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Program Guide > Program Listings >
Philosophy Talk
Philosophy Talk
Thursdays, 9pm
Program Website: http://www.philosophytalk.org/
Philosophy Talk is a weekly, one-hour radio series hosted by
Ken Taylor, Professor of Philosophy at Stanford University,
and John Perry, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy
at the University of California at Riverside. The program is not a lecture
or college course—it's philosophy in action! Philosophy Talk
is a fun opportunity to explore issues of importance in a thoughtful,
friendly fashion.
August 26
Humanism
Humanism as a movement arose with the Renaissance. It took powerful expression
with the Enlightenment, and deeply influenced the founding of the United
States. But now "secular humanism" is widely decried and even
derided. What was Humanism, and what has it become? In an age of appreciating
the interconnectedness of all nature, is the Humanist enterprise out of
date? Ken and John are joined by Jennifer Bardi, editor of The Humanist
magazine, for a program recorded in front of a live audience in San Jose.
September 2
Self-Deception
Self-deception sounds like a contradiction: intentionally convincing yourself
of something you know to be untrue. But it is a pervasive aspect of human
nature. What is the nature of self-deception, and what are its main patterns?
Does it serve any purpose? Ken and John confront the truths of self-deception
with Neil Van Leeuwen from the University of Johannesburg.
September 9
Philosophy for the Young: Corrupting or Empowering?
Socrates was executed for corrupting the youth. In America, youth below
college age are usually not exposed to philosophy in the classroom. Is
philosophy all that dangerous? Should it be taught to teenagers? Or would
this lead to a generation of self-absorbed and skeptical young people,
shirking their duties in order to worry about the meaning of life? Ken
and John are joined by Jack Bowen, author of The Dream Weaver and If You
Can Read This: The Philosophy of Bumper Stickers, for a program recorded
with a live audience of young philosophers at Palo Alto High School.
September 16
Personalities, Philosophiues of The American Revolution
The American Revolution was saturated with meaning and ambiguity, from
the words of the Declaration of Independence, to the beliefs of the founding
fathers, to the vagueness, hedges, and contradictions of the Constitution
on which the possibility of union between slave and free states rested.
Ken and John examine the personalities, philosophies, and documents of
the American Revolution with Pulitzer Prize winning Stanford historian
Jack Rakove, author of Revolutionaries: A New History of the Invention
of America.
September 23
What is the relationship between the mind and the brain?
Monists believe that there is only one substance or property in the Universe,
be it physical (Materialists) or mental (Idealists). But Dualists, like
the 17th Century French philosopher Rene Descartes, hold that mental stuff
exists side by side with physical stuff. Can this view be defended, in
light of modern science? John and Ken probe the mind-body with David Rosenthal
from City University of New York, author of Consciousness and Mind. (First
broadcast 8/10/2008).
September 30
Origins of Ghandi's Philosophies
Gandhi is famous as the leader of the movement for Indian independence,
which he based on his philosophy of non-violence, an important influence
on Martin Luther King Jr. Gandhi's ideas and the effects of his leadership
continue to influence the world and its leaders. What was the philosophical
foundation of these ideas? Is non-violence a strategy for a certain purpose,
or the basis for a way of life? Ken and John welcome Akeel Bilgrami, Director
of the Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University and author
of "Gandhi, the Philosopher." (First broadcast 11/16/2008).
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