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Philosopher's Zone

ABC
Philosophy
Climate Change
Education
Ethics
Artificial Intelligence
Liberalism
Intellectual Humility
Philosophy Of Education
Moral Philosophy
De-Extinction
Humanities
Identity
Classical Chinese History
Gut Health
Swearing
Sima Qian
Chinese Culture
Feminism
Wonder
Musical Taste

The simplest questions often have the most complex answers. The Philosopher's Zone is your guide through the strange thickets of logic, metaphysics and ethics.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes777Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Philosopher's Zone

Latest Episodes

Is everything we do just for pleasure? For the Ancient Greek hedonists, and utilitarians such as Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), pleasure is what motivates us. And for most of us, if we think of a good life, we're probably imagining one filled with thing... more

When your political system runs to a three-year electoral cycle, it's hard to avoid the kind of short-term thinking that aims to please today's voters, while paying little more than lip service to future generations. And while this has long been a co... more

With liberal democracy in crisis around the world, we're talking about Confucianism and how Confucian political theory addresses such problems as economic inequality and rampant individualism. This week's guest is interested in developing a reconstru... more

Friedrich Nietzsche is a difficult figure to pin down politically. He's popularly known as the favourite philosopher of the architects of the Holocaust, and of today's neo-Nazis and far-right ideologues who venerate strength, domination and the exerc... more

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Recent Guests

Krushil Watene
Māori philosopher and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
Episode: 05 | Unsteady State | Politics for the future and the past
Sor-hoon Tan
Professor of Philosophy at Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University
Episode: 04 | Unsteady State | Confucianism and crisis
Adrian Daub
Professor of Comparative Literature and German Studies at Stanford University and co-host of In Bed With the Right
Stanford University
Episode: 03 | Unsteady State | What the Right gets wrong about Nietzsche
Alejandra Mancilla
Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
Episode: 02 | Unsteady State | Who owns Antarctica?
Alexandre Lefebvre
Professor of Politics and Philosophy at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Episode: 01 | Unsteady State | Politics and the good life
Michele Kennerly
Associate Professor in Communication Arts and Sciences and Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Penn State University
Penn State University
Episode: Technology and the lure of ancient Athens
Elena Gordon
Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
Episode: Sympathy, himpathy and feminism
Mark Schroeder
Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California
USC
Episode: Signal, noise and interpersonal conflict
Sameema Zahra
Psychotherapist and philosophy lecturer at the Australian Catholic University, Brisbane
Australian Catholic University
Episode: Feminism, generosity and cross-cultural support

Host

David Rutledge
Presenter and producer at ABC Radio National

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 949 ratings
  • PZone is the best. In depth and somehow still very accessible.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    tymtam
    5 days ago
  • GAY SCHOOL

    "it's the Same"

    A place, space & Time where students get to learn deeply the differences on reacting and judging.

    It feels at times that God got Bored n let everyone judge themselves. it hurts, I mean deeply to judge - a thinking style. Maybe even Private.

    This school, is about sketching likes. Feeling bad, then reacting with a Kinda Lika gender style. students choice.

    the difference is the same. In our culture, the emphasis is better girls with girls and the same with boys. only till the... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    She-inder
    Australiaa year ago
  • So disappointing

    Talk about slopaganda the reason Hamas returned no women hostages in recent release was they already had been released?! How about Inbar Hayman whose body has just been returned? I’m so disappointed.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    jrrko3odr
    Australiaa year ago
  • Was better when it was new

    I have been a regular listener of this podcast for almost 10 years now, going back to those early days when there were few pods and almost none on philosophical subjects.

    It is still one that I subscribe to but its uniqueness has faded. There are others who discuss these topics in more depth and with greater rigor. Yet this one has retained some of its charm. The host has struck the right balance between listening, questioning and intervening.

    Yet the guests disappoint more often than not beca... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    sidneyhart
    United States2 years ago
  • Best philosophy Podcast

    David Rutledge is a superb host and presenter. He draws out the interview is to let them explain themselves, often better than they would do if left to their own devices. He is knowledgeable about the subjects and able to raise critiques of ideas in a way that is non-combative, but sheds light. A wonderful program.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ZiggyandMicki
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some reviewers feel political and cultural discussions can become predictable or one-sided, and want a broader range of perspectives.
A few listeners criticize production choices, including background music that can make speech harder to hear.
Listeners value the range of topics and scholarly guests, though some want longer, more original or more varied conversations.
Listeners often praise David Rutledge for clear, considerate interviewing that gives guests room to explain and question their ideas.
Many find the discussions accessible, thought-provoking and useful as an introduction to philosophy and contemporary debates.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

05 | Unsteady State | Politics for the future and the past
Q: Why is that question necessary?
Watene explains that the idea of walking backwards into the future requires people to face their ancestors, histories and inherited injustices, while remembering that future generations will later assess the choices made today.
05 | Unsteady State | Politics for the future and the past
Q: What kind of political thinking does this kind of system foster in your view, particularly with reference to how it shapes our sense of obligation to the future?
Watene says short electoral horizons encourage short-term fixes and immediate benefits, making commitments to people who will live in the distant future difficult to sustain.
04 | Unsteady State | Confucianism and crisis
Q: Is what you're saying then that you can't really have a stable democracy at all without addressing the economic relationships underneath?
Tan argues that economic resources create power over others, making economic democracy necessary for meaningful democracy. She proposes recognizing co-ownership because individual achievements depend on contributions from other people and society.
04 | Unsteady State | Confucianism and crisis
Q: But if we agree that the self is constituted by its relationships and the community is fundamental, what's to stop the community from overriding individual liberty and dictating to the individual what sort of person they ought to be?
Tan distinguishes relational Confucianism from collectivism: relationships between actual people matter, rather than an abstract community that can be used to justify oppression. People have responsibilities within their relationships, but contemporary Confucians can seek a balance between those responsibilities and personal development and choice.
03 | Unsteady State | What the Right gets wrong about Nietzsche
Q: Where do you think Judith Butler continues a Nietzschean project, and where perhaps do they leave him behind?
Daub connects Butler's account of gender performativity to Nietzsche's view that customs and categories develop through changing interpretations. He says Butler also emphasizes that constructed gender categories remain connected to embodied experience and ethical concerns.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Philosopher's Zone

What is Philosopher's Zone about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Weekly conversations make philosophical ideas accessible by connecting them to current debates and ordinary experience. Presenter David Rutledge interviews philosophers, historians and other scholars about ethics, politics, democracy, technology, feminism, the environment and the history of ideas. The discussions explain key concepts and their intellectual background, then consider what they mean for public life, institutions and personal relationships.

The format is an interview rather than a lecture, with Rutledge guiding guests through complex arguments in a clear, measured and often practical way. Topics range from classic thinkers such as Hegel and Nietzsche to questions about artificial intelligence, climate grief and global governan... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Philosopher's Zone?

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1. The Minefield
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How many episodes of Philosopher's Zone are there?

Philosopher's Zone launched 21 years ago and published 777 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Philosopher's Zone?

Recent guests on Philosopher's Zone include:

1. Krushil Watene
2. Sor-hoon Tan
3. Adrian Daub
4. Alejandra Mancilla
5. Alexandre Lefebvre
6. Michele Kennerly
7. Elena Gordon
8. Mark Schroeder

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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