#022 – Today’s episode is a conversation with Dr.  Justin Sledge as we discuss everything from magic to mysticism and  the mystery of the Great Unknown. We touch briefly on Hildegard Von Bingen as well as the the role that unexplainable, inner experiences play in every day life.

Dr. Sledge was born and raised in a proud working-class Mississippi family.  He learned the fundamental value of labor from his father who was a pipe-fitter and the crucial  importance of un-waged labor from his mother. A first generation college student, he earned his undergraduate degree at Millsaps College then went for a DRS in religious studies (Western Esotericism and Related Currents) at the Universiteit van Amsterdam and a MA and PhD in philosophy at the University of Memphis.

He is currently a part-time professor of philosophy and religion at several institutions in the Metro-Detroit area and a popular local educator. Dr. Sledge’s work engages with Religious Studies specifically in the so-called “Western Esoteric Tradition” or Hermetic Tradition in religious and philosophical thought.  In this line of research he seeks to grasps the philosophical commitments which underpin the alleged workings of magic, esoteric influence, spirit possession, alchemy, etc.  This field of inquiry brings him primarily into contact with philosophers and intellectuals regrettably disregarded by the modern philosophic canon.

Be sure to check out his Esoterica YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoydhtfFSk1fZXNRnkGnneQ