Philosophy Talk
Philosophy Talk
"The program that questions everything—except your intelligence." Philosophy Talk began as a weekly one-hour radio series and has been on the air for more than two decades. The host-professors bring clarity, depth, and humor to everyday topics that are lofty (Truth, Beauty, Justice), arresting (Terrorism, Intelligent Design, Suicide), and engaging (Baseball, Love, Happiness). This is not a lecture or a college course; it's philosophy in action! From timeless philosophical questions about the ultimate nature of things to contemporary social and political issues, as well as our most fundamental beliefs about science, morality, and the human condition, Philosophy Talk invites you to challenge your assumptions and think about things in new ways.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 18, 2007 • 49min
Immortality and the 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.
Mar 11, 2007 • 50min
Animal Minds
People have strong but divergent opinions about the nature of animals’ minds. Do dogs make plans? Do they remember specific events? Do they dream? Do cats recognize their owners as unified wholes, or just as collections of parts, some warm, some capable of providing food. Could it be that whales, dolphins, elephants, and various kind of monkeys have mental lives that approach — or surpass — those of humans in subtlety and richness? John and Ken explore the nature of non-human minds with Colin Allen from Indiana University, editor of The Cognitive Animal: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition.
Mar 4, 2007 • 49min
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.
Feb 11, 2007 • 50min
The Judiciary in 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, author of The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review.
Feb 4, 2007 • 49min
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.
Jan 28, 2007 • 50min
If Truth is so valuable, why is 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.
Jan 21, 2007 • 50min
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.
Jan 14, 2007 • 51min
We’ve 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.”
Jan 7, 2007 • 51min
The Promise and Perils of the 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. This program was recorded live at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
Dec 17, 2006 • 50min
Philosophy and Film
Despite the crass commercialism that drives the production of many movies, there’s no doubt that film is a distinctive and distinctively powerful art form. Cinematic representations move us in ways that few others do. Film has also proven to be an outstanding vehicle for conveying philosophical ideas. Join John and Ken as they explore both the philosophy of film and philosophy within film.
