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In this episode, John speaks with Dr. Jeremy Shearmur about Karl Popper's popular paradox of toleration. They highlight the importance of distinguishing criticisms of a person from criticisms of an idea, and how this can be difficult since our identities can contain so many ideas. They emphasized the importance of bringing humility and the recognition of our own fallibility to any critical discussion. They discussed the importance of respecting "background knowledge"--the existing knowledge of experts in any field--while simultaneously acknowledging its fallibility. And finally, they discussed pluralism--not only the plurality of ideas, customs, and beliefs, but also the plurality of paradigms that hold those ideas, customs, and beliefs, including how the heuristics and epistemic approaches they each take--and how pluralism fits into the greater frame of critical rationalism. Dr. Jeremy Shearmur is a Reader in Political Theory in the Faculty of Arts at The Australian National University. Professor Shearmur was educated at the London School of Economics (University of London), where he also worked for eight years as assistant to Professor Sir Karl Popper. Professor Shearmur's Ph.D. thesis on F. A. Hayek was a joint winner of the British Political Studies Association's Sir Ernest Barker prize in political theory. Prior to taking his position in Australia, Professor Shearmur taught philosophy at the University of Edinburgh and political theory at the University of Manchester. He also served as Director of Studies of the Center for Policy Studies and worked as a research associate professor for the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. Professor Shearmur has published The Political Thought of Karl Popper (1966) and Hayek and After (1996) and was joint editor of H. B. Acton's The Morals of Markets and Related Essays (1993). He has also published numerous papers in philosophy and political thought.

In this episode of Love & Understanding, I sit down with philosopher Jeremy Shearmur, who worked closely with Karl Popper for nearly a decade, to explore what it means to live in an “open society.” We begin with Popper’s central insight: that knowledge is always provisional, and that progress depends on our willingness to be wrong, to receive criticism, and to revise our beliefs. From there, we examine how these ideas extend beyond philosophy into politics, institutions, and everyday life. Together, we explore: -The tension between certainty and fallibility -The moral and epistemological foundations of an open society -The rise of polarization, populism, and distrust in institutions -How social media shapes (and distorts) our search for truth -The role of criticism, pluralism, and intellectual humility in a functioning democracy Shearmur also offers a rare, personal look into Popper as a human being—brilliant, driven, and deeply imperfect—and reflects on the challenges of embodying philosophical ideals in real life. This is a conversation about truth, error, and the fragile conditions required for a society to remain open, self-correcting, and free.

In this episode, John speaks with Britt Hartley. Britt is the author of a #1 bestseller in secular spirituality. Her book is titled No Nonsense Spirituality. Britt has a masters degree in theology. She considers herself a secular spiritual director, sufi mystic, nihilism survivor, religious deconstruction coach, and a Program Director for Spiritual Direction Training. Britt was a blast to speak with. She has one of the most brilliant minds I’ve come across. She expresses herself with both a humility and a confidence. I am grateful to have her as a leader in this space, especially to keep her male counterparts in check. I learned a lot from our conversation, and I hope you do too. https://nononsensespirituality.com https://a.co/d/0flKNN9w https://www.instagram.com/nononsensespirituality/

In this episode, John speaks with the writer and philosopher Shiv Sengupta, who is quickly rising the ranks in Substack's top 100 Philosophers. Shiv is an incredibly clear and introspective thinker, who carries a remarkable intellectual prowess while still remaining humble and ultimately grounded in wisdom - his empty, interconnected, ever-changing nature. You can learn more about him at his website Advaitaholics Anonymous, as well as his Substack blog Dark Night of the Soul.

In this episode, John speaks with Linnea Butler. Linnea Butler is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Master of Science in Molecular Biology. She founded Bay Area Mental Health, where she helps people with trauma, PTSD, depression, and anxiety using a number of modalities, including DBT, sensorimotor therapy, ketamine assisted psychotherapy, among others. In our conversation, we discuss the difference between shock trauma and developmental trauma, common struggles in relationships, shadow work, attachment styles, parts work, somatic work, and much more. In any case, I really enjoyed our conversation, and I hope you do too.

In this episode, John speaks with Prashanthi Amarnath about her book Embracing Paradox, which pulls from Taoist wisdom. We discuss the Taoist concept Wu Wei, or effortless action, love, parenting, identity, and the paradox between science and mysticism, among other subjects. You can find Prashanthi's book here.

In this episode, John speaks with Mike Kewley about his book The Treasure House: Discovering Enlightenment Exactly Where You Are. Mike Kewley is a leading Mindfulness Teacher, TEDx Speaker, and Author based on the Isle of Man, UK. With over 25 years of experience exploring meditation, spirituality, and nonduality. Mike combines deep insight with practical wisdom to help people transform their everyday lives. The eldest son of Meditation Master Dhammachariya Pannadipa, Mike holds degrees in Religious Studies and Western Esotericism. His teaching draws from both academic knowledge and decades of personal practice, offering a unique and grounded approach to mindfulness. Mike has shared his work widely, delivering a popular TEDx talk on Happiness, appearing on Conscious TV, and being featured in publications including Mensa Magazine, The Liverpool Echo, Women’s Fitness and The Independent. His first book, The Treasure House – Discovering Enlightenment Exactly Where You Are (New Sarum Press, 2022), was praised for its clarity and accessibility. He is currently writing his second book, The Living Moment – A Guide to Ordinary Enlightenment.

In this episode, John explores how we can apply the Buddha's four foundations of mindfulness to our daily lives.

In this episode, John speaks with Kat van Oudheusden about the nature of non-duality. Early in life, Kat was an attorney but then, after discovering her own non-dual nature, she moved into coaching professionals and business teams from a selfless leadership perspective. She is now a full-time writer. She is the author of four books and writes daily on Substack about her own direct non-dual experience. I really enjoyed our conversation and I hope you do too. Substack Profile: https://substack.com/@katoudheusden? Books: https://a.co/d/7aOE1dQ

In this episode, John explores the mind-state of effort, which is the most common translation from the Pali word "virya." Virya is one of three mind-states, along with concentration and mindfulness, the Buddha singles out for us to cultivate in his Noble Eightfold Path, which is a kind of training program to bring peace of heart and mind not only to ourselves but to the world around us.

In this episode, John shares a chapter titled Love from his book The Unbound Heart: Spirituality Without Dogma or Superstition. Because we are habitual creatures who have likely developed unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, John encourages the listeners to actively build a formal practice of loving-kindness into their lives. He encourages you to rewire your neural pathways with some love fiber.

In this episode, John shares a chapter from his book The Unbound Heart: Spirituality Without Dogma or Superstition.

This episode is a recording from Project Human, John's community, where they engage in a bi-weekly Zoom meeting. In this discussion, the community discussed the importance of stories and frameworks in our lives.

In this episode, John speaks with the philosopher and academic Neil Durrant. Neil grew up in a Christian home, eager to become a minister. So, he spent the early years of his adulthood committed to the Anglican Church. After receiving a degree in linguistics, studying Arabic, Old Norse, and an aboriginal language of Australia, Neil then taught himself Hebrew and Greek, before getting a theological degree, so that he could focus more on the philosophical debates rather than spend time learning the language. After exploring European and German philosophers, like Nietzsche, Neil could no longer accept and practice his faith with integrity. John and Neil discuss the consequences of leaving a faith and explore how one might navigate a faith-crisis or -transition skillfully. John and Neil also explore the nihilism many people face after leaving a religion and how they might approach that.

In this episode, John speaks with C.B. Robertson (Chris), a self-described Classical Pagan. Chris points out that we often overvalue the historical truth of a myth at the expense of its deeper meaning. He offers up the myths of 'Santa Clause' and 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' as examples. Finally, as an anecdote to nihilism born out of a faith crisis, Chris stresses the importance of participating in myth and ritual, which connects us to others and to something larger than ourselves.