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February
7: Philosophy in Fiction
Philosophers think a lot about
fiction. But do novelists think about philosophy? Do philosophers make
good fictional characters? Can good stories be built around
philosophical problems? When awarding its Genius prize to
philosopher-novelist Rebecca Goldstein, the MacArthur Foundation said
"[her] writings emerge as brilliant arguments for the belief that
fiction in our time may be the best vehicle for involving readers in
questions of morality and existence.'' Ken and John explore philosophy
in fiction with Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, author of The Mind-Body Problem and 36
Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction.
February
14: Varieties of Love
Is love a single thing, or just
a word we use to express any number of unrelated emotions? Is love
intrinsically irrational? What have philosophers said about love? Did
they know what they were talking about? Christopher Phillips, author of
Socrates in Love, joins John
and Ken for a program recorded live at Powell's City of Books in
Portland, Oregon.
February
21: Mind Reading
We base many decisions every day
not only on the belief that other people have minds, but on detailed
beliefs about what is going on in those minds: what these other people
believe, feel, hope, and fear. The basis of our ability to "read" the
minds of others is a lively area of research in psychology and the
philosophy of psychology. Ken and John discuss mind-reading with Shaun
Nichols from the University of Arizona, author of Mindreading: An Integrated Account of
Pretense, Self-awareness and Understanding Other Minds. This
program was recorded in front of a live audience at Pacific University
in Forest Grove, Oregon.
February
28: The Movie Show 2010
Movies play a large role in
modern life. We enjoy watching them; we idolize the actors and
actresses who appear in them; we analyze the directors. But how well do
movies tackle bigger philosophical questions? With the help of
listeners, John and Ken present their second annual Dionysus Awards for
the most philosophically-rich films of the past year. Send your
suggestions to comments@philosophytalk.org.
March
7: Infinity
Infinity is a puzzling concept.
Mathematicians say there are as many odd numbers as there are numbers
altogether. That seems like saying there are as many men as there are
people altogether – which we know is untrue. And if you subtract
infinity from infinity, you are still left with infinity – but
which infinity? Some infinities are larger than others – how can
this be? John and Ken unravel the paradoxes of infinity with Rudy
Rucker, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at San Jose State
University and author of Infinity and the Mind: The Science and
Philosophy of the Infinite.
March
14: What is 'Normal'?
What does it mean to be normal?
And abnormal? Who gets to decide, and what are the repercussions? When
do we applaud deviations from the norm, when do we condemn them, and
why? Ken and John take a look at the uses and abuses of making
judgments about normality with Charles Scott from Vanderbilt
University, author of Living With Indifference.
March
21: Science vs. Pseudo-science
Astronomy is science; Astrology
is pseudo-science. Evolutionary Biology is science; Creationism is
pseudo-science. How about cultural anthropology, abstract economics,
string-theory, and evolutionary psychology – science or
pseudo-science? Is pseudo-science just politically incorrect science?
Or is there an objective difference? John and Ken tackle these
questions with Stuart Vyse from Connecticut College, author of Believing
in Magic: The Psychology of
Superstition.
March
28: Fear
Fear is an emotion, but it is
one with a long history in both political theory and politics in the
real world. In many versions of social contract theory, it is a fear of
the state of nature that leads to government in the first place. From
McCarthy to post-9/11 politics, fear has played a leading role in
American public discourse. Ken and John examine fear as theme in
politics and political philosophy with Corey Robin from the City
University of New York, author of Fear: The History of a Political Idea.
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