38 - Graham Priest: The Metaphysics of Nothingness

Graham Priest is a Distinguished Professor in the philosophy department at the CUNY Graduate Center. He is one of the most influential living philosophers, and has done important work on a wide range of topics, ranging from the philosophy of mathematics (his doctorate is in mathematics from the London School of Economics) to logic and eastern philosophy. In this episode, Robinson and Graham discuss the metaphysics of nothingness and non-being, touching on—among other things—Zen Buddhism, Quine’s conception of ontological commitment, impossible worlds, and why there’s something rather than nothing.

(00:00) Introduction

(04:59) Graham's Path to Philosophy

(08:45) On Analytic and Continental Philosophy

(17:33) On Quine

(27:23) Quine, Quantifiers, and What There Is

(41:51) On Nonexistent Objects

(47:02) Noneism and the Philosophy of Mathematics

(01:14:14) On Impossible Worlds

(01:24:35) Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?

(01:30:55) Zen, Buddhism, and Nothingness

(01:46:36) The Nyāya Philosophy of Nothingness

(01:52:59) Graham's Interest in Eastern Philosophy

(02:01:04) Philosophy as World-Building

(02:05:36) Sylvan's Box

(02:10:06) Zen and How to Live One's Life

(02:20:28) Zen on Mind and Language

(02:30:08) The Basics of Buddhist Ethics

(02:52:08) Graham the Martial Artist

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