A selection of episodes from the program that questions everything... except your intelligence. Learn more and access the complete archive at www.philosophytalk...
More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/liberty-and-justice-who.
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," for an episode generously sponsored by the Stanford Global Studies program.
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Elizabeth Anscombe
More at thttps://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/elizabeth-anscombe.
Elizabeth Anscombe made hugely influential contributions to contemporary action theory, moral theory, and philosophy of mind. She also famously protested Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb when he was awarded an honorary degree at Oxford. Josh and Ray explore her life and thought with Rachael Wiseman from the University of Liverpool, co-author of "Metaphysical Animals: How Four Women Brought Philosophy Back to Life."
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Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythology
More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/crisis-and-creativity-mayan-mythology.
The Popol Vuh, written in 1702, was based on a Mayan oral tradition encompassing creation myths, history, and cosmology. These stories were written in a time of crisis: European colonialism had decimated the Mayan population and destroyed much of their cultural knowledge. How do stories help a society survive and thrive? Can they console us in times of crisis? How much of a culture can historians save in times of devastation? Josh and Ray rewrite history with Edgar Garcia from the University of Chicago, author of "Emergency: Reading the Popol Vuh in a Time of Crisis."
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Emma Goldman
More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/emma-goldman.
Activist and anarchist philosopher Emma Goldman fought for human liberation in every realm of life. While she opposed the women's suffrage movement, she was a staunch advocate for women’s rights. So why did she think the right to vote was so unimportant? What did she think was required to achieve her anarchist goals? And how ahead of her time was she on labor, prison abolition, and sexual liberation? Josh and Ray explore her life and thought with Candace Falk from UC Berkeley, editor of "Emma Goldman: A Documentary History of the American Years."
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American Futures (Ken Taylor Memorial Episode)
More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/american-futures.
When Ken Taylor passed away suddenly in 2019, he was working on a manuscript titled "Farewell to the Republic We Once Dreamed of." Was Ken right to think the American experiment is on the verge of collapse? Are we heading for authoritarian rule, a national divorce, or even a civil war? Or could better days be on the horizon? In Ken’s honor, Josh and Ray devote their 2023 end-of-year special to probing the future of the American republic with Barbara Walter from UC San Diego, Tamsin Shaw from New York University, and Rob Reich from Stanford University.
A selection of episodes from the program that questions everything... except your intelligence. Learn more and access the complete archive at www.philosophytalk.org.
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