American Socrates
Think Deeper. Live Better. Tired of shallow takes and surface-level answers? American Socrates helps you cut through the noise and see the world more clearly. This is a podcast for anyone who wants to think for themselves, challenge assumptions, and live a more intentional, meaningful life. Host Charles M. Rupert brings the power of critical thinking and timeless philosophical insight into everyday questions—like how to find purpose, make good decisions, grow as a person, and navigate a world full of misinformation and confusion. From art to relationships, social justice to success at work, no topic is off-limits. This isn’t a lecture on famous philosophers. It’s a wake-up call for your mind. New episodes every Wednesday. Ready to see what you've been missing? Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/corals/mountain-pine License code: NT1UAGETRXVL46SM
Episodes
In part two, we fast-forward to today—where echoes of Fitzhugh’s vision have returned in surprising forms. From alt-right influencers to Silicon Valley billionaires and traditionalist politicians, a growing chorus claims that modern freedom has failed—and offers a new feudalism in its place. In this episode, we trace how the old logic of benevolent masters, dependent workers, and enforced order is being reborn through...
In this episode, we dive into the writings of George Fitzhugh, a 19th-century American Lawyer and social critic who launched one of the earliest full-throated critiques of capitalism—not from the left, but from the slave plantations of the South. Fitzhugh believed that freedom was a myth, and that most people were better off being ruled. Slavery, in his eyes, was not a shameful past—it was a blueprint for a stable soc...
America feels broken. Red vs. blue. Rural vs. urban. Rich vs. poor. But beneath all the noise, there’s a deeper story — one most politicians won’t touch.
In this episode, we dig into how capitalism quietly shapes our political divides — and why it keeps getting a free pass. As democracy expands rights and inclusion, capitalism turns that promise into insecurity: higher costs, unstable jobs, and working-class exhaustion...
Philosophy didn’t start in a classroom. It started with a gasp.
This episode is about Wonder — that sudden feeling that something familiar isn’t so familiar after all. We’ll talk about how this moment of awe, confusion, or deep curiosity isn’t just the spark of philosophy but the doorway to a more conscious, meaningful life. It’s what wakes us up — if we let it.
We’ll draw on Plato, Buddhist insight, and everyday exampl...
What if everything you’ve ever done was inevitable — shaped by causes beyond your control? In this episode, we explore determinism not as a physics problem, but as a moral one. Why do we blame people? Why do we take credit? Nietzsche called it all a mistake — four great errors that have warped how we see the world and ourselves. But was he right?
We also take a sharp turn with Sartre, who thinks even in a determined wo...
In this episode of American Socrates, we dig into Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and her famous idea of the “banality of evil.” Arendt argued that great wrongs can be carried out not just by monsters, but by ordinary people who fail to think critically about their actions. What does this mean for the rest of us—especially in today’s political climate?
From Nazi Germany to Trump’s America, this episode asks: What...
We’ve all been told that grades are how we measure success and learning in school. But what if that’s a lie we’ve all just accepted? In this episode, we take a hard look at the role of grades in education—not just how they work, but who they really serve.
Grades are often treated like neutral indicators of learning, but they shape the way students think, what teachers prioritize, and how schools define success. They cr...
Can a machine really think—or just fake it well enough to fool us?
In this episode of American Socrates, we dig into Alan Turing’s famous test for machine intelligence. The idea is simple: if a machine can carry on a conversation indistinguishable from a human, maybe it counts as “thinking.” But is that a good standard—or just clever imitation?
We explore why the Turing Test might be too generous, letting in machines th...
What does it really mean to say that sex is "biologically determined"? In this episode of American Socrates, we explore the science, philosophy, and politics behind one of the most heated debates of our time. We break down what biology can tell us about sex, what it can’t, and why that matters—not just in classrooms and courtrooms, but in everyday life.
Whether you're curious, skeptical, or just trying t...
Explore Frank Jackson's thought experiment about a scientist who knows the world of color.
We trust our eyes, but should we? This episode dives into the philosophy of perception, exploring whether seeing really is believing—or if our senses deceive us more often than we think. We break down Descartes' Wax Argument and why he doubted the reliability of perception, examine Gettier's famous counterexamples that challenge what it means to know something, and explore Kant's Transcendental Idealism...
In less than two minutes, we'll explore Phillipa Foot's famous thought experiment involving the trolley problem.
In less than two minutes, we'll examine Robert Nozick's famous thought experiment involving the experience machine.
Can we ever see the full picture, or are we all just grasping at different parts of the truth? This episode explores the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant to tackle a big question in philosophy: How do perspective and experience shape what we believe to be true? We’ll break down the limits of individual knowledge, the value of diverse viewpoints, and why understanding the whole requires more than just ...
In under two minutes, we'll examine John Rawls' thought experiment involving the veil of ignorance.
Philosophy in a Nutshell offers big ideas in bite-sized portions. This episode covers the Ship of Theseus thought experiment. Be sure to listen to Full Episodes of American Socrates every Wednesday.
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