

The Popperian Podcast
Jed Lea-Henry
Interviewing academics, professionals and other experts, The Popperian Podcast is a monthly podcast where Jed Lea-Henry looks into the philosophy and life of Karl Popper.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 13, 2022 • 1h 25min
The Popperian Podcast #22 – Elyse Hargreaves – ‘The Open Society and Its Enemies, and Happiness’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Elyse Hargreaves. They speak about chapter 10 of Karl Popper’s The Open Society and Its Enemies, the nature and often well-meaning origins of totalitarianism, the fall of Athens to Sparta, the betrayal of Socrates and Athenian democracy by Plato and the oligarchical class, and the one factor that Popper had neglected until then in his analysis – happiness, specifically the tyrannical dangers of trying to make people happy. Elyse Hargreaves is an ardent student of Popper, passionate about advancing the cause of the open society; for freedom, rationality and humanitarianism. Upon finding Popper in her early 20’s, she has since been determined to popularise his ideas in whatever medium she can. Since then, she has released a free audiobook version of Popper’s Conjectures and Refutations on YouTube which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtUn6tOI13ZF4iEhzYM0Dvg and has recently released an audiobook version of Rafe Champion’s Guide to the Open Society and Its Enemies which you can find on Audible here: https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Guide-to-the-Open-Society-and-Its-Enemies-Audiobook/B0BF2MZ4FJ?qid= Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

Sep 30, 2022 • 1h 5min
The Popperian Podcast #21 – James Kierstead – ‘The Paradox of Tolerance’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with James Kierstead. From The Open Society and Its Enemies, later essays, and private letters, they speak about the meaning behind Karl Popper’s ‘paradox of tolerance’: “Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them…We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.” James Kierstead is a Senior Lecturer in Classics at Victoria University and a Research Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative. Together with Michael Johnston he co-hosts Free Kiwis!, a podcast dedicated to issues to do with freedom and free speech in a New Zealand context. He tweets @Kleisthenes2 *** The Limits of Toleration The Limits of Toleration - Open Inquiry *** Free Kiwis! (James Kierstead - YouTube). *** You can follow James Kierstead’s ongoing work at: James Kierstead | Victoria University of Wellington - Academia.edu and James Kierstead Profile | Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington (wgtn.ac.nz) Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

Aug 14, 2022 • 1h 7min
The Popperian Podcast #20 – Susan Blackmore – ‘Memes - Rational, Irrational, Anti-Rational’
Psychologist and writer Susan Blackmore discusses memes, rationality, and anti-rationality. They explore how memes co-evolve with genes, the effects of selfish memes on medieval witch trials, and the clash between rational and anti-rational memes in history. The conversation also touches on the impact of anti-rational memes on societal progress, creativity in memetic evolution, and the influence of meditation on personal growth.

Jul 31, 2022 • 1h 46min
The Popperian Podcast #19 – Joseph Agassi – ‘Rules of the Game’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Joseph Agassi. They speak about the place for argument and debate, how criticism should and should not look, why so much of this energy is futile and why we have such high hopes for debate/argument/criticism regardless, as well as wonderful asides such as lessons in how to brainwash people and how to avoid being a victim of it. Joseph Agassi is Emeritus Professor at Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, and York University, Toronto. He studied under Karl Popper at the London School of Economics and has authored over twenty books and 600 articles. His full resume and publications can be found at Prof. Joseph Agassi (tau.ac.il) *** Joseph Agassi’s books can be found at: Books by Joseph Agassi | Book Depository *** The Popperian Podcast #18 – Joseph Agassi – ‘Karl Popper’s Hopeful Monsters’ The Popperian Podcast: The Popperian Podcast #18 – Joseph Agassi – ‘Karl Popper’s Hopeful Monsters’ (libsyn.com) Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

13 snips
Jun 29, 2022 • 1h 29min
The Popperian Podcast #18 – Joseph Agassi – ‘Karl Popper’s Hopeful Monsters’
The podcast features an interview with Joseph Agassi, a student of Karl Popper, discussing his life, philosophy, and interactions with key figures. They delve into criticisms of other philosophers, coercion in education, Karl Popper's approach to objective knowledge, disputes in science, and the link between prodigy and artistic greatness.

May 6, 2022 • 1h 30min
The Popperian Podcast #17 – Rafe Champion – ‘Karl Popper’s Social Turn’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Rafe Champion. They speak about the social (institutional) theme within Karl Popper’s philosophy of science as well as his approach to politics. Popper argued that objectivity in science does not come from the impartiality of scientists, but rather from the social/institutional aspect of the scientific method. This is a theme that has been largely overlooked by Popper scholars (and even by Popper himself), but which was brought to life by the later scholarship of Ian Jarvie and Gordon Tullock. Rafe Champion grew up on a dairy farm in the far northwest of Tasmania and studied Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania followed by post-graduate research in Adelaide. He moved into the social sciences in Sydney but did not achieve an academic career and spent most of his professional career in policy, planning and research on health and welfare issues. His main interest after he encountered Popper’s ideas on critical rationalism, objective knowledge & etc. was to explore and explain their implications and applications. His first wife (Kilmeny Niland 1950-2009) was a talented and versatile artist and she created the beautiful Rathouse website to provide a platform for Rafe’s interpretation of the work of Popper, Bartley III, Hayek and others including the great psychologists Karl Buhler and Ian D. Suttie. *** The Rat House - Karl Popper, Hayek, and Mises' philosophies.Insights by Rafe Champion. (the-rathouse.com) *** Popper’s Institutional Turn (4) POPPER'S INSTITUTIONAL TURN FINAL | Rafe Champion - Academia.edu *** Reason and Imagination: Some thoughts of Karl Popper and William W Bartley Reason and Imagination : Rafe Champion : 9781507512111 (bookdepository.com) *** The Organization of Inquiry by Gordon Tullock Organization of Inquiry : Charles K Rowley : 9780865975330 (bookdepository.com) *** The Republic of Science by Ian Jarvie The Republic of Science : Ian C. Jarvie : 9789042015159 (bookdepository.com) Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

Feb 6, 2022 • 1h 3min
The Popperian Podcast #16 – Michael Ignatieff – ‘Finding Consolation in Truth’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Michael Ignatieff. They speak about Michael’s new book On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times, and the important role that truth plays in consolation. Between 2006 and 2011, Michael Ignatieff served as an MP in the Parliament of Canada and then as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition. He is a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and holds thirteen honorary degrees. Between 2012 and 2015 he served as Centennial Chair at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs in New York. Between 2014 and 2016 he was Edward R. Murrow Chair of the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Michael Ignatieff was until recently the Rector and President of Central European University in Budapest. He stepped down at the end of July 2021, to stay as a Professor in the History Department. *** On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times On Consolation : Michael Ignatieff : 9781529053784 (bookdepository.com) and On Consolation : Michael Ignatieff : 9781529053777 (bookdepository.com) Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

Jan 24, 2022 • 1h 38min
The Popperian Podcast #15 – Jagdish Hattiangadi – ‘Defending Baconian Induction’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Jagdish Hattiangadi. They speak about the induction of Francis Bacon, why Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn rejected it, how this rejection was based on a misunderstanding/misreading of Bacon, and importantly how this rejection of induction opened a space for “the belittlers of science” to “undermine the social acceptability of scientific research.” Jagdish Hattiangadi is a Professor of Philosophy at York University, Toronto. *** Jagdish Hattiangadi’s forthcoming book is tentatively titled: ‘Skeptical Knowledge: The Theory and Craft of Breaking Through in Science’ *** Popper and Kuhn: A Different Retrospect Popper and Kuhn: A Different Retrospect - Jagdish Hattiangadi, 2021 (sagepub.com) *** Jagdish Hattiangadi’s academic profiles Jagdish Hattiangadi (yorku.ca) and Jagdish Hattiangadi - Academia.edu Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

6 snips
Dec 20, 2021 • 1h 36min
The Popperian Podcast #14 – Anthony O'Hear – ‘Whiffs of Induction’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Anthony O'Hear. They speak about Anthony’s book ‘Karl Popper: The Arguments of the Philosophers’, and its central claim that: “Popper’s attempt to dispense with induction is unsuccessful. We have found that inductive reasoning, removed from one part of the picture, crops up in another.” *Induction (definition): “the doctrine of the primacy of repetitions” – Karl Popper Anthony O'Hear is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Buckingham, the former Head of the Department of Education, and the former Honorary Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy. Anthony has served as a special adviser to the British government, was prominent and influential during the Prime Ministerships of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and in 2018 was awarded an OBE. *** You can find Anthony’s books on Karl Popper, the philosophy of science, and much more at: Results for anthony o'hear | Book Depository Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa

Oct 25, 2021 • 1h 40min
The Popperian Podcast #13 – Ken Gemes – ‘Karl Popper vs. Friedrich Nietzsche’
This episode of the Popperian Podcast features an interview that Jed Lea-Henry conducted with Ken Gemes. They speak about the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, how that philosophy intersects and diverges with the philosophy of Karl Popper, what both men got right and what they got wrong, how the philosophies and legacies of both men will continue into the future, as well as looking into Ken’s own thoughts on the philosophy of science. Ken Gemes is a Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London. His primary interests are Friedrich Nietzsche and the philosophy of science. Ken earned his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in 1990 with a dissertation in the philosophy of science working with Clark Glymour and Wesley Salmon. He taught at Yale University for ten years before moving to Birkbeck in 2000. Ken is also the editor (with Simon May) of Nietzsche on Freedom and Autonomy and (with John Richardson) of The Oxford Handbook of Nietzsche. *** You can access the articles spoken about in this interview at: Ken Gemes | Birkbeck College, University of London - Academia.edu Support via Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jedleahenry Support via PayPal – https://www.paypal.me/jrleahenry Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com.au/JLH-shop/ Support via Bitcoin - 31wQMYixAJ7Tisp773cSvpUuzr2rmRhjaW Website – The Popperian Podcast — Jed Lea-Henry Libsyn – The Popperian Podcast (libsyn.com) Youtube – The Popperian Podcast - YouTube Twitter – https://twitter.com/jedleahenry RSS - https://popperian-podcast.libsyn.com/rss *** Underlying artwork by Arturo Espinosa