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Applying Real Philosophy to Real Life by Dr. Giles

Applying Real Philosophy to Real Life by Dr. Giles

Written by: Insert Philosophy Here
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The world needs more philosophy.

More to the point, we all need to engage with the world with a more philosophical attitude.

My name is Douglas Giles, I am a philosopher by trade and temperament. I understand that philosophy is an active search for concepts on which we can build a better life. Long fascinated by ideas, I am motivated by an earnest desire to bring philosophy out of its insular ivory tower and into everyday life where it can be put to good uses.

As a university philosophy professor for more than 20 years, I have introduced thousands of students in multiple countries to the value of philosophy in their lives. From my teaching experience, I have learned what works for students, leading me to write a textbook, How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy.

My scholarly research has built on my PhD work in social philosophy at the University of Essex. Because I apply a phenomenological approach to the lived experiences and actions of individuals, groups, and social and political institutions, my research helps us better understand social injustices and how people respond to them. My work also explores the intersection of philosophy and culture and the construction and maintenance of personal identities and social meanings.

I greatly value and facilitate discussion that digs deeper into holistic and meaningful ideas that deal with causes not symptoms. I started writing content for the Internet in 1994 and now produces my own Web site, InsertPhilosophyHere.com, podcasts, and video channels. Because I value the individual person, I encourage people to seek openness and authenticity in themselves and others.

Also, I have been a radio disc jockey since 1997 and since 2003 have managed the Internet radio station WorldFusionRadio.com. In 2018, I moved to Prague with my spouse, a professional editor.

Douglas Giles Philosophy Science Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • There's Nothing New in Trump - Foreign Policy

    There's Nothing New in Trump - Foreign Policy
    Jan 16 2026

    Time to Wake Up — First in a Series

    The real tragedy is that what Trump does is normal in the context of US history. Today, I will talk about Trump’s return to the US’s normal foreign policy doctrine for Latin America.

    Text version on my Substack: https://imnotyourechochamber.substack.com/p/theres-nothing-new-in-trump-foreign

    Links to more reading:

    “The Banana Wars: How the US Plundered Central America.” https://www.thecollector.com/the-banana-wars-how-the-us-plundered-central-america/

    “U.S. interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean haven’t always gone as planned.” https://www.npr.org/2026/01/02/nx-s1-5652133/us-venezuela-interventionism-caribbean-latin-america-history-trump

    “American Irregular Warfare in Latin America.” This is an arm of the Defense Department acknowledging the history of US colonialism. https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/publications/perspectives/american-irregular-warfare-in-latin-america/

    “The consequences of CIA-sponsored regime change in Latin America.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0176268023000964

    “United States Interventions.” https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/united-states-interventions/

    “The Banana Wars: A History of United States Military Intervention in Latin America from the Spanish-American War to the Invasion of Panama.” https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3751&context=nwc-review

    Elbridge Colby - https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/elbridge-colby-trump-china-iran-nuclear-russia-tucker-carlson

    #Politics #project2025 #colonialism
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    6 mins
  • Why I Quit Academia

    Why I Quit Academia
    Jan 6 2026

    For years I had kept one foot in academia; I’ve now taken that foot out and can walk freely
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • People Who Dislike Philosophy See the Graveyard but Not the Village in Which It Sits

    People Who Dislike Philosophy See the Graveyard but Not the Village in Which It Sits
    Oct 28 2025

    Many people feel that philosophy is not relevant to their lives. That feeling is completely mistaken, but it’s understandable how someone could come to feel that way. Philosophy isn’t dead, but most philosophers are — not just those people writing papers for academic journals but also those teaching philosophy courses.

    My Philosophy Textbook Showing Philosophy As Very Much Alive


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    8 mins
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