Diksha Sundriyal
Philosophers, assemble! The podcast world has a great many offerings to indulge the brooding dreamer inside you, the thinker who never stops questioning everything and anything you come across. Every human being has the tendency to question things, but there are some that take it a step further and are more intense about this stuff. If you are one of those people, whether you are an academic or the non-certified truth-seeker, no matter. All these podcasts are well-suited for the existential alchemist in you. If you have been wondering what to hear next out of the ocean of philosophy podcasts available out there, allow us to narrow it down for you. Here’s the list of top philosophy podcasts. You can listen to several of these best philosophy podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or even YouTube for free.
10. The Big Idea (2018 – )
An idea can change the world, and this BBC podcast discusses the ideas that are changing the world right now. Tackling all sorts of situations that we face in daily lives; it looks for the solutions in the most unnatural places. Do you want to learn about the stock market? Have a look at the evolutionary history we share with apes and monkeys. Can an idea pass down the generations like a gene? What is the real scope of artificial intelligence for humankind and could it really turn our world into a sci-fi nightmare? ‘The Big Idea’ goes in the depth of all these questions and surfaces with some precious stuff. Listen to the podcast here.
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9. Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin (2018 – )
‘Akimbo,’ the title of the podcast comes from “an ancient word, from the bend in the river or the bend in an archer’s bow”. In this podcast, the host talks to us about the changes that we need to bring into the world, about the age-old traditions that need to be bent, the preconceptions that we have about how we should behave in society and conform to be what it expects from us. From status roles to placebo, to the difference between what we want and what we need- a myriad of topics is covered in ‘Akimbo’. You can listen to all its episodes here.
8. Pop Culture Philosophers (2018 – )
Movies, TV shows, music, comics, and other forms of entertainment have much more impact on our thought-process than most people give them credit for. This podcast discusses all these things in-depth with a panel of experts on pop culture, and more. You want to understand the meaning behind Spielberg films and explore the meaning of existentialism at the same time? Do religion and X-Men occupy your mind space simultaneously? Well then, this is where you should be. The range of topics here has no limits. You can rant about Trump and discuss fantasy movies at the same time. It is especially perfect for the people who have long commutes. The length varies between one hour and an hour-and-a-half. You can catch all episodes of ‘Pop Culture Philosophers’ here.
7. The Philosophy of Crime (2018 – )
So, you are a true-crime fan. You want to know about the psychology of the killers, but you are also interested in the mechanism of their moral compass? What goes in their mind when they kill someone? How do they justify their actions to themselves? What keeps guilt away from them? ‘The Philosophy of Crime’ treads those waters and dives deep to into the minds of a criminal. Do I have your attention now? You can catch all episodes of this podcast here.
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6. Elucidations: A University of Chicago Podcast (2009 -)
Hosted by Matt Teichman, ‘Elucidations: A University of Chicago Podcast’ indulges a prominent philosopher, once a month, with a conversation that allows them to mull over a wide range of topics. Is there an end to human desire? What makes poetry so beautiful? Should we trust our own perceptions? What makes metaphors more powerful than simple words? How important is skepticism for the development of the world? In the world that is ruled by science, what is the meaning of holding on to faith? You can listen to all episodes of ‘Elucidations’ here.
5. Hi-Phi Nation (2016 – )
Does philosophy bore you? I mean, are you interested in all the things that people talk about, all the poking and prodding into the nature of the universe and all other things? But do you want the philosophers to take a different turn while explaining all these things? Listen to ‘Hi-Phi Nation’. The discussions of all that is deep and wondrous in existence takes place in a story-form here. Topics like science, nature, law, morality, religions, and whatnot are integrated into a narrative structure that you are sure to get hooked to. And these stories aren’t made out of thin air. They are about some very interesting characters, the stories of whom you probably wouldn’t have heard before. You can listen to all episodes of the podcast here.
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4. Philosophize This! (2013 – )
Every once in a while, there come people who introduce the world to something that changes everything about it. Philosophers have been a significant part of the world and have played a crucial role in bringing us where we are right now. From the ones who laid the foundation of modern society to the ones who took humanity a step further in the quest of understanding itself, ‘Philosophize This!’ takes you through a riveting journey in history. It is advised to listen to this podcast in chronological order. All of its episodes are available here.
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3. The Public Philosopher (2012 – )
The world is a tumultuous mess. Every corner of it is tainted with one controversial thing or another. We need to pick a side today, and we need to be sure that it is the right one. In this podcast, Harvard political philosopher, Michael Sandel, analyses the world one event at a time. What are the basic grounds of moral standing? What is the importance of your vote? Can this world continue with a democratic structure or do we need something better? Do we really need robots to do all our work? Can you expect a corruption-free state? Listen to all episodes of ‘The Public Philosopher’ here.
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2. WHY? – Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life (2017 -)
Regular life is not as mundane as some people think of it. If you ponder hard enough, it is actually full of questions that define our lives. Why is laughter the best medicine? What is a midlife crisis and why is it? Is there is a certain way you should read a comic book? Do we still need to study Shakespeare? (I know I have offended someone with this one!) What is literacy? What constitutes a war crime? Why do we like jazz so much? In this podcast, host Jack Russell tries to find answers to all these questions. You can listen to all episodes of ‘WHY?’ here.
1. The Badlands Politics and Philosophy Podcast (2018 -)
Politics is a sort of necessary evil. We need it to run the way we have built our government, but over the course of centuries, it has become a system that we don’t trust. We are wary and distrustful of politicians. How can we feel such a thing for the people we have entrusted to run the country? In this podcast, we discuss the philosophy of politics. Where did the idea of democracy, secularism, communism, and other things come from? What did they mean then and what do they mean now? How do we redefine these ideas with the changing world? Listen to ‘The Badlands Politics and Philosophy Podcast’ here and find out all about it.
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