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The new philosophy podcast! Philosopher Rebecca Lowe talks with philosophical guests about philosophical concepts, with the aim of providing rigorous yet accessible rough working definitions.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Philosophical definitions and analysis • Political philosophy: liberalism, democracy, freedom, politics, equality • Ethics: rights, animals, forgiveness, happiness • Privacy and transparency • Consciousness, AI consciousness, moral statusThis podcast is a conversational philosophy show in which host Rebecca Lowe interviews philosophers and other guests to develop clear, “working” definitions of major concepts. Across episodes, the discussions focus on how difficult it can be to define widely used terms, what different definitions assume, and what follows—practically and morally—if one definition rather than another is adopted.
A substantial thread runs through political philosophy and public life. The show examines concepts central to modern societies such as democracy, freedom, rights, privacy, transparency, liberalism, equality, and politics itself. Conversations often connect abstract analysis to institutions and law, including questions about how rights are grounded, whether rights can conflict, how privacy should be protected legally, what liberal institutions require, and what it means to call a country or political order “free” or “democratic.” Historical influences also appear, such as the role of Roman law and early egalitarian movements in shaping present-day understandings.
The podcast also turns to moral philosophy and philosophy of mind. Topics include happiness and forgiveness, exploring what counts as genuine instances of these phenomena and how they relate to nearby ideas like justice, charity, grace, mercy, and forbearance. Discussions of consciousness address what it is for an organism to be conscious, how explanations of consciousness differ, what people mean by AI consciousness, and why consciousness matters for moral status. Questions about animals extend these concerns to the boundaries of moral consideration, including the difference between animals and plants, permissible treatment of animals, and whether there are obligations concerning extinct species.
| Episodes: |
Working Definition episode 12: Animals, with J.P. Andrew2026-Jul-11 77 minutes |
Working Definition episode 11: Consciousness, with Tim Crane2026-May-31 58 minutes |
Working Definition episode 10: Equality, with Teresa Bejan2026-Apr-23 57 minutes |
Working Definition episode 9: Forgiveness, with Ben Brophy2026-Mar-28 61 minutes |
Working Definition episode 8: Rights, with John Tasioulas2026-Feb-18 65 minutes |
Working Definition episode 7: Happiness, with Henry Oliver2025-Dec-26 47 minutes |
Working Definition episode 6: Liberalism, with Michael Ignatieff2025-Dec-12 54 minutes |
Working Definition episode 5: Politics, with Oliver Traldi2025-Nov-12 59 minutes |
Working Definition episode 4: Privacy, with Ignacio Cofone2025-Sep-29 48 minutes |
Working Definition episode 3: Freedom, with Tyler Cowen2025-Aug-29 60 minutes |
Working Definition episode 2: Democracy, with Josiah Ober2025-Aug-03 61 minutes |
Working Definition episode 1: Transparency, with Tom Hoenig2025-Jul-20 39 minutes |