Philosophy for the People: PhD Student Uses YouTube as a Classroom

Villanova is home to scholars, researchers and educators known for their ability to discover, disseminate and apply knowledge. But it’s also a place where creatives grow and thrive, and sometimes that creative spirit takes shape in unexpected ways.

Blake Perry ’26 PhD is one such creative. 

A doctoral student in Philosophy, Perry turned to YouTube to reimagine how his area of study can be shared, experienced and understood. He started his channel, “Popular Philosophy,” in May 2025, posting his first video later that June, and it has taken off ever since.

“Basically, my channel is dedicated to taking dense philosophical text and making it accessible to the wider public,” Perry said. “With this, I really get a chance to be an artist and to build scripts. Oftentimes I’ll ask the public what topic they want me to cover.” 

Perry’s inspiration to create the channel began at a conference in April of last year, sparked by a conversation with a mentor, Holly Wilson, PhD, from Louisiana State University of Alexandria, about the difference between scholastic and world philosophy.

“My mentor was talking about this whole project of making philosophy accessible, and I look up to her, and asked, ‘Well, why don't I start something that actually contributes to that in a public way?’” Perry said. “And so, I made the YouTube channel.” 

Perry said that early on, he was unsure how to approach his videos—whether to mirror his teaching style or lean into a more academic tone—but has since found balance and continues to refine his craft.

Operating a high-quality educational channel like Perry’s doesn’t just take inspiration; it requires hard work commitment, and extensive planning. He equates it to conducting a research study and credits Villanova with familiarizing him with that process.

“Behind the scenes, it looks just like how you would approach a scholarly article, Perry said. “My research here has taught me how to work with primary and secondary texts.”

Perry’s creative work is gaining traction with two of his most popular videos amassing over 13,000 viewers. One of the videos discusses the distinction between critical theory and traditional theory, while the other is an introduction to the divide between analytic and continental philosophy. 

He explained that the videos resonate because they explore opposing perspectives that audiences already recognize, and he helps viewers make sense of both sides.

Perry’s channel hasn’t just attracted viewership; it’s sparked discussion and engaged philosophers from all areas of the discipline with some even incorporating his videos into their teachings.

“Philosophers have shared my YouTube channel with their students in other universities, and the feedback has been that they enjoy the concision and the context,” Perry said. “As for non-academics, they’re able to just enjoy having someone sit down and explain these dense things in a clear manner. So, I would say that it’s beneficial in both spheres.”

That benefit is one that Perry is well acquainted with. Not only is he a full-time PhD candidate at Villanova, but he also teaches Philosophy to Villanova undergraduate students. Serving in both roles has deepened his understanding of education and how to best disseminate knowledge.

“I usually teach Ancients ACS [Augustine and Culture Seminar Program] where we go through a yearlong course introducing students to the humanities,” Perry said. “I teach Moderns as well and maintaining that clearness and conciseness is something I always aim to do when teaching so I can give people a sense of the primary, the secondary and the historical.”

The channel has now been active for about nine months, and Perry is excited to increase its visibility and build on this early success. He envisions it becoming a hub for academics and non-academics interested in philosophy.

“I want to make it an intellectual network, epicenter and archive, bringing on more scholars so we can cover other topics,” Perry said. “Here at Villanova, one of the things that I greatly benefited from in the doctoral program is learning how to become a researcher. I think that that's something that the wider public should have access to.”