Philosophy Talk Podcast

This Week’s Episode

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, a prominent Civil Rights-era intellectual and novelist, believe that telling the truth about ourselves is not only difficult but can also be dangerous?…

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

Recent Episodes

The 2026 Dionysus Awards

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

July 26, 2026

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

How Do We Learn?

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

July 19, 2026

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

Crisis and Creativity in Mayan Mythology

The Popol Vuh, written in 1702, was based on a Mayan oral tradition encompassing creation…

July 12, 2026

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

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.

Simone Weil

August 9, 2026

French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil was also an activist whose goal was to elevate…

Black and white photo of Simone Weil, wearing a beret.

What Is Game Theory?

August 16, 2026

Game theory is a set of mathematical techniques for thinking about how people should choose…

Rubik's cube, notebook, and game controller on a textured surface

The Philosophical Worlds of Borges

August 23, 2026

Argentinian writer Jorge Luís Borges wrote some of the world’s most brilliant, mind-bending, and philosophical…

Three portraits of Jorge Luis Borges, author of Ficciones, in Everyman's Library edition.

Philosophers’ Corner

July 16, 2026

Lifetimes of Learning

If you’re like anything the typical philosopher, your response to the title of this week’s...

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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