I am Jaco, the philosopher pilot. Welcome to my introductory podcast.
I began this podcast by stating “I am Jaco The Philosopher Pilot,” but can I really appropriate that title? Know that I use the term “philosopher” in its broadest sense, and therefore in the most general way possible, because I have never formally studied philosophy per se, and I am not a philosopher by profession. But, at the French Wikipedia webpage devoted to the word “Philosopher” (more precisely the paragraph entitled “Polysémie”), a philosopher is defined as potentially being: “a person that employs reason to reflect on the world and existence itself, in order to achieve wisdom or understand the meaning of life, in the hopes of being happier or freer.” 1 Thus, based on this definition of the term “philosopher” and the fact that I am also a professional pilot, it seems quite legitimate for me to appropriate the title of “Philosopher Pilot” without any pretension, naturally.
The nature of my profession requires, from all those who practise it, to have a strong analytical mind and a notable capacity for reflection in order to be able to clearly define the situations which one is confronted with during any given flight. After takeoff, there is no room for error or ambiguity. Analyzing in order to fully understand the situation as it unfolds, reflecting on all the possible contingencies and communicating well with the members of my crew and passengers, constitutes the lot of my daily life. So, in a sense, I was only one step away from incorporating these three attributes of analysis, reflection, and communication to the philosophical process that I am hereby undertaking under the aegis of “The Philosopher Pilot.”
Here is what “The Philosopher Pilot” website has to offer. One of the particularities of this website will be that all the publications will be published simultaneously in English and French. It will be home to three distinct podcast shows entitled “Jaco’s Finds,” “My Views from 35,000 feet” and “These lesser-know greats.” I invite you to discover each of their specific mandates in more detail by listening to their respective introductory podcasts. Note that, when possible, the textual transcripts of the podcasts will also be made available. In addition, the website will also feature a rich blog section, which is intended to be a continuation of the first blog I hosted online since 2010 and which was called: thereflectedtribe.com. Only the relevant articles from my original blog were imported here. However, the original motto of the blog which is, “Dare to reflect and better understand” lives on under the Philosopher Pilot banner.
Finally, to achieve this, I will in many ways draw inspiration from three well-known personalities, all of whom have unfortunately passed away in recent years. Each in their own way has played a major role in my personal journey. The first two, Jacques Languirand and Jean-Marc Chaput were well known on the Quebec media scene. I hope to emulate Jacques Languirand by the content of my discourse since he greatly contributed to my philosophical awakening, having among other things, introduced me to great names such as Krishnamurti or Spinoza to name a few. Jean-Marc Chaput inspires me with his talent as a communicator and his straight talk. Although his talks were all taken from his daily life and therefore more general in nature than those of Jacques Languirand, the words of Jean-Marc Chaput were nevertheless food for thought. He knew how to address and interest people from different walks of life.
Beyond these two great inspirations, the one I will draw on even more will be Wayne Dyer. Internationally renowned, he had mastered the art of inspiring and motivating listeners. He alone embodied Jacques Languirand as much in the content of his topics as Jean-Marc Chaput in his enthusiasm and his ability to communicate his thoughts. Displaying out of the ordinary serenity and sharing words full of wisdom, this is what has earned him the nickname “father of motivation.” He was an outstanding communicator and knew not only how to make us reflect through his own words, but also by quoting those of big names such as Lao-Tzu or Henry David Thoreau. I will therefore focus on these three figures which have influenced me greatly and will dedicate separate podcasts to each of them at a later time.
Therefore, the approach that I am undertaking today, encompassed under the aegis of the “philosopher pilot,” will allow me to share my thoughts and findings with you, in addition to making you discover these great names too often overlooked, in order to motivate you to philosophize yourself. And considering the definition of the word “philosopher” which I mentioned earlier, I dare to hope that my remarks and those of others which I will share with you will encourage you to reason so that just like me you may end up happier or freer.
So, why not come philosophize with me?
In closing, I would like to mention that, for those who are interested, this podcast is also produced in French. To access it, simply go to the website https://lepilotephilosophe.com. Otherwise, I invite you to visit the philosopher pilot site at https://thephilosopherpilot.com and discover the three distinct podcast shows as well as the blog section there. You may also want to subscribe to my newsletter to be informed about new podcasts or publications. Finally, if you like my writing and my podcasts, let those around you know by sharing them. It would be greatly appreciated. Till next time for another Philosopher Pilot podcast!
Credits: Music by Infraction on Bandcamp