Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
This is a podcast, directed at the philosophically curious, students, as well as fellow academics, in which I, Florian Steinberger, a philosopher at Birkbeck College, University of London, have informal philosophical discussions with experts in a range of different topics. Among them are the philosophy of fiction, the status of moral intuitions, as well as questions surrounding reference in the philosophy of language and whether many of us are too incompetent to deserve a right to vote, and much more. Future episodes will also take a philosophical angle on topics ranging from the sciences and the arts to dog training and martial arts.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Informal expert discussions • philosophy of language and mind: reference, belief ascriptions • political philosophy: voter competence, suffrage • ethics: trolley problems, moral intuitions • aesthetics: philosophy of fiction, imaginative resistanceThis podcast features informal, academically informed conversations between host Florian Steinberger (Birkbeck, University of London) and invited philosophers on topics in contemporary analytic philosophy. Across the episodes, discussions focus on how philosophical puzzles arise, what conceptual distinctions they depend on, and how classic papers have shaped current debates. The format often centers on close engagement with influential texts from the philosophical literature, using them as a springboard to clarify key ideas, competing positions, and the stakes of different answers.
A recurring theme is the philosophy of language and mind, especially questions about how names and terms refer and how we correctly attribute mental states like belief in situations where language, identity, and perspective come apart. Another strand examines ethical theory and moral psychology through well-known thought experiments, using cases such as trolley-style dilemmas to probe what moral intuitions are, what evidential weight they carry, and how they might be explained or evaluated. The podcast also addresses political philosophy, including the rationale for democratic participation and whether political rights such as voting should depend on standards of knowledge or competence.
Overall, the content combines careful analysis of arguments with accessible discussion aimed at philosophically curious listeners, students, and academics, offering an entry point into ongoing philosophical questions spanning fiction, ethics, language, mind, and political legitimacy.
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Episode 004 - Alex Grzankowski on Reference and Attitude Ascriptions 2021-Jan-03 87 minutes |
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Episode 003 - Kristoffer Ahlstrom-Vij On Who Should Get to Vote 2020-Nov-02 86 minutes |
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Episode 002 - Hallvard Lillehammer on Trolley Problems and the Nature of Ethical Intuitions 2020-Sep-25 77 minutes |
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Episode 001 - Stacie Friend on the Philosophy of Fiction 2020-Sep-03 74 minutes |