philosophy bites

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

Don Cupitt on Non-Realism About God

Don Cupitt, the controversial theologian and philosopher whose BBC television series The Sea of Faith (and accompanying book) spawned a theological movement with the same name, is the interviewee for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. He explains his non-realism about God.

Listen to Don Cupitt on Non-Realism About God

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

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

Richard Norman on Humanism

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Can non-believers make sense of the world? How can there be morality without God? In this episode of Philosophy Bites philosopher Richard Norman, author of On Humanism, contributor to What is Humanism? and member of the Humanist Philosophers Group, explains how it is possible to lead a good life without religion.

Listen to Richard Norman on Humanism

Stewart Sutherland on Hume on Design

Is there evidence of intelligent design in the Universe? In the Eighteenth Century David Hume presented a series of powerful arguments against the Argument from Design.  Stewart Sutherland, Provost of Gresham College,  outlines these arguments and demonstrates their continuing relevance.

Listen to Stewart Sutherland on Hume on Design

Peter Adamson on Avicenna

In this week's episode of Philosophy Bites Nigel Warburton interviews Peter Adamson about Avicenna (born in  973) whom he describes as the greatest philosopher in the history of Islamic thought. The discussion focusses on Avicenna's argument for God's existence.

Listen to Peter Adamson on Avicenna

Anthony Grayling on Atheism

Is belief in the existence of a God or gods the equivalent of believing that there are fairies at the bottom of the garden? Or can it be defended on the basis of reason or evidence? In this interview for Philosophy Bites  Anthony Grayling (A.C. Grayling), author of a recent book of essays, Against All Gods, gives a philosophical defence of atheism and explains why he believes it to be a well-grounded and ultimately life-affirming position to hold.

Listen to Anthony Grayling on Atheism

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John Cottingham on The Meaning of Life

What is the meaning of life? Does it, perhaps, have no meaning at all? John Cottingham, author of a recent book on this topic, gives his answers in this interview.

Listen to John Cottingham on The Meaning of Life

Stephen Law on The Problem of Evil

Stephen Law, author of The Philosophy Files, The X-Mas Files and The War for Children's Minds, explains the Problem of Evil and gives an original take on this traditional philosophical problem.

Listen to Stephen Law on The Problem of Evil