512. Does Philosophy Still Matter?

Soccer leagues around the world use a promotion-and-relegation system to reward the best teams and punish the worst. We ask whether American sports fans would enjoy a similar system. (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES:Domonique Foxworth, sports analyst and former N.F.L. pla ... Show More

The N.F.L. is a powerful cartel with imperial desires. College football is about to undergo a financial reckoning. So maybe they should team up? (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES:DeMaurice Smith, former executive director of the National Football League Players Association ... Show More

In this episode we first published in 2021, the political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption — and that the U.S. and China have more in common than we’d like to admit. SOURCES:Yuen Yuen Ang, professor of politic ... Show More

It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz is the author of Nasty, Brutish, and Short, in which he argues that philosophy still has a lot to say about work, justice, and parenthood. 

Wittgenstein changed his mind, Heidegger revolutionised philosophy (and the German language), and both the Frankfurt School and the Vienna Circle were in full swing. Matthew Sweet is joined by Wolfram Eilenberger, David Edmonds and Esther Leslie. Plus, a report on the plight of t ... Show More

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the consolation of Philosophy. In the 6th century AD, a successful and intelligent Roman politician called Boethius found himself unjustly accused of treason. Trapped in his prison cell, awaiting a brutal execution, he found solace in philosophical ... Show More

Opening a path towards more enlightened societies with Rebecca Roache. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesPhilosophy is not just about armchair thinking. It can help us live better lives and find meaning. In this talk philosopher of ... Show More

Capitalism and Schizophrenia is a major text of French poststructuralist thought by Giles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. Made up of the two volumes Anti-Oedipus and A Thousand Plateaus, it articulates a new way of doing both philosophy and psychoanalysis that insists on the concrete ... Show More

Massimo Pigliucci, philosophy professor and author, joins Breht once again, this time to discuss his newest book "The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders". Topics include: Ethical theories in philosophy, stoi ... Show More

Sean Illing talks with political science professor Matt McManus about the political thought of Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th-century German philosopher with a complicated legacy, despite his crossover into popular culture. They discuss how Nietzsche's work has been interpreted — ... Show More

Albert Camus was a prolific French-Algerian philosopher and author who contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as Absurdism. He is also considered to be an existentialist. This video explores his main ideas: The Absurd, Revolt and Rebellion, as well as his most notable wo ... Show More

The Roman statesman Boethius wrote The Consolation of Philosophy around the year 524 when he was incarcerated. It advises that fame and wealth are transitory and explores the nature of happiness and belief. Former Bishop of Edinburgh Richard Holloway has been wrestling with the w ... Show More

Alan Watts continues the discussion on the philosophy of the Tao. His calming voice, ability to simplify complex subjects, and his insightful, yet concise style of lecturing about Chinese and Eastern Philosophy is beyond powerful. He fosters and creates an easy, yet extremely eye ... Show More