Recent Episodes

The Scandalous Truth about Memoir

May 24, 2026

A memoir is a personal narrative written about a pivotal time in the author’s life. While the story is told from a particular perspective, the events recounted are supposed to be fact, not fiction. But what exactly counts as truth in memoir? Is the distinction…

Anna Julia Cooper

February 1, 2026

Born into slavery in the 19th century, Anna Julia Cooper received a classical education, attended…

Anna Julia Cooper, prominent scholar and activist, stands in her study.

Diogenes and the Honest Life

January 25, 2026

Diogenes of Sinope was a famous—or infamous—4th-century BCE Greek philosopher. Reportedly, he lived in a…

Diogenes in his barrel, holding a lantern, surrounded by dogs. Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme.

Civil Disobedience

January 18, 2026

Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King all engaged in civil disobedience, and are widely admired…

Four young Black men sit at a lunch counter, practicing civil disobedience.

William James

January 11, 2026

William James is one of the great American philosophers, historically important as a philosopher (pragmatism…

Portrait of William James, prominent American philosopher and psychologist.

Why Is the World So Weird?

January 4, 2026

Quantum mechanics, mathematics, human consciousness…. whichever way you slice it, the universe is weird. How…

Collage depicting a globe surrounded by diverse elements, including a UFO, octopus, dragon, and scientific formulas. Why is the world so weird?

The Examined Year: 2025

December 28, 2025

What happened over the past year that challenged our assumptions and made us think about…

Magnifying glass over "2025" on a calendar. The Examined Year: 2025.

Mind Sharing

December 21, 2025

Mind reading might sound like the stuff of science fiction. But in philosophy and psychology,…

Two silhouettes share colorful question marks, symbolizing mind sharing and communication.

Shakespeare’s Outsiders

December 14, 2025

Over 400 years after his death, Shakespeare is still widely regarded as the greatest dramatist…

Two men in 16th-century attire give a high five. Shakespeare's outsiders.

Im Yunjidang

December 7, 2025

18th-century Korean philosopher Im Yunjidang was the first Confucian to argue for women’s equality in…

Portrait of Im Yunjidang, a Joseon Dynasty noblewoman, wearing traditional Korean hanbok.

Margaret Cavendish

November 16, 2025

Margaret Cavendish was a writer of poetry, philosophy, polemics, histories, plays, and utopian fiction. She…

Portrait of Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, with her book, "The Description of a New World.

Impossible Worlds

November 2, 2025

Philosophers often speculate about possible worlds: ways that things could be. Some of them also…

Penrose stairs impossible world lithograph; surreal architecture with figures.

Mary Astell

October 26, 2025

Mary Astell (1666–1731) was an English philosopher and writer who advocated for equal rights for…

Portrait of Mary Astell, a 17th-century English writer and feminist philosopher.

In Awe of Wonder

October 19, 2025

Descartes said that the purpose of wonderment is “to enable us to learn and retain…

Silhouetted person gazing at a stunning night sky filled with stars and the Milky Way. Awe-inspiring wonder.

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