Philosophy Now

Philosophy Now episodes:

• 06.29.2014

  The Mental Universe Debate

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now (and author of The Metarevolution) is joined by members of London philosophy groups Philosophy For All and the Philosophical Society of England to debate an argument advanced by PFA member Kieran Quill that according to...

  
• 06.22.2014

  The Linguistic Wizardry of Ludwig Wittgenstein

  Ludwig Wittgenstein worked out how language has meaning, twice. He also thought that some of the most important things we can know we can’t express at all. Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now finds out the meaning and limits of language...

  
• 06.15.2014

  Philosophy, Lies and Politics

  Might Nietzsche be right, claiming that lying is “a condition of life?” – Or Kant, arguing that lying means annihilating human dignity? Is it ever acceptable for governments to lie to the public or for individuals to lie to the...

  
• 06.08.2014

  Beyond Right and Wrong

  What is meta-ethics? How does meta-ethics differ from ethics, and what does it tell us about ethics? Why is it important for how we should live our lives? Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and his guests Edward Harcourt from...

  
• 06.01.2014

  The Hidden World of Immanuel Kant

  Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and guests John Callanan from King’s College, London, and Andrew Ward from the University of York to talk about the most important idea you’ve never heard of, and some other persuasive arguments from revolutionary...

  
• 05.25.2014

  How Come Consciousness?

  Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and guests Philip Goff from the University of Liverpool and Tom McClelland from the University of Manchester as they try to work out how all that electricity between your nerve cells relates to and...

  
• 05.18.2014

  Buddhist Philosophy

  What has Buddhism to offer the 21st Century? Join Anja Steinbauer and her guests, Martin Muchall and Rick Lewis, for a critical discussion of ideas in and about Buddhism. First broadcast on 18 May 2014 on Resonance FM.

  
• 05.11.2014

  Impressions of David Hume

  Isaiah Berlin said of David Hume, “No man has influenced the history of philosophy to a deeper or more disturbing degree.” Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now plus guests Jane O’Grady, Peter Kail and James Arnold to find out why....

  
• 05.31.2012

  In Defence of Wonder

  Look inside the mind of a famous thinker: Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and writer Daryn Green talk to author and Philosophy Now columnist Raymond Tallis about his latest book, In Defence of Wonder, and about the influences and motivations...

  
• 03.27.2012

  Philosophy and Literature

  Both philosophy and literature represent the world and reflect on it. They are clearly different, yet converge, overlap and relate to one another in various ways. Can anything be gained philosophically by examining literature? Conversely, does it add to our...

  
• 03.20.2012

  Free Will and the Brain

  Given what we now know about the mind’s connection with brain activity, and that brain activity, being normal physical activity, apparently must be determined by physical laws, is it possible to say we have free will anymore? If so, in...

  
• 03.13.2012

  Philosophy in Education

  Should schools teach philosophy? When literacy and numeracy levels have not improved in 55 years, shouldn’t teachers be concentrating on improving the three Rs rather than introducing a fourth? Peter Worley, co-founder and CEO of The Philosophy Foundation, talks with...

  
• 03.06.2012

  The Limits of Science

  What is the scientific method? What’s special about it? What are the limits of its application? How does science compare with other ways of knowing and when should we use those other ways in preference to science – if ever?...

  
• 03.02.2012

  Representing Arthur Schopenhauer

  He’s known as the philosopher of pessimism, and he has a remarkably cheerless view of the nature of reality, but he’s also a poetic writer who advocates compassion and loves art. Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now finds out about Arthur...

  
• 02.21.2012

  The Tragedy of Life

  How should we deal with the tragic side of life? And how have the philosophers responded to the tragic fragility of life and happiness, especially in modern times, from Nietzsche onwards? Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to...

  
• 02.14.2012

  Transhumanism and Posthumanism

  What is the future of humanity? What limits should we impose on our biotechnological and other scientific developments – what will happen when we don’t? Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now asks Debra Shaw from the University of East London, Blay...

  
• 02.07.2012

  Medical Ethics: Being Healthy and Doing Good

  Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All, is joined by ethical philosophers Piers Benn, Carwyn Hooper and Elselijn Kingma to discuss our responsibilities for our own health, government initiatives to makes us lead healthier lives, patient automomy and choices, as...

  
• 01.31.2012

  Socrates: Man and Myth

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses Socrates, his ideas and role in Western philosophy, with M.M. McCabe from King’s College London, and Tim Chappell from the Open University. First broadcast on 31 January 2012 on Resonance FM.

  
• 01.24.2012

  The Ideas of G.W.F. Hegel

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses questions about the nature of historical change, the purpose of human life and more from a Hegelian perspective with Katerina Deligiorgi, from the University of Sussex, and writer Peter Benson. With live music by...

  
• 01.18.2012

  The Philosophy of Human Rights

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses the philosophical foundations, implications and limits of human rights with Saladin Meckled-Garcia, the Director of the UCL Institute for Human Rights, and Tom Sorrell, Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Ethics...

  
• 01.10.2012

  Moral Psychology

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Constantine Sandis from Oxford Brookes University, Alex Gregory from Reading University, and Michael Lacewing from Heythrop College, University of London, about the psychological motivations behind moral behaviour and the scientific understanding of morality....

  
• 12.13.2011

  What is Philosophy?

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Anja Steinbauer, founder of Philosophy For All, Rick Lewis, founder of Philosophy Now magazine, and Peter Worley, founder of The Philosophy Foundation, about what philosophy means to them, and their motivations for and...

  
• 12.06.2011

  Minds, Science and Metaphysics

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to David Papineau, Professor of Philosophy of Science at King's College London, about the philosophy of science, and especially what science says about the link between the mind and the brain. With live music...

  
• 11.29.2011

  Existential Psychotherapy

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now interviews Gill Davies, practicing existential psychotherapist, and Brian O’Gorman, Associate Lecturer at the Open University and a High Intensity Therapist, about this form of psychotherapy and its connection with existentialist philosophy. First broadcast on...

  
• 11.23.2011

  Love

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses love and questions at the heart of our emotional lives with Simon May, author of the recent Love: A History and visiting professor at King’s College, London, and Edward Harcourt, Lecturer in Philosophy, Keble...

  
• 11.16.2011

  Global Capitalism - Good or Bad?

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses the benefits and costs of globalisation and global capitalism with Neil Kellard, Chair of Finance at the University of Essex, Richard Baron who teaches Philosophy at the Mary Ward Centre, and Tom Rubens, who...

  
• 11.08.2011

  The Thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses the influence and ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche, the infamous German anti-Christian philosopher, with Ken Gemes, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck. First broadcast on 8 November 2011 on Resonance FM.

  
• 11.01.2011

  Feminist Philosophy

  Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All, thrashes out the meanings, contributions and tribulations of feminist philosophy with her guests, feminist thinker Ann Brisby, Professor of Sociology Vikki Bell, Reader in Philosophy Meena Dhanda and philosopher and film-maker Terri Murray....

  
• 10.27.2011

  Primary School Philosophy

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now introduces Peter Worley from The Philosophy Foundation who conducts a live philosophy lesson with a group of 8-to-10 year olds from All Saints Primary School in Blackheath. First broadcast on 26 October 2011 on...

  
• 10.18.2011

  In the Realm of the Senses

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now visits the realm of the senses with guests Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Norman Bacrac, an epiphenomalist philosopher, and Richard Marshall to discuss the nature of human experience. With live music...

  
• 10.12.2011

  Civilization and Its Discontents

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now asks David Bell, President of the British Psychoanalytical Society, Edward Harcourt, Lecturer in Philosophy, Keble College, Oxford, and Alex Gath, anthropologist, about the contemporary relevance of Freud’s social theory. First broadcast on 11 October 2011...

  
• 10.04.2011

  The School of Ethics

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now introduces philosophy teacher John Holroyd, who chairs a debate among his students from St Dunstan’s College on the ethical issues surrounding the UK riots and the Dale Farm travellers. First broadcast on 4 October 2011...

  
• 09.27.2011

  The History of Philosophy in Less Than an Hour

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Nigel Warburton, author of A Little History of Philosophy, and Jane O’Grady, who teaches History of Philosophy at the London School of Philosophy, about what they like best in the history of Western...

  
• 09.20.2011

  Who Is This God Person Anyway?

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now asks “Who is this God person anyway?” with Barry Hingston promoting Christianity, Hamza Tzortzis promoting Islam, and Richard Baron promoting atheism. Who can make the best case for their belief system? Will any of them...

  
• 09.13.2011

  Feminist Film Theory

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now finds out what feminist film theory is from Terri Murray, author of Feminist Film Studies: A Teacher’s Guide, and Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All and Chair both of PFA’s Film Club and its...

  
• 09.06.2011

  The Art of Living Philosophically

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks about the Art of Living series of books with series editor Mark Vernon, who has also written Wellbeing. Grant also interviews Piers Benn about Commitment and Ziyad Marar about Deception. First broadcast on 6...

  
• 07.12.2011

  Aping Philosophy

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Raymond Tallis about why the mind is not the brain and human beings are not merely animals, and other ideas from Prof. Tallis’s new book Aping Mankind. First broadcast on 12 July 2011...

  
• 06.21.2011

  Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Manjit Kumar, author of Quantum, about quantum mechanics. First broadcast on 21 June 2011 on Resonance FM.

  
• 05.19.2011

  Teaching Philosophy to Children

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Peter Worley, who runs The Philosophy Shop, and John Holroyd, an A-level philosophy teacher, about teaching philosophy to school children from as young as four. First broadcast on 19 May 2011 on...

  
• 04.13.2011

  Wittgenstein’s Art Class

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Nick Blackburn, director of Wittgenstein (The Crooked Roads), Alex Gath and Mark Roberts about what art is. First broadcast on 13 April 2011 on Resonance FM.

  
• 02.17.2011

  How to Think Like an Agnostic Bat

  Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Peter Cave, author of How To Think Like A Bat (And 34 Other Really Interesting Uses Of Philosophy), and Mark Vernon, author of How To Be An Agnostic, about their books and their...