In this episode, which is part 3 of a 3 part series, James and Robby revisit the question that started it all: What is fitness? They discuss and debate the 7 main theses about fitness listed below Thesis 1: Defining fitness in the abstract is not that difficult. The real or the major question relates to how we implement fitness today Thesis 2: Fitness is not just solely a means to an end (like money) nor is it a pure end in itself (like happiness) Thesis 3: The environment is the central determi...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 53 min•Season 5Ep. 14
In this episode, which is part 2 of a 3 part series, James and Robby revisit the question that started it all: What is fitness? They discuss and debate the 7 main theses about fitness listed below Thesis 1: Defining fitness in the abstract is not that difficult. The real or the major question relates to how we implement fitness today Thesis 2: Fitness is not just solely a means to an end (like money) nor is it a pure end in itself (like happiness) Thesis 3: The environment is the central determi...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 50 min•Season 5Ep. 13
In this episode, which is part 1 of a 3 part series, James and Robby revisit the question that started it all: What is fitness? They discuss and debate the 7 main theses about fitness listed below Thesis 1: Defining fitness in the abstract is not that difficult. The real or the major question relates to how we implement fitness today Thesis 2: Fitness is not just solely a means to an end (like money) nor is it a pure end in itself (like happiness) Thesis 3: The environment is the central determi...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 54 min•Season 5Ep. 12
In this episode, James and Robby dive deep into the connection between fitness and inspiration. Inspiration is defined as the excitement of the mind or emotions, driving individuals from apathy to possibility and awakening new opportunities. It transcends ordinary experiences and fuels creativity, intrinsic motivation, and a deeper sense of purpose. The discussion focuses on three core characteristics of inspiration: evocation (spontaneous arousal), transcendence (expanding possibilities), and a...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 54 min•Season 5Ep. 11
In this episode, we dive into the complex relationship between needs and wants , especially in the context of fitness and health. By exploring various philosophical perspectives, we examine how "need" can mean different things—from survival necessities to living an optimal life. Drawing from Kantian ethics, we pose the thought-provoking idea that a life focused only on needs is empty, while a life centered solely on wants is blind. We also explore the tension between biological needs and desires...
Feb 11, 2025•2 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 10
In this Part 2, James and Robby continue their discussion about the connection between equality and fitness. They discuss issues and questions like the following: -Biology is inherently unfair and unequal. For example: · A biological man could have a child at age 60 or 70 (not ideal but possible) should he choose where the that is not a possibility for biological women · A biological male cannot get pregnant or give birth to a child · A biological male has more absolute strength potential than a...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Season 5Ep. 9
In this episode James and Robby discuss the connection between equality and fitness. They discuss issues and questions like the following: -Biology is inherently unfair and unequal. For example: · A biological man could have a child at age 60 or 70 (not ideal but possible) should he choose where the that is not a possibility for biological women · A biological male cannot get pregnant or give birth to a child · A biological male has more absolute strength potential than a biological female Shoul...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In this episode James and Robby discuss the connection between the concept of tolerance and fitness. At base level, tolerance is defined as: showing willingness to allow the existence of opinions or behaviors that one does not necessarily agree with So, how does this relate to fitness/health? There are so many fitness and nutrition fads, cleanses and programs that are money making-schemes, false or outright harmful. What are our responsibilities as fitness professionals to tolerate things with w...
Dec 09, 2024•2 hr 5 min•Season 5Ep. 7
In this episode, James and Robby continue their discussion regarding the connection between ignorance and fitness. In philosophy there is a very antagonistic relationship to ignorance. Philosophy (and science) are attempts in many ways eradicate as much ignorance as possible for as many people as possible Different philosophical takes on ignorance include -The unexamined life is not worth living (Socrates) -Neither is the examined one (MacIntyre-in response to Socrates) -Better to be Socrates un...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 55 min•Season 5Ep. 6
In this episode James and Robby explore the connection between humility and fitness. Humility is an admission of one's own limitations. Fitness, by its very nature involves encountering one's own limitations in the physical world. For example if someone can't do a pull-up or run 3 miles continuously that typically involves them eating a slice of humble-pie, in a good way. In this episode they ask and try to answer the following questions about humility and its connection with fitness. -Is fitnes...
Nov 05, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 5
In this episode James and Robby discuss the connection between ignorance and fitness. In philosophy there is a very antagonistic relationship to ignorance. Philosophy (and science) are attempts in many ways eradicate as much ignorance as possible for as many people as possible Different philosophical takes on ignorance include -The unexamined life is not worth living (Socrates) -Neither is the examined one (MacIntyre-in response to Socrates) -Better to be Socrates unsatisfied than an (ignorant) ...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 32 min
How should the fact that we all die at some point inform our fitness journey? That is the central question of this episode. There's almost a paradox when think of fitness and it's relation to death On the one hand, ·for many who engage in health and fitness activities it involves a deep acknowledgement of the fundamental reality of the inevitability of death. And yet, on the other hand, ·engaging in health and fitness activities ultimately involves trying to resist or delay death by any natural ...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 53 min•Season 5Ep. 3
In this episode James and Robby discuss the question, "what do we owe the future?" and how does this relate to health and fitness? When it comes to general life we want to leave people in the future with: -a better overall world than the one we had -a habitable planet -an easier life (to a certain extent) But when it comes to fitness and health unique questions arise when we ask "what do we owe the future" like: -do we have a moral duty as a society to get rid of processed and junk foods? -do we...
Sep 16, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 2
There's a very real possibility that in the next 100 years what it means to be human will fundamentally change because of AI and robotics. Yes, what it means to be human has changed throughout history but in terms of our basic biology it's been essentially the same for 10s of thousands of years. Now it is poised to change significantly in the coming couple of centuries. Biology is central to our health and fitness practices, so it stands to reason that if our biology changes our health and fitne...
Sep 02, 2024•2 hr 13 min•Season 5Ep. 1
As Alasdair MacIntyre famously said, human beings are dependent rational animals. The "dependent" part is significant. We often fail to see how dependent we are on basic things like food, water, oxygen, social structure, etc. We often crave independence from certain things, but the truth is that at a very deep and fundamental humans are dependent beings. In this episode, where we focus on independence, James and Robby discuss the concept of independence and its relationship with fitness. They as...
May 16, 2024•2 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 19
As Alasdair MacIntyre famously said, human beings are dependent rational animals. The "dependent" part is significant. We often fail to see how dependent we are on basic things like food, water, oxygen, social structure, etc. We often crave independence from certain things, but the truth is that at a very deep and fundamental humans are dependent beings. In this episode James and Robby discuss the concept of dependence and its relationship with fitness. They ask and attempt to answer the followi...
Apr 29, 2024•2 hr 13 min•Season 4Ep. 18
In this episode, James and Robby explore the connection between the philosophy of Alasdair MacIntyre, and more specifically his book "After Virtue", and its connection with fitness. In his book "After Virtue" MacIntyre asks us to imagine there was some sort of catastrophe by which all of our scientific knowledge came to be destroyed. Eventually enlightened people try to restore that knowledge but all they have are fragments of the past. For example they know objects near the surface of the Earth...
Apr 01, 2024•1 hr 43 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Most people would agree that things like rocks, tables, chairs, the sun, and oceans are all real. By real here, we mean something like: these things would exist even if humans didn't exist. But what about social reality? What about things that depend on humanity for their existence and yet have real power and influence? Here are some examples -Money -The presidency of the United States -Laws -The existence of nation states Take money for example. There's no inherent value or meaning to green pie...
Mar 20, 2024•1 hr 48 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Reality is one of the central concepts in philosophy. In fact, one of the most fundamental questions in philosophy is, "What is real?". Philosophers are very frequently trying to distinguish appearance from reality. Fitness provides one of the most direct forms of access to the external world/reality in terms of directly sensing the world around us. Fitness can also provide a direct "reality-check" to what we believe to be true about of ourselves in terms of our physical capabilities. That "real...
Mar 05, 2024•2 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Habits are central to both philosophy and fitness. As far back as the Ancient Greeks, Aristotle famously said "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle in this particular case is talking about virtue, but the point applies equally well to other parts of life, especially health and fitness. One could argue that habits are the central determining factor in success in health and fitness. Here's an example to illustrate the point. Take two people one ...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 52 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Most of our life, technology, and progress is centered around the idea of making life easier. Think about things like Door Dash, sleeping pills, and self-driving cars. But a central question that comes up is: Is an easier life necessarily a better life? It seems that as humans we're hard-wired to need some difficulty, challenge, or struggle to live a full and meaningful life. In this episode James and Robby discuss the extent to which ease and difficulty play a role in fitness and our lives in g...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Beauty in philosophy is considered one of the ultimately values like justice, truth, knowledge, and goodness. One of the central goals of most people in engaging in fitness is to look better, or to cultivate physical beauty. In this episode James and Robby ask and give their answer the following questions What makes beauty worth pursuing? Is beauty just "appearance" that hides a deeper "reality" Is beauty in the eye of the beholder (subjective) or out there in the world? (objective) How does the...
Jan 22, 2024•2 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 12
What is a legacy? At the most basic level it's what we leave to future generations of people. When it comes to a legacy with regard to fitness, the question becomes: What do we owe the future when it comes to the world of fitness and health that we give to future generations? In this podcast, James and Robby ask and attempt to answer the following questions. -Is all we should be doing in fitness and health studying the legacy of our ancestors? -Are our current health and fitness practices tarnis...
Dec 13, 2023•2 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Since the release of ChapterGPT in late 2022, interest and discussion around Artificial Intelligence has exploded. Why? There are so many societal and ethical implications around the development of AI such as: -Will it lead to the end of all work? -How can we tell appearance from reality when AI is getting so good at mimicking reality? -Is AI essentially stealing the work of genuine creatives without any credit or attribution? In part 2 of the discussion we ask and attempt to answer the followin...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 53 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Since the release of ChapterGPT in late 2022, interest and discussion around Artificial Intelligence has exploded. Why? There are so many societal and ethical implications around the development of AI such as: -Will it lead to the end of all work? -How can we tell appearance from reality when AI is getting so good at mimicking reality? -Is AI essentially stealing the work of genuine creatives without any credit or attribution? In the fitness world, the development of AI leads to very interesting...
Nov 13, 2023•2 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 9
In the second part of their discussion about human nature, James and Robby continue to investigate the connection between human nature and fitness. They ask and attempt to answer the following questions. What is human nature? Is there an essence to humans that applies across all places and times? What is the balance of nature vs. nurture in human beings? How much of a part of our human nature is fitness? If fitness is such a natural part of our human nature why is it so neglected these days? Whe...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Season 4Ep. 8
In this episode, James and Robby investigate the connection between human nature and fitness. They ask and attempt to answer the following questions. What is human nature? Is there an essence to humans that applies across all places and times? What is the balance of nature vs. nurture in human beings? How much of a part of our human nature is fitness? If fitness is such a natural part of our human nature why is it so neglected these days? When it comes to our human nature how should that influen...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 49 min•Season 4Ep. 7
What makes you engage in fitness? For many people it's the rewards that as a result of engaging in fitness like looking better, feeling better, and performing better. For people who participate in sports it's things like pleasure, points, and prizes. In this episode James explore the idea of rewards and its relation to fitness. They ask and attempt to answer the following questions. What is a reward? What's the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards? What role do rewards currently pl...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Season 4Ep. 6
A prominent feature of any modern society is the notion of punishment or retribution for any wrongdoing. Whether it's jail, fines, public humiliation and ostracism punishment is a central feature of certain aspects of modern society. In this episode James and Robby ask and attempt to answer the following question with respect to punishment and fitness: -What is punishment? -Why do we punish someone after the act has already been committed? -What makes punishment justified or unjustified? -What r...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Season 4Ep. 5
When the internet first became widely used people assumed that more information is always better. Few people today would take genuinely take that stance especially with the rise and rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation as a result of the speed of the internet. What is misinformation? False or misleading information spread mistakenly or unintentionally What is disinformation? False information which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government organization to ...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 57 min•Season 4Ep. 4
