The Wit and Wisdom of John Cleese

Thanks to a reference over at Atheist Media, I’ve now discovered that John Cleese has a Podcast site. There’s a collection of short skits or presentations that he’s done. I’m still going through them, but I was rather taken with podcast #33: The Brain Explained, in which Cleese channels Stanley Unwin – someone who will be unknown to most of Cleese’s fans. Cleese also dons the scientist’s white coat in podcast #32: The God Gene – which pokes fun at those who oversimplify the naturalistic view of the universe.

 

He’s also started a new venture: the Headcast, in which he delivers short chats to camera. These are downloadable videos at the absurdly low price of $1 each. Great value for money. Mind you, in the first chat he talks approvingly about Richard Tarnas, whose 1991 book – The Passion of the Western Mind – sounds quite interesting. But my heart sank when I read the précis of his second tome: Cosmos and Psyche. I quote: [it] "challenges basic assumptions of the modern world view, postulating the existence of a consistent correspondence between planetary movements (specifically the astrological aspects) and archetypal patterns of human experience, also called astrology."

 

Oh dear, that doesn’t sound good. Another philosopher who’s wandered into woo, perhaps?