Philosophy Now

Ludwig Wittgenstein worked out how language has meaning, twice. He also thought that some of the most important things we can know we can’t express at all. Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now finds out the meaning and limits of language from guest Daniel Hutto from the University of Wollongong, NSW. First broadcast on 22 June 2014 on Resonance FM.

Might Nietzsche be right, claiming that lying is “a condition of life?” – Or Kant, arguing that lying means annihilating human dignity? Is it ever acceptable for governments to lie to the public or for individuals to lie to the government? Anja Steinbauer is joined by politician and philosopher Shahrar Ali and moral philosopher Piers Benn to discuss whether lying can be a good thing. First broadcast on 15 June 2014 on Resonance FM.

What is meta-ethics? How does meta-ethics differ from ethics, and what does it tell us about ethics? Why is it important for how we should live our lives? Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and his guests Edward Harcourt from Keble College, Oxford, and Richard Rowland from the University of Warwick, to find the answers to these questions and more. First broadcast on 8 June 2014 on Resonance FM.

Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and guests John Callanan from King’s College, London, and Andrew Ward from the University of York to talk about the most important idea you’ve never heard of, and some other persuasive arguments from revolutionary but unfortunately unknown-to-the-world philosopher Immanuel Kant. First broadcast on 1 June 2014 on Resonance FM.

Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and guests Philip Goff from the University of Liverpool and Tom McClelland from the University of Manchester as they try to work out how all that electricity between your nerve cells relates to and produces all your experiences and thoughts. First broadcast on 25 May 2014 on Resonance FM.

What has Buddhism to offer the 21st Century? Join Anja Steinbauer and her guests, Martin Muchall and Rick Lewis, for a critical discussion of ideas in and about Buddhism. First broadcast on 18 May 2014 on Resonance FM.

Isaiah Berlin said of David Hume, “No man has influenced the history of philosophy to a deeper or more disturbing degree.” Join Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now plus guests Jane O’Grady, Peter Kail and James Arnold to find out why. First broadcast on 11 May 2014 on Resonance FM.

Look inside the mind of a famous thinker: Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now and writer Daryn Green talk to author and Philosophy Now columnist Raymond Tallis about his latest book, In Defence of Wonder, and about the influences and motivations which have made him a philosopher. Recorded on 31 May 2012.

Both philosophy and literature represent the world and reflect on it. They are clearly different, yet converge, overlap and relate to one another in various ways. Can anything be gained philosophically by examining literature? Conversely, does it add to our understanding of literature to look at it from a philosophical point of view? Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All, and her guests Gregory Currie from the University of Nottingham, Stacie Friend from Heythrop College, University of London, and Edward Harcourt from Keble College, University of Oxford, discuss truth and ethics in philosophy and literature. First broadcast on 27 March 2012 on Resonance FM.

Given what we now know about the mind’s connection with brain activity, and that brain activity, being normal physical activity, apparently must be determined by physical laws, is it possible to say we have free will anymore? If so, in what way? If not, what are the implications? And what is free will anyway? To discuss these and related questions, Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now is joined by Sam Coleman from the University of Hertfordshire, Norman Bacrac from the South Place Ethical Society and independent scholar Camilla Martin. First broadcast on 20 March 2012 on Resonance FM.

Should schools teach philosophy? When literacy and numeracy levels have not improved in 55 years, shouldn’t teachers be concentrating on improving the three Rs rather than introducing a fourth? Peter Worley, co-founder and CEO of The Philosophy Foundation, talks with Michael Hand from the Institute of Education and Stephen Boulter from Oxford Brookes University about whether children can do philosophy, and if schools should teach it, how should it be done? First broadcast on 13 March 2012 on Resonance FM.

What is the scientific method? What’s special about it? What are the limits of its application? How does science compare with other ways of knowing and when should we use those other ways in preference to science – if ever? Helping Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now answer these questions will be Ken Gemes from Birkbeck, University of London, Gary Retallick from the Workers’ Educational Association, and Dean Peters from the London School of Economics. First broadcast on 6 March 2012 on Resonance FM.

He’s known as the philosopher of pessimism, and he has a remarkably cheerless view of the nature of reality, but he’s also a poetic writer who advocates compassion and loves art. Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now finds out about Arthur Schopenhauer from Christopher Janaway of the University of Southampton and Daniel Came of St Hugh’s College, Oxford. Live music is provided by Ruth Merry. First broadcast on 28 February 2012 on Resonance FM.

How should we deal with the tragic side of life? And how have the philosophers responded to the tragic fragility of life and happiness, especially in modern times, from Nietzsche onwards? Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Christopher Hamilton and Simon May from King’s College London, and Ken Gemes from Birkbeck, University of London. First broadcast on 21 February 2012 on Resonance FM.

What is the future of humanity? What limits should we impose on our biotechnological and other scientific developments – what will happen when we don’t? Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now asks Debra Shaw from the University of East London, Blay Whitby from the University of Sussex, and David Gamez from Imperial College London, for answers. With live music from Bucky Muttel on the Chapman Stick. First broadcast on 14 February 2012 on Resonance FM.

Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All, is joined by ethical philosophers Piers Benn, Carwyn Hooper and Elselijn Kingma to discuss our responsibilities for our own health, government initiatives to makes us lead healthier lives, patient automomy and choices, as well as enter the minefield of organ transplant ethics. First broadcast on 7 February 2012 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses Socrates, his ideas and role in Western philosophy, with M.M. McCabe from King’s College London, and Tim Chappell from the Open University. First broadcast on 31 January 2012 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses questions about the nature of historical change, the purpose of human life and more from a Hegelian perspective with Katerina Deligiorgi, from the University of Sussex, and writer Peter Benson. With live music by Alan Stewart and Rosanella DC. First broadcast on 24 January 2012 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses the philosophical foundations, implications and limits of human rights with Saladin Meckled-Garcia, the Director of the UCL Institute for Human Rights, and Tom Sorrell, Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Ethics at the University of Birmingham. First broadcast on 17 January 2012 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Constantine Sandis from Oxford Brookes University, Alex Gregory from Reading University, and Michael Lacewing from Heythrop College, University of London, about the psychological motivations behind moral behaviour and the scientific understanding of morality. With live music from Sian Hender and Adam Leach. First broadcast on 10 January 2012 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Anja Steinbauer, founder of Philosophy For All, Rick Lewis, founder of Philosophy Now magazine, and Peter Worley, founder of The Philosophy Foundation, about what philosophy means to them, and their motivations for and aims in establishing their popular philosophy organisations. First broadcast on 13 December 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to David Papineau, Professor of Philosophy of Science at King's College London, about the philosophy of science, and especially what science says about the link between the mind and the brain. With live music by Alan Stewart and Rosanella DC. First broadcast on 6 December 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now interviews Gill Davies, practicing existential psychotherapist, and Brian O’Gorman, Associate Lecturer at the Open University and a High Intensity Therapist, about this form of psychotherapy and its connection with existentialist philosophy. First broadcast on 29 November 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses love and questions at the heart of our emotional lives with Simon May, author of the recent Love: A History and visiting professor at King’s College, London, and Edward Harcourt, Lecturer in Philosophy, Keble College, Oxford. First broadcast on 22 November 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses the benefits and costs of globalisation and global capitalism with Neil Kellard, Chair of Finance at the University of Essex, Richard Baron who teaches Philosophy at the Mary Ward Centre, and Tom Rubens, who is a member of the World Development Movement. First broadcast on 15 November 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now discusses the influence and ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche, the infamous German anti-Christian philosopher, with Ken Gemes, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck. First broadcast on 8 November 2011 on Resonance FM.

Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All, thrashes out the meanings, contributions and tribulations of feminist philosophy with her guests, feminist thinker Ann Brisby, Professor of Sociology Vikki Bell, Reader in Philosophy Meena Dhanda and philosopher and film-maker Terri Murray. First broadcast on 1 November 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now introduces Peter Worley from The Philosophy Foundation who conducts a live philosophy lesson with a group of 8-to-10 year olds from All Saints Primary School in Blackheath. First broadcast on 26 October 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now visits the realm of the senses with guests Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Norman Bacrac, an epiphenomalist philosopher, and Richard Marshall to discuss the nature of human experience. With live music from Adam Paul Leach. First broadcast on 18 October 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now asks David Bell, President of the British Psychoanalytical Society, Edward Harcourt, Lecturer in Philosophy, Keble College, Oxford, and Alex Gath, anthropologist, about the contemporary relevance of Freud’s social theory. First broadcast on 11 October 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now introduces philosophy teacher John Holroyd, who chairs a debate among his students from St Dunstan’s College on the ethical issues surrounding the UK riots and the Dale Farm travellers. First broadcast on 4 October 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Nigel Warburton, author of A Little History of Philosophy, and Jane O’Grady, who teaches History of Philosophy at the London School of Philosophy, about what they like best in the history of Western philosophy. With music by Alan Stewart. First broadcast on 27 September 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now asks “Who is this God person anyway?” with Barry Hingston promoting Christianity, Hamza Tzortzis promoting Islam, and Richard Baron promoting atheism. Who can make the best case for their belief system? Will any of them persuade you? First broadcast on 20 September 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now finds out what feminist film theory is from Terri Murray, author of Feminist Film Studies: A Teacher’s Guide, and Anja Steinbauer, President of Philosophy For All and Chair both of PFA’s Film Club and its Feminist Forum. First broadcast on 13 September 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks about the Art of Living series of books with series editor Mark Vernon, who has also written Wellbeing. Grant also interviews Piers Benn about Commitment and Ziyad Marar about Deception. First broadcast on 6 September 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Raymond Tallis about why the mind is not the brain and human beings are not merely animals, and other ideas from Prof. Tallis’s new book Aping Mankind. First broadcast on 12 July 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Manjit Kumar, author of Quantum, about quantum mechanics. First broadcast on 21 June 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Peter Worley, who runs The Philosophy Shop, and John Holroyd, an A-level philosophy teacher, about teaching philosophy to school children from as young as four. First broadcast on 19 May 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Nick Blackburn, director of Wittgenstein (The Crooked Roads), Alex Gath and Mark Roberts about what art is. First broadcast on 13 April 2011 on Resonance FM.

Grant Bartley from Philosophy Now talks to Peter Cave, author of How To Think Like A Bat (And 34 Other Really Interesting Uses Of Philosophy), and Mark Vernon, author of How To Be An Agnostic, about their books and their philosophies. First broadcast on 17 February 2011 on Resonance FM.