G.A. Cohen on Inequality of Wealth
Can differences in income be morally justified? Should we expect rich people to give their money to the poor? G.A. Cohen, author of a book with the provocative title If You're An Egalitarian, How Come...
23 Des 200710min
Barry Stroud on Scepticism
Can I trust my senses? Can I tell that I'm not now dreaming? Some philosophical sceptics have maintained that we can't know anything for certain. Barry Stroud discusses the challenge posed by such sce...
16 Des 200712min
Julian Baggini on Thought Experiments
Philosophers often use elaborate thought experiments in their writing. Are these anything more than rhetorical flourishes? Or do they reveal important aspects of the questions under discussion. Julian...
9 Des 200712min
Susan James on Spinoza on the Passions
What are the passions and what role do they play in human life? These fundamental questions fascinated Baruch de Spinoza who in his book Ethics gave a highly original account of what it is to be human...
2 Des 200717min
Henry Hardy on Isaiah Berlin's Pluralism
Is there a common currency in which we can compare the various ways in which people choose to live? Isaiah Berlin thought not. He argued that fundamental values may be incommensurable. In this episode...
25 Nov 200712min
Myles Burnyeat on Aristotle on Happiness
What is happiness? Is it a matter of blissful mental states subjectively experienced, or is it, as Aristotle believed, more about a successful life? In this episode of Philosophy Bites Myles Burnyeat ...
18 Nov 200712min
Alain de Botton on Philosophy Within and Outside the Academy
What is philosophy? Does academic philosophy squeeze the life out of some of the most important questions we can ask? Alain de Botton, author of the bestseller The Consolations of Philosophy, discusse...
11 Nov 200713min
Angie Hobbs on Plato on Erotic Love
Plato's Symposium is the most famous philosophical discussion of love, its joys, risks and pleasures. In this episode of Philosophy Bites Angie Hobbs gives a lively account of what Plato thought about...
4 Nov 200715min
