philosophy bites

Raymond Geuss on Real Politics

Raymond Geuss wants political philosophers to focus on real politics. In this interview  for Philosophy Bites  he explains why he believes philosophers such as Robert Nozick and John Rawls were fundamentally misguided in the way they approached political philosophy. Geuss is in conversation with Nigel Warburton. The introduction is by David Edmonds.

Listen to Raymond Geuss on Real Politics

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Christopher Janaway on Nietzsche on Morality

Friedrich Nietzsche's The Genealogy of Morality presents a highly original account of the sources of our values. Christopher Janaway, author of Beyond Selflessness: Reading Nietzsche's Genealogy, discusses Nietzsche's influential book in this episode of Philosophy Bites.

Listen to Christopher Janaway on Nietzsche on Morality

Adrian Moore on Kant's Metaphysics

Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason is a great but difficult work. In this interview for Philosophy Bites A.W. Moore gives an accessible account of the main themes of the book and explains what might have been motivating Kant's approach to metaphysics (no mean feat in under 20 minutes!).

Listen to Adrian Moore on Kant's Metaphysics

Ray Monk on Philosophy and Biography

Ray Monk discusses the relationship between philosophy and a philosopher's life in this interview with Nigel Warburton for the Philosophy Bites podcast. Can understanding the biographical context of a philosopher and the type of person that they were help us understand their philosophical writing? Is there anything that philosophers might learn from biography? Monk as an award-winning biographer of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell is well-placed to address these questions.

Listen to Ray Monk on Philosophy and Biography

MM McCabe on Socratic Method

What is Socratic Method and does it have any present day applications? In this interview for Philosophy Bites MM McCabe explains the significance of Socrates' impertinent questioning and contrasts his approach with present day university teaching.

Listen to M.M. McCabe on Socratic Method

Aaron Ridley on Nietzsche on Art and Truth

In this interview Aaron Ridley explores Nietzsche's changing views about the relationship between art and truth including his views about the dionysian and appollonian aspects of existence.

Listen to Aaron Ridley on Nietzsche on Art and Truth

Clare Carlisle on Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling

What is faith? Are human beings capable of it? What part does reason play in life? These and more questions are raised by Søren Kierkegaard's book Fear and Trembling. Clare Carlisle illuminates many of the themes of the book in this interview for Philosophy Bites.

Listen to Clare Carlisle on Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling

Quentin Skinner on Machiavelli's The Prince

In this episode of the podcast Philosophy Bites Quentin Skinner discusses Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, one of the most notorious works of political philosophy. Skinner sets the book in its historical context and explains its key themes.

Listen to Quentin Skinner on Machiavelli's The Prince

Peter Adamson on Plotinus on Evil

Plotinus, who lived in the 3rd Century A.D. was the founder of neo-platonism. In this episode of Philosophy Bites Peter Adamson of Kings' College London explains what Plotinus had to say about evil. As will become clear, for Plotinus the Problem of Evil was quite different from the contemporary discussion of the topic.

Listen to Peter Adamson on Plotinus on Evil

Melissa Lane on Rousseau on Modern Society

Modern soceity is synonymous with progress, isn't it? Not according to the eighteenth century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He argued that civilization is for the most part morally corrupting. Melissa Lane explains his position in this episode of Philosophy Bites.
Listen to Melissa Lane on Rousseau on Civilization