For the Love of Sophia! - podcast cover

For the Love of Sophia!

For the Love of Sophia!•soundcloud.com
Education
A philosophy podcast made by two professors from NJ. An extension of the Public Philosophy Project -- a community-building and educational organization dedicated to spreading philosophical discussion beyond academia and into everyday life. For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/publicphilosophyproject
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Episodes

Ep. 119: How Do We Minimize Suffering? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on Peter Singer's philosophy as it pertains to minimizing suffering -- this time shifting away from humans as a focal point: Can animals suffer? How can we know? What does this mean when it comes to eating animals? Testing products on animals? How is the argument from "Animal Liberation" a continuation of the argument from "Famine, Affluence, and Morality?"

Jul 02, 2024•58 min

Ep. 118: How Do We Minimize Suffering? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin to discuss to the work of contemporary philosopher Peter Singer in honor of his recent retirement from Princeton University: What exactly does it mean to suffer, and how to we minimize it? What should our stance be towards global aid and charity? Do we have a moral obligation to donate excess income to poor people in other countries? Are the obligations we have to those in out own local communities/states/countries equal to those we have in others?

Jun 20, 2024•59 min

Ep. 116: Ancient Metaphysics (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin to compare Plato and Aristotle's views on reality and knowledge: Are sensory objects ontologically primary or secondary? Can form and matter be separated? What are some practical examples that could be used to argue for and against Plato's conception of forms? What is the relationship between particulars and universals?

May 22, 2024•51 min

Ep. 114: Tradition Vs. Novelty (Part I)

FTLOS! returns. In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony ask a number of questions about the nature of tradition and its counterpart -- novelty: What is the ontology of tradition? How do rituals factor in? What is the relationship between seeing the world symbolically and finding meaning? How does novelty disrupt this process? When is tradition bad enough to justify a change? What kinds of novelty can be warranted? What misconceptions do people have about the two?

Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min

Delay Update

"Why haven't we received any new episodes lately? What's going on?!"

Mar 27, 2024•1 min

Ep. 113: What is Postmodernism? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on postmodernism -- this time focusing on potential critiques and social-political consequences.

Mar 05, 2024•59 min

Ep. 112: What is Postmodernism? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony discuss a topic that everyone seems to be talking about these days -- "postmodernism." What even is this thing? Why has it become a hot topic these past few years? What are its origins? What are its metaphysics and epistemology? Its ethics and politics?

Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min

Ep. 110: What is NOT Philosophy? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony discuss a seemingly odd set of questions: What kinds of activities/disciplines are definitively non-philosophical? And is there anything that can't be philosophized about, even in principle? These questions lead to a number of rabbit holes regarding mental states, the sciences, personal anecdotes, and other fun stuff.

Jan 23, 2024•56 min

Ep. 109: What is Atheism? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on Atheism: What exactly is it? Are there different types? What issues might there be with creationist accounts?

Jan 09, 2024•1 hr 4 min

Ep. 108: What is Atheism? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony discuss the concept of atheism: What exactly does it mean to be an atheist? Is there more than one type of atheism? What arguments are given in favor of each? What issues do these arguments run into? What are the ethical and political consequences of atheism?

Dec 12, 2023•54 min

Ep. 107: What is Music? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on music: What exactly happens to someone when they create music? To what extent are particular members essential to a band's being? Are there examples of bands who kept or even increased in quality after member changes, or are changes always negative? Which version of a song is the actual song? Can music have an essence but also be tied to particular equipment usages? What is the ontology of cover songs? Are musical experiences i...

Nov 22, 2023•1 hr 30 min

Ep. 106: What is Music? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin discussing a topic that is near and dear to their hearts -- music: What exactly is music in the first place? What relationship might it have with sounds, pauses, relations, and intention? How might Aristotle's 4 causes help us understand things? How does music get made? What level of consciousness does music-making happen within? What is the difference between writing music alone vs. with others? How can we know when music making is successful?

Nov 07, 2023•58 min

Ep. 105: What is (Metaphysical) Idealism? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on metaphysical idealism, this time getting into the "stranger" post-Kantian version of it. They also give a sneak peak of their "disagreement" podcast conversation, which is available for Patreon subscribers.

Oct 26, 2023•51 min

Ep. 104: What is (Metaphysical) Idealism? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin discussing the metaphysical position known as "idealism." What exactly are ideas and where do they come from? What is an object? Can we be sure that matter actually exists? Even further -- can we prove that matter logically _can't_ exist? How might God factor into this? Are monotheistic religions necessarily idealistic?

Oct 10, 2023•51 min

Ep. 103: What is it like to Be an Octopus? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on the qualia of octopi and how it may relate to human consciousness: When an octopus sees "its" arms below it, does it perceive them as being totally foreign things, or is there some loose sense of unity? Is our inability to draw definitive conclusions about consciousness a result of the limits of empirical/inductive inquiry, or is it more of an a priori/definitional issue? Does biological similarity between species necessarily r...

Sep 26, 2023•57 min

Ep. 102: What is it Like to Be an Octopus? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony discuss a number of issues pertaining to human and animal consciousness raised by Godfrey-Smith's article, "On Being an Octopus." What do octopi have to do with consciousness? What are qualia? What would it be like to taste through your fingers, or to feel the world through your tongue>. How would having a "decentralized" nervous system alter the feeling of being conscious? If an octopus doesn't have a "self," can it even be considered one thing? Or is it...

Sep 12, 2023•57 min

Ep. 101: What is Love? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on the nature of love: What exactly happens to someone who is "in love?" Are humans meant to be in love? Is it possible to stop loving someone? What about a family member?

Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 13 min

Ep. 100: Audience Q & A

In this special 100th episode, Giuseppe and Anthony take some more questions from listeners. Questions range from epistemology, to aesthetics, to education, and more.

Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 30 min

Ep. 99: What is Love? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin to discuss a number of general questions pertaining to this thing we call "love." Are there different types of love? Is there anything that binds the different types? What is the foundation of romantic relationships? For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/publicphilosophyproject

Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 8 min

Ep. 98: What is Friendship? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on friendship: Is friendship more than just a willingness to be friends? What ruins friendships? Can "friends with benefits" actually exist successfully? Can men and women really be friends? What different types of friendships exist? For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/publicphilosophyproject

Jul 06, 2023•52 min

Ep. 97: What is Friendship? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony discuss a number of general questions about the nature of friendship: Is friendship a subcategory of love, or vice-versa? What are the defining characteristics of friendship? Are there different kinds? Can parents and children be friends? Siblings? What role does power and balance play in all of this? For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/publicphilosophyproject

Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 12 min

Ep. 96: How Do We Understand Things? (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on hermeneutic issues: What exactly happens to us when we engage with a text? What is the relationship between text, author, and understanding? What even is a 'text' in the first place? What is a symbol? Is there a distinction between symbols and other kind of representations? Is the relationship between symbols and reality truly arbitrary? For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Support us o...

Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 13 min

Ep. 95: How Do We Understand Things? (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin to discuss a number of general questions pertaining to this thing we call "understanding": What exactly does it mean to understand something? What does it have to do with context and connections between things? What does is mean when someone says that they _don't_ understand something? How does it relate to hermeneutic vantage points and horizons? How does technology affect our capacity to understand anything? How does language and literacy factor into...

May 23, 2023•1 hr 3 min

Ep. 94: What is Artificial Intelligence? feat. ChatGPT (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on the nature of AI -- this time, focusing on the implications it has for ethics and political philosophy: What are the results of granting AI systems authority with regard to the issue of truth? How are digital representations of things different from the things themselves -- are they? If a thing produces real effects, should we consider that thing real? Is it possible to be friends with an AI -- or to be in an intimate relations...

May 09, 2023•1 hr 13 min

Ep. 93: What is Artificial Intelligence? feat. ChatGPT (Part I)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony begin to discuss a number of fundamental questions concerning the nature of AI with a little "help" from the source itself -- ChatGPT: How is artificial intelligence distinct from "organic" intelligence? What exactly can it do? What are its limitations? What does all of this mean for the future? For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/publicphilosophyproject

Apr 25, 2023•52 min

Ep. 92: The Ethics of Violence (Part II)

In this episode, Giuseppe and Anthony continue their conversation on ethical questions surrounding the use of violence: Are there any situations where there is universal agreement about whether the use of violence is warranted? Can an action that violates rights nevertheless be considered morally justified? What is the difference between personal acts of violence and the acts of violence conducted by the State? For questions or suggestions for future episodes: PublicPhilProject@gmail.com. Suppor...

Apr 11, 2023•43 min
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