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…

Capital Punishment

April 26, 2009

The death penalty: An effective deterrent? A just retribution for horrendous crimes? Or a racist,…

Bloody handprint graphic; text reads "The Death Penalty makes killers of us.

The Root of All Evil?

March 29, 2009

Money makes the world go around.  But what sort of thing is money?  Bits of…

A large question mark overlays a pile of colorful one dollar bills. Is money the root of all evil?

The Copyright Wars

March 22, 2009

Today there is an entire generation of people who have never paid for music.  From…

Graphic text: Copyright Wars, styled like Star Wars title card.

Skepticism

March 15, 2009

Various forms of skepticism play important roles in the history of philosophy.  Do we really…

Black spinning top on beige surface; a symbol of skepticism and uncertainty.

Immortality and the Afterlife

February 15, 2009

Many religions contemplate some form of personal continued existence after death: reincarnation in another body,…

Silhouetted couple walking toward a bright light at the end of a tunnel, symbolizing the afterlife and immortality.

The Movie Show

February 8, 2009

Movies play a large role in modern life.  We enjoy watching them; we idolize the…

Philosophy Talk's First Annual Dionysus Awards: A collage of movie posters from various films.

The Judiciary in Democracy

February 1, 2009

In many democracies, the judiciary is protected, to one degree or another, from the voters. …

The Supreme Court building at dusk. Judiciary in democracy.

Mental Imagery

December 28, 2008

In the Early Modern period many philosophers took ideas to be mental images of the…

Person exploring a dark cloud representing mental imagery with a magnifying glass.

Animal Minds

December 21, 2008

People have strong but divergent opinions about the nature of animals’ minds.  Do dogs make…

A chimpanzee thoughtfully strokes its chin, showcasing the complexity of animal minds.

Legal Ethics

November 30, 2008

Lawyers are often thought to be hardly better than hired guns, who, in the words…

Confused businessman choosing between ethical and legal paths. Legal ethics decision.

Giving and Keeping

October 26, 2008

How should people allocate their assets – however modest or grand – ethically and effectively? …

Infographic: Generational Giving Trends. Shows data on Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, and Matures' charitable giving habits.

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