Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Joel Bouchard, philosophy podcaster and author of From Nowhere to Nothing, joins me for an intellectually intense exploration into some of life’s deepest philosophical dilemmas. In this episode, Joel skillfully unpacks intricate issues like the nature of good and evil, whether humans are inherently moral beings, and if true free will even exists.
In our conversation, we talk about:
- Why free will might be more limited than you think.
- The hidden paradox within the concept of an all-knowing, all-good deity and the existence of evil.
- How humans naturally strive to make order from chaos, both externally in the world and internally in their minds.
- The surprising psychology behind why people struggle with discipline and sticking to personal decisions.
- Whether morality is inherently programmed or learned from our environment, relationships, and experiences.
Thank you for listening.
*SHOW LINKS:*
Subscribe: youtube.com/@JeffreyPvanLeeuwen
Support the Show: patreon.com/JeffreyPvanLeeuwen
Listen on Apple Podcast: apple.co/4lLpEXA
Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi/42kcOYy
Follow on X: https://x.com/RealJvanLeeuwen
Follow on Reddit: reddit.com/r/jeffreypvanleeuwen
Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jeffreypvanleeuwen
Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeffreypvanleeuwen
YouTube Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOv56NTjNAeK7cUVamIPioSCsr06-vSGG
*OUTLINE:*
00:00 Introduction
02:12 Who Is Joel Bouchard?
03:53 What Philosophy Actually Is
07:09 Implicit vs Explicit Philosophy
10:09 Is Life Worth Living?
13:40 Religion, Atheism, and Nihilism
17:21 Hedonism and Absurdism
21:17 The Psychology of Belief
28:08 A Personal Story of Loss
31:50 Symbolism and Rituals in Human Life
39:45 The Ethical Debate Around Pets
45:52 Defining Good and Evil
51:06 Why Does Evil Exist?
01:13:15 Free Will vs Limited Will
01:25:14 Where Does Consciousness Come From?
01:29:37 The Nature of Conscience
01:47:00 Is Life Deterministic or Not?
02:00:12 The Magpie and Meaningful Coincidences
02:11:57 Final Thoughts & Outro
*JOEL BOUCHARD LINKS:*
From Nowhere to Nothing Podcast (Spotify): open.spotify.com/show/7fmjw6bjyuz4uCictzjbZl?si=dc36dace10274bb9
From Nowhere to Nothing Podcast (Apple): podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-nowhere-to-nothing/id1444343951
*CONTACT LINKS:*
To come on the podcast, share feedback, ask a question, or reach out for any reason, visit: podcast.jeffreyvanleeuwen.com/p/contact
This episode has been co-produced by Kate van Leeuwen.
Joel Bouchard, philosophy podcaster and author of From Nowhere to Nothing, joins me for an intellectually intense exploration into some of life’s deepest philosophical dilemmas. In this episode, Joel skillfully unpacks intricate issues like the nature of good and evil, whether humans are inherently moral beings, and if true free will even exists.
In our conversation, we talk about:
- Why free will might be more limited than you think.
- The hidden paradox within the concept of an all-knowing, all-good deity and the existence of evil.
- How humans naturally strive to make order from chaos, both externally in the world and internally in their minds.
- The surprising psychology behind why people struggle with discipline and sticking to personal decisions.
- Whether morality is inherently programmed or learned from our environment, relationships, and experiences.
Thank you for listening.
*SHOW LINKS:*
Subscribe: youtube.com/@JeffreyPvanLeeuwen
Support the Show: patreon.com/JeffreyPvanLeeuwen
Listen on Apple Podcast: apple.co/4lLpEXA
Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi/42kcOYy
Follow on X: https://x.com/RealJvanLeeuwen
Follow on Reddit: reddit.com/r/jeffreypvanleeuwen
Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jeffreypvanleeuwen
Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeffreypvanleeuwen
YouTube Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOv56NTjNAeK7cUVamIPioSCsr06-vSGG
*OUTLINE:*
00:00 Introduction
02:12 Who Is Joel Bouchard?
03:53 What Philosophy Actually Is
07:09 Implicit vs Explicit Philosophy
10:09 Is Life Worth Living?
13:40 Religion, Atheism, and Nihilism
17:21 Hedonism and Absurdism
21:17 The Psychology of Belief
28:08 A Personal Story of Loss
31:50 Symbolism and Rituals in Human Life
39:45 The Ethical Debate Around Pets
45:52 Defining Good and Evil
51:06 Why Does Evil Exist?
01:13:15 Free Will vs Limited Will
01:25:14 Where Does Consciousness Come From?
01:29:37 The Nature of Conscience
01:47:00 Is Life Deterministic or Not?
02:00:12 The Magpie and Meaningful Coincidences
02:11:57 Final Thoughts & Outro
*JOEL BOUCHARD LINKS:*
From Nowhere to Nothing Podcast (Spotify): open.spotify.com/show/7fmjw6bjyuz4uCictzjbZl?si=dc36dace10274bb9
From Nowhere to Nothing Podcast (Apple): podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-nowhere-to-nothing/id1444343951
*CONTACT LINKS:*
To come on the podcast, share feedback, ask a question, or reach out for any reason, visit: podcast.jeffreyvanleeuwen.com/p/contact
This episode has been co-produced by Kate van Leeuwen.
