Recent Episodes

Liberty and Justice for Who?

October 11, 2026

Many democracies are founded on the ideals of 18th- and 19th-Century British Liberalism: the idea that human beings deserve the right to self-government because we are born free, equal, and capable of rationality. Yet Liberalism was used to justify colonialism, which deprived people around the…

What Is Gender?

June 14, 2026

Gender is a controversial topic these days, but people can’t seem to agree about what…

Gradient-colored figures representing diverse genders.

Dostoevsky and Doubting Faith

May 17, 2026

Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky was a practicing Christian, and his writings often feature characters who…

Portrait of Fyodor Dostoevsky, Russian novelist, author of works exploring faith.

Elizabeth Anscombe

May 10, 2026

Elizabeth Anscombe made hugely influential contributions to contemporary action theory, moral theory, and philosophy of…

Black and white portrait of philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe.

Marx and Morality

May 3, 2026

Karl Marx famously attempted to explain our social, political, and economic systems in terms of…

Karl Marx, philosopher and economist, in a formal portrait.

Marcus Aurelius

April 26, 2026

Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd century Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. He is most famous…

Bronze bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius

Hobbes and the Ideal Citizen

April 5, 2026

Seventeenth century philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that without government to control our worst impulses, life…

Colossal figure of a king, holding a sword and scepter, overlooking a city; illustrating Hobbes' concept of the ideal citizen.

Nísia Floresta

March 22, 2026

Nísia Floresta was a 19th-century writer and translator known as “the Brazilian Mary Wollstonecraft.” She…

Portrait of Nísia Floresta, a Brazilian writer and feminist.

What Is Addiction?

March 15, 2026

People who are addicted to substances display a puzzling behavior: they keep using even when…

Hand in handcuffs attached to a shot glass of alcohol. Addiction concept.

Who Speaks For You?

March 8, 2026

People often speak on behalf of others, like the concerned citizen who stands up for…

Ten black microphones arranged in a row, symbolizing diverse voices.

Mary Wollstonecraft

March 1, 2026

Mary Wollstonecraft is often labeled as a “liberal feminist” because of her concern for women’s…

Portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft, a prominent 18th-century writer and early feminist.

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