The Ideal

In this episode, philosopher Dr. Aaron Rabinowitz, author of Luckpilled: Compassion, Justice, and Hope in a World Nobody Deserves, unpacks his provocative argument that everything in life is ultimately a matter of luck.

We examine whether meritocracy is a fair way to organize society, whether people truly deserve their successes and failures, and whether recognizing the role of luck should change how we think about wealth, inequality, and punishment.

Dr. Aaron Rabinowitz is the Ethics Director at the Creator Accountability network and a professor at Chapman University. 

Aaron's Website: aaronrabinowitz.net

Luckpilled: https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/luckpilled/9781978848368

Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/

Embrace the Void: https://www.voidpod.com/

Aaron's Bluesky: @etvpod.bluesky.social

In this episode, I’m joined by Jonathan Graubart to discuss his book, Jewish Self-Determination Beyond Zionism: Lessons from Hannah Arendt and Other Pariahs. We explore the ideas and histories that shape contemporary debates about Jewish political life, belonging, solidarity, and self-determination.

Graubart offers a thoughtful challenge to familiar assumptions, inviting us to consider what Jewish flourishing and collective freedom might look like beyond the frameworks that often dominate the conversation. 

https://tupress.temple.edu/books/jewish-self-determination-beyond-zionism

In this episode of The Ideal, I’m joined by philosopher and author Elizabeth Minnich to discuss her upcoming book, What Does It Mean to Be Human?

We explore one of the most fundamental questions in philosophy: what does it actually mean to be human? Minnich examines the ways we understand human nature, identity, morality, freedom, and our relationships with one another.

A wide-ranging conversation about human nature, ethics, philosophy, and what it means to live a genuinely human life.

Dr. Elizabeth Minnich has been appointed Distinguished Fellow with the American Association of Colleges and Universities. She has been Core Professor at the interdisciplinary Union Graduate School; Visiting Scholar at The Getty Institute for the History of Art and the Humanities; and the Hartley Burr Alexander Chair, Philosophy & the Humanities at Scripps College.

Upcoming Book: https://tupress.temple.edu/books/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human

What if consciousness isn’t just an inner observer watching the world go by, but an active engine designed specifically for movement and choice?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Alexander Klein, author of Consciousness is Motor, to dismantle traditional views of the mind through the lens of philosopher and psychologist William James. 

On this episode of The Ideal, we sit down with priest, historian, and author Father Michael Collins to discuss his sweeping work, A History of Christianity: 2000 Years of Faith. Together, we trace the foundational moments that shaped Christian history from the very beginning.

This week on The Ideal, we are joined by Professor Ladelle McWhorter for a deep dive into the intersections of power, identity, and freedom. We walk through the core arguments of McWhorter’s work, particularly Unbecoming Persons: The Rise and Demise of the Modern Moral Self. We focus on how institutions and social norms define our modern identity. 

Professor Ladelle McWhorter is a distinguished scholar whose work bridges the gap between early modern philosophy and contemporary social issues. She currently holds the Stephanie Bennett-Smith Chair in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Richmond, where she is also a Professor of Philosophy.

Unbecoming Persons: The Rise and Demise of the Modern Moral Self: 

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/U/bo253760523.html

Host Shawn Edwards sits down with world-renowned scholar and Pulitzer Prize finalist Professor Steven Nadler to unravel the enduring mystery of Spinoza’s true beliefs. We dive headfirst into the debate of whether Spinoza's "God or Nature" implies a deeply spiritual pantheism or a radical, materialistic atheism.

Plus, we get an exclusive look into Professor Nadler's upcoming book, Spinoza, Atheist, where he settles the score on just how radical the 17th-century philosopher actually was.

Dr. Steven Nadler is the Vilas Research Professor and the William H. Hay II Professor of Philosophy, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Director of the Institute for Research in the Humanities at UW-Madison.