What is Robert Nozick's utopia?
Robert Nozick’s Anarchy , State and Utopia (1974) was designed as a rebuttal to Rawls but it was so much more than that. It offered a defence of the minimal state that appealed to the writers of The Sopranos and a vision of utopia that appealed to the founders of Silicon Valley. David explores what Nozick wanted to achieve and identifies the surprising radicalism behind his political minimalism. Recommended version to buy Going Deeper: Robert Nozick, The Examined Life (1989) Jonathan Wolff, Robert Nozick: Property, Justice and the Minimal State (1991) Stephen Metcalf, ‘The Liberty Scam’, Slate (2011) [Video] Shelly Kagan, 'Hedonism and Nozick's Experience Machine' (from Open Yale Courses) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What did John Rawls do in 1971?
Rawls on Justice. John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice (1971) changed the face of modern political philosophy by reinventing the question of what constitutes fairness. From ‘the veil of ignorance’ to ‘reflective equ…. 47 min.
What is the second sex book?
De Beauvoir on the Other. Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex (1949) is one of the founding texts of modern feminism and one of the most important books of the twentieth century. It covers everything from ancient …. 47 min. MAR 23, 2021.
How did John Rawls' theory of justice change the world?
John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice (1971) changed the face of modern political philosophy by reinventing the question of what constitutes fairness. From ‘the veil of ignorance’ to ‘reflective equilibrium’ it introduced new ways of thinking about the problem of justice along with new problems for thinking about politics. David discusses Rawls’s influence on what happened next. Recommended version to buy - Michael Sandel, Liberalism and the Limits of Justice (1982, 1998) - Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender, and the Family (1989) - Katrina Forrester, In the Shadow of Justice: Postwar Liberalism and the Remaking of Political Philosophy (2019) - [Audio]: 'John Rawls' A Theory of Justice,' BBC Radio 3, Arts & Ideas See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Who made the case that the worst of all the vices is cruelty?
Judith Shklar’s Ordinary Vices (1984) made the case that the worst of all the vices is cruelty. But that meant we needed to be more tolerant of some other common human failings, including snobbe…
Who is the author of Talking Politics?
Talking Politics. A new series of talks by David Runciman, in which he explores some of the most important thinkers and prominent ideas lying behind modern politics – from Hobbes to Gandhi, from democracy to patriarchy, from revolution to lock down.
Why was Hayek worried about the road to serfdom?
He feared that wartime planning would spill over into the peacetime economy and destroy hard won freedoms. David explores where Hayek’s fears came from, and asks why he worried that democracy would only make the problem worse. He also considers what makes Hayek such a politically influential and divisive figure to this day.
What was the Leviathan about?
It redefined many of the ideas that continue to shape modern politics: representation, sovereignty, the state. But in Leviathan, these ideas have a strange and puzzling power. David explores what Hobbes was trying to achieve and how a vision of politics that came out of the English Civil War can still illuminate the world we live in today.
What is the best book about democracy?
Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America can claim to be both the best book ever written about democracy and the best book ever written about America. David discusses what Tocqueville was expecting when he went to see American democracy for himself and what he actually found. Tocqueville was amazed and impressed by the American way of doing politics, but his fears about how its democracy might go wrong remain as prescient as ever.
What is Hannah Arendt's book about?
At its heart is an analysis of the relationship between labour, work and action, set against a time of rapid technological change. Arendt worried about the power of computers, believed in the capacity of people to reinvent themselves through politics and despaired of the influence of Thomas Hobbes. Was she right?
What is the purpose of Max Weber's The Profession and Vocation of Politics?
Max Weber’s The Profession and Vocation of Politics was a lecture that became one of the defining texts of twentieth century political thought. In it, Weber explores the perils and paradoxes of leadership in a modern state. Is it possible to do bad in order to do good? Can violence ever be virtuous? Does political responsibility send politicians mad? David discusses the legacy of Weber’s ideas and asks: who is the true Weberian politician?
What is the lesson of Benjamin Constant's The Liberty of the Ancients compared to the Liberty of the Modern?
Benjamin Constant’s The Liberty of the Ancients Compared to the Liberty of the Moderns examines what it means to be free in the modern world. Are we at liberty to follow our hearts? Do we have an obligation to take an interest in politics? What happens if we don’t? David explores the lessons Constant drew from the failures of the French Revolution and his timeless message about the perils of political indifference.
What was Gandhi's idea of self rule?
Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj was a defining text of the movement for Indian independence from British colonial rule. It also articulated a radical new idea of politics in a modern context–peaceful protest or non-violent resistance.
Who is Paul Broks?
Neuropsychologist Paul Broks looks at the idea of leading a good life by being selfish.
Who asked how we can be sure we are the same person that we were yesterday?
Paul Broks asks how we can be sure we are the same person that we were yesterday.
Who explores the shadow inside all of us?
Jules Evans explores Jung and the shadow inside all of us.
Who said objects only exist in our minds?
Clare Carlisle grapples with Bishop Berkley's idea that objects only exist in our minds.
Who asked Gus O'Donnell how to measure the good life?
Philosopher Jules Evans asks Gus O'Donnell how to measure the good life.
Who is the criminologist who looks at Thomas Hobbes and his'social contract' theory?
Criminologist David Wilson looks at Thomas Hobbes and his 'social contract' theory.
Who said "To live well together we must first consider the dead"?
Timothy Secret on Confucius. To live well together we must first consider the dead.
Learn more with The Open University
Watch the animations and then delve into free related content from The Open University.
Aristotle's Guide To The Good Life
Aristotle's ideas are more contemporary than you might think. Read and be happy.
Philosophy animated
Andrew Park, talks about the influence of Monty Python on his History of Ideas work.
Aidan Turner joins A History of Ideas
Aidan Turner narrates this series of A History of Ideas. Find out more.
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
Can You Believe In Miracles?
Can You Believe In Miracles? Look at the evidence, advised Philosopher David Hume.
