Philosophy Talk Podcast

This Week’s Episode

Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythology

July 12, 2026

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…

Mayan painting depicting a bird, figures, and glyphs, illustrating crisis and creativity in Mayan mythology.

Recent Episodes

Emma Goldman

Activist and anarchist philosopher Emma Goldman fought for human liberation in every realm of life.…

July 5, 2026

Black and white portrait of Emma Goldman, famed anarchist and writer.

Summer Reading List 2026

The Philosophers talk to the authors of recent and forthcoming books that speak to our…

June 28, 2026

Stack of books, coffee, and flowers on a table, perfect for summer reading.

Jean-Paul Sartre

Jean-Paul Sartre was one of the first global public intellectuals, famous for his popular existentialist…

June 21, 2026

Jean-Paul Sartre, renowned philosopher, in a thoughtful pose.

This Month’s Playlist

Tattered American flag waves against a stormy, dark sky.

America at 250

This July 4 marks the semiquincentennial of U.S. independence, and whether or not you feel like celebrating it’s certainly worth thinking about where we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going on America’s democratic journey. This month we’ve got a longer-than-usual playlist featuring episodes from throughout our 20+ years on the air that question the past, present, and future of this experiment in self-government. Click the flag to listen.

How Do We Learn?

July 19, 2026

We’re all learning about the world all the time—not just as small children but all…

Stack of books with an apple, ABC blocks, and colored pencils on a desk

The 2026 Dionysus Awards

July 26, 2026

Now that the dust has settled from the Oscars, it’s time to think about what…

Audience in a vintage movie theater watching the 2026 Dionysus Awards on a bright screen.

James Baldwin and Social Justice

August 2, 2026

Sometimes, we struggle to tell the truth—especially when it’s the truth about ourselves. Why did…

James Baldwin US postage stamp, depicting a portrait of the author against a city street backdrop.

Philosophers’ Corner

June 4, 2026

My Body, My Perception

Maurice Merleau-Ponty was a 20th century French philosopher who had all kinds of theories about...

April 17, 2026

Remembering Dan Dennett

This Sunday, on the second anniversary of his passing, we’ll be rebroadcasting the special retrospective...

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