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A podcast about Buddhist Philosophy.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Buddhist philosophy dialogues • reality, ineffability, existential judgment, science • secular/Western Buddhism critiques • engaging Buddhist ideas in Western philosophy • feminism, women in Buddhism, Korean Zen • bell hooks, Black feminist aestheticsThis podcast explores Buddhist philosophy through conversational interviews with scholars and thinkers, focusing on how Buddhist ideas intersect with broader philosophical and cultural debates. Across the episodes, the discussions examine foundational epistemological and metaphysical questions such as whether we can make reliable judgments about reality, the possibility of an ineffable dimension beyond conceptual grasp, and what—if anything—needs to be ultimately real for inquiry and science to proceed.
A recurring theme is how Buddhist philosophical frameworks can be engaged by contemporary Western philosophy and how modern interpretations of Buddhism reshape or distort traditional concepts. The conversations consider whether a secular or modernized Buddhism is coherent, how to understand conceptual missteps in contemporary Buddhist discourse, and even whether Buddhism might be approached as a kind of fiction or interpretive practice rather than a set of literal metaphysical claims.
The podcast also foregrounds social, ethical, and political dimensions of Buddhist thought, particularly through feminist and critical theory lenses. It looks at women’s engagement with Buddhist philosophy historically and in modern contexts, including discussions of Zen traditions, Mahāyāna literature on bodily transformation, women’s roles in Buddhist cultures, and points of contact between Buddhist existential concerns and feminist struggles. It further considers how Buddhist perspectives might inform readings of Black feminist aesthetics, using bell hooks as a key reference point. Overall, the show presents Buddhist philosophy as a living field of inquiry that spans classical doctrinal issues and contemporary critical conversations.
| Episodes: |
Episode 6 Can we make existential judgements?2021-Jan-15 42 minutes |
Episode 5 Buddhism and bell hooks2020-Jul-23 37 minutes |
Episode 4 How do women engage with Buddhist Philosophy?2020-Jul-10 47 minutes |
Episode 3 What’s wrong with Western Buddhism? with Glenn Wallis2020-Jul-02 90 minutes |
Episode 2 Engaging Buddhist Philosophy with Jay Garfield2020-Jun-24 less than a minute |
Episode 1 Why and How to Engage with Buddhist Philosophy2020-Jun-18 34 minutes |