Political Philosophy Podcast

Rawls, religion, the reasonable & unreasonable, and what are our obligations when liberal democracy is under threat? Do we have a duty to try and persuade people out of the populist right?

Following a tumultuous month in American politics, I take a range of audience questions on all things USA.

Most Americans know the outsized influence big corporations and the wealthy can have on our democracy. What does it look like to build a theory of liberal democracy based on avoiding that? Samuel Bagg and I get into that, the ethics of voting, and the reality of activism.

How has equality been thought about throughout human history? Is there a final definition of the term? Does it have a potential dark side, and how does its history compare to that of freedom? Darrin McMahon joins the podcast to discuss.

What defines the modern American right? Matt McManus argues we should understand the movement as fundementally about hierarchy, we then get into a general conversation about the Biden administration and the direction of the US Left.

Kevin Vallier returns to the podcast to breakdown the lastest intelectual movement on the relgious right - intergralism. What is it, where did it come from, and what should liberals and conservatives make of it?

I'm joined by Amanda Podany, author of Weavers, Scribes, and Kings, to chat all things Ancient Near East. From her 'microhistory' method, to the culture, religion, gender norms, politics, and even food of the period. (After a longish pause in episodes I'm coming back with two at once!)

After a content creation sabbatical, the podcast is back! Friend of the Podcast Philip Pettit returns to discuss his latest book - the State - we discuss his genealogy of norms, laws, and nations.

I'm Joined by Jonathan Jowlands for an in-depth discussion of historical Jesus research. We cover the history of the 'quest' and the different worldviews we both bring to it. Jonathan lays out a view for including theological perspectives, and I defend a 'history only' approach.

Why did democrats exceed expectations in the midterms, and what does that mean for America's increasingly unstable democracy? I give some overall reactions and analysis in this solo episode.

I'm joined by Virginia Mantouvalou to discuss her upcoming book on worker's rights. We look at how state rules and regulations can make workers at risk of explotation, and the role of human rights in addressing these injustices.

An extended episode in which I take on one of the most significant historical mysteries of all time: What happened at, and after, the death of Jesus? What did Paul see, or claim to have seen? How and why the gospel accounts differ, and my best guess on the reality behind it all.

I'm joined by Alfred Mele to discuss his latest book - Free Will: An Opinionated guide. We cover how philosophers think about these issues and some common examples, then discuss our general thoughts on both compatibilism and libertarian free will.

A blockbuster all-in-one-take listener questions episode covering the queen, Mark's gospel, Liz Truss, reconciling individualism with social justice, & the midterms.

An in-depth deep dive into how we might deduce the time of writing of the anonymous, undated, genre-defying documents we call the four canonical gospels.

A deep dive into J S Mill's relationship with socialism with Helen McCabe. We cover Mill's moral foundations, pre-Marxian Socialism, the nature and history of liberalism and socialism, their interpretation today, and if Mill's vision is a realizable one. Website: https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast

A deep dive into the philosophy of reparations with Olúfẹmi O. Táíwò. We cover the context & questions asked, Rawls, Nozick, arguments for equality, & harm repair vs constructivst accounts of reparations. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKq83FUsCIM&t=3365s

I'm joined by Joel Baden to discuss the theological and moral system behind the sacrifice laws in Leviticus, as well the history and composition of the Pentateuch. Watch this interview on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmTP8SeQuco&t=2694s

An interview I did on the Elucidations Podcast. The episode is an introduction to J S Mil''s political philosophy; who he was, his place in the liberal tradition, the liberty principle, and utility vs rights based approaches to liberal pluralism.

A back and forth interview with Jack Symes of the Panpsycast Philosophy podcast on his new book Philosophers on Consciousness: Talking about the Mind. We start with our reflections on doing public philosophy and how we respond to criticism, the move on to the philosophy of consciousness. We end with a discussion of how we think about our minds might impact our thoughts on morality and I'm challenged with a trolley problem: One human being vs five Vulcans who think, but do not feel pleasure or pain. Audio version of this video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UG3vf3OWcA&t=3197s