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Description
The simplest questions often have the most complex answers. The Philosopher's Zone is your guide through the strange thickets of logic, metaphysics and ethics.
381 Episodes
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Libertarians are hard to pin down – they have a number of seemingly contradictory commitments that we normally associate with people on either the left or the right of politics. Libertarians like small government, low taxes and free markets – but they also favour things like same-sex marriage and drug legalisation. So what exactly is libertarianism, and where did it come from?
What exactly is it about swearing that gives it its offensive power? None of the standard philosophy-of-language explanations really gets to the bottom of why we swear, why we don't, and what we're doing when we use "obscene" language. This week, the author of a very sweary philosophy book offers some thoughts.
1Around the beginning of the 20th century, philosophy began to take what's come to be known as "the linguistic turn". All major philosophical questions, it was argued, were really questions about language, and this conviction would dominate philosophical discourse for the next century. But are philosophers now starting to turn away from the linguistic turn? And what might be coming next?
When you think about the music you like (or don't like), what does it tell you about your taste? Do you think you have good taste? And if you do, why? What is it about music that determines good or bad taste, and is it possible to cultivate the former?
Mary Graham is one of Australia's most distinguished Aboriginal academics and authors. In this conversation, she articulates a political philosophy of relationality, conflict management and much more.
German-American political theorist Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) was someone who thought and wrote about some of the worst atrocities of the 20th century, so it might seem strange to suggest that her conception of politics was primarily aesthetic. But she herself once said that she only wanted to understand the world, not to change it.
Authenticity, vulnerability and empathy are all positive character traits - but is there something in the modern ritual performance of these traits that can actually be detrimental to public life? Are we forsaking reason for the sugar rush of cheap emotion? The tension between what Jane Austen called "sense and sensibility" goes back at least as far as the ancient Greeks, and this week we're exploring the philosophical history of toxic touchy-feeliness.
Mysticism is a phenomenon commonly associated with religion and the kind of experience that bypasses the rational, critical mind - which is probably why modern philosophers have tended to treat it with suspicion. But this week we're asking if contemporary philosophy can learn something from the mystics.
In ethical terms, health care systems are supposed to be "blind" to culture, offering the same level of care and respect to all patients regardless of background. Programs promoting diversity and inclusivity in health care are designed to further this aim - and yet for immigrants and other minorities, the practice can fall far from the ideal.
Sentience is a puzzle - and an increasingly important one. The question of exactly what constitutes sentience, and which organisms possess it, is hotly contested. But with scientific evidence emerging in support of the theory that octopuses, bees and other invertebrates may be sentience candidates, moral questions of how we should treat them become more and more pressing. And then there's AI - could sentient robots be on the horizon?
Nationalism is often associated with rightwing politics and anti-immigration sentiment - but is that a necessary connection? This week we're looking at various forms of nationalism, and asking if there's something about the structure of the nation-state itself that fosters an exclusionary attitude to outsiders.
With the launch this week of a new Centre for the History of Philosophy at Notre Dame University, we're talking about the value of philosophical insights from the past – particularly insights from a time when philosophy and theology were close cousins.
Maori philosopher Krushil Watene is an outstanding scholar and part of a global leadership network working toward a sustainable future and a healthier planet. This week, delivering the 2024 Alan Saunders Lecture, she presents "Indigenous Philosophy and Intergenerational Justice".
To many people, the notion that the universe has consciousness and purpose belongs back in the pre-scientific era. This week we're exploring the possibility that cosmic purpose is defensible not only philosophically, but also scientifically.
Is freedom the primary goal of feminism? It's popular these days to define feminism as something that frees women - from traditional gender roles, from social expectations and other restrictions. But the question remains as to whether or not "freedom feminism" is up to the task of helping - or even noticing - the most vulnerable and oppressed.
As an academic discipline, Australian literature has been a largely white affair, with the canon of "great Australian authors" dominated by Anglo-European men. Indigenous writers are working to change this, and Australian indigenous literature is flourishing. But how comfortably does it sit within the traditional university structure?
With the climate heating up and our planetary support systems breaking down, how does an eco-philosopher manage to stay cheerful? This week's guest has been living and breathing these issues for many decades, which you'd think might make it difficult for him to get out of bed in the morning. But get out of bed he did, for a surprisingly upbeat conversation about optimism, pessimism and ecological identity.
AI is like all new technology, insofar as many people are afraid of it. When it comes to AI and education, scare stories abound of students using ChatGPT to write their essays, and a possible future where teachers are replaced by bots. But according to this week's guest, there's much to be excited about.
Ancient China seems like a place and a time far removed from our own - but when we look at how ancient and medieval Chinese scholars thought about the role and practice of history, we find some striking modern parallels.
Extremists used to be easy to spot: they were seen as irrational, unstable and... well, extreme. But in recent years, we've seen extremists on the political right laying claim to traditional Enlightenment values - reason, free speech, autonomy, human rights - that were traditionally used as bulwarks against extremism.
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what happened to the Daniel dennett episode I heard just a few days ago?
very interesting episode
I couldn't suppress a chortle when the guest exclaims "Jesus Christ" (cat jumping onto his lap - 18:01)
wonderful show. This guy makes much more sense about why the unbelievable is adhered to. And why there's no point in discussion of the belief. All birds are now drones etc. great fun.
Who is the democratic politician they talk about at 22.40?
Scruton always has some deep insight into the human condition. Enjoyable conversation!
oh my goood! blade runner😭
'Most people' DON'T agree that people should be able to barge in anyone's property. The entire premise of this show is flawed. Also, what 'most people' do is no measure of morality.
All science is is finding an explanation of a an observation in nature. It then extends in to using that understanding and applying it to an objective. Confirming the observation. Perceptional aweness, ability to accurately describe observations and motives and intentions behind the objectives are all governed by one's consciousness and perceptional abilities (which includes technology) Meta-sciences are observations that can only be described with math or a disputed observation.
Fascinating podcast. The issue of how to reconcile the theological Western heritage with thr supposedly secular society we live in is key point to understand every our moral and political choices even nowadays.
Hi I really love the show but the use of jazz as background music is an extremely poor and counter productive choice. Jazz is commonly described as a conversation and for this reason, especially for musicians, it is extremely distracting. For me it is like trying to listen to two unrelated conversations at once. Though I want to listen to the human voice, my attention is continuously being called away to the conversation that is being conducted musically. Please, no more jazz, stick to uniformly ignorable music in the background. To do otherwise is positively ignorant and makes no sense!