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Episode 155: Richard Rorty Against Epistemology
On Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (1979), Part II: "Mirroring."
Is a "theory of knowledge" possible? Rorty thinks that any such account will be …
9 years, 9 months ago
Episode 154: Wilfrid Sellars on the Myth of the Given
On "Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind" (1956).
Is knowledge based on a "foundation," as Descartes, Locke, et al. thought? Sellars says no: The al…
9 years, 9 months ago
Episode 153: Richard Rorty: There Is No Mind-Body Problem
On Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (1979), Part I: "Our Glassy Essence."
"The mind" seems to be an unavoidable part of our basic conceptual vocab…
9 years, 10 months ago
Episode 152: Alexis de Tocqueville on Democracy in America (PEL Live!)
Democracy is in peril! So said Tocqueville in 1835 and 1840 when Democracy is America was published, and it's still true now. Democracy is always jus…
9 years, 10 months ago
Episode 151: Edmund Burke's Conservatism
On Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). What relevance do the concerns of a monarchy-defending aristocrat have for us today? Surprisingly,…
9 years, 11 months ago
PEL Special: Bill Bruford on Nakedly Examined Music #25
NEM now features jazz, hip-hop, classical, folk, and more. Check out all the episodes at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com, where you can subscribe and follow…
9 years, 11 months ago
Episode 150: Guest Peter Singer on Famine, Affluence, and Morality
Mark and Wes interview perhaps the world's most influential living philosopher, then the full foursome discusses. We discuss his ongoing work rooted …
9 years, 11 months ago
Episode 149: Plato's "Crito": A Performance and Discussion
Broadway stars Walter Bobbie and Bill Youmans perform Plato's dialogue in which Socrates awaits his execution. Should Socrates defy the verdict and t…
9 years, 11 months ago
Episode 148: Aristotle on Friendship and Happiness
On the final books 8–10 of Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics. What does friendship have to do with ethics? With guest Ana Sandoiu.
Get this and every e…
10 years ago
Episode 147: Aristotle on Wisdom and Incontinence
On the Nichomachean Ethics (ca. 350 BCE), books 6–7. Is intelligence just one thing? Aristotle picks out a number of distinct faculties, some of whic…
10 years ago