American Mind, Man's World, and Antigone, where he is a founding editor. Alex currently resides in his native Texas with his wife and children. A classicist and philosopher of history, Jack Visnjic is passionate about discovering long-term patterns in historical events. He completed his B.A. in classics and mathematics from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in ancient philosophy from Princeton. His latest publication, "The Invention of Duty," delves into the origins of the concept of "moral duty" in ancient Greco-Roman times. In addition to his research work, Jack hosts a popular podcast called "Ancient Greece Declassified," which features the latest scholarly insights into the ancient Mediterranean world. Jack joined the Institute in February 2019 and continues to contribute to the field with his innovative research and accessible public outreach. ABOUT THE WALLED GARDEN The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is a global community of philosophers and students gathering in search of truth, wisdom, virtue and the Divine. There are many ways to get involved: Attend Events: thewalledgarden.com/events Find a Philosophical Mentor: thewalledgarden.com/mentoring Explore Our Groves: thewalledgarden.com/groves Become a Member: thewalledgarden.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Elite dressage coach and Stoic practitioner Nona Maiorano joins Simon Drew to discuss the idea of Human Self-Carriage, which describes the state of flow that can exist when we remove the two things that get in the way: agenda and ego. Nona is also a host at the Women’s Philosopher’s Cafe and a member of the New England Stoics. ABOUT THE WALLED GARDEN The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is a global community of philosophers and students gathering in search of truth, wisdom, virtue and the Divine. There are many ways to get involved: Attend Events: thewalledgarden.com/events Find a Philosophical Mentor: thewalledgarden.com/mentoring Explore Our Groves: thewalledgarden.com/groves Become a Member: thewalledgarden.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • In this episode: Professor, philosopher and scholar of Stoicism William O. Stephens speaks with recently graduated football coach and Stoic practitioner Nick Davis about the analogy between team sports and the ethical/theological ideas found in Stoicism.  Learn more about Professor William O. Stephens: williamostephens.com ABOUT THE WALLED GARDEN The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is a global community of philosophers and students gathering in search of truth, wisdom, virtue and the Divine. There are many ways to get involved: Attend Events: thewalledgarden.com/events Find a Philosophical Mentor: thewalledgarden.com/mentoring Explore Our Groves: thewalledgarden.com/groves Become a Member: thewalledgarden.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • This episode script was generated by Chat GPT based on prompts by Simon J. E. Drew. Register for "Chat GPT, AI Models and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Senate": https://thewalledgarden.com/an-introduction-to-the-senate SCRIPT The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about a new era of technological progress and potential, but it has also raised concerns about the meaning of human existence and the potential for madness. As AI becomes more sophisticated, there is a growing fear that it may surpass human intelligence, leaving us questioning our place in the world and our purpose in life. One of the key challenges posed by AI is the potential for it to replace human labor in many industries, leading to widespread job displacement and economic inequality. This could cause people to feel disconnected from their work and the broader societal structures that give their lives meaning. Additionally, the rise of AI may challenge our understanding of what it means to be human, leading to feelings of existential angst and confusion. READ THE FULL SCRIPT HERE: https://thewalledgarden.com/meaning-and-madness-human-survival-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • This episode script was generated by Chat GPT based on prompts by Simon J. E. Drew. Register for “Chat GPT, AI Models and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Senate”: https://thewalledgarden.com/an-introduction-to-the-senate SCRIPT: Welcome to The Walled Garden Podcast, the official podcast of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society. I am your temporary host, stepping in for Simon Drew. Today's episode is a special one as it was entirely generated by Artificial Intelligence technologies. We have some exciting news to share with our listeners. On March 9th at 3 pm PST, The Walled Garden Philosophical Society will be hosting an event called "Chat G P T, Artificial Technology Models, and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Senate". This event will be open to the public for a donation of your choosing, and you can register at thewalledgarden.com/events. During the event, Rocco Jarman, a renowned Australian poet, mystic, and philosopher, will join Simon Drew, a co-founder of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society and a musician and poet, to introduce The Senate. The Senate is a series of events that will only be available to members after March 2023. In these events, our community will come together to engage in thoughtful philosophical discussions with courage and vulnerability, working towards a consensus on some of the most complex issues of our time. See the full text here: artificial-enlightenment-the-age-of-freedom-and-abundance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • This episode script was generated by Chat GPT based on prompts by Simon J. E. Drew. Register for "Chat GPT, AI Models and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Senate": https://thewalledgarden.com/an-introduction-to-the-senate SCRIPT Hello, and welcome to The Walled Garden Podcast, the official podcast of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society. I'm here filling in for the host, Simon Drew. Today's episode is a little different because it was entirely created by Artificial Intelligence technologies. First up, we have some exciting news to share. On March 9th at 3 pm PST, The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is hosting an event called Chat G P T, Artificial Technology Models, and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Senate. This event will be open to the public for the price of a donation of your choosing, and you can register via thewalledgarden.com/events. In this event, Rocco Jarman, an Australian poet, mystic, and philosopher, will join Simon Drew, a musician, poet, and co-founder of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society, to give an in-depth introduction to The Senate, which is a series of events that will be for members only after March 2023. In these monthly events, our community will gather to discuss and come to a consensus on the most complicated issues of our time using thoughtful philosophical dialogue underpinned by courage and vulnerability. Now, on with the article, entitled: Artificially Stupid: The Life and Times of Machines Learning. READ THE FULL SCRIPT HERE: https://thewalledgarden.com/artificial-stupidity-the-life-and-times-of-machine-learning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • This episode script was generated by Chat GPT based on prompts by Simon J. E. Drew. Register for "Chat GPT, AI Models and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Senate": https://thewalledgarden.com/an-introduction-to-the-senate SCRIPT Welcome to The Walled Garden Podcast, the flagship podcast of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society. We have an exciting announcement to make - the Society is hosting its very first Walled Garden Senate meeting! The first meeting in the Senate will be entitled "Chat GPT, Artificial Intelligence Models and The Walled Garden: An Introduction to The Walled Garden Senate." This is a significant milestone in our development as a community of philosophers and students dedicated to the pursuit of truth, wisdom, virtue, and the Divine. To set the stage for this special event, we are releasing a series of episodes featuring writings that were completely generated by Artificial Intelligence, including the essay itself, the voice reading the essay, and at times, the music. These AI-generated essays will explore topics of philosophical significance and serve as a lead-up to the Senate meeting. While the use of AI-generated content is a controversial topic, we believe that it has the potential to offer new insights and perspectives into the nature of knowledge, consciousness, and reality. By exploring the applications of AI in philosophy, we hope to create a space for thoughtful and courageous dialogue about the most complicated questions of our age and moment. It's important to note that while AI will be a topic of discussion in the upcoming Walled Garden Senate meeting, topics discussed in the Senate will not always be centered around AI. The Walled Garden Senate will be a monthly meeting wherein philosophers and students of The Walled Garden Philosophical Society will engage in thoughtful, and hopefully courageous dialogue regarding the most complicated questions of our age and moment. We invite you to join us on March 9th at 3 pm PST for our introduction event, which will be open to the public for the price of a donation, or "Pay by Heart." This event will serve as a preview of what's to come in the Walled Garden Senate meetings and will feature discussions about the role of AI models like Chat GPT in shaping the future of philosophical discourse. We're thrilled to be able to share this journey with you, and we hope that you'll join us in this exciting endeavor. By coming together to explore the most profound questions of our age and moment, we believe that we can create waves of positive change that will reverberate not only within our community, but throughout the world and the Cosmos. So, join us on this journey towards truth, wisdom, and virtue, and let's see where it takes us. I love exactly what you've written in this response, but why did you leave out the Divine? I apologize for leaving out the Divine in my previous response. The Walled Garden Philosophical Society believes that the pursuit of truth, wisdom, virtue, and the Divine is of utmost importance in our philosophical inquiry. Our community acknowledges the significance of the Divine as a guiding force in our personal and collective journeys towards a more profound understanding of existence. Thus, in addition to engaging in thoughtful dialogue about the most complex questions of our time, we also actively seek to explore the nature of the Divine and our relationship to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices