What would it be like to live without happiness being your highest goal? In episode 150 of Overthink, Ellie and David speak with philosopher Sebastian Purcell about the philosophy of the Aztecs, detailed in his new book The Outward Path: The Wisdom of the Aztecs. They discuss Aztec pessimism, how the Aztecs take an “outside-in” approach to the self, and how their view of the mind as inherently chaotic shapes their moral outlook. How can the Aztec notion of ‘right speech’ help us gain control over the internal chaos of the mind? And why did they Aztecs reject the possibility of redemption? In the Substack bonus segment, your hosts dive deeper into the pessimism of the Aztecs and the claustrophobia of the Spanish conquest.
Overthink is a philosophy podcast hosted by your new favorite professors, Ellie Anderson (Pomona College) and David Peña-Guzmán (San Francisco State University). Check out our episodes for deep dives into concepts such as existential anxiety, empathy, and gaslighting.
Works discussed:
 Sebastian Purcell, The Outward Path: The Wisdom of the Aztecs
Jacques Soustelle, Daily Life of the Aztecs on the Eve of the Spanish Conquest
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