TrueSciPhi

Podcast Profile: The Philosophists

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8 episodes
2021 to 2023
Median: 46 minutes
Collection: Philosophy

Description (podcaster-provided):

Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):

This podcast features conversational explorations of philosophical questions with an emphasis on ethics and how philosophical ideas connect to real-world choices. The hosts mix shorter and longer discussions, sometimes bringing in guests such as researchers and authors, to examine both classic philosophical frameworks and contemporary debates.

A recurring focus is moral decision-making: how to judge right and wrong, how to weigh consequences against rules or duties, and what it means to act well as a person rather than merely follow a formula. The discussions draw on well-known thought experiments and tensions—such as cases where different ethical theories offer conflicting guidance—and use these to probe distinctions like action versus inaction and personal responsibility for outcomes. Questions about demandingness also appear, including how much individuals might owe others and whether doing good can generate guilt or moral pressure.

Alongside these core ethics themes, the show turns to virtue and character, treating concepts like wisdom as topics worth analyzing in their own right and considering how such traits might function in modern life. Another strand looks at the relationship between philosophy, education, and public life, including how philosophical inquiry can be taught to children and what it might contribute to learning and classroom practice.

The podcast also engages with applied and forward-looking issues at the intersection of philosophy, technology, and society. Topics include transhumanist arguments about using biotechnology to reduce or eliminate suffering, and academic culture through an examination of gender disparities affecting women researchers, especially in technical fields. Overall, listeners can expect accessible, idea-driven conversations that use philosophical traditions and current research to illuminate ethical problems, social questions, and visions of human flourishing.