Philosophy Talk
Episodes
Philosophy of Trash
05 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” or so the saying goes. But what makes something trash to begin with? The word can...
Race Matters
29 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Started in the wake of George Zimmerman’s 2013 acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin, the #BlackLivesMatter movement has become a powerful ca...
The Internet of Things
15 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Smart TVs, refrigerators, cars, and entire houses—the internet of things refers to the networking of all the devices in our lives, as they gather da...
A World Without Work
24 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Work: a lot lot of people do it, and a lot of people don’t seem to like it very much. But as computers and artificial intelligence get increasingly ...
Post-Truth Politics
10 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably heard about the dangerous effects of fake news, and the spread of sensational and targeted falsities. But what about “legi...
Polyamory
27 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In most if not all modern Western societies, monogamy is the dominant form of romantic relationship. In polyamorous or “open” relationship...
Could the Laws of Physics Ever Change?
13 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
From airplanes flying overhead to the cellular activity inside us, all events that take place in the world obey the laws of physics. Physicists seem t...
Driverless Cars at the Moral Crossroads
30 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Autonomous vehicles are quickly emerging as the next innovation that will change society in radical ways. Champions of this new technology say that dr...
Cognitive Bias
16 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Aristotle thought that rationality was the faculty that distinguished humans from other animals. However, psychological research shows that our judgme...
Summer Reading List 2017
02 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is the perfect time to dig in to deep reading. Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism may be a bit much for the beach, but there are...
Habermas and Democracy
25 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Jürgen Habermas is regarded as one of the last great public intellectuals of Europe and a major contributor to the philosophy of democracy. A member ...
Nonhuman Rights
28 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Human rights—like freedom from discrimination and slavery— are fundamental rights and freedoms that every person enjoys simply because they’...
Should Beliefs Aim at Truth?
14 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If beliefs can be described as having a goal or purpose, then surely that is something like aiming at the truth. Yet we all hold many false beliefs to...
The Limits of Medical Consent
07 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In our healthcare system, parents normally make medical decisions for their kids because, we think, children are not competent to make such decisions ...
The Phenomenology of Lived Experience
23 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Phenomenology is the philosophical study of experience and consciousness, performed by philosophers ranging from Sartre and Heidegger to contemporary ...
The Space-Time Continuum
02 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Strange things are said about time: that it’s illusory, that it has no direction. But what about space, or the space-time continuum? What exactl...
Knowing What We Know (And What We Don’t)
19 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like we know many facts about ourselves and the world around us, even if there vastly many others we know that we don’t know. But how do we...
Queerness
05 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual… it is safe to say that new ideas of gender and sexuality have broken into mainstream consciousness...
Freedom of Speech on Campus
26 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the last few years, conservatives and liberals alike have accused activists on college campuses of silencing contrary opinions. Many have argued—...
Philosophy Behind Bars
12 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In 1994, Congress eliminated federal funding for college education in prisons. It was, they argued, unjust for prisoners to be eligible for Pell grant...
Reparations
05 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The United States brutally enslaved African Americans for its first hundred or so years of existence. For the next hundred years, black Americans were...
The Value of a College Education
22 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With 43.3 million Americans burdened with a total of $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, high school students thinking about attending college are fac...
The Examined Year: 2016
08 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Our annus horribilis is over. But what ideas and events took shape in 2016 that challenged our assumptions and made us think about things in new wa...
The Mystery of the Multiverse
23 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
At the foundation of modern theoretical physics lie the equations that define our universe, telling us of its beginnings, evolution, and future. Make ...
Matter and Energy – The Dark Side
09 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
All the matter we have ever observed accounts for less than 5% of the universe. The rest? Dark energy and dark matter: mysterious entities that we onl...
John Dewey and the Ideal of Democracy
25 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
John Dewey is regarded by some as the American philosopher. In the first half of the 20th century, he stood as the most prominent public intellectual ...
Magical Thinking
18 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever avoided stepping on a crack, just in case you might break your mother’s back? Every day, people make decisions and act based on comple...
Election Special
04 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this re-broadcast of our special episode from the lead-up to the 2016 election, John and Ken look beyond the horse races at some of the bigger que...
This Is Your Brain on Art
21 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Humans actively seek to create and consume art. Its compelling nature has been discussed in the humanities since its inception, and the philosophical ...
The Big Bang – Before and After
14 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing theory about the “birth” of the universe. It posits a singularity, or super high density state from which th...
More Than Pun and Games
31 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Puns have been called both the highest and lowest form of humor. There is something about them that is at once painful and pleasurable, capable of cau...
The Mystery of Music
24 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us listen to music on a regular basis, but we don’t think much about how we listen. Moreover, when we disagree about music, we’re ...
Identity Politics
17 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The notion of identity has become so hugely important in contemporary political discourse that no conversation on social issues would be complete with...
The Radical Democracy Movement
03 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Liberal democracy has its problems, including the fact that in trying to build consensus, it often ends up oppressing minorities or those who dissent....
The Philanthropy Trap
19 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us generally admire people who donate large sums of money to charity. Yet people donate for all sorts of reasons – some selfless, some not s...
Philosophy of Sleep
12 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
“Blessed are the sleepy ones,” writes Nietzsche, “for they shall soon drop off.” Sleep is an extraordinarily, albeit profoundl...
Altered States
22 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Aldous Huxley explains his conception of the brain as a “reducing valve” of consciousness in his provocative book, The Doors of Percepti...
Affirmative Action: Too Little or Too Much?
08 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Addressing our nation’s history of racial injustice can be a truly backbreaking endeavor. Race-based affirmative action is usually thought of as one...
One Child Too Many
01 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The United Nations predicts human population growth will surpass 9 billion around 2050. We know the consequences of overpopulation have the potential ...
Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?
10 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The old metaphysical question – why anything exists at all – has perplexed and intrigued humankind for ages. It has long been a question reserved...
Extreme Altruism
03 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We can all agree that helping others is great, a deed worth doing. But devoting too much to helping others – too much time, too many resources – m...
Gun Control
27 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The right to bear arms, as guaranteed by the Second Amendment, is at once both distinctly American and highly controversial. Incidents such as the San...
The Science of Happiness
20 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Positive psychology is an emerging science that investigates the qualities, attitudes, and practices that enable people to thrive and be happy. So ...
The Ancient Cosmos – When the Earth Stood Still
13 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Even in ancient Greek society, philosopher-scientists engaged in heated debate about the origin, composition, and structure of our universe. Tracking ...
“Ethics of Whistleblowing” wins Bronze Award for Social Impact at the New York Festivals
01 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Public Radio Show ‘Philosophy Talk’ Wins Bronze at the 2016 New York Festivals® International Radio Program Awards Nationally Syndicated show “...
The Ethics of Debt
21 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
According to a report from the Jubilee Debt Campaign, there are currently 24 countries facing a full-blown debt crisis, with 14 more on the verge. Glo...
White Privilege and Racial Injustice
14 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
“White privilege” has become a buzzword in discussions about racial inequality and racial justice. The call to “check your privilege” appeals ...
Jean-Paul Sartre
17 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Jean-Paul Sartre was one of the first global public intellectuals, famous for his popular existentialist philosophy, his works of fiction, and his riv...
Dignity Denied: Life and Death in Prison
10 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, there are more people living with mental illness in prisons than in psychiatric hospitals across the count...
The Examined Year – 2015
03 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
A new year offers an opportunity to reflect on the significant events of the previous year. But what ideas and events took shape over the past twelve ...
Taoism: Following the Way
13 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Taoism (sometimes Daoism) is one of the great philosophical traditions of China. Lao-Tzu, who is commonly regarded as its founder, said that “Those ...
Self and Self-Presentation
06 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
We craft personal brands or images to accompany or represent ourselves in various situations. These personas are malleable – how we portray ourselve...
Your Lying Eyes – Perception, Memory, and Justice
29 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The criminal justice system often relies on the testimony of eyewitnesses to get convictions. Yet more and more, psychological science demonstrates ho...
Will Innovation Kill Us?
15 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation, be it social, economic, or technological, is often hailed as the panacea for all our troubles. Our obsession with innovation leads us to c...
Spinoza
08 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Baruch Spinoza was a 17th century Dutch philosopher who laid the foundations for the Enlightenment. He made the controversial claim that there is only...
Living On Through Others
01 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine that the world will end in thirty days. Would your life have meaning anymore? Would anyone’s? It seems that there would no longer be any poi...
In Praise of Love: Plato’s Symposium Meets Bernstein’s Serenade
25 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Plato’s Symposium is arguably the most memorable philosophical work ever written on the subject of love. It is also the inspiration for Leonard Ber...
The Logic of Regret
18 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
A teenager decides, on a whim, to conceive a child. Even though we might say that this decision was irrational, she cannot regret it later, because ra...
The Technology of Immortality
27 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Some futurists believe we are not far from a time when technology and medicine will be so advanced that humans need no longer die of old age or other ...
The Changing Face of Feminism
20 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Reactions to the word ‘feminist’ today range from staunch rejection or ambivalence to fervent endorsement and activism. While many young women cla...
The Ethics of Drone Warfare
13 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, aka ‘drone,’ is increasingly the weapon of choice in America’s military operations. Many laud its ability to ma...
Leibniz
16 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The intellectual domain of Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz cannot be captured in a single word. For most of his life, he was a jurist, a courtier, a dip...
The Power and Peril of Satire
26 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Satire is everywhere – in conversations with friends, in books, on television, and online. When used effectively, it can be a very powerful form of ...
Neuroscience and Free Will
19 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
We like to think of ourselves as rational agents who exercise conscious control over most of our actions and decisions. Yet in recent years, neuroscie...
Edward Snowden and the Ethics of Whistleblowing
12 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
You might think we each have a moral duty to expose any serious misconduct, dishonesty, or illegal activity we discover in an organization, especially...
Heidegger
28 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Best known for his work Being and Time, Martin Heidegger has been hailed by many as the greatest philosopher of the twentieth century. He has also be...
Summer Reading List 2015
21 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is here – what philosophers, philosophies, or philosophical issues do you want to read up on? Heidegger’s Being and Time may not be ...
Science and Politics – Friends or Foes?
14 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The ideal of science is objectivity in the service of advancing knowledge. We tend to assume that to be objective, scientists must keep their politics...
Why Propaganda Matters
31 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Governments and other political institutions employ propaganda to sway public opinion, instill ideas, and exert a degree of control over people. While...
How Words Work: From Noise to Meaning
17 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have an amazing capacity to communicate. By uttering sounds we are able to convey meaning to those around us. These noises we make take on prop...
Reincarnation – Past Lives, Future Selves
03 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
According to Buddhist tradition, all people must suffer illness, aging, and death. Yet the universe is seen as a vast living entity, in which cycles o...
When Democracies Torture
26 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Torture is prohibited under international law and is widely considered a human rights violation. But despite the fact that 157 countries ratified the ...
The Art of Non-Violence
12 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
We all hope for peace. Yet in the face of violence, it often seems the only recourse is more violence. Advocates of non-violence claim it’s not nece...
Morality in a Godless World
29 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Belief in God is thought by many to be the only possible source of morality, such that without a God, “everything is permitted.” Yet godlessness i...
Democracy in Crisis
22 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Democratic systems of government are supposed to reflect the interests of ordinary citizens, and not some shadowy political elite. But more and more, ...
Diseases of the Mind: Philosophy of Psychiatry
08 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual is the primary reference catalog for mental health illnesses. But whereas a medical textbook will show you the p...
Camus and the Absurd
01 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Albert Camus is most famous for his existential works of fiction including The Stranger as well as his philosophical essay The Myth of Sisyphus. He le...
Cyber-Activism
15 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s making donations and signing petitions online, or using social media to highlight political causes, cyber-activism has never been e...
Food Justice
01 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The number of chronically hungry people in the world is over 800 million, yet developed countries are facing health challenges from rising rates of ob...
Anarchy: Utopian Dream or Dystopian Nightmare?
25 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Anarchism says there’s no need for a state, that it would be better to have a society without central government. Anarchists dislike the often h...
What’s Next? Death and the Afterlife
11 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The question of what happens to us after we die remains as mysterious now as it always was. Some think that death amounts to total annihilation of the...
The Examined Year – 2014
04 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The unexamined year is not worth reviewing. But what ideas and events that took shape over the past year have prompted us to question our assumptions ...
Humanity Violated
21 Dec 2014
Contributed by Lukas
People tend to treat other people who differ from them, even in seemingly small and insignificant ways, as less than fully human. Our tendency to dehu...
The Lure of Immortality
07 Dec 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Would you want to live forever? It’s a tempting notion that has been explored and imagined for centuries. Immortality may be desirable, but i...
Transformative Experiences
16 Nov 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We are faced with decisions all the time in life. Normally, we think about the possible outcomes and choose a course of action that matches what we ta...
The Fairness Fixation
02 Nov 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine that your eight-year-old son arrives home boasting that he won the race that day in gym class. Right as your heart begins to swell with pride,...
Philosophy as Therapy
26 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
From Plato and Sextus Empiricus to Wittgenstein, many important thinkers have thought of philosophy as a type of therapy. By looking at our way of lif...
Racial Profiling and Implicit Bias
05 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Whether for counterterrorism measures, street level crime, or immigration, racial profiling of minorities occurs frequently. However, racial profiling...
Second-Guessing Ourselves
28 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We like to think of ourselves as self-aware, reflective beings, but psychological studies demonstrate that we’re usually overconfident in the accura...
Machiavelli
21 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Niccolò Machiavelli is best known for arguing that people in power should use deception, force, and manipulation if those tactics are necessary to ac...
Babies and the Birth of Morality
14 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Doing the right thing is often an extremely difficult task. Yet psychological research indicates that infants as young as 21 months old have a crude s...
Intuition a Guide to Truth?
31 Aug 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Turns out that Galileo was right and Aristotle was wrong: in a vacuum, a feather and a bowling ball will fall from a tall building at exactly the same...
Remixing Reality – Art and Literature for the 21st Century
17 Aug 2014
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, literary critics have been questioning the relevance of the novel as a literary form, with some going so far as to declare its death. But...
Captivity
10 Aug 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s people incarcerated in prisons, or animals confined in zoos, aquariums, laboratories, farms, and in our own homes, millions of upon...
The New Surveillance Society – Big Brother Grows Up
27 Jul 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Recent revelations confirm what many already suspected: not only is Big Brother watching you, he is also potentially reading your emails, listening to...
Tainted by the Sins of Our Fathers?
20 Jul 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine discovering that your grandfather was a serial killer. Would you feel guilty about it? Would you be at all tempted to contact the families of ...
Anatomy of a Terrorist
29 Jun 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Since George W. Bush first declared a “war on terror,” the US has been engaged in a global campaign to rid the world of terrorists. But wh...
Art and Obscenity
15 Jun 2014
Contributed by Lukas
What do Marcel Duchamp, Damien Hirst, and Andres Serrano have in common? They’ve all created modern works of art that have shocked and outraged the ...
Summer Reading List 2014
09 Jun 2014
Contributed by Lukas
What philosophers, philosophies, or philosophical issues would you like to read up on over the summer? John and Ken discuss one of this year’s m...
Am I Alone?
01 Jun 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A popular theme in science fiction is the eerily lifelike robot: a piece of machinery so well engineered that its outputs pass for genuinely human beh...