WHY? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life

Jack announces his new book, Israel, Palestine, and the Trolley Problem.

Jack sits down with Gwenda-lin Grewal, philosopher and writer, to explore the unexpected intersections between philosophy and fashion. They explore how style reflects deeper questions about identity, perception, and the human condition, and consider the ways in which clothing can serve as both personal expression and philosophical inquiry.

In this episode of the WHY Podcast, Jack sits down with Mark C. Taylor, Professor of Religion at Columbia University, to discuss how the humanities and the natural world intersect. They talk about how literature, philosophy, and art can provide new insights into our connection with nature and offer paths toward a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with the environment.

In this episode of the WHY Podcast, Jack sits down with Krista Thomason, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Swarthmore College, to explore the intriguing idea of finding value in negative emotions. Krista, author of Dancing with the Devil: Why Bad Feelings Make Life Good, delves into how emotions like shame, guilt, and anger can, paradoxically, lead to personal growth and a deeper moral life. Drawing from her expertise in philosophy of emotion and moral philosophy, Krista offers thought-provoking insights on how negative feelings can be an essential part of a meaningful life. Tune in for a conversation that challenges conventional views and reimagines the role of uncomfortable emotions in our pursuit of well-being.

In this episode of the WHY Podcast, Jack sits down with Avram Alpert, author of The Good-Enough Life, to explore the philosophical question: "When is life good enough?" Alpert, a writer, teacher, and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Art and Theory Program in NYC, discusses the themes of the book, which challenges the notion of perfectionism and advocates for a more realistic, fulfilling approach to life. Drawing from experience, history, and his academic background, Alpert offers insights on how we can live well without striving for unattainable ideals.

In this episode of WHY: Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein speaks with Richard Kearney, a distinguished philosopher and author of Touch: Recovering Our Most Vital Sense.

Host Jack Russell Weinstein interviews Michael Rosen, a distinguished professor of Ethics and Politics at Harvard University and author of Dignity: Its History and Meaning. Their conversation explores the multifaceted nature of dignity, tracing its historical evolution and examining its significance in contemporary discourse. Rosen, who specializes in political theory and the history of ideas, shares his insights on how dignity shapes our understanding of ethics, rights, and social justice. Throughout the discussion, Jack and Michael engage with various philosophical traditions, emphasizing the importance of dignity in both individual lives and collective society.

Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with Marina McCoy, professor of philosophy at Boston College. She is the author of the books Plato on the Rhetoric of Philosophers and Sophists (Cambridge University Press, 2007) , Wounded Heroes: Vulnerability as a Virtue in Ancient Greek Literature and Philosophy (Oxford U Press, 2013), and Image and Argument in Plato’s Republic (SUNY, 2020). Her interests range from ancient philosophy to ethics and the philosophy of mass incarceration and environmental ethics.

Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with Cecile Fabre, political philosopher, and Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. She is also Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Oxford, and affiliated with the Faculty of Philosophy, the Department of Politics and International Relations, and Nuffield College, Oxford. Her research interests are in theories of distributive justice; the philosophy of democracy; just war theory; the ethics of foreign policy, with particular focus on the ethics of economic statecraft and the ethics of espionage.

Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with Simon Philip Walter May, visiting professor of philosophy at King's College, London, and at Birkbeck College, University of London. May is the author of "Love: A History," published by Yale University Press, 2011.