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Philosopher's Zone

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes777Founded20 years ago
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PhilosophySociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

If I pick up a tree branch and smash your window with it, you're going to be angry, and your anger will rightly be directed at me. But if a tree branch smashes your windscreen during a cyclone whose intensity has been caused by global warming, you're... more

Cultural Marxism is many things to many people — at one end of the political spectrum, it's the hidden force behind political correctness, identity politics and 'wokeness', while at the other end it's a shopworn conspiracy theory that explains nothin... more

The great German philosopher Jürgen Habermas, who died in March, wrote in his later works about what he called Unheimlichkeit — roughly translated as "the unease of the times" — to describe the global retreat of liberal democracy, the fraying of the ... more

When it comes to the ideal philosophical medium, most of us would identify the written word - or maybe the spoken word, if we're fans of Socratic dialogue - and this is because for centuries, philosophy has been a linguistic practice. But this week w... more

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Recent Guests

Alexander Howard
Senior Lecturer in English and Writing at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Episode: Who's afraid of Cultural Marxism?
Peter Verovšek
Senior Assistant Professor in the History and Theory of European Integration at the University of Groningen
University of Groningen
Episode: Habermas and the retreat of reason
Taylor-Jai McAlister
Wiradjuri woman, Aboriginal clinical psychologist, and philosophy researcher
Macquarie University
Episode: Visual art as philosophy
Tim Crane
Professor of Philosophy at Central European University in Vienna
Central European University
Episode: How smart are machines, anyway?
Mark Olsenauer
Author of Hegel's Soul Idea, The Last Great Metaphysical System
Northwestern University
Episode: Hegel: The philosopher with the (one) big idea
Paige McGuire
Eco feminist philosopher and environmental activist; PhD candidate at University of Queensland
University of Queensland
Episode: Eco-grief and environmental loss
Ben Bramble
Author; Lecturer in Philosophy at the Australian National University
Australian National University
Episode: Colonising space
Luara Ferricioli
Associate Professor, University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Episode: Can pregnancy be a job? the ethics of commercial surrogacy
Tal Harper
Associate Professor in the School of Media and Communication at Murdoch University in Perth
Murdoch University
Episode: Communication in an age of crisis

Host

David Rutledge
Host of The Philosopher's Zone

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 937 ratings
  • 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
    Australia10 months 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
  • Thought provoking

    Listened to the latest episode on recommendation from a friend. This is an accessible intro to a timely topic and history, discussed in a clear and considered way. It brings me back to studying philosophy years ago but at a level that’s right for me now.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    listener and plant whisperer
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Critiques often target episode notes for being brief and lacking guest specifics, not reflecting episode depth.
Listeners frequently commend the host's non-confrontational, insightful interviewing style and topic variety.
Audience notes the show blends accessibility with depth, praising thoughtful guests and clear questioning.
Some listeners wish for more diverse perspectives and less repetition of familiar viewpoints.
A number of reviews highlight high regard for the quality of conversations and educational value.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Habermas and the retreat of reason
Q: Can you outline the significance of Habermas's German-ness for understanding his thought?
Verovšek explains that Habermas's German background, born in 1929 and shaped by the Nazi era and its aftermath, deeply influenced his commitment to universal, humanistic values and to rebuilding Germany as a model for cosmopolitan democracy.
How smart are machines, anyway?
Q: Tim, you've spent a good deal of your career thinking about intentionality, what you might call the aboutness of thought. Can you tell me more about that, and how it plays into whether machines can actually think?
Intention is about directedness toward objects; machines can have representational states, but this intentionality is derivative of our minds. They don't possess conscious aboutness; their representations depend on human interpretation, and thinking is a mind-involving process rather than an intrinsic machine quality.
Can pregnancy be a job? the ethics of commercial surrogacy
Q: How do abortion rights influence the ethical debate on surrogacy?
Abortion rights shape the feasibility of treating surrogacy as legitimate work, because a surrogate's right to opt out or terminate a pregnancy must be compatible with the legal and practical availability of abortion services in the jurisdiction where the surrogacy occurs.
Can pregnancy be a job? the ethics of commercial surrogacy
Q: Why might some scholars argue surrogacy is a legitimate form of work?
Scholars like Cecile Fabre argue surrogacy can be seen as a form of work that uses the body's capacities similarly to other jobs, as long as the process preserves the surrogate's autonomy and the parental rights are allocated in a way that respects the best interests of the child.
Can pregnancy be a job? the ethics of commercial surrogacy
Q: What is the central ethical problem with commercial surrogacy, according to the guest?
The central issue is whether paying a surrogate reduces procreation to a contractual arrangement while also ensuring the surrogate's autonomy and the commissioning parents' status as moral parents from conception; these aims can be in tension and even incompatible under certain theoretical frameworks.

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?

Accessible, timely philosophy discussions that bridge abstract ideas with real-world issues. The show covers AI and the nature of thinking, ethics of emerging technologies, environmental ethics, crisis communication, Indigenous epistemologies in art and philosophy, and politics-informed public discourse. Guests tend to be scholars and practitioners who offer rigorous critique alongside practical implications, making complex topics approachable for engaged listeners. Noteworthy is a consistent emphasis on how philosophy can illuminate contemporary debates, from space ethics and surrogate rights to democracy and media, while inviting interdisciplinary perspectives and accessible dialogue for a broad audience.

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Which podcasts are similar to Philosopher's Zone?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Philosopher's Zone:

1. The Minefield
2. Big Ideas
3. All In The Mind
4. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today
5. Late Night Live — Full program podcast

How many episodes of Philosopher's Zone are there?

Philosopher's Zone launched 20 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. Alexander Howard
2. Peter Verovšek
3. Taylor-Jai McAlister
4. Tim Crane
5. Mark Olsenauer
6. Paige McGuire
7. Ben Bramble
8. Luara Ferricioli

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