Fools and Sages Podcast
Welcome to the Fools and Sages Podcast, where deep conversations intersect with practical wisdom. Hosted by Brian Lee and Boaz Soifer, this show invites listeners into thought-provoking conversations that illuminate the transformative insights Boaz gained from nearly three decades of dialogue with Brian.
Episodes
These Fools explore the idea of the “Self” and how various thinkers have conceptualized it. Does the Self only exist in a religious context? Who are we in a secular world? The need to know the Self and understand its relationship to subjects such as consciousness and time, may be the most important catalyst of philosophy itself. Join these Fools for the journey!
These Fools explore the link between individual psychological tendencies and mass consciousness. Are ideologies the outcome of individual dysfunctions projected into the group? Modernism and post-modernism get a look through the lens of materialism and spirit, as these Fools consider how societies create the environment for individual freedom and healthy collaboration. Enjoy!
These Fools talk about Brian’s apricot trees, and his musings on the deep meaning of the term “fruitfulness” - its origins in language and usage, its implications for our interrelationship with nature and stewardship, and its insights into the nobility of common struggle, the tension between surrender and control, and meaning itself. Dedicated to Frank Andrews: may he rest in peace.
These Fools contemplate a case from Boaz’s coaching practice, in which play is proposed as an antidote to the voice of excessive self-criticism (perfectionism.) They discuss the ideas of play and its role in human development as well as the psychology of self-criticism, and explore how these topics interrelate (and how they don’t.) What constitutes play for an adult? What is meant by “integrating” psychological material? How do we ...
These Fools welcome guest Geoffrey Moore, world-renowned business strategist famous for books such as “Crossing the Chasm” and consultant with leading enterprises such as Salesforce, Intel, and Microsoft. Geoff introduces “The Infinite Staircase,” his proposal for a metaphysics that provides a secular framework for ethics. He and these Fools explore the human experience and how we develop in our search for meaning. Geoff is a treas...
These Fools explore the archetypal meaning of history’s most famous dictator, whose name is synonymous with humanity’s darkest potential. In a competitive field, why do we uniquely associate Hitler with evil? A phenomenological review touches on rhetoric, black magic, the meaning of moral courage and individual responsibility, and ultimately, meaning itself. Have yourself a good listen.
These Fools welcome guest Allison Gerard, Managing Director of Moral Courage, to the podcast. Moral Courage, founded by Irshad Manji, teaches people of all ages “to turn heated issues into healthy conversations and sustained teamwork.” Allison shares her definition of moral courage and the factors in our societal discourse that make it imperative today. The discussion turns to politics, psychology, neuroscience, and of course the p...
These Fools start out talking about the transient quality of work, family, community, and life in general, in the West and especially in the US, and muse about the role of “Place” in antidoting it. Aristotle, Hegel, Wendell Berry, Hopi prophecy, Freud, and other sources come up as the Fools consider how Place shapes identity, the nature of Nature, and the individual/collective, internal/external journeys we’re unfolding as we try t...
These Fools react to recent news and consider the ethical implications of cloning extinct species, and whether we could expect to give Dire Wolves belly rubs. This provides a jumping-off point to look at various philosophers’ views on ethics and how we can evaluate our actions in pursuit of “doing the right thing.” Happy listening!
These Fools start out talking about Brian’s recent musings on how the integration of image makes a “philosophical machine” like Tiger & Dragon works so much better than a more rational explanation of a similar concept. This leads to an exploration of the role of image in creating our semantic world, a conversation about Hesse’s Demian and the loss of innocence, and an admonition about the role of courage and authenticity in mee...
These Fools discuss “getting older.” What do we mean by development? How do we know if we’re doing it right? How does our relationship to our mortality change as we get older, and what impact does that have on what development means to us? Fools draw on Sages from Eastern philosophy, Greek philosophy, German hermeneutics and phenomenology, and a bit of Monty Python. Join us!
These Fools consult the I Ching - the ancient Chinese oracle - about the current state of things. Brian explains the origin and history of the I Ching, how to use it, and its metaphysical essence, then shares the resulting reading and some interpretation.
These Fools are joined by Paul Fenn, Founder of Local Power and inventor of “Community Choice Aggregation” for municipal energy procurement. Paul shares his fascinating background that includes a deep relationship to philosophy, political theory, psychology, energy policy and municipal engagement, leading to a discussion of the state of the American psyche, (for which Paul has a fearless diagnosis,) and a discourse on “what we shou...
In this episode, these Fools take a recent X post by Jon Haidt as fodder for conversation, relating to our need to “regain our attention” and stop fragmenting ourselves and our reality. They explore the nature of fragmentation, discipline, self-improvement, and - most importantly - reveal the three methods of demon-slaying. Happy listening!
These Fools discuss the nature of organizational culture, and the mysteries of creating common culture in companies that span multiple geographies, languages, and contexts. This leads to a conversation about energetics, the various layers of human experience that comprise culture, and the relationship between individual and collective reality. And, of course, so much more. Enjoy!
In today’s episode, these fools start out talking about the magic of reading books, then get into the relationship between language and thought, and how our thinking is changing today as a result of new understanding and new ideas. Enjoy!
In this episode, we fools talk about the relationship between psychology and philosophy, the whole and its parts, especially in organizations. Concepts such as semantic reality and the relationship between the finite and the infinite give new context to organizational culture, strategy, and leadership. Enjoy!
These fools consider the implications of mankind forming a ‘global brain’ and reflect on Marshall McLuhan’s contribution to human understanding. The resulting conversation explores media - and human-made tools in general - through various philosophical lenses, as both outcomes and inputs to the development of consciousness. Enjoy!
In this episode, these fools use the recent infamous Oval Office meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy and VP Vance as an entree into the relationship between morality and pragmatism, the role of morality in government, and the unique challenges faced by statesmen. This leads to threads on the philosophy of power, the nature of bureaucracy and historical cycles. Enjoy!
These fools continue their conversation with Dr. Claudia Hauer, philosophy professor at St. John’s College, and explore a wide range of topics including how thinking changed post-WWII, connections between philosophy, psychology, and religion, and how we understand and develop this “new ethics.” Enjoy!
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