Shows
Philosophy BitesAgnes Callard on Lessons from SocratesDoes Socrates still have something to teach us? Agnes Callard thinks he has. Here she discusses the great Athenian and his continuing relevance with David Edmonds. 2025-04-1522 minPhilosophy BitesCheryl Misak on Frank Ramsey's Life and ThoughtThe Cambridge philosopher Frank Ramsey died aged 26, but in a short brilliant life he made significant contributions to philosphy and economics. Here in the Bio Bites strand of Philosophy Bites David Edmonds discusses Ramsey's life and thought with his biographer Cheryl Misak.2024-09-2417 minPhilosophy BitesElizabeth Harman on Moral HeroesMoral heroes are usually thought of as people who go beyond what is obligatory. Elizabeth Harman discusses whether sometimes we ought to act as moral heroes. She is in conversation with David Edmonds for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2024-08-0414 minPhilosophy BitesWalter Sinnott Armstrong on AI and MoralityCan AI help us make difficult moral decisions? Walter Sinnott Armstrong explores this idea in conversation with David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 2024-06-1413 minPhilosophy BitesDavid Edmonds on the Life and Philosophy of Derek ParfitDavid Edmonds discusses the life and work of Derek Parfit who died in 2017 in this episode of the Bio Bites strand of Philosophy. David is the author of a recent biography of Parfit.2024-04-1020 minPhilosophy BitesMark Rowe on J.L.AustinJ.L.Austin was the best known exponent of what came to be known as Ordinary Language Philosophy. He was also a war hero. In this episode of the Bio Bites strand of the Philosophy Bites podcast David Edmonds discusses Austin's life and work with his biographer Mark Rowe.2024-03-1422 minPhilosophy BitesJames Klagge on WittgensteinIn this episode James Klagge discusses the life and times of Ludwig Wittgenstein with David Edmonds. This is part of our mini series on the biographies of philosophers, Bio Bites.2024-02-1920 minPhilosophy BitesCarissa Veliz on Digital EthicsDigital ethics is a new field. But what is it, what is its scope? In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Carissa Véliz, author of Privacy is Power and editor of The Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics, discusses these topics with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is brought to you by the team of David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton. We've been running since 2007. 2023-06-2023 minPhilosophy BitesTheron Pummer on the Rules of RescueYou might not have an obligation to risk your life saving other people, but if you do, you should go for saving the greatest number. That's more or less what Theon Pummer believes. Listen to him discussing the morality of rescue with David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast 2023-05-0823 minPhilosophy BitesWilliam MacAskill on LongtermismIn this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast David Edmonds interviews Will MacAskill on the controversial idea that we ought to give the interests of future people substantial weight when deciding what we ought to do now. 2023-03-0922 minPhilosophy BitesClare Chambers on the Unmodified BodyWe all make some modifications to our bodies. But often this is in response to social pressures. So is there something to say for the largely unmodified body? Clare Chambers thinks so. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast she spells out why. The interviewer is David Edmonds. 2022-06-2022 minPhilosophy BitesBenjamin Lipscomb on 4 Women PhilosophersIn Oxford during the Second World War four women philosophers came to prominence. Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Iris Murdoch, and Mary Midgley were friends and met to discuss their ideas, particulary about ethics. Benjamin Lipscomb, author of a recent book about them, The Women Are Up To Something, speaks to David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 2022-01-2220 minPhilosophy BitesDavid Edmonds on Undercover RobotDavid Edmonds has co-authored a children's book, Undercover Robot. Here in this bonus episode (originally released on the Thinking Books podcast) he discusses it with Nigel Warburton. 2020-11-2812 minPhilosophy BitesLiam Bright on VerificationismVerificationists believe that every meaningful statement is either true by definition or else empirically verifiable (or falsifiable). Anything which fails to pass this two-pronged test for meaningfulness is neither true nor false, but literally meaningless. Liam Bright discusses Verificationism and its links with the Vienna Circle with David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 2020-09-1627 minPhilosophy BitesDavid Edmonds on Wittgenstein's PokerFor this special episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (produced under lockdown) Nigel Warburton interviews David Edmonds about his bestselling book, written with David Edinow, Wittgenstein's Poker. It focuses on a heated argument between the two great Viennese philosophers Karl Popper and Ludwig Wittgenstein, and the differing accounts that were give of it by those who were there. 2020-07-0717 minPhilosophy BitesNigel Warburton on A Little History of PhilosophyFor this first of two special lockdown episodes of Philosophy Bites we interviewed each other. Here David Edmonds interviews Nigel Warburton about his bestseller A Little History of Philosophy. In the companion episode Nigel interviews David about his bestseller Wittgenstein's Poker.2020-06-2415 minPhilosophy BitesEmily Thomas on Wildly Implausible MetaphysicsSome philosophers have drawn very strange conclusions about the nature of reality. Despite this Emily Thomas believes that their work may still be worth studying. They usually have had good reasons for what they concluded. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast she discusses several wildly implausible metaphysical theories with Nigel Warburton. We are grateful for support from the Marc Sanders Foundation and from our Patreon donors. 2019-10-2119 minPhilosophy BitesKatherine Hawley on TrustworthinessIs it always good to be trustworthy? Can trustworthiness come into conflict with other values, such as generosity? Katherine Hawley discusses these and other questions about trustworthiness with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. We are grateful for support from the Marc Sanders Foundation and from our Patreon subscribers for this episode. 2018-10-0716 minPhilosophy BitesRobert Wright on Why Buddhism is TrueRobert Wright believes that there are a number of key tenets of Buddhism which are both compatible with present day evolutionary theory, and accurate about our relationship with the world and with our own minds. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he discusses Buddhism, reality, and the mind, with interviewer Nigel Warburton. We are very grateful for support for this episode from the Marc Sanders Foundation We are also grateful for the continuing support we receive from donations on Patreon and Paypal.2018-05-0719 minPhilosophy BitesEric Schwitzgebel on ScepticismHow do I know I'm not dreaming? This sort of question has puzzled philosophers for thousands of years. Eric Schwitzgebel discusses scepticism and its history with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode of Philosophy Bites was sponsored by the Examining Ethics podcast from the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University. You can subscribe to Examining Ethics on iTunes or listen to episodes at ExaminingEthics.Org 2018-01-1118 minPhilosophy BitesPhilosophy BitesWhat is a robustly demanding good, and what has that got to do with friendship and love? Find out in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast in which Nigel Warburton interviews Princeton Professor Philip Pettit about this topic. 2017-12-1018 minPhilosophy BitesKatalin Farkas on Knowing a PersonPhilosophers talk about 'knowing how' and 'knowing what'. But what is involved in knowing a person? Katalin Farkas discusses this question with David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was sponsored by the Examining Ethics podcast from the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University.2017-11-0613 minPhilosophy BitesRoger Scruton on Human NatureAre human beings fundamentally different from the rest of the animal world? Can what we essentially are be captured in a biological or evolutionary description? Roger Scruton discusses the nature of human nature with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2017-08-2918 minPhilosophy BitesAnil Seth on the Real Problem of ConsciousnessThe Hard Problem of consciousness is the difficulty of reconciling experience with materialism. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, in conversation with Nigel Warburton, Anil Seth, a neuroscientist, explains his alternative approach to consciousness,which he labels the 'Real Problem. Anil is a Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow. 2017-07-1923 minPhilosophy BitesShelly Kagan on Death and DeprivationThe process of dying can be horrible for many, but is there anything bad about death itself? The obvious answer is that deprives us of something that we might otherwise have experienced. But that leads to further philosophical issues...Shelly Kagan discusses some of these with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2017-04-1823 minPhilosophy BitesStephen Davies on Art and EvolutionWhy do we have art at all? There must be some evolutionary explanation. In this episode of the Aesthetics Bites podcast series, Stephen Davies discusses some of the evolutionary theories about where art came from in conversation with Nigel Warburton. Aesthetics Bites is a podcast series of interviews with top thinkers in the philosophy of art. It is a collaboration between the London Aesthetics Forum and Philosophy Bites and is made possible by a grant from the British Society of Aesthetics .2017-03-0113 minPhilosophy BitesEileen John on Art and MoralityIn this episode of Aesthetics Bites, Eileen John discusses some of the ways that art explores moral questions. Nigel Warburton is the interviewer. Aesthetics Bites is a series of interviews with top thinkers in the philosophy of art. It is a collaboration between the London Aesthetics Forum and Philosophy Bites and is made possible by a grant from the British Society of Aesthetics. 2017-03-0115 minPhilosophy BitesChris Frith on The Point of ConsciousnessWhy do we have consciousness at all? Neuroscientist Chris Frith discusses this question with Nigel Warburton in this episode of Mind Bites which is part of a series made in association with Philosophy Bites for Nick Shea's AHRC-funded Meaning for the Brain and Meaning for the Person project. 2017-02-0316 minPhilosophy BitesAmia Srinivasan on What is a Woman?'What is a woman?' may seem a straightforward question, but it isn't. Feminist philosophers from Simone de Beauvoir onwards have had a great deal to say on this topic. Amia Srinivasan gives a lucid introduction to some of the key positions in this debate in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. She is talking to Nigel Warburton.2017-01-0119 minPhilosophy BitesKathleen Stock on Fiction and the EmotionsHow should we understand the emotions that readers feel about fictional characters? Kathleen Stock discusses this question with Nigel Warburton in this, the second episode of Aesthetics Bites, a collaboration between the London Aesthetics Forum and Philosophy Bites, made possibly by a grant from the British Society of Aesthetics.2016-11-1217 minPhilosophy BitesDavid Miller on ImmigrationImmigration is one of the major, and most contentious, political issues of our day. Can philosophy help here? David Miller thinks so. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he speaks to David Edmonds about border controls and their justification. 2016-11-1221 minPhilosophy BitesSophie Scott on the Meaning of LaughterWhat is laughter? What roles does it serve? Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist, discusses this serious question with Nigel Warburton for this episode of Mind Bites, a series made in association with Philosophy Bites as part of Nicholas Shea's AHRC-funded Meaning for the Brain and Meaning for the Person project 2016-10-1120 minPhilosophy BitesPeter Godfrey-Smith on Mental RepresentationsDo we map the world in our minds? Does that imply that we have a little inner map-reader in our heads interpreting mental representations? Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses these issues with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode is is part of a short series Mind Bites made in association with Nicholas Shea's AHRC-funded Meaning for the Brain and Meaning for the Person project.2016-10-0319 minPhilosophy BitesNoel Carroll on Criticism Noel Carroll argues that evaluation is a central element of criticism of art, drama, dance, music, and literature. Nigel Warburton is the interviewer for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This is the first of a series of 6 interviews on Aesthetics, made in association with the London Aesthetics Forum and made possible by a grant from the British Society of Aesthetics.2016-10-0216 minPhilosophy BitesCecile Fabre on RemembranceHow should we remember and commemorate those who die in war? What about the enemy dead? Cecile Fabre discusses this issue with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2016-09-2021 minPhilosophy BitesJesse Prinz on Thinking with PicturesMany philosophers deny the common sense view that we think with pictures. Are they right to do so? Jesse Prinz doesn't think so. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he explains to Nigel Warburton why we need to think again about thinking with pictures. This episode is part of the series Mind Bites, made in association with Nicholas Shea's AHRC-sponsored Meaning for the Brain and Meaning for the Person project. 2016-08-0121 minPhilosophy BitesCatherine Wilson on EpicureanismEpicureanism has been caricatured as a philosophy of indulgence. But what did followers of the Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus really believe? Catherine Wilson discusses Epicureanism with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2016-05-3017 minPhilosophy BitesGreg Currie on the Philosophy of FilmThis episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast focuses on several questions about representation and perception in the philosophy of film. Nigel Warburton talks to Greg Currie. 2016-03-2619 minPhilosophy BitesMichael Devitt on Experimental SemanticsDoes the word 'Gödel' straightforwardly refer to the person who came up with the incompleteness theory of arithmetic? Some think the best way to find out to ask people about their intuitions on the topic? This creates all kinds of problems, as Michael Devitt explains in conversation with Nigel Warburton.2016-02-1415 minPhilosophy BitesSteven Hyman on Categorising Mental DisordersSteven E. Hyman discusses the philosophical issues that arise from attempting to categorise mental disorders with David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2016-01-2916 minPhilosophy BitesCarlo Rovelli on Philosophy and PhysicsSome eminent physicists, including Stephen Hawking, have been sceptical of the value of philosophy to physics. Carlo Rovelli, a theoretical physicist with a strong interest in philosophy, disagrees. Here he discusses the relationship between philosophy and physics with Nigel Warburton.2015-11-2922 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Worrall on Evidence-Based MedicineWhat sort of conclusions can we legitimately draw from the experiments that support evidence-based medicine? John Worrall questions some of the received opinion on this topic in this interview with David Edmonds for Philosophy Bites. 2015-11-1712 minPhilosophy BitesJesse Prinz on Is Everything Socially Constructed?To what degree is reality something created by us? Jesse Prinz explores this fascinating question in conversation with Nigel Warburton. 2015-09-2720 minPhilosophy BitesWilliam B. Irvine on Living StoicallyHow should we live? is a basic philosophical question. The Stoics had some answers. But are they relevant today? William B. Irvine thinks so. Listen to his conversation with Nigel Warburton on this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2015-06-2113 minPhilosophy BitesCassim Quassam on Conspiracy TheoriesWhat is a conspiracy? Why do conspiracies - real or imagined - matter to philsophy? Cassim Quaassam explores these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton2015-05-1120 minPhilosophy BitesLisa Bortolotti on IrrationalityWe're all irrational some of the time, probably more of the time than we are ready to acknowledge. Lisa Bortolotti discusses the nature of irrationality with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 2015-03-1917 minPhilosophy BitesSimon Critchley on SuicideAlbert Camus described suicide as the 'one really serious philosophical problem'. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Simon Critchley discusses suicide with Nigel Warburton.2015-02-1617 minPhilosophy BitesChristine Korsgaard on the Status of AnimalsMany philosophers argue in favour of the welfare of animals because of their capacity for feeling pain. Harvard philosopher Christine Korsgaard is unusual in using Kantian arguments to defend the status of animals as ends in themselves. She discusses her approach with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2015-02-0315 minPhilosophy BitesMeira Levinson on the Aims of EducationWhat are the aims of education? Meira Levinson discusses this important question with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosoph Bites podcast.2015-01-1819 minPhilosophy BitesLucy Allais on ForgivenessWhat is forgiveness? Whom does it benefit? Is it ever obligatory? Lucy Allais discusses these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2015-01-0417 minPhilosophy BitesRebecca Newberger Goldstein on Progress in PhilosophyIn this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Nigel Warburton interviews the philosopher and novelist Rebecca Newberger Goldstein about whether Philosophy has made any progress since the time of Plato. If you enjoy Philosophy Bites, please support us on Patreon or via the Paypal links on our blog.2014-11-1315 minPhilosophy BitesJennifer Nagel on Intuitions about KnoweldgeKnowledge is part of our everyday lives. We know all kinds of things without even thinking about them. But what is going on here? Jennifer Nagel discusses our intutions about knowledge with Nigel Warburton for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast2014-08-3118 minPhilosophy BitesTamar Gendler on Why Philosophers Use ExamplesWhy do philosophers use examples? Tamar Gendler explores this question in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2014-08-1714 minPhilosophy BitesAmia Srinivasan on GenealogyDoes it matter where our ideas came from? Friedrich Nietzsche famously diagnosed the origin of Christian morality in what he thought of as a slave mentality. Amia Srninivasan discusses genealogical reasoning with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2014-08-0219 minPhilosophy BitesMichael Ignatieff on Political Theory and Political PracticeMichael Ignatieff was an academic with a keen inerest in political theory before he learnt the hard way about politics in practice. He was an academic who became leader of the opposition in Canada then lost heavily in the 2011 Prime Ministerial election. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he discusses the relationship between theory and practice in politics with Nigel Warburton.2014-04-1218 minPhilosophy BitesRoberto Mangabeira Unger on Deep FreedomRoberto Unger argues that contemporary political progressives have abandoned what 19th century liberals knew: that some ways of living are better than others. In this conversation with Nigel Warburton he argues that we need a different concept of freedom, one that will allow humans to thrive.2014-03-0417 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Skorupski on NormativitySome statements are descriptive, such as 'Philosophy Bites is a podcast series'; others are normative, such as 'You ought to tell the truth'. But what exactly is normativity? John Skorupski explores this question in conversation with David Edmonds.2014-02-0916 minPhilosophy BitesTim Scanlon on What's Wrong with Inequality?Is a concern for inequality of wealth just a form of envy? Are there good reasons for objecting to inequality? Harvard philosopher Tim Scanlon discusses these questions in converation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2014-01-2514 minPhilosophy BitesEmma Borg on Language and ContextHow much of the meaning of what we say depends on its context of utterance? Is there a role for literal meaning. Emma Borg discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 2014-01-0720 minPhilosophy BitesJennifer Saul on Implicit BiasImplicit biases are tricky. We all have them, apparently, but we don't realise we have them. What are the implications of these biases? Does it, perhaps, go some way to explaining why there are so few women in academic philosophy? Jennifer Saul discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2013-12-0716 minPhilosophy BitesRobert Talisse on the Importance of Arguments in PoliticsWhy is argument so important in politics? Bob Talisse, co-author of Why We Argue (and how we should), explores this issue in conversation with David Edmonds for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2013-10-2718 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Tasioulas on Human RightsWhat are human rights? Are they simply legal rights? What is their relation to morality? John Tasioulas discusses the basis of human rights in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2013-10-1221 minPhilosophy BitesDavid Edmonds on Trolley ProblemsIs it ever morally acceptable to kill one person to save many? Most people agree that in some extreme circumstances this, though psychologically difficult, can be the right action to take. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, Nigel Warburton interviews David Edmonds (co-creator of the Philosophy Bites podcast) about the life and death thought experiments known as Trolley Problems. David Edmonds book about Trolley Problems Would You Kill the Fat Man? will be published in Autumn 2013 by Princeton University Press.2013-09-0117 minPhilosophy BitesDaniel Dennett on the Chinese RoomCan computers think? John Searle famously used the Chinese Room thought experiment to suggest that they can't. Daniel Dennett is suspicious about the way the thought experiment is set up. In this conversation with Nigel Warburton for the Philosophy Bites podcast he explains why.2013-06-2316 minPhilosophy BitesSimon Glendinning on Philosophy's Two CulturesMost philosophers today self-identify as within an Analytic or a Continental tradition. Where did these two cultures of philosophy come from? What role does Continental Philosophy play for Analytic Philosophy? Simon Glendinning investigates these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.2013-05-2716 minPhilosophy BitesLeslie Green on Same Sex MarriageIs there any reasonable objection to same sex marriage? Les Green discusses this controversial issue from a philosphical perspective with Nigel Warburton for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 2013-05-1115 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Mikhail on Battery and MoralityHitting someone, throwing a ball hard at someone's head, spitting at someone: these are all examples of harmful acts, called 'battery' in Tort Law, and most of us judge those who do such things without the victim's implied or actual consent as morally blameworthy. Could widespread aversion towards such acts be due to some kind of fundamental moral principle? John Mikhail discusses this question with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2013-04-2718 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Gardner on ConstitutionsWhat are constitutions and how are we to interpret them? John Gardner addresses these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in assocation with the Institute of Philosophy.2013-03-1717 minPhilosophy BitesFiona Macpherson on HallucinationWhat is a hallucination? How does it differ from an illusion? Fiona Macpherson of Glasgow University discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2013-03-0314 minPhilosophy BitesTom Sorell on SurveillanceWhat, if anything, is wrong with surveillance? Why value privacy? Tom Sorrell answers these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in assocation with the Institute of Philosophy.2013-01-2518 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Campbell on SchizophreniaWhat can philosophers learn from schizophrenia? In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast John Campbell discusses this intriguing question with David Edmonds. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2013-01-0820 minPhilosophy BitesAlan Ryan on Freedom and Its HistoryAncient and modern concepts of freedom differ. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast political philosopher Alan Ryan compares and contrasts ancient and modern concepts of freedom in conversation with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-12-0817 minPhilosophy BitesPeter Adamson on Avicenna's Flying ManAre we purely physical beings? Is the mind or soul immaterial? These questions have vexed philosophers for millenia. Avicenna, born in the 10th Century, believed he had a thought experiment that showed that we are not purely physical beings, the Flying Man thought experiment. Peter Adamson explains in this interview with Nigel Warburton for the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-11-2613 minPhilosophy BitesTim Bayne on the Unity of ConsicousnessIs conscious experience unified? A tricky question. Philosopher of mind Tim Bayne investigates it in conversation with Nigel Warburton for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-11-1115 minPhilosophy BitesLiane Young on Mind and MoralityAn important aspect of understanding morality is accurate description of what happens when people make moral judgments. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Nigel Warburton talks to psychologist and philosopher Liane Young about her experiments designed to shed light on moral intentions. 2012-10-2712 minPhilosophy BitesTim Crane on Non-ExistenceHow can we talk about things that don't exist? Tim Crane explores this question in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-09-1515 minPhilosophy BitesMichael Tye on PainConsciousness of pain may seem straightforward, but as Michael Tye shows, in conversation with Nigel Warburton, a number of philosophical questions arise from the experience of pain. The Philosophy Bites podcast series is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-08-3113 minPhilosophy BitesDaniel Dennett on Free Will Worth WantingWhat is free will and why should we care about it? Daniel C. Dennett addresses these questions in a wide-ranging Philosophy Bites interview with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with The Institute of Philosophy.2012-08-1815 minPhilosophy BitesHanna Pickard on Responsibility and Personality Disorder (originally on Bioethics Bites)Does a diagnosis of personality disorder exempt an individual from moral responsibility? Hanna Pickard discusses this question with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was originally released on Bioethics Bites which was made in association with the Uehiro Centre with a grant from the Wellcome Trust.2012-07-0716 minPhilosophy BitesJonathan Dancy on Moral ParticularismIs morality a matter of applying general principles? Jonathan Dancy, a moral particularist, thinks not. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he defends moral particularism in conversation with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-06-2913 minPhilosophy BitesTim Lewens on Selling Organs (originally on Bioethics Bites)Can it ever be acceptable to sell human body parts. Tim Lewens discusses this increasingly pertinent moral question with Nigel Warburton. This episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast was originally released on Bioethics Bites and made in association with the Uehiro Centre with a grant from the Wellcome Trust.2012-06-2218 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Tomasi on Free Market FairnessIs free market fairness an oxymoron? John Tomasi, author of Free Market Fairness, argues that economic freedom and social justice are compatible. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he explains his position in conversation with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-06-1618 minPhilosophy BitesFiery Cushman on Moral LuckShould morality be immune from luck? It seems so. Yet outcomes beyond participants' control seem to affect our judgements of culpability. Fiery Cushman, a psychologist in the area of experimental philosophy (x-phi), has been investigating the phenomenon of moral luck and our apparently conflicting judgements about culpability and luck. In this interview with Nigel Warburton for the podcast Philosophy Bites he discusses his research on conflicting moral intuitions about outcomes, intentions, wrongness, culpabiity and punishment. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-06-0214 minPhilosophy BitesOnora O'Neill on Trust (originally on Bioethics Bites)Trust is crucial in areas of medicine and health. But what sort of explicit consent should doctors obtain before medical treatment? Onora O'Neill discusses the place of trust in areas of bioethics with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally on Bioethics Bites, a series made in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust).2012-05-2718 minPhilosophy BitesAdina Roskies on Neuroscience and Free WillSome recent research in neuroscience seems to point to the conclusion that free will is an illusion. That's certainly the conclusion that some have drawn. But Adina Roskies is sceptical. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast she explains to David Edmonds why she thinks that that conclusion isn't supported by the facts. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-05-2017 minPhilosophy BitesGalen Strawson on PanpsychismCould everything that exists have experiences? Is there something that it is like to be an electron? This sounds unlikey on first hearing, but in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Galen Strawson argues in conversation with Nigel Warburton, that panpsychism is the best explanation of how things are. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-05-0511 minPhilosophy BitesPeter Singer on Life and Death Decision-Making (originally on Bioethics Bites)How should doctors, patients and family make end of life decisions? Peter Singer explores questions about euthanasia, abortion and autonomy in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this bonus episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally released on Bioethics Bites). This episode was made as part of Bioethics Bites in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.2012-04-2916 minPhilosophy BitesJeff McMahan on Moral Status (originally on Bioethics Bites)Disagreement about moral status is at the heart of many issues in practical ethics. In this bonus episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally released on Bioethics Bites) Jeff McMahan, in conversation with Nigel Warburton, explores some of the questions surrounding the status of a human foetus, non-human animals, and those in persistent vegative states. Biothethics Bites is made in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.2012-04-1518 minPhilosophy BitesAdrian Moore on Philosophy and Its HistoryWhat is the point of studying philosophy's past? Is it just to learn about the history of ideas? Is there something special about the history of philosophy that makes it different from the history of other subjects? Adrian Moore, author of a new book on the history of philosophy, The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics, discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-04-0613 minPhilosophy BitesJulian Savulescu on Designer Babies (originally on Bioethics Bites)Is it ethical to select advantageous genes and select against disadvantageous genes when having babies? Julian Savulescu, Director of the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics in Oxford, discusses this question with Nigel Warburton. This bonus episode was originally made for Bioethics Bites in association with the Uehiro Centre and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.2012-04-0221 minPhilosophy BitesNeil Levy on Moral Responsibility and ConsciousnessDo recent discoveries in neuroscience threaten the notion of moral responsibility? Could we have moral responsibility without full consciousness of the significance of our actions? Neil Levy discusses these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-03-2318 minPhilosophy BitesPhilip Schofield on Jeremy Bentham's UtilitarianismJeremy Bentham, legal reformer and philosopher, was an early Utilitarian. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Nigel Warburton interviews Bentham scholar and head of the Bentham Project, Philip Schofield about Bentham's contribution to moral philosophy. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-02-1115 minPhilosophy BitesNicola Lacey on Criminal ResponsibilityhttpWhat is criminal responsibility? Is it a timeless concept, or does it have a historical aspect? Nicola Lacey addresses these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2012-01-2717 minPhilosophy BitesJohn Mikhail on Universal Moral GrammarDo we have an innate predisposition to form certain sorts of moral judgements? John Mikhail thinks we do. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, in an interview with David Edmonds, he explains why.2011-06-0419 minPhilosophy BitesAlex Voorhoeve on InequalityDoes inequality really matter? Or should we be more concerned with raising the standards of the least well off than any disparity between those who have and those who have not? Alex Voorhoeve of the London School of Economics discusses these questions with David Edmonds in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.2010-10-2517 minPhilosophy BitesJoshua Knobe on Experimental PhilosophyMany people think that the idea of experiments in philosophy is a contradiction. Joshua Knobe disagrees. He is at the forefront of a new movement known as Experimental Philosophy. David Edmonds interviews him in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.
Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.
There is now a Philosophy Bites book published by Oxford University Press - further details are available on www.philosophybites.com2010-08-2816 minPhilosophy BitesDon Cupitt on Jesus as PhilosopherDon Cupitt, controversial theologian and philosopher, argues that Jesus is best seen as a moralist and a radical secular humanist in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. The podcast is introduced by David Edmonds. Nigel Warburton is the interviewer.2009-12-2400 minPhilosophy BitesJanet Radcliffe Richards on Men and Women's NaturesAre men and women different by nature? And if so, what follows? Janet Radcliffe Richards, author of The Sceptical Feminist and Human Nature After Darwin, examines questions about human nature, focusing on John Stuart Mill's important book The Subjection of Women. David Edmonds is the interviewer for this episode of Philosophy Bites.2008-04-0619 minPhilosophy BitesJulian Baggini on Thought ExperimentsPhilosophers 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 Baggini, editor of The Philosophers' Magazine and author of a book which surveys some of the most interesting and imaginative thought experiments philosophers have used discusses thought experiments with Nigel Warburton for this episode of Philosophy Bites. David Edmonds introduces the interview.2007-12-0912 minPhilosophy BitesSusan James on Spinoza on the PassionsWhat 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. In this episode of Philosophy Bites, Susan James explains Spinoza's thought in conversation with Nigel Warburton. David Edmonds introduces the discussion.2007-12-0217 min