Is it possible to infer values about what we ought to do from facts about how the world is? This question introduces a major problem within meta-ethics, which is how to philosophically justify ethical obligations. In this interview, Dr. Phillip Cary explains how these difficulties in meta-ethics arose out of the political, philosophical, and scientific context of the 17th and 18th centuries. Building on the work of Alasdair MacIntyre, Cary suggests that we have been left with the fragments of a once coherent tradition. The rise of Postmodernism offers a unique opportunity to return to this earlier tradition, and to recover a context in which discussion of virtues make sense. Questions covered in this podcast include:

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #16 – Modernism, Postmodernism, and Virtue, with Dr. Phillip Cary appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

Dr. Phillip Cary sheds light on Plato’s philosophy in this latest edition of The Robin & Boom Show. In this podcast you will learn why the ideas of a thinker from the 5th century BC are more relevant today than ever before. Plato offers a valuable antidote to a culture in which goodness, truth, and beauty are so often perceived to be located in the purely immanent. Questions addressed in this podcast include:

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The post The Robin & Boom Show #15 – Everything Plato, with Dr. Phillip Cary appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

Robin interviews Dr. William Kabasenche, professor of philosophy at Washington State University. They discussed virtue ethics, and how this differs from other common approaches to ethical decision-making. In this podcast you will learn why the ethical life should not start with questions like, “What should you do?”, but instead should seek to ask questions such as “what type of person do I want to become?” Dr. Kabasenche explained how this approach lends insight into questions of genetic screening and end of life issues.

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #14 – Interview with William Kabasenche on Virtue Ethics appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show

Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #13 – Attentiveness, Technology, Empathy and Stillness (Part 2 of series with Mark Weisman) appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

Robin and Jason are joined by Mark Weisman to discuss some of the ways digital technology is eroding skills in empathy and emotional intelligence (EQ). Mark Weisman contributes to this discussion from his perspective working for years in the tech industry. In this podcast you will learn the difference between “emotional empathy” and “cognitive empathy”, and why EQ is central to human flourishing. You will also learn what the latest brain science shows about the corrosive effect of too much screen-time, particularly in brain regions associated with emotional maturity, introspection, expression recognition and emotional regulation. (For more on this topic, visit out emotional intelligence archives.)

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #12 – With Mark Weisman on Empathy, Technology, and EQ (Part 1) appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

Jason asks Robin about Trump; Robin asks Jason about the EU. Robin suggests that the full impact of the Mueller Report has been eclipsed by left-wing overreach. President Trump is neither Jesus nor Hitler, but he has been creating new norms by pushing the envelope. This episode also features a discussion of the European Union in light of the May 2019 elections. In this show you will learn about the changing climate of European politics, as well as the difference between Europe, the EU, and the Euro.

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #11 – Mueller Report and EU Elections appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

Jason Van Boom interviews author and educator, C. Derick Varn, about the with the college admissions bribery scandal, and what this tells us about trends in higher education today. How does modern education compare to the medieval university? Is there value in elite education? What is a meritocracy? What does it mean for a student to teach himself? How has our system of university degrees developed since the Middle Ages, and is it still viable? These are some of the many questions addressed in this episode.

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #10 – C. Derick Varn on Higher Education and Cheating appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

What do recent developments in the rebuilding of Notre Dame cathedral tell us about trends in ecclesiastical and civic architecture? How does the sacramental understanding of architecture compare with modern architectural designs, including the proposal to rebuild the spire of Notre Dame cathedral along postmodernist lines? Jason Van Boom discusses these questions with architect and theologian Steven Schloeder. In this conversation they compared contemporary attitudes towards design with medieval understandings, looking at how these competing attitudes reveal a clash in what it means to be human. Van Boom and Schloeder also explored some of the symbolism of Catholic and Orthodox church structures, and what this tells us about God’s relationship to mankind.

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #09 – Conversation with Steven Schloeder on Ecclesiastical and Civic Architecture appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

What is classical education? How can the liberal arts fortify children against anxiety, depression and addiction? What was Charlotte Mason’s contribution to classical education? These are some of the questions that Robin and Jason explore with this week’s guest, Michael d’Esterre. Michael is a clinical social worker in Spokane Washington, who is turning to the liberal arts to find answers to some of our society’s most pressing problems, including mental disorders and addiction.

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Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom. 

The post The Robin & Boom Show #05 – Interview with Michael d’Esterre on Classical Education and Emotional Wellness appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.