
As the above picture makes clear, microphones were a bit larger back when Bertrand Russell, some years after resigning from the faculty of the University of Chicago, presented his lecture on Authority and the Individual on a BBC broadcast in 1949. Below you will find a selection of interviews, lectures and podcasts, some recorded in Chicago, most recorded elsewhere, featuring members of the current faculty of the Philosophy Department of the University of Chicago.
Download Quicktime or Real Player or iTunes
Interviews and Lectures, many outside the University of Chicago
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W
Jason Bridges
Discussant at Anscombe's Intention Conference, April 24, 2009 - Listen
Jason Bridges discusses contextualism on the June 2010 episode of Elucidations.
Agnes Callard
"on the reason to be angry forever" - Lunchtime talk at the Franke Institute, April 14, 2010 - Listen
Agnes Callard discusses desire and satisfaction on the July 2009 episode of Elucidations.
Discussant at Anscombe's Intention Conference, April 24, 2009 - Listen
"Metaphor and Ambiguity: Two for the Price of One" at Humanities Day at the University of Chicago - View
Introduction to Josef Stern's talk at the Franke Institute: “The Unbinding of Isaac: Maimonides on Genesis 22 (The Aqedah)” May 5, 2010 - View
Ted Cohen discusses metaphor on the March 2010 episode of Elucidations.
"Humor and the Tabooo" on Odyssey (NPR), June 25, 2001 - Link
Discussiong the philosophy of humor and his book Jokes: philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters, on Odyssey (NPR), December 15, 1999 - Link
James Conant
Videos of James Conant and Arnold Davidson, along with others, speaking at the Humanities Center at Harvard, on Oct. 14, 2010 at an event, celebrating the publication of Stanley Cavell's autobiography, Little Did I Know. - Link
Discussing Wittgenstein on a show titled "Showing the Fly the Way Out" on German Radio SWR2 on June 9th, 2008 - Listen
"John McDowell's Kant" lecture given on September 19, 2005, University of Bergen - Listen
"Family Resemblance, Composite Photography, and Unity of Concept: Goethe, Galton, Wittgenstein" lecture given on September 15, 2005, University of Bergen - Abstract or Listen
Varieties of Skepticism, a series of lectures given in August-September, 2005 at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bergen, Norway - Link
"The Alleged Heresy of Mono-Wittgensteinianism," lecture given on June 2, 2005 at Wittgenstein, Philosophy and Language conference in Skjolden, Norway - Listen
Discussing Science and Aesthetics on Odyssey (NPR), January 3, 2003 - Link
Discussing Pragmatism on Odyssey (NPR), April 24, 2002 - Link
Discussing the Aesthetic of Beauty on Odyssey (NPR), June 17, 2002 - Link
"The continuity of Wittgenstein's philosophy: why worry about the Tractatus?" lecture given on December 15, 2001, University of Bergen - Abstract or Listen
Arnold Davidson
Arnold Davidson discusses "Improvisation" with Vijay Iyer, Composer and Jazz Pianist, and Experimental Music Scholar George Lewis in Concert at Wellesley College (Youtube, disucssion begins at 36:37) - Link
Videos of James Conant and Arnold Davidson, along with others, speaking at the Humanities Center at Harvard, on Oct. 14, 2010 at an event, celebrating the publication of Stanley Cavell's autobiography, Little Did I Know. - Link
Arnold Davidson's collaboration with George Lewis: Improvisation as a Way of Life, Autumn 2010 - Link
After Professor Carol Rovane's introduction to the panelists and theme of the conversation, the keynote speaker, philosopher Arnold Davidson, presents his views on improvisation and ethics. Davidson's interest lies not only in how ethics bears on improvisation, but what improvisation can tell us about ethics. He makes reference to the ancient tradition of self-realization through rational inquiry, or "care of the self," to explore the relation between self and other in the process of collective improvisation. Link to Video
Improvisation and Ethics: Discussion. Eric Lewis, Lydia Goehr, Bernard Gendron, Lorenzo Simpson, and Carol Rovane share their views on improvisation and ethics, and keynote speaker Arnold Davidson responds. Link to Video
Discussant at "Paraphilias" at the Philoctetes Center, October 18, 2008 - Podcast and Video
“In Praise of Counter-Conduct” at the Foucoult Across the Disciplines Conference, University of California, Santa Cruz, March 2, 2008 - Listen
Discussing the legacy of Michael Foucault on Odyssey (NPR), March 8, 2005 - Listen
"Talking back book cover" for La vacanza morale del fascismo: Intorno a Primo Levi (in Italian) - Video
David Finkelstien
Discussing New Year's Resolutions on Odyssey (NPR), January 4, 2005 - Listen
Discussing Language and Thought on Odyssey (NPR), May 29, 2002 - Listen
John Haugeland
The relationship between philosophers Martin Heidigger and Hannah Arendt is examined on Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight series, Sept. 24, 2004 - Listen
Ben Laurence
How Can Justice Be Served in Jon Burge Trial? What would constitute justice in this case? The impact of the Burge case – from the status of those wrongfully convicted to the breach of trust between police and the communities they are upheld to serve and protect is explored on Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight series, May 25, 2010 - Listen
Jonathan Lear
"On Point: the case for irony" - On Point with Tom Ashbrook, December 5, 2011 - Link
Transcript and audio of ABC Radio (Australia) interview, January 31, 2009
Discussing Happiness, Death, and the Remainder of Life on Odyssey (NPR), December 6, 2000 - Listen
The Life And Times Of Freud (Talk of the Nation on NPR), October 13, 1998 - Listen
Martha Nussbaum
Dr. Martha Nussbaum spoke at Utah Valley University (Ethics Radio) on April 15, 2011. - Link
"In-Depth: C-Span Book TV" June 10, 2010 - Video Link
Scenes from The Beaux' Stratagem and Mrs Warren's Profession during the Conference on Gender, Law, and the British Novel May 14-15, 2010 Video Link
Video: Martha Nussbaum, "Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution" The University of Chicago Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Alumni Group Lecture, October 22, 2009. - Link
Martha Nussbaum discusses sexuality and the law on the October 2009 episode of Elucidations.
University of School Law School Faculty Podcast: Judge Diane Wood and Martha Nussbaum discussion "Constitutions and Capabilities" Feb. 2, 2009
"From Disgust to Humanity: Sexual Orientation and Constitutional Law," October 30, 2008, as part of the Law School's Diversity Week, and sponsored by Outlaw
2008 Nora and Edward Ryerson Lecture.May 14, 2008 - Link
The Real Clash of Civilizations: Democracy, Religious Violence, and the Case of India” December 3, 2007, Yale Law School
100th Episode, Original Airdate 8/29/2006, Philosophy Talk
Friendship, Original Airdate 11/29/2005 on Philosophy Talk
The Indispensible Emotions, Original Airdate 07/26/2005 on Philosophy Talk
Discussing Measuring Poverty on Odyssey (NPR), May 27, 2003- Link
“People as Fictions: Proust and the Ladder of Love” at the Erotikon Symposium
Video, March 2001

Robert Pippin
Sternstunde Philosophie vom 03.10.2010 (in German) - Video Link
The Pippin Vodcast of the 2010 Page-Barbour and Richard Lecture Series given at the University of Virginia - iTunes Link
Discussing Jean-Pierre Dupuy's talk, Interview by Natacha Ruck, Stanford Storytelling Project, January 2010 - Link
"Fate and Film Noir: Some Filmic Philosophy in Out of the Past", Film and Philosophy Conference, January 2010 - Link
Imagining Utopia Roundtable February 8, 2007 at Philoctetes, The Multidisciplinary Study of Imagination
2004 Ryerson Lecture: Robert Pippin: “Bourgeois Philosophy? On the Problem of Leading a Free Life”
"Mine and Thine? The Kantian State"
Author Meets Critics: Robert Pippin, Henry James and Modern Moral Life
March 29, 2001, American Philosophical Association
Pacific Division Meeting
“The Erotic Nietzsche: Philosophers without Philosophy” at the Erotikon Symposium -Video, March 2001
Inaugural convocation ceremony of Robert J. Zimmer - Video
Robert Richards
Darwin's Natural Theology at the Franke Institute on March 5, 2008 - Listen
Darwin’s Origin of Species and Descent of Man course at the University of Chicago, Fall Quarter 2008 video and audio
Discussing Science and Aesthetics on Odyssey (NPR), January 3, 2003 - Link
Discussing Rhetoric and Science on Odyssey (NPR), March 25, 2002 - Link
Discussion with Bill Wimsatt about "Science in Public Life" on Odyssey (NPR), August 13, 2001 - Listen
Past-Present-Future -- conceptions of time in Western thought as part of this week's WBEZ series onTime, December 7, 1999 - Link
Gabriel Richardson Lear
Gabriel Richardson Lear discusses Plato's philosophy of poetry on the August 2009 episode of Elucidations.
Josef Stern
At the Franke Institute: “The Unbinding of Isaac: Maimonides on Genesis 22 (The Aqedah)” May 5, 2010 - View
Candace Vogler
It's all about me - a forum on the philosophy of self on "The Philosopher's Zone" ABC National Radio in Sydney, Australia, July 10, 2010 - read more and listen
At the Franke Institute: “Ethical Challenges”, March 4, 2009 - Listen
Discussing "Philosophy's Conception of Evil" on Odyssey (NPR), March 3, 2003 - Listen
Candace Vogler discusses Aquinas's arguments on intention, action and practical good, (0:53 min) © Fathom 2003. Link
William Wimsatt
On re-engineering philosophy for limited beings at the Franke Institute, with introductions by Françoise Meltzer and Robert Richards, May 2, 2007- Listen
Discussion with Bob Richards about "Science in Public Life" on Odyssey (NPR), August 13, 2001 - Listen
Past-Present-Future -- conceptions of time in Western thought as part of this week's WBEZ series onTime, December 7, 1999 - Link
Top of page
A monthly podcast from the University of Chicago philosophy department. Faculty members and guests talk with two graduate students (Matt Teichman and Mark Hopwood) about their latest work, covering a range of topics from the theoretical to the practical, including perception, moral motivation, and sexual orientation. Click here for the most recent podcast. If you have questions or comments about Elucidations, please contact Matt Teichman.
College de France (in French)
Conversations From the Pale Blue Dot
Justice with Michael Sandel (Harvard)
Top of page
Division of the Humanities | UChicago
1115 East 58th Street, Chicago IL 60637 tel: 773-702-8513 fax: 773-702-5259
© 2007 The University of Chicago