Philosophy Takes On The News

Follow Philosophy Takes On The News
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

PTOTN, hosted by Simon Kirchin. Philosophers talk about the week’s news. Sometimes serious, sometimes insightful. Occasionally funny. Plenty of tangents.

stkirchin


    • May 24, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 13m AVG DURATION
    • 26 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Philosophy Takes On The News with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Philosophy Takes On The News

    PTOTN - Phil and Comedy special

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023 76:12


    A special Q&A panel at a Philosophy and Comedy conference!  (Univ of Kent, May 2023.  Sponsored by the good people at The Royal Institute of Philosophy.)  What are the limits of free speech when it comes to comedy?  Can comedy be a form of philosophy?  Do comedians' moral failings make their performances less funny?  Daphna Baram, Andy White, Alexis Dubus and Julian Dodd on the panel, Simon Kirchin chairing, and plenty of folk in the audience - Robin Ince, Rosie Wilby, Lucy O'Brien, Piers Benn, Graeme A. Forbes......

    S3 Ep2 - 11th March 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2023 77:28


    Public Interest - WhatsApp / Religion in Politics / Hate / IWD.  Julian Baggini and Sophie-Grace Chappell chat with Simon Kirchin. 

    S3 Ep 1 - 25th February 2023 - Ukraine special

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2023 46:28


    A special episode discussing the war in Ukraine on the one year anniversary of its invasion. Angie Hobbs, Aaron Wendland and Gerald Lang chat with Simon Kirchin.  Aaron has organised a series of benefit talks supporting academics and students in Ukraine.  (Details near the top of the show.)  17th-19th March. Hosted here: https://civic.ukma.edu.ua/benefit/ 

    ukraine angie hobbs
    S2 Ep 8 - 9th December - End of year special

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2022 74:47


    Constitutional Reforms / Crypto and Effective Altruism / End of Year round-up plus Hopes and Fears for 2023.  Fiona Macpherson, Vittorio Bufacchi and Gerald Lang chat with Simon Kirchin 

    S2 Ep 7 - World Cup Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2022 70:05


    Should we watch the 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup?  Human rights / Moral consistency / Personal feelings  / and more, including predictions.  Tom McClelland, Lucy O'Brien, Martin O'Neill and Gerald Lang chat with Simon Kirchin. 

    PTOTN - S2 Ep6 - US Mid-Terms Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2022 64:23


    Special episode on the 2022 US mid-term elections.  A run-through of the results plus democracy, trust, compromise, Trump, information, media and all the rest.  Julian Baggini, Fiona Macpherson and Chris Carman chat with Simon Kirchin. 

    S2 Ep5 - 28th October

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 88:00


    Political mandates and legitimacy / Negotiations / Art and Protest.  Josh Forstenzer and Gerald Lang chat with Simon Kirchin.

    S2 Ep 4 - 13th October

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2022 60:47


    The absolute state of UK politics / AI.  Fiona Macpherson and Chris Henry chat with Simon Kirchin. 

    S2 Ep3 - 1st October

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2022 62:15


    Italian elections / Chess, cheating and limits.  Vittorio Bufacchi and Michael Hauskeller join Simon Kirchin to chat about the news in a philosophically-inspired way.

    S2 Ep 2 - 23rd September

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2022 64:18


    The Queen - monarchism and republicanism / Govt. business under the radar.  Julian Baggini, Graeme A. Forbes and Tom McLelland chat with Simon Kirchin.

    S2 Ep 1 - 10th September

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2022 109:34


    A new PM! / Climate change and reparations / Moral conscience.  Piers Benn, Kieran Oberman and Graeme A. Forbes chat with Simon Kirchin.  

    S1 Ep 15 - 24th June

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2022 66:01


    Ukraine. Sentient chatbots? Strike! Helen Frowe, Aaron Wendland and Gerald Lang with Simon Kirchin

    S1 / Ep 14 / 9th June

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2022 67:51


    Boris's vote of no confidence. Jubilee and values. Food and other policies. Julian Baggini, Fiona Macpherson, Michael Hauskeller and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 13 / 26th May

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2022 96:15


    Gun violence. Non-binary. Trans conversion therapy. Partygate. Australian elections. Sophie-Grace Chappell, Vittorio Bufacchi, Chris Henry and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 12 / 20th May

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 70:26


    Ukraine and Media. University admissions. Jordan Peterson. Helen Frowe, Aaron Wendland and Simon

    S1 / Ep 11 / 12th May

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2022 46:58


    Keir, beer and virtue-signalling. Eurovision. Julian Baggini, Rebecca Roache, Graeme Forbes and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 10 / 5th May

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2022 87:51


    Roe v. Wade. Elections and Voting. Living with Covid. Piers Benn, Gerald Lang, Fiona Macpherson and Simon

    S1 / Ep 9 / 29th April

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022 98:46


    Free speech (Musk&Twitter / Rayner). Climate & ultimate sacrifice. Leadership & French election. Reparations. [NOTE: warning in ep. opening about 2nd segment.] Sophie-Grace Chappell, Josh Forstenzer, Michael Hauskeller and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 8 / 21st April

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2022 80:10


    Covid and Masks. House of Lords. Elon Musk and Twitter. Julian Baggini, Fiona Woollard, Chris Henry and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 7/ 1st April

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2022 105:16


    Orders in War. Biden's Speech. Partygate. A Slap at the Oscars. 'Tax the Rich!' Rebecca Roache, Michael Hauskeller, Gerald Lang, Philip Goff and Simon.  A BUMPER Episode!

    S1 / Ep 6 / 25th March

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2022 75:29


    Duties to others. Climate change and energy.  Beers in the metaverse.  (Plus cool tangents.) Julian Baggini, Fiona Macpherson, Josh Forstenzer and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 5 / 18th March

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 73:51


    Moral compromise. Social glue and practical aid. The news cycle. Helen Frowe, Lucy O'Brien, Graeme A. Forbes and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 4 / 11th March

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2022 68:06


    Ukraine, permissible resistance and cultural boycotts. Plus: do things matter? Julian Baggini, Sophie-Grace Chappell, Gerald Lang and Simon.

    S1 / Ep 3 / 4th March

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2022 50:09


    Ukarine, sanctions and permissible resistance.  Ocean justice.  Simon talks with Helen Frowe and Chris Armstrong.

    S1 / Ep2 / 24th Feb

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 62:42


    Ukraine, Jimmy Carr's joke, and misogyy and hate crime.  Joining Simon are Helen Frowe, Graeme A. Forbes and Andy White.

    S1 / Ep1 / 18th Feb

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 69:54


    This was recorded on 18th February 2022: an auspicious moment as it was our first episode. Simon, Julian Baggini, Vittorio Bufacchi and Philip Goff. We discussed animals and veganism in the light of footballer Kurt Zouma kicking his cat, the monarch's finances and the UK constitution following Prince Andrew's out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, and we thought about what lessons people can learn after Covid.

    Claim Philosophy Takes On The News

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel