WHY? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life

Епизоде

• 
  The Ethics of Speaking for Others 13.09.2026 1ч 19мин

  What does it mean to speak for someone else, and when do we have the right to do so? Host Jack Russell Weinstein speaks with philosopher Wendy Salkin about the ethics of speaking on behalf of others, political movements and public advocacy, and the informal ways people claim to represent communities they belong to or sometimes don’t.
• 
  In Tribute to Gloria Steinem: Gloria Steinem and Suzanne Braun Levine on the Philosophy of Feminism 11.09.2026 1ч 29мин

  Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with Ms. Magazine co-founder Gloria Steinem, and the magazine's first editor, Suzanne Braun Levine.
• 
  What is Jewish Philosophy? 09.08.2026 1ч 23мин

  On Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein speaks with philosophers Paul W. Franks and Yitzhak Y. Melamed about the history of Jewish philosophy, its central questions and how marginalized thinkers can challenge assumptions we may not realize we hold.
• 
  WHY? Celebrates 200 Episodes 04.08.2026 1ч 9мин

  The 200th episode of “Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life” premieres this Sunday. Ahead of the milestone, Erik Deatherage sits down with host Jack Russell Weinstein and his wife, Kim Donehower, a professor in the University of North Dakota’s Department of English. Friends and colleagues also join the celebration as we turn the tables on Jack and ask him questions, and give those he has impacted a chance to tell him “Why?” it all matters.
• 
  How do philosophers talk about suicide 12.07.2026 1ч 12мин

  Host Jack Russell Weinstein welcomes philosophers Michael Cholbi and Paolo Stellino for a conversation on one of the most difficult subjects: suicide.
• 
  A Philosophical Look at Addiction 14.06.2026 1ч 21мин

  Jack Russell Weinstein sits down with philosopher and neurobiologist Owen Flanagan to examine addiction through the lenses of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience. Owen discusses responsibility, recovery, social influences, and the challenges of confronting addiction.
• 
  What is Agriculture For? 10.05.2026 1ч 17мин

  In this episode of WHY: Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein explores one of humanity’s oldest and most consequential questions: What is agriculture for?
• 
  Is Freud Still Relevant? 12.04.2026 1ч 18мин

  In this episode of Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein and guest Susan Sugarman explore the enduring legacy of Sigmund Freud, one of the most recognizable and controversial figures in psychology.
• 
  The Cost of Moving Up 19.03.2026 1ч 23мин

  Drawing from Jennifer Morton’s work on the ethical dilemmas faced by first-generation and low-income students, this episode examines the personal costs of pursuing higher education—fractured family ties, difficult tradeoffs, and the quiet loss of identity that can accompany social mobility. Together, they reflect on why we sometimes deny uncomfortable realities and what those choices reveal about who we are and who we hope to become.
• 
  What Things Are Worth Saving? 08.02.2026 1ч 16мин

  How do we place a value on the things we keep and pass down? Objects can be timeless and multi-generational or they can be a burden to bear. Jack Russell Weinstein and his guest, Wellesley philosophy professor Erich Hatala Matthes explore the question, why should we save for posterity?
• 
  Why Do People Deny Such Obvious Things 11.01.2026 1ч 14мин

  Jack sits down with philosopher Adrian Bardon to unpack The Truth About Denial and our strange habit of rejecting what’s right in front of us. Together, they discuss why people deny obvious facts, how self-deception takes hold, and what denial reveals about our fear, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to get through the world.
• 
  Privacy Isn’t What You Think It Is 14.12.2025 1ч 14мин

  Jack sits down with scholar Lowry Pressly to discuss the provocative ideas behind his book The Right to Oblivion: Privacy and the Good Life. They explore what it means to protect our inner worlds in an age of constant exposure, why forgetting can be just as crucial as remembering, and how reclaiming privacy might be the key to living well.
• 
  How Is It That Ordinary People Can Commit Such Overwhelming Evil? 10.11.2025 1ч 23мин

  Jack sits down with Elizabeth Minnich, moral philosopher and author, to explore a haunting and urgent question: How is it that ordinary people can commit extraordinary evil? Together, they unpack Minnich’s idea of the evil of banality, a subtle, everyday corruption of thought and conscience that allows atrocities to unfold, and consider what it means for our moral lives today.
• 
  How Do We Do Philosophy In Politically Difficult Times 12.10.2025 1ч 23мин

  Jack sits down with philosophers Jason Hill and Elizabeth S. Anderson to tackle a timely and urgent question: How do we do philosophy during difficult times? From the rise of AI and shifting political landscapes to debates over censorship, diverse student bodies, and evolving educational models, this conversation explores how philosophy can and must adapt.
• 
  What is indigenous philosophy? 14.09.2025 1ч 16мин

  Jack sits down with Brian Burkhart, Indigenous philosopher and scholar, to explore a radical and timely idea: What if Indigenous thought isn’t just tradition or spirituality, but a powerful philosophical framework—one that challenges Western systems and offers a deeply relational way of understanding nature and community in our time?
• 
  Is Marx Still Relevant? 10.08.2025 1ч 9мин

  Jack interviews Vanessa Wills, philosopher, professor, and author of Marx’s Ethical Vision, to explore a radical and timely idea: What if Marx wasn’t just a political economist, but a moral thinker, one whose ethical critique of capitalism speaks urgently to the injustices of our time?
• 
  The Argument for Peace and Non-Violence 17.07.2025 53мин

  Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with peace activist Kathy Kelly
• 
  A Philosophical Look at Madness with guest Justin Garson 08.06.2025 1ч 18мин

  Jack interviews Justin Garson, writer, philosopher, and professor, to explore an unsettling and illuminating idea: What if madness isn't just a disorder, but a signal, expressing something deeply out of sync in our lives or society?
• 
  Is Virtual Reality Real? 11.05.2025 1ч 10мин

  Jack sits down with David Chalmers, renowned philosopher of mind, to explore the provocative question: Is virtual reality real? They explore the blurred boundaries between the virtual and the physical, consciousness, and presence. Together, they consider whether digital worlds can hold the same ontological weight as the "real" world, and what that means for the future of how we live, think, and perceive.
• 
  Announcing a new book: "Israel, Palestine, and the Trolley Problem" by Jack Russell Weinstein 09.05.2025 2мин

  Jack announces his new book, Israel, Palestine, and the Trolley Problem.