Self in Oscillation, A Poet's Life with John Koethe, the award winning poet and philosopher. On his time hanging out with Frank O’Hara and John Ashbery. On dualism and physics. But mostly about life and how poetry and philosophy help us live it.
In this episode of 'Love and Philosophy,' Andrea has a conversation with John Koethe, a renowned poet and philosopher. They discuss the concept of the oscillation of self as a bridge between poetry and philosophy. Koethe shares his journey from a religious upbringing to his passion for science, poetry, and philosophy. The conversation explores themes of romanticism, consciousness, and the intertwined nature of poetic and philosophical thought. Koethe also reflects on his relationships with notable poets and the influences on his work. The episode concludes with a reading of his poem 'The Realm of Ends,' exemplifying the blend of introspection and exploration that defines his poetry.
#philosophy #poetry #wittgenstein #loveandphilosophy #johnkoethe #andreahiott
00:00 Introduction to John Koethe
00:38 John Koethe's Background and Achievements
01:05 Balancing Poetry and Philosophy
01:19 Personal Connection to Koethe's Work
03:44 Early Influences and Religious Upbringing
06:32 Transition from Science to Literature
08:45 Discovering Modern Poetry
14:29 Meeting Influential Poets
22:07 Romanticism and Modernism in Poetry
24:39 Philosophical Dualism and the Mind-Body Problem
28:19 Holding the Paradox in Poetry and Philosophy
31:15 Modernism in Art, Literature, and Science
32:40 Modernism and Quantum Physics
33:46 Philosophical Perspectives on Quantum Mechanics
35:18 Exploring Oscillation in Poetry and Physics
36:42 Wittgenstein and the Nature of Reality
43:11 The Role of Conversation in Poetry
47:26 Philosophy vs. Poetry: Different Constraints
54:06 The Sublime and Self-Consciousness
57:53 Reflections on Love and Poetry
01:03:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
“John Koethe was born on December 25, 1945. He began writing poetry in 1964 during his undergraduate years at Princeton University and went on to receive a PhD in philosophy from Harvard University.
Koethe’s Ninety-fifth Street (Harper Perennial, 2009) won the 2010 Lenore Marshall Prize (https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/prizes/lenore-marshall-poetry-prize) from the Academy of American Poets. He has published numerous other books of poetry, including Cemeteries and Galaxies (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025); Walking Backwards: Poems 1966–2016 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018); The Swimmer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016); North Point North: New and Selected Poems (Harper Perennial, 2003), which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; The Constructor (Harper Perennial, 1999); Falling Water (Harper Perennial, 1997), which won the Kingsley Tufts Award; Domes (Columbia University Press, 1974), which won the Frank O’Hara Award for Poetry; and Blue Vents (Audit/Poetry, 1968)."
Share this post