Philosophy Talk Starters

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/philosophical-summer-reading-list. Are there some philosophers, philosophies, or philosophical issues you want to bone up on over the Summer? Hegel's "Phenomenology of the Spirit" probably isn't a very good choice to take to the beach, but there are a lot of readable, beach-friendly classics and non-classics to add philosophical depth to your Summer Reading. Ken and John discuss some of their favorites and pass on suggestions from Philosophy Talk guests.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/justice-across-boundaries. Philosophical conceptions of justice have most often been directed at the nature of a just state. But many contemporary issues of justice reach across boundaries. Are our immigration policies fair and just? Can a just state invade another state in order to outfit it with a more just government? Can we defend economic policies that improve the lives of our citizens but an adverse impact on economies abroad? John and Ken look beyond with Martha Nussbaum from the University of Chicago, author of "Frontiers of Justice: Disability, Nationality, Species Membership."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/what-art. Anything someone wants to call art? Or are there some objective criteria, that not every instance of paint smeared on canvas and not every murder mystery meets? What are the main philosophies of art? Are any of them plausible? John and Ken talk about the nature of art with Alexander Nehamas from Princeton University.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/philosophy-and-law. With what right do governments make and enforce laws? To what extent are citizens obligated to obey the law, even if a law is unjust? John and Ken talk about philosophy and the law with Jules Coleman from Yale University.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/value-truth. The pursuit of truth is often thought to be "intrinsically" valuable. Scientists and philosophers, who eschew religious rationales for their life's work, take the pursuit of truth to be obviously a worthwhile enterprise. But what's so great about truth? Sure, it's good to know what's for lunch, or the nature of the disease that plagues you, but is there any intrinsic or instrumental value in knowing how far away the farthest stars are? Or whether Milton's greatest works were written while he had a headache? Or what the next layer of basic particles are like? Truth telling on Philosophy Talk with Simon Blackburn, author of "Truth: A Guide."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/suicide. Taking human life is wrong. But what if it is one's own life? Is suicide worse or less bad than murder? Is it wrong at all? Can suicide be rational? How about helping another commit suicide? The Philosophers discuss the metaphysics and morality of taking one's own life with Michael Cholbi from Cal Poly Pomona, author of "Suicide: The Philosophical Dimensions."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/what-are-number. Plato claimed that numbers exist in some mind-independent abstract heaven. Nominalists claim that there is no such heaven. Clearly, we can't see, hear, taste or feel numbers. But if there are no numbers what is mathematics all about? John and Ken count on a great discussion with Gideon Rosen from Princeton University, co-author of "A Subject With No Object: Strategies for Nominalistic Interpretation of Mathematics."

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/existentialism. Being and Nothingness, the for-itself and the in-itself, bad faith, and the existential predicament; these Existentialist concepts were central to the philosophical scene in Europe and America after World War II. Join the Philosophers as they examine the ideas of Existentialism with Lanier Anderson from Stanford University.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/science-humor. Being funny isn't easy. Figuring out what makes things funny is even harder. Still, a number of psychologists (e.g., Freud) and philosophers (e.g., Bergson) have tried. Now computer scientists are trying to learn enough about humor to construct programs that can write good jokes; maybe an artificial stand-up comedian is on the way. Ken and John discuss the art, philosophy and science of humor with Tony Veale, an Irish computer scientist who knows a good joke when his program produces one.

More at http://philosophytalk.org/shows/marriage-and-monogamy. Monogamy is traditional in most cultures, and it is the law throughout America since Utah gave up polygamy to acquire statehood. Is there any philosophical basis for favoring monogamy over polygamy? Or any reasons grounded in clear empirical facts or social needs? With a looming shortage of females relative to males in large parts of Asia, is it time to question this traditional assumption about marriage? John and Ken remain faithful to their guest, renowned anthropologist Helen Fisher, author of "Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love."