Just wanted to say that I bought his book freedom a disease without cure after listening to your podcasts about his ideas. It’s truly interesting and impressive how you turn complex ideas into something people can understand easily.

I love love LOVE this podcast. I’ve burned through all of his past episodes in a matter of a few months and I can’t get enough. West explains philosophy in a way that is clear and relatable without dumbing anything down. I love the way each episode makes me think of life from a new perspective and question my own way of thinking. If you have ANY interest in philosophy at all, I can’t recommend this podcast enough.

A podcast that changed my thinking and approach to life. I simply cannot recommend it enough. Stay amazing, Steve!

Just finished your four part anarchism series. Your analysis of the multiple perspectives made the series credibly insightful, though you never got the endpoint of anarcho- communism, which is Marx’s fourth stage, wherein the state melts away. Please consider a new episode or two on Hannah Arendt and her explanations on natality, plurality, and polity: on birth and beginning, on individuals as a composite individual in society, on Will and authority, individuals in communities, being responsible for and free in small community democracies to form governments that allude to the anarchism you explicate.

We would appreciate an episode on Tecno- feudalism ( coined by yannis Varufakis?)

Every time an episode comes out I’m so excited to listen! And then re-listen to make sure I understood it all, haha, no fault of the host because he is amazing and taking very complicated ideas and making them digestible and understandable. Better than any philosophy professor I’ve ever had. Thank you for doing this!!

Thank you so much for taking your time and energy to make us better human beings. We are all just running around being human ‘doings’ and not just being. And I mean ‘being’ as in becoming better versions of our selves for our own personal growth and how we show up for others. Thank you again for making philosophy palatable to my brain. U rock!

An incredible podcast, and to the guy who is mad about ads, please. This guy has been doing this for years, diligently, through patreon. Let him make money. Or how about: Pay $1 a month and get it without ads? lol.

I’ve always loved this podcast but the ads really kill it. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were only at the beginning, but having them throughout the show is really awful. It’s a shame he had to sell out.

This is a great place to start learning the ideas of philosophy!! Definitely grabbed my attention!!

Stephen, I heard you on Liza Powell O’Brien’s podcast. I am so amazed at your story, and the impressive endeavor that you took on! I immediately looked for your Podcast! I listened to it all day. I am really enjoying your delivery and the your methods of using analogies, historical examples, raltionships and comparison to make the content more comphrensive. I was would love to hear you speak to contemporary philosophers! Thank you so much for this well done podcast!

In my opinion, The show is put together well. Each episode brings something new and I’ve listened to all from the start.

I’ve listened in order from the first episode, and it has been tremendous. Each episode has been fascinating, insightful and fun. Each episode builds on the next, and you will soon know more than someone with a philosophy degree, and have more pleasure getting there. This man can make the most complex topics understandable, and he does not have an agenda. You can make up your own mind on each topic. Great stuff.

I took some philosophy courses in college and got something out of them, but nothing like this podcast. West has no discernible agenda other than to educate people on subjects that he clearly loves. While it may be fun to debate religion and politics with friends, you will soon learn that very little of what you think is original. Someone said it before more articulately than you. That’s been the wonder of this. This is the modern age, but all that has changed is our technology. We are not much different from thinkers who came thousands of years before us. Pretty fine...

Stephen does an excellent job of Steel-manning pretty much every philosopher/philosophy he covers. I usually come away thinking “oh now I get it! I agree with the ideas in THIS episode!” Only to say the same thing about the next episode that describes why the last episode was so wrong about so many of its claims. Plus, his sense of humor (which he uses somewhat sparsely but to great effect) and what appears to be genuine care for us the audience, just makes me want to hug him. -Proud patron

Stephen West has exposed me to so much philosophy that I would likely otherwise have been without. His research and ability to summarize deep thoughts in a conversational style is unique. Philosophize This! is a springboard into a deeply considered life.

I never thought philosophy would make my day better, but it does. There are so many aspects to this podcast and the content that resonate with me. I try to turn everyone into it. While not a self help podcast - just makes me feel better. So very interesting, well presented, easy to understand, humorous and detailed. My favourite podcast to listen to.

While West likes to modestly downplay his contributions to the understanding of various philosophical schools of thought, he’s really doing a great service by entertainingly explaining what these schools/movements/philosophers believe in an easily accessible way. His writing is sharp, his delivery warm and friendly, and even his sponsorships feel sincere. My kids and I listen to the show on the way to school and really enjoy it. Some of the topics go over my youngest’s head, but he appreciates West’s asides and analogies, which are humorous. Lots of people have explored these topics in “late night dorm room” discussions in college. As someone who generally falls asleep at 8pm, I never engaged in these (I’m also intellectually lazy), so even though I’m now in my 40s, I haven’t taken the opportunity to ponder some of the bigger questions that philosophers have tackled. Philosophize This! gives me the opportunity to grapple with some of those bigger ideas, and to apply them to modern society. It’s been eye opening, and wonderful. I highly recommend this show to everyone because there’s something for everyone here.

I wish everyone wanted to listen to this podcast.

This podcast made me want to become a philosopher.

Amazing discussions of modern philosophy. Worth the time

The most thought provoking podcast out there. I try to get my friends to listen so we can have some fundamentally social relevant conversations with some depth, but they don’t want to 😭 While every episode takes a minute to really connect the ideas to modernity, West does so in a way that makes you want to listen for me. Whether I agree with the views expressed or not is irrelevant because they always challenge me to challenge my own thinking.

Philosophy is one of those subjects that can be handled in a myriad of ways - debate, discussion, interview, and what may seem the least interesting - the explanation by one person. At least that is the way I felt until I came across Philosophize This, thanks to the recommendation of a coworker. Philosophize This has become my favorite podcast for a number of reasons. Among them are thorough explanations of key concepts without getting over the top geeky, the examination of philosophy not just in terms of concepts but also a deep dive into the people themselves (how did I never hear of the extraordinary Simone Weil before this) and, not to be overlooked, is the skill of Steven West in broadcasting basics. All of this combines to be what I think is the best philosophy based podcast today. Thank you Steven. I look forward to every episode.

Stephen West consistently delivers a quality podcast that is honest, reflective, relevant, and easy to understand. No bells and whistles, no sound effects, no annoying giggly sidekick, just philosophy. It’s beautiful.

topics discussed in this podcast are impactful and relevant. Enjoy listening and thanks

Thank you for your podcast. I’ve been listening to you for probably two years now and always look forward to the next episode. It’s refreshing to be able to here new and often opposing ideas to my traditional thinking. It helps me be curious about the world and society. I’m looking forward to your piece on Anarchy. Keep it up! -Port

The way you break down these complex philosophies is awesome and very entertaining. Please consider doing some episodes on Alan Watts.

I love this podcast! Stephen West is incredible at explaining difficult philosophical ideas. I came to this podcast because I was struggling with the big questions of life, and I was blown away by how amazing the content is. Thank you for all the time and effort you put in to make this podcast Stephen!!! :)

I’ve listened to every single episode of this podcast and it’s amazing. Have you ever heard they saying, “You don’t truly understand something unless you can explain it simply?” Well, Stephen West really understands his philosophy. I’ve learned more from this show than all of my college philosophy courses combined. The show is smart, witty, and informative. Seriously, if you haven’t listened to it yet, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

My absolute number one! Always come back to it

I always learn something, if not many things.

Thanks a lot for this amazing show.

I’ve taken so many college courses, and very few have been able to as clearly and succinctly teach as well as well as this man. I discovered the podcast by accident, but I cannot recommend it highly enough to everyone I talk to. Without a doubt, I have become a Patreon subscriber. Thank you very much.

Started this a little while ago and was really excited, but only a dozen or so episodes in and he already starts to be wise crack on people who are Atheist or Agnostic. Just completely acting like something is wrong with them for not believing in anything. Very disappointing.

steve are you alright？btw i love the podcast

This podcast is a beautiful thing

As society gets ever more complicated and it feels like this are uncertain, I try to look further and further back into history and the written word, to distill knowledge down to its simplest form, some kind of truth. It’s so wild to me to think that great thinkers / philosophers like Plato had such “modern” ideals of how government should operate but yet we still haven’t progressed much in those areas. I think everyone can benefit from learning the Socratic method of reasoning. I found that today in modern times people don’t even know WHAT questions to ask, let alone answers to problems involving the human condition, human suffering and human governance. The start is learning to reason and question through philosophy, some kind of truth will eventually follow but we need to start at square 1. Thank you for your service to humanity Steven West!

I really look forward to listening. Great podcast; the host clearly respects his audience and loves the topic.

I listen to this podcast all the time and it’s my absolute favorite. Stephen’s humor makes me laugh, and the content makes me stare at walls for hours on end. Every time we dive into a dense topic he’s come up with a modern day or familiar example that makes understanding it so much easier. It’s simply explained and each episode contains so much information. I really hope he never stops making new episodes and I look forward to them every week.

I get a little tired of him picking on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I just commenced listening to the podcast. I’ve listened to six or seven episodes and he’s already mocked adherents to that church three or four times.

Simply put, my favorite podcast. I’ve tried other good ones, then always end up coming back to this one. It has been useful for my life, for revisiting philosophers I studied long ago, and know different ones with an accesible language and explanations. If the episode captures my attention then I start reading the actual books.

A friend turned me on to this show several years ago. It’s been an enlightening, inspiring resource. Stephen West works incredibly hard to bring a little more light into the world. And we need people like him doing what he does. To quote Thelonious Monk: “It’s always night, or we wouldn’t need light.” Thanks for the great show!

You’ve made my life better. Thank you.

This is my first review ever and this guy deserves the acknowledgment. Keep up the great work!

This is the best. West is amazing and has incredible talent. Listen and you’ll see! Start at episode 1!

Best content, best explanation from various angles, teaching me how I can think through before making choices or decisions. And all these things make sense when the audio is clear, which is very true with this podcast.

Update: I first listened to this podcast when I was in highschool just getting into philosophy. Now at the end of my undergraduate degree in philosophy and I am still an active listener who gets just as much out of the episodes! Thank you for being inspiring, accessible, and educational!

In like terms I agree God is no man or no physical being. God has no limitations as I also agree. God is full consciousness. God is a pure form of all love. True consciousness. Something our brains could not ever fully grasp. Explaining what god is is something we as humans will not ever be able to do. Now I’ll explain me and what I mean. God is all, God knows all. God has interference in ways most refuse to except or see. Why because they see no physical being not allowing the things that’s playing out in front of them. God is a pure form of positive energy. When we put forth nothing but positive energy and ask god to guide us, God will guide, god will show you what god can do. I’ve had my fair share of experience with what god has done for me. God has given me knowledge to rewire my brain. In most cases people have very negative ways of thinking. In a list people are negative in ways of other people respecting one another Lying Jealousy Sexually looking at a stranger just because of the way of their attractive looks. In other terms showing no respect for another human. Hating their job’s because of pay and just refusing to find enjoyment in what they do. Being vile Being Crude & rude Having no couth. Sexually not respecting one’s self Comparing looks and bodies Being unclean Playing into someone’s negativity now there’s a list and I just named a few. Listen none of these things will make God not love you. None of these things makes God find you not worthy. These are the things that make you feel unworthy these are the things that attract Negativity negative energy. when you are this way you surround yourself in draining energy, ugly energy. It’s an unconscious part of yourself punishing you. This energy has built up over generations. This is why we are where we are. We have found that it is easier to be negative. People have become lazy when it comes to having a positive outlook some people find it funny some find it appealing. We have neglected our selves in ways we don’t even realize. Now God has given us free will and God says I have plans for each of you but to see the beauty you have to follow me. With the brains of humans, instead of having soul and heart speak through we choose our mind and bodies. When that has only failed us. I ask god what can I do for you. In times I don’t even ask I just do. I complement everyone I respect every soul i come in contact with no matter if they have lack of respect for me. Why because I have respect for me I will not change my character for the lack of respect they have for themselves. God has shown me this. God has shown me such beautiful ways. Now my life my story has been tragic in ways that has caused me mental pain I still deal with this to this day. I did not always respect myself or others. I used to be a person of constant anger and RAGE. Nobody was going to change me or the way I think. I’ve been through alot for a 25 year old. I’ve seen drug abuse, I’ve seen sexual abuse. I’ve seen physical abuse. I’ve seen mental abuse at it’s best. Ive been through more death than I’d ever like to accept, but I do. I’ve seen and experienced all these things. I do not blame God nor will I ever. God pulled me out of my lost path when I didn’t think anyone ever could. It took me almost 5 years to completely rewire my brain. I’ve found ways to what some call the unconscious. But conscious is she. I’ve transformed my energy and God gifts me regularly. Do I fall short well I am human. But I do not hold on I tell myself every day is a new and good day even when I feel it is not. I’m still giving out sorrys. But I give out more thanks you and can I help you with this, than I do those sorrys. I do not lose respect for myself for others lack of understanding. I give people reason to improve i try to take good parts in people and instill them in myself as I would want them to do when they see me. I make a better me each day I wake. God has done this for me. I do not care for a dollar. I despise money actually because of the pain it brings. But I accept it for what it is. If I have extra I give to who’s in more need than I. I yes sir and no ma’am every one wether you’re 5, 20, 35, 50, 85. No matter who you are. I pick up litter. If I don’t feel adequate I tell myself things opposite of what I’m feeling. God has taught me these things God has given me Grace. Because I worked to know God I’ve worked to know Gods purpose of me. I only become better each day. I’m smarter I’m happier and god provides me with all things I need. God even jokes around with me and I know it sounds crazy but it’s true. Just an example I ran a red light one day I was a bit embarrassed because well driving is my place of finding me as a whole I’d say I’m pretty good with the foot petal in other words. Anyways I get home and I see what looked like a pack of cigarettes in my yard now I was a little upset because I do not smoke nor have I ever been a cigarette smoker. Sure enough it was a card game Red light Green light that my girls left in the yard. Another time I had a night of drinking and I drank past my means I got on the floor on my hands and knees and prayed to god and spoke of me being unworthy because it was the end of my drinking night, which I enjoyed myself up until the end you already know I got drunk enough to find myself having to make myself throw up cause I ain’t throwing up unless i have to make myself. The next day I went for a drive with no destination. Down away I don’t ever go. well trying to find myself a place to turn around I go a few miles seeing no store gas station or anything to come up on a liquor store. God knows how to make me laugh. God understands I’m human. God loves me as God loves each of you. Now this review is only explaining to you finding out what god is simply is irrelevant because if you just know god is all love as promised and only punishes you as a loving parent would. Find out who you are. Negativity is what doesn’t belong.

Just a fantastic, thought provoking podcast with a great narrator

You are doing the best synthesis of philosophy and today world’s where I thought philosophy might not be relevant anymore (as the world becomes more and more crazy!). I am a non western philosophy reader and I was always wondering how such great ideas in the past by unbelievably high energies intellectual individuals who saw things with bare mind and eye .. how would they see our world today and what would they think of it .. and how some of todays world defining aspects has been initiated and instilled by them in the first place .. I am finding the best answers in your podcast, it is treasure to me .. thanks for doing what you’re doing..and keep doing it please 💕..