Introduction

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Transcript

This is "If Socrates Had a Podcast". I am your host, Vinay Kalva, and I am excited to welcome you here. Let me tell you a little about this podcast and some of its features, so that you can decide if this is for you.

First, Socrates. This podcast is explicitly modeled on the Socratic dialogues, written by Plato of Ancient Greece. I read, or at least perused, all of them in high school and loved them, which is part of the reason this podcast exists. More importantly, however, the Socratic dialogues model the Socratic method: the method that relentlessly questions to get at what we don’t know and uncover assumptions for what they are: assumptions. This is what I use, but in a gentle and respectful way. This podcast is what I envision true intellectual inquiry to be: a space where questions can be asked and answered in good faith, and where an intelligent conversation can occur without neglecting that we are all human. There will be two characters in every episode of this podcast: Socrates, of course, and a person related in some way to the subject of the podcast.

Next, the subjects covered on this podcast will vary tremendously. In one episode, I might cover science; in the next one, economics; and the one after that, linguistics. This is the whole point: exploring various disciplines and where they come together (and split apart). I read about many of these subjects regularly, which brings me to the second reason why I started this podcast: I wanted to engage deeply with my reading material, and read more. More importantly for you, however, I want to show what engaging deeply with books is all about. Even if you disagree with where I end up, that’s okay; it’s the thought that got me to the conclusion that I want to show you. If anything, I would encourage you to (legally!) pick up copies of the books I discuss, read them thoroughly, and email me with an explanation of why you disagree with a certain point I made. However, even if you just pick up the books I talk about, that will be enough for me. My goal is to demonstrate how reading can be exciting and valuable.

Further, I want this podcast to be enjoyable. That’s part of the benefit of the Socratic dialogue: we can discuss complex ideas in a way that is sophisticated yet simple to understand and fun to listen to. More prominently, halfway through each episode of the podcast is a special intermission: the backstory of how Socrates met his interlocutor. I hope this provides you with a break to not only reflect, but also to laugh a little. 

In terms of duration, I aim for episodes to be around 30 minutes each, including the narrative break, and published fortnightly (once every two weeks). The names of the books and other sources I used will be in the podcast description, with ISBNs and web links so you can find the editions I used. Additionally, for the benefit of anyone who cannot listen to audio, I will publish a transcript of every episode, linked in the podcast description. 

Last, but certainly not least, I will be pleased to hear from you. Questions, concerns, and/or suggestions should go to this podcast’s email address, ishap.podcast@gmail.com. That’s i-s-h-a-p dot podcast@gmail.com. I am a busy university student and I cannot guarantee that I will be very quick in replying, but I assure you that I will try to reply to emails and correct mistakes as promptly as possible.

With that, thank you very much for giving me, and If Socrates Had a Podcast, your valuable time. If you think this podcast is for you, feel free to check out some of the episodes already published. Have a wonderful day, and happy reading and listening!