Why Be Moral?
January 18, 2015
Morality tells us how we ought to behave, if we want to do the right…
Hildegard von Bingen
September 20, 2026
Hildegard von Bingen was a 12th century mystic, polymath, and composer whose work spanned visionary theology, philosophy, cosmology, medicine, botany, and music. Her extraordinary intellectual accomplishments belie her humble claim to be “just a woman”. Was her humility justified in the face of the divine,…
The Examined Year – 2014
January 4, 2015
The unexamined year is not worth reviewing. But what ideas and events that took shape…
Prostitution and the Sex Trade
December 28, 2014
Some consider the commodification of sexual services inherently wrong, something that ought to be abolished…
Gut Feelings and the Art of Decision-Making
December 14, 2014
We may think of ourselves as rational decision-makers, but we often base even high-stakes decisions…
Hypocrisy
November 30, 2014
Hypocrites believe one thing, but do another. Jefferson opposed slavery, but owned slaves. Jesus professed…
The Moral Costs of Climate Change
November 23, 2014
Global climate change confronts us not only with well-known pragmatic challenges, but also with less…
Identities Lost & Found in a Global Age
November 9, 2014
Throughout human history, people have tended to live and die in the place they’re born.…
Freedom, Blame, and Resentment
October 19, 2014
When someone acts without regard for our feelings or needs, a natural response is to…
Neuroscience and the Law
September 7, 2014
Recent advances in neuroscience have revealed that certain neurological disorders, like a brain tumor, can…
What Might Have Been
August 24, 2014
When we make claims about things that could have been—what philosophers call counterfactual statements—we are,…
What Are Leaders Made of?
July 13, 2014
There seems to be a paradox in leadership: the qualities of ruthlessness and opportunism necessary…
Pantheism
June 22, 2014
Pantheism is the doctrine that the world is either identical with God or an expression…
Summer Reading List 2014
June 8, 2014
What philosophers, philosophies, or philosophical issues would you like to read up on over the…
Am I Alone?
June 1, 2014
A popular theme in science fiction is the eerily lifelike robot: a piece of machinery…
Is Democracy a Universal Value?
May 25, 2014
Americans value democracy, and expect others to value it. But is it a universal value?…
Epicurus and the Good Life
May 11, 2014
Though his name is often misleadingly associated with indulgence in sensual pleasures, the Greek philosopher…
Now Offering Institutional Subscriptions to the Philosophy Talk Archive!
Subscribe to Philosophy Talk
As a member, you’ll gain access to hundreds of engaging episodes, exclusive content, and the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community of curious minds.
