Philosophy Talk

Nachman of Breslov was an 18th-century spiritual rabbinic leader, mystic, and storyteller, known particularly for his creative parables. His religious philosophy involved fostering an individual, conversational relationship with God. And he believed that being happy was not just a nice thing but a positive requirement. If you don’t feel happy, he said, you should pretend to be; genuine joy will follow. But is it really possible to make yourself happy, from the outside in? And even if it is, should we really be doing that, rather than facing a sometimes painful reality? Josh and Yonah practice joy with Ariel Burger, founding director of the Witness Institute.Part of the Jewish Thinkers series.

Michel Foucault was a 20th century philosopher known for his work concerning power and knowledge. Foucault is often cited for his theory of knowledge and power, which are inextricably linked. But what exactly is Foucault's philosophy of power? Is it a universal theory intended to be applied in any context, or was Foucault simply responding to the specific power dynamics of his time? Josh and Ken share power with Gary Gutting from the University of Notre Dame, author of Thinking the Impossible: French Philosophy Since 1960.

Many democracies are founded on the ideals of 18th- and 19th-Century British Liberalism: the idea that human beings deserve the right to self-government because we are born free, equal, and capable of rationality. Yet Liberalism was used to justify colonialism, which deprived people around the world of the right to govern themselves. How could a political philosophy that claims to be pro-freedom be used to take freedom away from so many people? Was Liberalism misunderstood, or were its moral flaws built-in from the beginning? How can we design a political philosophy that liberates everyone, not just the citizens of a few wealthy and powerful nations? Josh and Ray talk liberally with Uday Singh Mehta from the CUNY Graduate Center, author of Liberalism and Empire: A Study in Nineteenth-Century British Liberal Thought.

Judith Jarvis Thomson is best known for arguing that abortion is morally permissible, even granting the fetus the status of person. Her colorful thought experiments illustrate that a right to life does not mean the right to use another person’s body to survive. So, what exactly is a right to life and what does it permit or prohibit? Does pregnancy come with certain moral obligations to the fetus? And how can thought experiments, like the Trolley Problem, shed light on these questions? Josh and Ray explore Thomson’s life and thought with Elizabeth Harman from Princeton University, author of When to Be a Hero (forthcoming).Part of the Wise Women series, which was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Some of the many topics discussed in Islamic philosophy are the Qur’an, knowledge, dreams, justice, poetry, reality, prophethood, peace, and the State.  How has Islamic philosophy interacted historically with other philosophical traditions?  How has philosophy influenced the popular practice and interpretation of Islam?  When has Islamic philosophy melded with or clashed with Islam’s religious teachings? John and Ken are joined by Mashhad Al-Allaf from the University of Sharjanh, author of The Essential Ideas of Islamic Philosophy.