Thinking in the Midst 63. On (More) Books Worth Reading
Jan 3, 2025
Phoebe Gilpin, a doctoral candidate focused on curriculum and educator voices, Martha Perez-Mugg, who explores critical disability studies, and Arham Kazi, studying childhood and epistemology, dive into the books that shaped their philosophical journeys. They discuss the transformative impact of texts like Plato's Euthyphro and bell hooks' Teaching to Transgress. The conversation also covers their current favorites, including Social Reproduction Theory and Catherine Elgin's True Enough, showcasing a rich tapestry of literature that fuels their scholarship.
01:03:36
Citations Shape The Canon
- Who gets cited shapes academic canons and the questions we ask about fields.
- Sara Ahmed's attention to citation practices prompts rethinking whose work we center.
Researching Disability And Carcerality
- Martha researches critical disability studies and carcerality in K–12, focusing on intervention segregation.
- She studies how reading and math interventions produce spatial and temporal segregation.
Childhood And Epistemic Capacity
- Arham studies childhood's relation to epistemology, interrogating disciplinary ascriptions of children's capacities.
- He examines histories and constructions of development to question normative prescriptions about children.
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Intro
00:00 • 1min
Doctoral Students Introduced
01:01 • 2min
What Does Philosophy Mean to You?
03:21 • 12min
Assigned Texts That Provoked
15:00 • 9min
Texts That Drew You into Philosophy
23:31 • 14min
Influential Non-Philosophy Readings
37:24 • 8min
Books They Reach For Now
45:07 • 8min
Books That Moved Them This Year
52:41 • 9min
Outro
01:01:23 • 2min
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Biopolitics of Ability
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David Mitchell
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The epistemology of resistance
José Medina
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On Being Included
Sara Ahmed
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Public Goods, Private Goods
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David Labaree
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Rendering Life Molecular
Natasha Myers
#152
• Mentioned in 106 episodes
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Robert Pirsig
This classic novel by Robert M. Pirsig is a personal and philosophical odyssey that delves into the author's search for meaning.
The narrative follows a father and his son on a summer motorcycle trip from the Midwest to California, intertwining a travelogue with deep philosophical discussions.
The book explores the concept of 'quality' and how it informs a well-lived life, reconciling science, religion, and humanism.
It also touches on the author's own struggles with his past and his philosophical quest, making it a touching and transcendent exploration of human experience and endeavor.
#10017
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The ones who walk away from Omelas
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Ones Walk Away from Omelas" is a renowned short story exploring the moral complexities of utopian societies.
It depicts a seemingly idyllic city where happiness is maintained at the cost of a single child's suffering.
The story challenges readers to confront the ethical implications of societal structures and the compromises made in the pursuit of collective well-being.
Le Guin's masterful use of allegory and her exploration of profound moral dilemmas have made this story a staple of literature courses and a source of ongoing discussion about ethics and social responsibility.
The story's enduring power lies in its ability to provoke thought and challenge readers to examine their own values and beliefs.
#25221
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Teaching to transgress
education as the practice of freedom
Bell Hooks
Marta Malo
In 'Teaching to Transgress,' bell hooks writes about rethinking teaching practices in the age of multiculturalism.
She emphasizes the importance of critical pedagogy, encouraging students to think critically and challenge societal boundaries.
The book combines practical knowledge of the classroom with a deep connection to emotions and feelings, addressing issues such as racism, sexism, and the future of teaching.
Hooks draws heavily from the work of Paulo Freire, advocating for a liberatory and inclusive educational environment.
#834
• Mentioned in 32 episodes
The Wretched of the Earth
Frantz Fanon
Frantz Fanon's "The Wretched of the Earth" is a seminal work of postcolonial theory that explores the psychological and social effects of colonialism on colonized peoples.
Fanon argues that colonialism creates a system of oppression that dehumanizes and alienates the colonized, leading to violence and resistance.
He analyzes the role of violence in the struggle for liberation, emphasizing its necessity in breaking the cycle of oppression.
The book also examines the process of decolonization, highlighting the need for a complete transformation of society and the creation of new forms of social and political organization.
Fanon's work remains highly influential in discussions of colonialism, decolonization, and the ongoing struggle for racial and social justice.
#13696
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Why Trust Science?
Jon Krosnick
Naomi Oreskes
Ottmar Edenhofer
Stephen Macedo
Marc Lange
In *Why Trust Science?
*, Naomi Oreskes offers a compelling defense of science by emphasizing its social character as the foundation for trustworthiness.
The book explores the history and philosophy of science, arguing that consensus and collective vetting of claims are crucial indicators of scientific reliability.
It features critical responses from experts like Ottmar Edenhofer and Marc Lange, and a foreword by Stephen Macedo.
#71604
True Enough
Catherine Z. Elgin
#2276
• Mentioned in 15 episodes
Black skin, white masks
Frantz Fanon
In 'Black Skin, White Masks,' Frantz Fanon presents a critical analysis of the psychological and social effects of colonialism and racism on black individuals.
The book, written in an autoethnographic style, combines Fanon's personal experiences with a historical critique of the dehumanizing impacts of colonial domination.
Fanon uses psychoanalysis to explain the feelings of dependency and inadequacy that black people experience, highlighting how colonialism corrupts the psyche of both blacks and whites.
He argues that the internalization of white cultural norms leads to a profound inferiority complex among black people and advocates for a rejection of these norms to achieve true self-consciousness and freedom.
#20512
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Social Reproduction Theory
Tithi Bhattacharya
This book explores social reproduction theory, examining the connections between worker and society, particularly the family and household, in the reproduction of capitalist social relations.
#60989
Laboratory Life
Bruno Latour
Jonas Salk
Steve Woolgar
Bruno Latour's "Laboratory Life" offers a unique perspective on the scientific process.
Through ethnographic observation of a neuroendocrinology lab, Latour reveals the intricate social and material interactions that shape scientific knowledge production.
The book challenges traditional views of scientific objectivity, highlighting the role of negotiation, interpretation, and power dynamics in shaping research findings.
Latour's work emphasizes the constructed nature of scientific facts, demonstrating how scientific knowledge is not simply discovered but actively created through a complex interplay of actors and instruments.
His insights remain relevant in contemporary discussions about research integrity and the reproducibility of scientific results.
#6491
• Mentioned in 6 episodes
Euthyphro
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Plato
Plato's "Euthyphro" is a short but significant dialogue that explores the nature of piety and the relationship between morality and divine will.
The dialogue centers on a conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro, who is prosecuting his own father for murder.
Socrates challenges Euthyphro's definition of piety, leading to a series of attempts to define the concept that ultimately fail.
The dialogue raises the famous Euthyphro dilemma: is something pious because the gods love it, or do the gods love it because it is pious?
This dilemma highlights the tension between divine command theory and the existence of objective moral truths.
"Euthyphro" is a classic example of Socratic questioning and its enduring relevance lies in its exploration of fundamental questions about morality and the nature of the divine.
#1765
• Mentioned in 18 episodes
Discipline and Punish
The Birth of the Prison
Simon Prebble
mechil foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault's "Discipline and Punish" is a seminal work in social theory that examines the evolution of punishment and its relationship to power.
Foucault traces the shift from public executions to more subtle forms of disciplinary control in modern societies.
He argues that power operates not only through repression but also through the normalization of behavior.
The book's analysis of surveillance, discipline, and the creation of docile bodies has had a profound impact on various fields, including criminology, sociology, and literary studies.
It remains a crucial text for understanding the workings of power in contemporary society.
#23643
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Living a Feminist Life
Sara Ahmed
Doctoral students Phoebe Gilpin, Martha Perez-Mugg, and Arham Kazi sit down with Cara and Derek to talk about the writings that drew them to philosophy in the first place, the books they've encountered through their studies, and the works that they find themselves drawing upon in their own writing, as well.
As always, please use this form to recommend future topics and guests.
Works we talked about in this episode:
Plato's Euthyphro
David Labaree, "Public Goods, Private Goods"
bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress
Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish
Bruno Latour, Laboratory Life
Sara Ahmed, Living a Feminist Life
Sara Ahmed, On Being Included
Natasha Myers, Rendering Life Molecular
José Medina Epistemology of Resistance
Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks
Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth
Tithi Bhattacharya, ed. Social Reproduction Theory
David Mitchell, Biopolitics of Ability
Jess Calarco, Holding It Together
Catherine Elgin, True Enough
Naomi Oreskes, Why Trust Science?
Savannah Shange, Progressive Dystopia