Recent Episodes

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 Right to Privacy

April 13, 2014

Is the right to privacy – the right to be left alone and to control…

FBI warning graphic highlighting anti-privacy concerns. Text reads "FBI Anti-Privacy Warning.

Forgive and Forget

February 23, 2014

At least forgive OR forget.  Get things behind you.  All good advice for those who…

Graffiti on a brick wall reads: "4-Give Yo'Self

Black Solidarity

February 2, 2014

From the abolition of slavery to the Black Power movement, African-American unity has been considered…

Black fist raised high, "Solidarity" text. Symbol of Black unity and power.

Miracles

January 19, 2014

Religions rely on miracles to demonstrate the authenticity of figures thought to have supernatural powers. …

Movie poster for Miracle, depicting the 1980 US Olympic hockey team's victory.

Trust and Mistrust

December 29, 2013

If we couldn’t trust each other, our lives would be very different. We trust strangers…

Two hands clasped together in a handshake, symbolizing trust.

Tenth Anniversary Special

December 22, 2013

Philosophy Talk debuted on KALW 91.7 FM in San Francisco in August 2003, with regular broadcasts beginning…

Gold 10th anniversary seal: Satisfaction Guaranteed since 2003

Cooperation and Conflict

December 8, 2013

The Prisoner’s Dilemma is a problem studied in game theory that shows how two people…

Person typing on laptop, crumpled paper nearby; cooperation and conflict.

Wisdom

December 1, 2013

Philosophy is the love of wisdom – or is it? Is this traditional definition outmoded?…

Philosophical questions, wisdom, and knowledge.

Morality and the Self

November 3, 2013

Social psychologists have discovered that our self-images play a surprising role in our thinking about…

Stern-faced nun with the word "SHAME" below.

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.
Headphones