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Moral Minority is a podcast on moral philosophy and the problem of moral foundations. Why does morality matter? What grounds the moral principles to which we appeal when making judgments about right and wrong, justice and injustice? Do we have good grounds for making the judgments we do make–in our everyday lives, our relationships, our work, or in politics? And if not, where does that leave us?Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Moral philosophy and moral foundations • Metaethics and normativity • Existentialism, phenomenology, faith • Critical theory, Enlightenment, culture industry • Marxism, liberal socialism • Literature, film, aesthetics and politics • Tolerance, fascism, antisemitismThis podcast focuses on moral philosophy and the question of what, if anything, can ground our judgments about right and wrong, justice and injustice. Across its episodes it returns to foundational problems in metaethics and practical reason—why morality claims authority, how moral responsibility should be understood, and what becomes of ethical life when traditional religious or metaphysical warrants are called into doubt. A recurring concern is how modernity reshapes moral experience through forces like secularization, rationalization, and the social conditions that generate persistent moral and political disagreement.
Much of the content takes the form of close, concept-driven engagements with major works in modern philosophy and social theory, including existentialism and phenomenology, Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment critiques, and debates within Marxism and critical theory. The show frequently links these traditions to contemporary political concerns such as fascism, antisemitism, liberalism and socialism, democracy, and the moral stakes of collective life under modern institutions.
Another prominent thread is the relationship between aesthetics and ethics. Conversations treat literature, film, and criticism as sites where moral sensibilities are formed and contested, examining how artistic forms and cultural industries shape attention, desire, responsibility, and possibilities for solidarity or resistance. Alongside structured explications of canonical texts, interview-style discussions with scholars, critics, poets, and novelists explore how philosophical ideas intersect with creative practice, public intellectual life, and lived experience.
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Contemporary Conversations: Jonathan B. Fine on Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and the German Enlightenment 2026-Feb-06 90 minutes |
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Nota Bene: The Moral Passion of David Foster Wallace’s The Pale King with Hannah Smart 2026-Jan-09 99 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: Eleanor Russell on Simone Weil's Gravity & Grace 2026-Jan-01 91 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: A.V. Marraccini on Susan Sontag’s Fascinating Fascism & Notes on Camp 2025-Nov-20 123 minutes |
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Content of the Form: Grace Byron on Annie Ernaux’s The Years & Herculine 2025-Nov-05 68 minutes |
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Moral of the Story: Sebastian Castillo on Fresh, Green Life 2025-Oct-28 65 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: Ross Wolfe on Domenico Losurdo's Neo-Stalinist Revival and the Future of Marxism 2025-Oct-22 112 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: Alina Stefanescu on Derrida's The Politics of Friendship and My Heresies 2025-Jul-04 116 minutes |
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Being & Nothingness, Part 2 2025-May-10 137 minutes |
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Nota Bene: The Metaphysics and Moral Vision of David Lynch with Jon Repetti 2025-Apr-02 163 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: Matt McManus on The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism 2024-Dec-24 85 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: Ryan Ruby on Fredric Jameson's The Political Unconscious and Context Collapse 2024-Nov-28 121 minutes |
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Being & Nothingness, Part 1 2024-Nov-23 101 minutes |
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Repetition 2024-Sep-27 93 minutes |
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Contemporary Conversations: Vanessa Christina Wills on Marx's Ethical Vision 2024-Sep-10 119 minutes |
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Fear and Trembling 2024-Aug-22 104 minutes |
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Dialectic of Enlightenment, Part 3: The Culture Industry 2024-Jul-22 104 minutes |
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Dialectic of Enlightenment, Part 2 2024-Jun-19 89 minutes |
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Dialectic of Enlightenment, Part 1 2024-May-14 75 minutes |
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Vocation Lectures 2024-Apr-04 83 minutes |
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Shame & Necessity 2024-Mar-09 75 minutes |
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Sources of Normativity 2024-Feb-26 74 minutes |
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After Virtue 2024-Feb-18 88 minutes |
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Moral Realism 2024-Feb-06 86 minutes |
Dawn2024-Jan-30 95 minutes |