Excursus artwork

Excursus

6 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 rating

Each episode we ask a big question that interests us then try to answer it by reading and discussing texts from philosophy, psychology, theology and literature.

Philosophy Society & Culture Science Social Sciences ideas philosophy psychology theology literature
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Episodes

Empire

June 22, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 48.5 MB

In this episode, Abby and Seyed talk about Empire.  Are imperialism and colonialism the same thing? Can commerce balance the tension between imperialism and liberty? Does accepting moral culpability for far away actions help or hinder justice? For this episode, we read: Sankar Muthu’s paper, “Conquest, Commerce, and Cosmopolitanism in Enlightenment Political Thought” The third chapter of Robert J. C. Young’s book, “Postcolonialism : An Historical Introduction”. The third chapter of Mich...

Technology

June 08, 2021 05:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MB

In this episode, Abby and Seyed talk about Technology.  Is technology just a tool? Can a technology in itself be morally good or bad? What kind of relationship should we have with technology? For this episode, we read: Ronald Godzinski’s essay, “(En)Framing Heidegger’s Philosophy of Technology” Sy Taffel’s essay, “Hopeful Extinctions? Tesla, Technological Solutionism and the Anthropocene” Luiz Adriano Gonçalves Borges essay, “Babel – the city of man and the technological paradox. The vi...

Purpose

May 25, 2021 05:00 - 57 minutes - 39.5 MB

In this episode, Abby and Seyed talk about Purpose.  Does life have a purpose? Do we need meaning to live? Can we find life’s purpose within ourselves? For this episode, we read: Albert Camus’ essay, “The Myth of Sisyphus” Thomas Nagel’s paper, “The Absurd” The book of Ecclesiastes

Compassion

May 11, 2021 05:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MB

In this episode, Abby and Seyed talk about Compassion.  What does it take to feel compassion for a stranger? Is compassion a bridge towards justice? Or is compassion irrational? For this episode, we read: Martha Nussbaum’s essay, “Compassion: The Basic Social emotion”. Olga M. Klimecki's paper, "The Role of Empathy and Compassion in Conflict Resolution". Celia Deane-Drummond's chapter, "Empathy and the Evolution of Compassion: From Deep History to Infused Virtue".

Justice

April 27, 2021 05:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MB

In this episode, Abby and Seyed talk about Justice.  Does justice exist to serve the powerful or the powerless? Would people act justly if they could get away with doing otherwise? Are we right to hope for an ever more just world?   For this episode, we read: An excerpt from Plato’s Republic Book 2 with the Ring of Gyges. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail and his I have a Dream speech.

Truth

April 16, 2021 09:00 - 59 minutes - 40.6 MB

In this episode, Abby and Seyed talk about Truth.  Is the concept of truth under attack? Are we living in a post-truth age? What does it mean to have a critical mindset?  For this episode, we read: Bruno Latour’s 2004 essay “Why Has Critique Run out of Steam? From Matters of Fact to Matters of Concern” Klaus Benesch’s recent essay “Is Truth to Post-Truth what Modernism Is to Postmodernism? Heidegger, the Humanities, and the Demise of Common-Sense” N. T. Wright’s recent essay “Loving to ...