The Young Idealist

08/04/2026

I Just finished recording an absolutely amazing and exciting episode "On the Life and Philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer" with one of my very favorite scholars (and a good friend) Dr. Jan Kerkmann.

We discussed Schopenhauer's life and philosophical influences; as well as, diving deep into his concepts of Will and Representation, whether he was a Pessimist, his love for Eastern religions and we ended our discussion on his Ethics and Aesthetics.

This will be a great episode! Thanks, Jan for your time and your careful, and diligent approach to explaining Schopenhauer.

08/04/2026

Eugéne Jansson: The Blue-Painter: A Poetic Reflection by Chris Satoor

(1) The Swedish painter Eugéne Jansson is not just an artist, but a poet of color; perhaps, a philosopher of the most deepest immanence.

(2) Rather than using the infinite possibility of color-- illuminated on the empty canvas--Jansson is much more reserved, or rather, elemental, sticking to three or four colors. Blues, greens, shades of brown, dabs of white, pure black outlines, smudges of red and borders of Gold.

(3) The color isn't just enveloped in shapes on the canvas, it often unfolds into an unbridled swirl of color and movement, thus animating the paintings' essence into a melodrama. The edges of each painting, peel back slowly as if the paint was fermenting-- producing; an intoxicating, dark melancholia.

(4) And yet the ground of this painting, is its subterranean, immanent mode of "Blueness" stretching endlessly as an eternal continuum; unfolding through Different degrees and folds of blue.

(5) Each new form, or "mode" of "blueness" overlaps with its shadow; coalescing together in the middle of the painting. Yet, what radiates and distinguishes each image in this blue immanence? It is of course, the creation of light.

(6) Jansson uses the subtlety of light as a mark. The light rays in these paintings are alive, conscious, and aware of the completeness of the manifold in the image. Light is a pure "accent" an array, or to use Leibniz's language--it is a spiritual substance, a monad, thrust in the flurry of blurring light.

(An Original Poetic-Reflection on Eugene Jansson's Painting by Chris Satoor Painting by Eugéne Jansson, Nocturne (1901).

08/03/2026

Dear Friends: Now you can join the Series Community.

My name is Christopher Satoor, and I am a doctoral candidate/researcher in the Department of Humanities at York University in Toronto, Canada. I am also a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Philosophy, a freelance tutor, and educator. My scholarly research focuses on German idealism, & Jena Rom...

07/23/2026

Dear Philosophy Friends, Colleagues, and Mutual Acquaintances.

I have been devoted to creating a digital archive on Classical German Philosophy & Post-Kantian Thought. The idea behind this project, was to set up lively discussions with scholars on the many lives & philosophies of each thinker. I did not want to just focus on the big names, but also on the many neglected figures in this fruitful history. Meaning, this channel, would also have episodes on the important Jewish thinkers of Germany, as well as, the ideas of important women philosophers.

I did not want to create a podcast, I wanted something more for the viewer. I wanted to them to have a real experience of philosophy and to be able to engage with some of the greatest men and women in academia.

If you or someone you know is interested in Philosophy, Romantic Poetry, Literary writers, Political Thought, and World Philosophy from Africa and Japan then please check out my project.

This project was meant to embrace the same "free spirit" of creation that Hӧlderlin, Hegel and Schelling created when they danced around the "so-called Freedom Tree" in Jena or to engage in the collective power of "symphilosophie" that emerged through the many collective works, salons, and discussions that were shared by The Schlegel's Brothers, Goethe, Friedrich Schiller. Novalis, J. G. Fichte, G. W. F. Hegel, F. W. J.Schelling, Ludwig Tieck, Caroline Schlegel-Schelling, Bettina von Arnim, Karoline von Gunderrode, Dorthy Veit, and Friedrich Schleiermacher.

Subscribers are not just getting an exciting education but being a part of a rich community of people.

Best Regards, Christopher P. Satoor (York University).

My name is Christopher Satoor, and I am a doctoral candidate/researcher in the Department of Humanities at York University in Toronto, Canada. I am also a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Philosophy, a freelance tutor, and educator. My scholarly research focuses on German idealism, & Jena Rom...

07/15/2026

Series is officially on YouTube Music as a Podcast.

07/14/2026

The Following video is a continuation of my series on Classical German Philosophy and Post-Kantian Thought. The title of today's episode is The Life, Philosophy, and Political Thought of Tosaka Jun with Dr. Fernando Wirtz (Kyoto University).

This episode explores the life and philosophy of the Japanese philosopher Tosaka Jun and his contributions to Japanese philosophy and Marxist thought. Dr. Fernando Wirtz provides a comprehensive overview of Tosaka's life and work. The episode begins with how Tosaka emerged from neo-Kantianism to then becoming, a prominent Marxist philosopher in the 1930s, despite facing police persecution. Dr. Wirtz also discusses Tosaka's critical relationship with the Kyoto School philosophers, particularly his disagreements with Nishida and Tanabe's Hajime's concepts of nothingness and mediation, while also, acknowledging their philosophical continuities and influences.

Dr. Fernando Wirtz gives us a deep dive into Tosaka's development of a "political epistemology" that emphasizes how knowledge production is shaped by class relations and power dynamics. This leads to the concept of ideology as "anachronism" which Tosaka explains are ideas from the past that have been misapplied in the present.

Dr. Wirtz navigates the viewer through Tosaka's most important work, "The Japanese Ideology," which analyzes how liberal and fascist ideologies have operated in Japanese society through temporal misalignment. Fernando, also clarifies the important distinction behind the terminology of "The Left Kyoto School." While Miki and Tosaka are often labeled as "left Kyoto School thinkers," according to Fernando, this terminology should only be "viewed as a useful taxonomy" (for thinkers like Miki Kiyoshi and Tosaka Jun). However, these important philosophers would never identify with this label themselves, as the Kyoto School must be understood "as a diverse constellation of philosophers rather than a unified group" (Fernando Wirtz).

Importantly to note, Fernando; provides an excellent, scholarly, overview and explains for the viewer, why Tosaka (as a Japanese philosopher living in the 1930's during a period marked by fascism and technological disruption), is immensely important for our current world today.

Dr. Fernando Wirtz is an Assistant Professor at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Letters and Joint Degree Master of Arts Program in Transcultural Studies. Dr. Wirtz’s research interests are Japanese Philosophy, Intercultural Philosophy, German Idealism, Ethics, and Global South Studies. Fernando also serves as a Board member of the Society for Intercultural Philosophy.

Dr. Wirtz has published widely on F. W. J. Schelling, Friedrich Creutzer, The Kyoto School, Miki Kiyoshi, Tosaka Jun, Nishida Kitaro, Kosaka Masaaki. He is the author of Phanomenologie Der Angst: Symbolik Und Mythologie Bei F.W.J. Schelling Und F. Creuzer and the forthcoming text Myth and Ideology: An Essay on the Philosophy of Political Action in Japan with Mimesis International Press. Dr. Wirtz is also a returning guest on The Young Idealist, his first appearance was for our episode on Miki Kiyoshi and the Kyoto School.

Enjoy the Episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPmfZQXwTDI&t=2867s

04/08/2026

Philosophy Friends and Fellow Colleagues I am so excited to announce the release of a new episode of The Young Idealist Series on Classical German Philosophy and Post-Kantian Thought

The Following video is a continuation of my series on Classical German Philosophy and Post-Kantian Thought. The title of today's episode is: The Life and Philosophy of Émilie du Châtelet’s with Prof. Dr. Ruth E. Hagengruber (Paderborn).

This episode explores du Chatelet's significant contributions to 18th-century philosophy, particularly her theory of hypothesis which laid foundational concepts still used in modern science. Our conversation also surrounds du Chatelet's philosophical and scientific work and how she engaged the thought of Descartes, Newton, and Leibniz. Her ideas would influence the likes of Kant and were later recognized by Euler and Einstein. Dr. Hagengruber does a brilliant job of navigating the viewer through a discussion on du Chatelet's life, bringing up her educational background, and the impact of her 1743 magnum opus, "Institutions Physiques."

Dr. Hagengruber also emphasizes the importance behind du Chatelet's philosophy and how she establishes a new scientific method based on hypothetical and logical reasoning; expanding the understanding of science beyond direct observation.

Dr. Hagengruber gives a detailed background to the philosophical controversy between Newton and Leibniz regarding space, time, and the role of God in physics. She explains that while Leibniz challenged Newton's concept of absolute space that Émilie du Châtelet developed new ideas about force, building on Leibniz's concept of "living force," which she expands upon in the episode.

Dr. Ruth E. Hagengruber: is a German philosopher and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Paderborn. She specialises in the history of women philosophers, focusing on the mathematician, physicist and philosopher Émilie Du Châtelet.

Dr. Hagengruber’s research is dedicated to the revision of patriarchal history, specially to the rediscovery of women’s alternative contributions to the history of philosophy and the history of economics, with a focus on circular and universality-based economics as an approach to integrative economic ethics. She has published on value theory in Feminist Economics and reflects on technical design from a feminist and inclusive point of view, such as autonomous driving, a different approach to labour, and a profound recognition of creative skills. She specializes in the history of women philosophers.

Dr. Hagengruber is founder and director of the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists and founder of the research area EcoTechGender.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTTYtgJaPNI