Philosophy For Our Times

Debate between Mearsheimer and Pinker on Enlightenment ideals and moral progress. Impact of reason, individualism, and tribalism on society. Challenges of state violence, multiculturalism, and minority rights. Liberalism's role in managing disagreements for progress. Quest for human flourishing and balancing individualism in a global context.

Philosopher Sophie Grace Chappell discusses the link between transgenderism and ancient philosophical queries. The podcast explores progress in ethics and gender, gender ideology's impact on oppression, erasing gender from society, and gender in ancient Greek myths.

Dostoevsky and Nietzsche clash on finding meaning in life - love and compassion vs. human creativity. Is meaning outside ourselves or in personal desires? Explore the controversy of compassion and philosophical views. Discover Nietzschean themes in society and hope in imperfection.

Comedian David Baddiel discusses the God desire with Chine McDonald, exploring atheism, Jewish identity, and human existential struggles. They delve into the interplay of religion, atheism, and belief in society, as well as dynamic conversations between friends with differing beliefs

Daniel Markovits, Martin Wolf, and Madeleine Pennington discuss the meaning of productivity in the 21st century, the correlation between productivity and well-being, the role of governments in increasing output, the impact of technology on productivity, the alternative to productivity, the importance of democracy, and the urgency of preserving democracy while creating a stronger and more inclusive society.

Renowned philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Žižek discusses the apocalypse, ideology, freedom, and more. Topics include living in a time of dystopian fantasies, advancements in technology challenging subjectivity, and exploring the unconscious and the history of feminism.

Isabel Millar challenges assumptions about AI by deploying psychoanalysis tools. The podcast explores the relationship between AI and psychoanalysis, the effectiveness of film in exploring concepts, and the administration and domination of bodies through sex as a mode of administration. They also discuss the evolution of psychoanalysis and its compatibility with AI.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and groundbreaking psychiatrist, Iain McGilchrist, explore the nature of reality and meaning beyond a materialist worldview. They discuss the complex reality that goes beyond passive understanding, the limitations of online diagnostic tools, the tension between following science and skepticism, the role of imagination in understanding reality, and the significance of mistakes and surprises in mental activity.

Renowned philosopher Simon Blackburn explores the difference between narcissism and self-love, the complexities of emotional reactions to self-love, and the distinction between conceit and vanity. He also delves into the concept of narcissism through the myth of Narcissus and discusses different forms of self-love and how they intersect with our relationships with others.