philosophy bites

Noel Malcolm on Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan in Context

Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, published in 1651, is one of the great works of political philosophy. Noel Malcolm has recently published a 3 volume scholarly edition of the book (reviewed here in The Economist) based on decades of research. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he discusses Leviathan's historical context with Nigel Warburton.

Listen to Noel Malcolm on Hobbes' Leviathan in Context

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

John Gardner on Constitutions

What are constitutions? How are we to interpret them? John Gardner, Professor of Jurisprudence at Oxford University, addresses these questions in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to John Gardner on Constitutions

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy (though from June 2013 this arrangement comes to an end and we will be seeking a new sponsor).

Tom Sorell on Surveillance

What, if anything, is wrong with surveillance? How does it affect privacy? Why value privacy anyway? Tom Sorell explains his position on these issues in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 

Listen to Tom Sorell on Surveillance

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy 

 

Alan Ryan on Freedom and Its History

Alan Ryan explores questions about what freedom has meant at different times in history in this Philosophy Bites podcast interview with Nigel Warburton. 

Listen to Alan Ryan on Freedom and Its History

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

 

John Tomasi on Free Market Fairness

Is it possible both to embrace the free market and to defend fairness? In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast John Tomasi argues that economic freedom and fairness are compatible and that social justice involves respecting both. 

Listen to John Tomasi on Free Market Fairness 

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Jonathan Wolff on Political Bioethics (originally on Bioethics Bites)

How should scarce healthcare resources be distributed? Jonathan Wolff addresses this and related questions in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Institute.

Listen to Jonathan Wolff on Political Bioethics

Philip Pettit on Republicanism

What is republicanism? Philip Pettit discusses this important political tradition in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, emphasizing the centrality of a principle of non-domination. 

Listen to Philip Pettit on Republicanism

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview: Philip Pettit on Group Agency

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview: Philip Pettit on Consequentialism

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

 

Melissa Lane on Plato and Sustainability

What can the ancients teach us about sustainability? According to Melissa Lane of Princeton University, author of Eco-Republic, quite a lot. She discusses the relevance of Plato to modern environmental problems in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to Melissa Lane on Plato and Sustainability

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview with Melissa Lane on Rousseau and Modern Society

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview with Melissa Lane on Plato and Totalitarianism

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Michael Sandel on Justice

Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel in conversation with Nigel Warburton outlines 3 answers to the question 'What is Justice?', Jeremy Bentham's, Immanuel Kant's, and Aristotle's.

Listen to Michael Sandel on Justice

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Previous interviews with Michael Sandel:

Michael Sandel on Genetic Enhancement in Sport (part of the Open University Ethics Bites series)

Michael Sandel on What Shouldn't Be Sold

In the UK BBC4 will be showing a number of programmes featuring Michael Sandel from the end of January 2011 onwards as part of their Justice season. These include the documentary, co-funded by the Open University and the BBC, A Citizen's Guide to the 21st Century.

You can also still listen to Michael Sandel's 2009 Reith lectures 'A New Citizenship' and watch his Justice lectures on YouTube:

 

 

Hillel Steiner on Exploitation

What is exploitation? Are some activities essentially exploitative? Hillel Steiner addresses these questions in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 

Listen to Hillel Steiner on Exploitation

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy