Frank Saunders Jr 商柏正 – Philosopher, Author, Educator
I've recommitted to the YouTube channel. It's small, but like virtue itself, I hope that with enough care and consistency, it will grow. In addition to my "Let's Read Philosophy" series on various philosophical works, I've started doing edited videos as well. I hope to maintain a weekly upload schedule, if I can manage my... Continue Reading →
Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy is perhaps one of the most important philosophical works in the Western philosophical canon. Therein, Descartes aims to throw into doubt everything he thought he ever knew before then rebuilding his entire edifice of knowledge from the ground up. In so doing, he arrives at what he takes to be... Continue Reading →
"Autumn Floods" (秋水 Qiu Shui) is one of my favorite chapters in the Zhuangzi, offering several profound meditations on perspective, relativity, and the nature of wisdom through vivid allegories and thought-provoking dialogues. https://youtu.be/LR6v_HNUpoI In this video, I read through and offer commentary on "Autumn Floods" using my own translation, (which you can find here). The... Continue Reading →
David Hume's "Of the Standard of Taste" is an important little essay that has shaped discussions on beauty, art criticism, ethics, and all manner of subjective experience since its publication. Written by the Scottish skeptic and empiricist, David Hume (1711-1776), in the 18th century, this work offers a nuanced exploration of how we judge art... Continue Reading →
In this week's video, I read through and explain Parts 1-4 of René Descartes' Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason, and Seeking Truth in the Sciences. This is a masterwork of modern philosophy and was extremely influential in setting out the core tenets of rationalism that would guide much discussion of philosophy... Continue Reading →
The Handbook or Enchiridion of Epictetus is a seminal work in Stoic ethics that has influenced generations of subsequent thinkers looking to find their way and improve themselves in the face of a cruel and uncaring world. Written by Epictetus, a former slave turned philosopher in the 1st century CE, the Enchiridion is a concise... Continue Reading →
In my latest video on Frank Philosophy, we read and think through Leo Tolstoy's polemic against intoxicating substances, "Why Do Men Stupefy Themselves?" Although Tolstoy is best known for his literary masterpieces like War and Peace and Anna Karenina, he also wrote several philosophical and nonfictional works (both published and unpublished). This essay, which first... Continue Reading →
I am excited to announce the launch of my new YouTube channel, Frank Philosophy, a platform dedicated to making philosophy accessible and engaging to a wider audience by guiding viewers through the dense and often challenging texts that form the bedrock of philosophical thought. Rather than offering quick summaries or simplified explanations, my aim is... Continue Reading →
I taught two sections of Critical Reasoning per semester at Yonsei University UIC for the past three semesters. Due to the pandemic, the first of the three was fully online. The second was a blended format, with lectures delivered online and discussion held in-person. The third was fully in-person. Each discussion meetings had as its... Continue Reading →
Analyses by Frank Saunders Jr 