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…

Mind Reading

April 8, 2012

We base many decisions every day not only on the belief that other people have…

Two men wearing tinfoil hats with long antennas, possibly illustrating mind reading.

The Ethics of Torture

March 18, 2012

According to former Vice President Cheney, practices widely regarded as torture prevented further attack on…

Empty chair in dimly lit room, single lightbulb overhead. Ethics of torture.

What Is a Wife?

March 11, 2012

The concept of a wife has been embedded in cultures, religious practices, social customs and…

Husbands and Wives movie poster featuring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Blythe Danner, and Judy Davis.

What is ‘Normal’?

February 19, 2012

What does it mean to be normal? And abnormal? Who gets to decide, and what…

Graphic text: What's Normal? with stylized suns

Philosophy in Fiction

January 22, 2012

Philosophers think a lot about fiction. But do novelists think about philosophy? Do philosophers make…

36 Arguments for the Existence of God; dot-to-dot style illustration

The Examined Year: 2011

January 8, 2012

A new year offers an opportunity to reflect on the significant events of the previous…

2011 calendar: January-December. Examined Year.

Nihilism and Meaning

January 1, 2012

The ancients believed in an enchanted universe – a universe suffused with meaning and purpose.…

Nihilism concept: black box with "Nihilism" and "I believe in it.

Fear

December 4, 2011

Fear is an emotion, but it is one with a long history in both political…

Fear: The History of a Political Idea

Thinking Inside the Box

October 23, 2011

Speaking to the National Association of Broadcasters in May 1961, FCC Chairman Newton Minow famously…

Michelangelo's David contemplating a television screen showing a blurry eye, illustrating "Thinking Inside the Box.

From the Minds of Babies

October 9, 2011

Consciousness, morality, meaning and truth have perplexed and puzzled generations upon generations of philosophers. But…

Four newborns wearing headphones, listening intently. From the Minds of Babies.

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