Miscellaneous
"Grief burns but does not consume." A grieving merchant stumbles into the shop of an Alchemist, who shows him a device that allows the user to travel 20 years forward or backward in time. The history of the device and the subsequent choice to step through by the grieving merchant say much about the philosophical nature of determinism and free will, as well as the value of forgiveness. This episode is a discussion of Ted Chiang's award winning short story "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate." Read the story here: https://bbs.pku.edu.cn/attach/80/a2/80a255d7a8fc70db/Ted_Chiang.pdf Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory