philosophy bites

A.C. Grayling on Bertrand Russell's Theory of Descriptions

A.C. Grayling outlines Bertrand Russell's proudest achievement, his theory of descriptions in this episode of the philosophy podcast Philosophy Bites.

Listen to Anthony Grayling on Russell's Theory of Descriptions

 

Catalin Avramescu on the Idea of Cannibalism

Catalin Avramescu, from the University of Bucharest, discusses the part played in 17th and 18th century thought by the cannibal. Cannibalism provided a kind of test case for all sorts of natural law theories - it also posed difficulties for those who believed in a literal resurrection of the body after death, since if eaten, then their body parts would have been assimilated into someone else's body.

Listen to Catalin Avramescu on the Idea of  Cannibalism

Jeff McMahan on Killing in War

If someone is shooting at me in a war, surely it is morally acceptable for me to shoot back and kill him or her. Jeff McMahan of Rutgers University, author of  a new book on this topic, challenges the view that such killing is always acceptable.

We are very grateful to the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC) for facilitating this interview.

Listen to Jeff McMahan on Killing in War

Richard Bradley on Understanding Decisions

Richard Bradley of the LSE discusses decision theory with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Decisions can be understood as gambles which weight beliefs and desires...This is an insight that we owe in part to F.P. Ramsey (1903-30). Does that mean we all decide in the same way?

Listen to Richard Bradley on Understanding Decisions

Philosophy Bites over 5 million downloads!

Our first 110 episodes have now had over 5 million downloads. This is quite amazing. Thanks for your supportive emails too. Many more interviews in the pipeline...and we're still really enjoying making the podcast (which is just as well because we are financing it ourselves).

Nigel and David

Tony Coady on Dirty Hands in Politics

Must politicians occasionally act immorally out of necessity? C.A.J. Coady, author of the recent book Messy Morality, discusses the controversial topic of Dirty Hands in Politics in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

We are very grateful to the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC) for facilitating this interview.

Listen to Tony Coady on Dirty Hands in Politics

John Campbell on Berkeley's Puzzle

John Campbell explores the question of the relationship between our thoughts and reality via Bishop Berkeley's puzzle in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to John Campbell on Berkeley's Puzzle

Brian Leiter on Nietzsche Myths

Friedrich Nietzsche is famous for many things, including the idea of  the  Übermensch, The Will to Power and his sceptical beliefs about truth that make him a precursor of much postmodern thinking. But according to Nietzsche expert Brian Leiter (the man behind the Leiter Reports Weblog) close reading of his work tells a different story.

Listen to Brian Leiter on Nietzsche Myths

Brian Leiter's Nietzsche Weblog

John Armstrong on What Can You Do With Philosophy?

What can you do with Philosophy? John Armstrong thinks you can do quite a lot with it. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, recorded in London at the Royal Society of Arts,  he explains what he means by this.

Listen to John Armstrong on What Can You Do With Philosophy?

Walter Sinnott-Armstrong on Morality Without God

Morality is a human creation. We don't need God to have morality. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, author of a recent book on the topic, argues forcefully for this position in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to Walter Sinnott-Armstrong on Morality Without God

Sabine Döring on Emotion

What is an emotion? Is an emotion the same as a mood? What part should the emotions play in our life and in our understanding of what it is to be human? Sabine Döring discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton in this episode of Philosophy Bites.

Listen to Sabine Döring on Emotion

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G.A. Cohen (1941 - 2009)

G.A. Cohen, the political philosopher, died early this morning of a suspected stroke. Read more about this on Normblog.

Listen to a Philosophy Bites interview G.A. Cohen on Inequality, Dec. 2007

Ben Rogers on Pascal's Pensées

Blaise Pascal's Pensées is renowned as a great book. Yet few philosophers know much more about it than that it contains Pascal's famous 'Wager' in which he purports to demonstrate that a rational agnostic should gamble on God's existence. Here Ben Rogers explains the context in which the book was written and outlines its key themes.

Listen to Ben Rogers on Pascal's Pensées

Marilyn McCord Adams on Evil

The Problem of Evil is usually presented as a problem for believers. How could a good and all-powerful tolerate such evil in the world? In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Marilyn Adams turns this around, arguing that it is a problem for optimistic non-believers.

Listen to Marilyn McCord Adams on Evil

Luciano Floridi on the Fourth Revolution

New technology has changed our relationship to one another and to the world, argues Luciano Floridi. This calls for a shake up in philosophy.

Listen to Luciano Floridi on the Fourth Revolution

 

Paul Snowdon on Persons and Animals

What am I? This is the fundamental question that Paul Snowdon addresses in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. John Locke thought that continuity of memory was the basic criterion for determining whether or not we are dealing with the same person over time. Paul Snowdon, in contrast,  argues that we should see ourselves as primarily human animals.

Listen to Paul Snowdon on Persons and Animals

Michael Sandel on What Shouldn't Be Sold

Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel discusses the moral limits of markets in this, the 100th episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Sandel was the BBC 2009 Reith Lecturer. His four Reith Lectures are now available here.

Listen to Michael Sandel on Philosophy Bites on What Shouldn't Be Sold

You can also listen to Michael Sandel on Enhancement in Sport (a topic that is relevant to the 3rd of his Reith lectures) on an earlier episode of  Ethics Bites which we made for The Open University. Open2.net has a site with some audio and links about the 2009 Reith Lectures here.

Allen Buchanan on Enhancement

Biological enhancement of human beings in a variety of dimensions is now possible. But what are the ethical implications?  Allen Buchanan discusses enhancement in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to Allen Buchanan on Enhancement

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Nigel