Thinking Like a Conspiracy TheoristMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/thinking-conspiracy-theorist.The moon landing was faked! JFK Jr. is still alive! Finland doesn’t exist! Conspiracy theories of all sorts have been gaining traction, thanks partly to the ease with which they spread online. But what makes someone more inclined to believe in vast conspiracies? Are marginalized groups who have been lied to by authorities more likely to be distrustful of official narratives? Or ...
How to Create Virtuous LeadersMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/how-create-virtuous-leaders. Ancient philosophers like Socrates and Plato believed that an education focused on developing good character could create virtuous leaders who work for the people, not their own benefit. Nowadays, though, it seems too many politicians are power hungry, corrupt, and out of touch. So how do we train our leaders to be more virtuous? Is good character something that can be taught? And wha...
Emma Goldman: Roving Philosophical ReportTo learn more about Emma Goldman’s legacy today, we sent our Roving Philosophical Reporter, Holly J. McDede, to find out how the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City got its name. More at https:/www.philosophytalk.org/shows/emma-goldman.
Plato on DemocracyWhy did Plato think that democracy was the second-worst form of government? More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/election-special.
Corporations and the Future of DemocracyMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/corporations-and-future-democracy. The US prides itself on the strength of its democratic institutions and considers itself a leader in the promotion of democratic values around the globe. But can we consistently maintain this self-image in the face of the growing power of corporations? Are capitalism and globalization subverting the interests of democracy at home and abroad? If so, does the problem ste...
Disinformation and the Future of DemocracyMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/disinformation-and-future-democracy. The 2020 election and startling events that followed show that the US is as polarized as ever. Not only is there fundamental disagreement over values and goals, but people can’t seem to agree on the most basic, easily verifiable facts, like who actually won. With so many seemingly living in an alternative reality, how do we continue the business of democracy toge...
The Allure of AuthoritarianismMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/allure-authoritarianism. In George Orwell’s 1984, the party’s “final, most essential command” was “to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.” Authoritarian regimes call on us to accept as fact whatever they tell us; or worse, as Hannah Arendt says, they get us to a point where we no longer know—or care about—the difference between fiction and reality. So why are so many so willing to reject th...
Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythologyhttps://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/crisis-and-creativity-mayan-mythology. The Popol Vuh, written in 1702, was based on a Mayan oral tradition encompassing creation myths, history, and cosmology. These stories were written in a time of crisis: European colonialism had decimated the Mayan population and destroyed much of their cultural knowledge. How do stories help a society survive and thrive? Can they console us in times of crisis? How much of ...
Emma GoldmanMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/emma-goldman. Activist and anarchist philosopher Emma Goldman fought for human liberation in every realm of life. While she opposed the women's suffrage movement, she was a staunch advocate for women’s rights. So why did she think the right to vote was so unimportant? What did she think was required to achieve her anarchist goals? And how ahead of her time was she on labor, prison abolition, and sexual liberation? Josh and Ray e...
Who Owns Culture?More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/who-owns-culture. Fashion designers, musicians, and Halloween costume wearers have been accused of engaging in cultural appropriation. In some cases, the alleged appropriator is quick to apologize; in others, they defend their actions as a way of appreciating a different culture. So why is cultural appropriation such a morally fraught issue? Is there a clear-cut way to tell whether we’re exploring or exploiting? And can we ...
Derek Parfit and Your Future SelfMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/derek-parfit-and-your-future-self. The works of Derek Parfit (1942-2017) have had a profound influence on how philosophers understand rational decision-making, ethics, and personal identity. At the heart of Parfit's thinking are questions about how you should relate to your future self, and whether you should treat your future self any differently than other future people. So why does Parfit argue that it's wr...
Frege and the Language of ReasonMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/frege-and-language-reason. At the end of the 19th Century, the German philosopher Gottlob Frege invented a new language, based on mathematics, designed to help people reason more logically. His ideas have had a lasting impact on philosophy, math, computer science, and the study of artificial intelligence. And many of the questions that influenced his thinking are still hotly debated today: How much does languag...
Camus and the Absurd: Roving Philosophical ReportWe sent our Roving Philosophical Reporter, Shuka Kalantari, to learn more about the man behind works like "The Stranger" and "The Myth of Sisyphus." More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/camus-and-absurd.
Camus and the AbsurdMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/camus-and-absurd. 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 led the French resistance press during Nazi Occupation and became one of the youngest Nobel laureates in literature. His contemporary, Hannah Arendt, described him as “head and shoulders above the other intellectuals.” How does Camus' philosophy of Absurdi...
Simone Weil: Roving Philosophical ReportPeople talk about Weil's tragic early death, but her life story has a lot of joy and brightness in it. We sent our Roving Philosophical Reporter, Sheryl Kaskowitz, to investigate. More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/simone-weil.
599: Simone WeilMore at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/simone-weil. French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil was also an activist whose goal was to elevate the lower classes. But she was opposed to the kind of revolution where the oppressed overthrow their oppressors. So, how did she think we could achieve peace and justice? Is it enough to pay the right kind of attention to each other's suffering? And how does this connect to her conversion to a mystical form of Christianity? J...
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