Recent Episodes

The 2026 Dionysus Awards

July 26, 2026

Now that the dust has settled from the Oscars, it’s time to think about what movies of the past year challenged our assumptions and made us think about things in new ways. Josh and guest co-host Jorah Danenberg present our annual Dionysus Awards for the…

The Ethics of Algorithms

April 18, 2021

Recent years have seen the rise of machine learning algorithms surrounding us in our homes…

Diagram showing algorithm ethics: thumbs up leads to positive feedback (five stars) and theatrical masks representing positive and negative user experiences.

Does Science Over-reach?

April 4, 2021

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You can’t argue with science.” Appealing to scientific fact as…

Graphic: SCIENCE Ruining Everything Since 1543. Image shows crossed-out icons of the geocentric model, a mythical creature, and a unicorn, questioning science's impact.

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.

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