A Philosophical Shout-Out

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Notes on show: Original Airdate 04/01/2007

Topic:	A Philosophical Shout-Out
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What is it?	On this special pledge-week episode, John and Ken open the phones and the inbox to their listeners, answering questions about art, politics, proof, and philosophy itself.

About the Guest

On this special edition of Philosophy Talk our devoted listeners are our guests, as they call in and ask John and Ken all about the meaning of life, the existence of the external world, and the role of philosophy in everyday life.

Listening Notes

John and Ken begin the show by discussing what Philosophy is and what it means to them. John mentions the wide use of Philosophy in everyday life and how thinking philosophically--even about his coffee and his coffee mug--can reveal interesting issues. Ken discusses the origins of Philosophy from our central human feeling of wonder and our "philosopher's gene." While waiting for shout-outs from listeners John and Ken discuss their histories with Philosophy and how they became Philosophers.

Listener Shout-Outs

What is Philosophy? What does it mean to be a Philosopher? What role should Philosophers play in government? What role have they played in the past?

How would Philosophy and civilization have developed without written language?

It seems impossible to define art--but then how can we talk about it meaningfully?

What is deep ecology? Is it a good idea? How can it help the environment?

Is aesthetic pleasure or the expression of ideas more important for evaluating and appreciating art?

Do Supreme Court Justices practice Philosophy in their decisions? Do Philosophers read this decisions the way they might read Philosophy
articles?

How can we objectively prove difficult concepts? Should the difficulty of propositions determine their right to be proved? Will we ever have proof of concepts in the political or social realm?

Is Pluto a planet?

Do the real meanings of words matter?

How does Philosophy influence culture? Can it influence culture?

What do you do when none of your choices seem viable?

What do you do when the law seems to contradict justice?

Are there moral absolutes in logical positivism?

Can we make value judgments or just preference statements when we talk about science?

Roving Philosophical Reporter (Seek to 4:28): The Roving Philosophical Reporter travels to a San Francisco coffee shop to discuss Philosophy, Philosophers, and what the average cafe-goer thinks of it all.

Additional Resources

Books