Philosophy For Our Times

Latest Episodes:

Bonus Episode: In Conversation with Saul Kripke and Timothy Williamson Aug 29, 2019

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In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Saul Kripke and Timothy Williamson discuss why language has come to dominate their field, why logic matters, and what the future for the Anglo-American tradition looks like.

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The Necessity of Morality | Justin Smith, Jason Alexander McKenzie, Barry C. Smith Aug 27, 2019

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Many philosophers have concluded that morality is a subjective human invention. Should we then simply encourage and argue for acts we support and do without morality altogether? Or is the authority of morality the tenuous thread that holds society together? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Justin Smith, Jason Alexander McKenzie and Barry C. Smith question the necessity of morality.

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What's It All For? | Helen Lederer, Julian Baggini, Susan Neiman, Janne Teller Aug 20, 2019

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We admire achievers, from James Watt to Mandela, Marie Curie to Emmeline Pankhurst. Yet many spend their lives waiting for weekends and holidays. And does not play, both as sex, drugs and rock and roll, and as creative and physical endeavour provide us with the most memorable events in life? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Helen Lederer, Julian Baggini and Susan Neiman debate what it's all for.

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The Meaning of the Multiverse | Cumrun Vafa, Mary-Jane Rubenstein, John Ellis Aug 13, 2019

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Talk of other universes has become fashionable amongst physicists and string theory alike. Should we recognise ours as the only universe and give up on others as fantasy science? Or is slipping through a worm hole into another universe a credible reality rather than a Hollywood fairytale? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Cumrun Vafa, Mary-Jane Rubenstein and John Ellis go in search for the meaning of the multiverse.

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Lost in Language | Saul Kripke, Hilary Lawson, Paul Boghossian, Silvia Jonas Aug 06, 2019

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Language is widely seen as the critical tool which has set our species apart. We assume that it is successful because our words are able to describe reality. Yet from Wittgenstein to Derrida, no satisfactory theory has been able to support this intuition. Might the problem be not with our theory of language, but with the very idea of reality? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Saul Kripke, Paul Boghossian and Silvia Jonas get lost in language.

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The Problem with Love | Mark Salter, Helen-Ann Hartley, Phillip Blond Jul 30, 2019

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'Love conquers all' is a motto central to our culture and its Christian heritage. Yet Buddhists think love an obstacle to enlightenment. Nietzsche went further and called love barbaric ‘for it is practised at the expense of all others’. Is love for all an illusion? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, consultant psychiatrist Mark Salter, Anglican Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley and Political Philosopher Phillip Blond debate the darker sides of the most powerful emotion.

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Are You An Illusion? | Julian Baggini, Joanna Kavenna, Jan Westerhoff, Silvia Jonas Jul 23, 2019

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The self is an illusion, our passions a by-product of the brain. Or so neuroscientists and philosophers would have us believe. Is dismissing the self a mistake driven by the desire to uphold a purely material universe? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, author of A Field Guide to Reality Joanna Kavenna, Oxford University metaphysician Jan Westerhoff, philosopher Silvia Jonas and author of The Ego Trick Julian Baggini set out in search of the self.

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The End Of All Things | John Dupré, Subir Sarkar, Nancy Cartwright Jul 16, 2019

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We tend to think of physical, material things as the ultimate stuff of the universe. Yet contemporary physics has largely abandoned physical things in favour of energy and fields. Should we give up on our conviction that physical stuff is the bedrock of the world, or is such talk ivory tower nonsense? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, John Dupré, Subir Sarkar, and Nancy Cartwright debate the materialist view of the universe.

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The Fascination With Evil | Terry Eagleton, Susan Neiman, Stephen de Wijze Jul 09, 2019

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We may condemn tyrants and abhor serial killers, but we are obsessed with evil and violence. Are we fascinated by evil, violent characters because they make life more exciting? Or because they express our real nature? Should we look to end this morbid obsession, or accept it as a feature of humanity? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, cultural critic Terry Eagleton, author of Evil in Modern Thought Susan Neiman and philosopher Stephen de Wijze get to the bottom of evil's strange allure.

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The Right Way to Think | Paul Boghossian, Mary Jane Rubenstein, Alister McGrath Jul 02, 2019

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Reason was traditionally seen as the Enlightenment’s great legacy and the origin of our success. Yet reason is increasingly derided as just the rhetorical bluster of the educated elite, typically powerful and male. Is rationality just the prejudiced claim of those who are sure they are right? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Professor of Religion at Wesleyan Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Silver Professor of Philosophy at New York University Paul Boghossian and Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University Alister McGrath debate the right way to think.

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