Philosophy Talk

Enrollment is now open for "The Art of Living" - a very special series of classes and radio tapings in collaboration with Stanford's Continuing Studies program.

All of us must make fundamental life choices and decide what is most valuable to us. We may opt for a life of reason and knowledge; one of faith and discipline; one of nature and freedom; one of community and altruism; or one of originality and style. We may even choose to live our lives as though they were works of art. In every case, hard work is required: Our lives are not just given to us, but need to be made. To live well is, in fact, to practice an art of living. In this course, we will explore the various ways in which it is possible to live well and beautifully, what it takes to implement our values, and what happens when they come under pressure from inside and out.

Five sessions over a ten-week period explore the human condition and the ways in which we find meaning, make fundamental life choices, and construct beautiful and well-lived lives for ourselves.

One part college course, one part radio series, each meeting takes place at Stanford University and is led by our hosts, John Perry and Ken Taylor. Following a traditional lecture on each week's topic, John and Ken are joined by a distinguished guest for a taping of Philosophy Talk. Students are encouraged to join the conversation.

Join us for this exciting opportunity to participate in a truly unique course that combines a first-class educational experience with innovative broadcasting.

Course schedule:
5 Mondays, April 8, April 22, May 6, May 20, and June 3, 7:00 – 9:15 pm

April 8:
"The Demands of Morality"
Tamar Schapiro, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Stanford

April 22:
"Faith vs. Reason"
Howard Wettstein, Professor of Philosophy, UC Riverside

May 6:
"Finding Meaning in a Material World"
Owen Flanagan, Jr., James B. Duke Professor and Professor of Neurobiology, Duke University

May 20:
"Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times"
Melissa Lane, Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford; Professor of Politics, Princeton University; Director of the Princeton Program in Values and Public Life

June 3:
"Life As a Work of Art"
R. Lanier Anderson, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Stanford

This course may not be taken for a Letter Grade.

John R. Perry, Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Stanford

John R. Perry has made significant contributions to many areas of philosophy, including philosophy of language, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind. He has served as chair of the Stanford Philosophy Department and director of the Center for the Study of Language and Information. He is also the author of more than 100 articles and books, including A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality; Knowledge, Possibility, and Consciousness; and Reference and Reflexivity. Perry received the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Education in 1990. He is the co-host, with Ken Taylor, of the radio program Philosophy Talk. He received a PhD from Cornell.

Kenneth Taylor, Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy, Stanford

Ken Taylor’s work lies at the intersection of the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind, with an occasional foray into the history of philosophy. He is the author of Truth and Meaning: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Language, Reference and the Rational Mind, and Referring to the World: An Introduction to the Theory of Reference. He is the co-host, with John Perry, of the radio program Philosophy Talk. Taylor received a PhD from the University of Chicago.