15. Does Philosophy Still Matter?

David Rubenstein, a product of the old bipartisan D.C., made his fortune in private equity. He’s been spending it on “patriotic philanthropy” and institutions like the Kennedy Center, where Trump fired him as chairman. Now he wonders if the center can hold. SOURCES:David Rubenste ... Show More

One possibility: a leading hypothesis pursued by researchers (and funders) was built on science that now appears to be fraudulent. Stephen Dubner speaks with the scientist and the journalist who blew the whistle. SOURCES: Charles Piller, investigative journalist for Science, auth ... Show More

Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. In this updated episode from 2025, journalists Javier Blas and Jack Farchy help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of c ... Show More

<p>It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (author of <i>Nasty, Brutish, and Short</i>) argues that philosophy still has a lot to say about work, justice, and parenthood. Our latest installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book C ... Show More

<p>A discussion of the history and philosophical significance of scholasticism from medieval times to early modernity, and even today.</p> 

Philosophy can sometimes be an exercise in abstract, "pure" reason, unsullied by the demands of the body or the contingencies of history. But this week we're placing history and corporeality front and centre, with a look at the intimate lives of four eminent philosophers, and ask ... Show More

This week philosopher Simon Critchley enlightens us to the roots of philosophy, as well as topics including football as ‘working class ballet’, what constitutes a 'good death’, and the relevance and importance of philosophy in these times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f ... Show More

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sam Harris speaks with Martha C. Nussbaum about her philosophical work. They discuss the relevance of philosophy to personal and political problems, the influence of religion, the problem of dogmatism, the importance of Greek and Roman philosoph ... Show More

<p>Massimo Pigliucci, philosophy professor and author, joins Breht once again, this time to discuss his newest book <em><a href= "https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/massimo-pigliucci/the-quest-for-character/9781541646957/"> "The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and ... Show More

Do you want to see the world as it is, or as it ought to be? This difficult question is at the heart of the millennia-old debate over morality and art. Pulling back the camera to ask how we got to our current dysfunction, Spencer moves from Homer and Isaiah to Nabokov and Matthew ... Show More

Moral and Political Philosophy: how should we live? What constitutes a just state? 

<p>Tamler and Dave discuss recent work in philosophy and psychology about the differences in moral values and practices across cultures. We talk about the implications of moral diversity: does  it mean that we cannot criticize that practices of other cultures? How should we regar ... Show More

David Gornoski, Shannon Braswell, and Shane Kennedy talk about the concept of historical sins as it relates to social justice; how North Korea would handle California; the latest revelations on the Biden family; the post-libertarian Right; Machiavelli's political philosophy; forc ... Show More