What exactly is the basis for democracy?
Arguably Iiberalism, the belief that the government serves the people, is the stone on which modern democracy was founded. That notion is so ingrained in the US that we often forget that America could be governed any other way. But political philosopher John Gray believes that liberalism has been waning for a long, l ... Show More
Nov 2023
John Gray on Pessimism, Liberalism, and Theism
<p class="MsoNormal">John Gray is a philosopher and writer renowned for his critical examination of liberalism, atheism, and the human condition. His unique perspective is shaped over a decades-long career, during which he has authored influential books on topics ranging from pol ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 2024
Oliver Traldi, "Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction" (Routledge, 2024)
The idiom of contemporary politics is a kind of philosophical hodge-podge. While there’s plenty of talk about the traditional themes of freedom, justice, equality, and autonomy, there is also an increasing reliance on ideas like misinformation, bias, expertise, and propaganda. Th ... Show More
1h 8m
Feb 2025
Power, freedom, and justice: rethinking Foucault
Contributor(s): Professor Mark Pennington | What are the implications of Michel Foucault’s critical social theories for how we think about freedom, power, and justice?
Political economist Mark Pennington will address this question exploring themes from his forthcoming book Foucau ... Show More
1h 26m
Sep 2020
Matthew D. Wright, "A Vindication of Politics: On the Common Good and Human Flourishing" (UP of Kansas, 2019)
Rancor reigns in American politics. Is it possible these days to regard politics as an arena that enriches and ennobles?
Matthew D. Wright responds with a resounding yes in his 2019 book, A Vindication of Politics: On the Common Good and Human Flourishing (UP of Kansas, 2019).
Wr ... Show More
1h 43m
Apr 2020
Great Books: Melissa Schwartzberg on Rousseau's "The Social Contract"
"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." The opening sentence of 18th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Roussau's The Social Contract poses a central question for all of us. Why do we live under conditions of inequality, violence, dependency and general unhappiness (jus ... Show More
57m 50s
Jul 2017
Episode 21, Thomas Hobbes's Political Philosophy (Part I)
<p>Everything you could need is on www.thepanpsycast.com! Please tweet us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/thepanpsycast. Few political thinkers can be considered as influential as Thomas Hobbes. Published in 1651, Hobbes's most famous work, the Leviathan (or The Matter, Forme an ... Show More
37m 13s
<p>Patrick Deneen, a political philosopher at Notre Dame, says yes. He was a Democrat for years, and has now come to be seen as an “ideological guru” of the Trump administration. But that only tells half the story ...</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="h ... Show More
