Recent Episodes

What Is Gender?

June 14, 2026

Gender is a controversial topic these days, but people can’t seem to agree about what gender is. Is it an inner identity, a biological fact, or an oppressive system? Should we respect it or resist it? Should it even be a thing? Josh and guest-host…

John Rawls

February 21, 2021

John Rawls was one of the most influential political philosophers of the twentieth century. In…

Black and white portrait of John Rawls

What Is Love?

February 14, 2021

It may seem doubtful that philosophers have much to tell us about love (beyond their…

Red heart with wooden blocks spelling "LOVE".

The Examined Year: 2020

December 27, 2020

The Year in Pandemic Ethics with Karen Stohr from Georgetown University, Senior Research Scholar at the…

Wooden 2020 numerals examined with magnifying glass

Faith and Humility

December 20, 2020

Some would argue that faith requires that one blindly—rather than rationally— believe. Faith in one…

Silhouette of a kneeling man contemplating; the word HUMILITY is overlaid.

Are We Alone?

December 6, 2020

News that life might exist or have existed on Mars or somewhere else in our…

Alien face and radio telescope searching for extraterrestrial life. Are we alone?

Camus and the Absurd

November 8, 2020

Albert Camus is most famous for his existential works of fiction including The Stranger as…

Black and white portrait of Albert Camus, author of The Stranger, embodying the philosophy of the absurd.

Monstrous Technologies?

November 1, 2020

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein raises powerful questions about the responsibilities of scientists to consider the impact…

Stanford University 2018 Frankenstein-themed logo featuring a stylized Frankenstein's monster head with medical and scientific imagery.

Hannah Arendt

October 11, 2020

Hannah Arendt was one of the most original and influential philosophers of the 20th century. …

Hannah Arendt, a renowned German-born theorist, in a thoughtful pose.

How to Humbly Disagree

September 27, 2020

People like to argue, especially Philosophy Talk listeners! But no matter how hard we try…

Cartoon of two people disagreeing; one says "I disagree with you!

Time for Summer Reading

August 23, 2020

When John and Ken began shopping around their idea for a philosophy-on-the-radio show nearly 20…

Gold 500 number, illuminated from within

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