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Have you ever considered what being conscious actually means? By choosing to live in a particular state are you consenting to be subject to all its laws? For some there’s an assumption that philosophy might not be relevant to modern life but Dr. Nigel Warburton, senior lecturer in Philosophy at The Open University argues that many of us today are faced with philosophical questions such as these as we live our lives in the twenty first century. In this collection we ask academics to discuss these questions in addition to other important philosophical issues and concepts such as the morality of abortions and the reconciling a world with evil and a good God.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ applied philosophy in daily life • thought experiments and dilemmas • personal identity, consciousness, self-awareness • Descartes: doubt, knowledge, mind–body dualism • faith vs evidence, problem of evil • abortion ethics • political obligation, consent, civil disobedienceThis podcast presents an academic introduction to philosophy through short discussions that connect classic philosophical problems with questions that arise in contemporary life. Guided by Dr. Nigel Warburton and other academics, it explores how philosophical thinking can illuminate everyday decisions as well as long-standing debates about what we can know, what we are, and what we ought to do.
Across the episodes, listeners encounter core methods of philosophical inquiry, including the use of thought experiments to test intuitions and generate dilemmas. The show also examines central topics in metaphysics and philosophy of mind, such as what consciousness is, how self-awareness should be understood, and what constitutes personal identity over time. Related to these issues are treatments of Cartesian philosophy, focusing on how doubt can be used as a tool for clarifying knowledge claims and how mind–body dualism attempts to explain the relationship between mental and physical reality.
Moral and political philosophy are recurring themes as well. The podcast considers ethical questions about abortion by addressing the moral status of the fetus alongside the rights and interests of the pregnant person. It also looks at political obligation and civil disobedience, asking whether citizens consent to a state’s authority simply by living within its boundaries and whether there can be moral grounds for refusing to obey certain laws.
Religious epistemology and philosophy of religion feature through discussions of whether belief is grounded in evidence or faith, and the classic problem of evil—how suffering and wrongdoing might be reconciled with the idea of an all-powerful, perfectly good God.
Some entries provide transcripts alongside the audio content, reflecting its use as part of an Open University course in exploring philosophy.