Daniel Dennett Retrospective

The Scandalous Truth about Memor

A memoir is a personal narrative written about a pivotal time in the author’s life. While the story is told from a particular perspective, the events recounted are supposed to be fact, not fiction. But what exactly counts as truth in memoir? Is the distinction between “literal truth” and “emotional truth” just a way of shirking responsibility for fabricating falsehoods? What other ethical responsibilities does the memoirist have—for example, when it comes to exposing other people’s secrets? And why should anyone read—or write—memoirs in the first place? Josh and Ray expose the scandalous truth with Helena de Bres from Wellesley College, author of Artful Truths: The Philosophy of Memoir.

Dostoevsky and Doubting Faith

Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky was a practicing Christian, and his writings often feature characters who have or find faith. But many of the most fascinating and charismatic characters are flamboyant atheists, and Dostoevsky has these characters make powerful arguments against religious belief. So what was Dostoevsky trying to do in those brilliant novels of his? Was he just confused, or did he think the best kind of faith is the doubting kind? What does that tell us about the paradox of freedom, the fate of morality, and the problem of suffering? And why do Dostoevsky’s novels have such a profound impact, even today, on readers Christian and non-christian alike? Josh and Ray have no doubt about Garry Hagberg from Bard College, author of Living in Words: Literature, Autobiographical Language, and the Composition of Selfhood.

Wise Woman: Elizabeth Anscombe

Elizabeth Anscombe made hugely influential contributions to contemporary action theory, moral theory, and philosophy of mind. She also famously protested Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb when he was awarded an honorary degree at Oxford. Josh and Ray explore her life and thought with Rachael Wiseman from the University of Liverpool, co-author of Metaphysical Animals: How Four Women Brought Philosophy Back to Life. Part of our Wise Women [http://www.philosophytalk.org/wise-women] series, which was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Marx and Morality

Karl Marx famously attempted to explain our social, political, and economic systems in terms of class conflict. While he never explicitly states that capitalism is unjust, some scholars suggest that there is an implicit moral critique of it in his work. So, does Marx reject capitalism for its moral failures, or is his opposition to it purely socioeconomic? Can we get an account of gender and racial justice from Marx? And did he try, and perhaps fail, to abandon philosophy entirely? Josh and Ray share the means of production with Vanessa Wills from George Washington University, author of Marx’s Ethical Vision.

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd century Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. He is most famous for his Meditations, which was written as a private guide to himself on how to live a life where virtue is the only good and vice the only evil. So how do we figure out how to live a truly Stoic life? What’s the relationship between the wellbeing of an individual and the interest of the larger community? And what can we learn from Marcus about developing mental resilience when confronted with fear, suffering, or pain? Josh and Ray stay calm with Rachana Kamtekar from Cornell University, author of Plato's Moral Psychology: Intellectualism, the Divided Soul, and the Desire for Good.