Philosophy Talk Starters

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/philosophical-shout-out. On this special pledge-week episode, John and Ken open the phones and the inbox to their listeners, answering questions about art, politics, proof, and philosophy itself.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/skepticism. Various forms of skepticism play important roles in the history of philosophy. Do we really know there are external objects? That there are other minds? That there is a distant (or even a not-so-distant) past? All the evidence we have for these things seems consistent with our being in a world in which they don't exist. What does this tell us about life? About philosophy? Our hosts discuss one of the deepest and most fertile philosophical traditions with John Greco from St. Louis University, editor of "The Oxford Handbook of Skepticism."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/immortality-and-afterlife. Many religions contemplate some form of personal continued existence after death: reincarnation in another body, or continued being in some vastly different place like Heaven or Hell. Do any of these conceptions make sense? If so, is there any evidence for any of them? And why do people want continued existence, even immortality? Wouldn't it be a bore? John and Ken welcome back Anne Ashbaugh of Colgate University to explore the philosophy of eternal life.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/wittgenstein. The Austrian/British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein exercised enormous influence over philosophy in the middle third of the last century, and his view and his life continue to fascinate thinkers around the world. What are the basic tenets of Wittgenstein's philosophy, and what is their enduring legacy? Join John and Ken as they investigate the ideas and implications of one of the great philosophers of language and thought with Juliet Floyd from Boston University, co-editor of "Future Pasts: The Analytic Tradition in Twentieth Century Philosophy."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/judiciary-democracy. In many democracies, the judiciary is protected, to one degree or another, from the voters. Our federal judges, for example, though appointed by elected officials, then have lifetime tenure. In more local venues, however, many judges are directly elected. What is the role of the judiciary in a democracy, and how much protection from democratic processes is needed? John and Ken probe the judiciary branch of government with Larry Kramer, Dean of the Stanford Law School.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/mental-imagery. In the Early Modern period many philosophers took ideas to be mental images of the objects they stood for. During the 20th century, that notion fell into considerable disrepute. Yet recent cognitive science has revived the idea that at least some of our mental representations are highly imagistic in character, not just mental representations tied to vision and perception generally. Join John, Ken, and noted cognitive psychologist Lera Boroditsky of Stanford University to explore the imagistic nature of mental representations.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/if-truth-so-valuable-why-there-so-much-bs. Everywhere we look -- in the media, in our political campaigns, in the hallowed halls of the academy -- we are confronted with an endless stream of BS, spin, propaganda, half-truths, and even outright lies. Yet for centuries, philosophers have argued that the pursuit of truth is both intrinsically good and instrumentally useful. But if truth is really both good and useful, then why is there so much BS around? John and Ken welcome Harry Frankfurt, author of "On Bullshit" and "On Truth," to discuss the relative value and utility of Truth and its alternatives.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/legal-ethics. Lawyers are often thought to be hardly better than hired guns, who, in the words of Plato, are paid to "make the weaker argument the stronger" -- like the sophists of old. In fact, lawyers are legally and morally bound by stringent codes of ethics. Noted philosopher of law David Luban, of Georgetown University, is the guest as Philosophy Talk explores the ethical obligations of lawyers to their clients, to the court, and to society at large.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/weve-been-framed-how-language-shapes-politics. Does the hijacking of words by political forces tell us something interesting about the nature of language and meaning? Would liberals by some other name smell sweeter, or are they really tax-raising, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, body-piercing, Hollywood-loving, left-wing freaks? Ken and John welcome back Philosophy Talk favorite Geoff Nunberg, author of "The Way We Talk Now" and "Going Nucular," to explain the ABCs of "talking right."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/promise-and-perils-new-genomics. John and Ken welcome their special guest, noted scientist and entrepreneur, Craig Venter. From the mapping of the human genome, to the patenting of synthetic life forms, to bio-prospecting for genetic gold in the depths of the oceans and the deepest reaches of the world's rain forests, Craig Venter has been at the forefront of a revolution in genomics. Join the hosts and their guest as they explore the ethical, legal, and economic issues associated with the new genomics.