Philosophy Talk has added two new voices to its broadcast team, with co-hosts Debra Satz and Joshua Landy. Both Stanford professors, Satz and Landy will join host Ken Taylor on alternating weeks. John Perry will become host emeritus.
The program producers write:
We've heard you asking, "Where's John?" Our beloved co-host has been working hard to meet looming publisher deadlines and other academic commitments. The fact is that hosting a weekly radio show is extremely time consuming, requiring research, writing, meetings, broadcasts, live recordings, and travel, among other things. To free up some bandwidth for his other scholarly pursuits, John will become Host Emeritus after more than 13 years in the co-host chair! But don't worry - he will still step in to share his great wisdom - and special sense of humor - online and also on the air.
About the hosts:
Debra Satz - co-host
Debra Satz is an award-winning professor in the Philosophy Department at Stanford and was recently director of the McCoy Center for Ethics in Society. She has also just finished her term as the senior associate dean for the humanities and arts.
"I am a political philosopher whose work addresses contemporary public policy debates. My research focuses on the ethical limits of markets; the meaning and place of equality in a just society; theories of rational choice; feminist philosophy; a society’s obligations to its citizens, especially with respect to education; and issues of international justice.
"I've been a guest on Philosophy Talk several times and really do think the show is outstanding. In an age where loud voices are drowning out critical perspectives, I am thrilled to be part of a program which makes reasoned argument its central mission."
Joshua Landy - co-host
Joshua Landy is a celebrated professor of French language, literature and civilization as well as professor of comparative literature. He is also co-founder and co-director of Stanford's Initiative in Philosophy and Literature. He teaches courses on first-person fiction, philosophy and literature, and the art of living.
"My research revolves around the intersection of philosophy and literature. I focus on the works of authors and thinkers such as Proust, Beckett, Plato, and Nietzsche, and through them explore our relationship with fiction as a genre. Why are we drawn to it? And what do we get out of it?
"Philosophy Talk is quite remarkable for its approachable treatment of complex philosophical topics, and I've had a great time both as a host and a guest on the show. I'm very happy to join the team and look forward to many more episodes in the co-host's chair."
Ken Taylor - Co-host
Ken Taylor is the current Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy at Stanford University. He is also director of Stanford's interdisciplinary program in Symbolic Systems. His work lies at the intersection of the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind, with an occasional foray into the history of philosophy. He is the author of many books and articles, including Truth and Meaning, Reference and the Rational Mind, and the forthcoming Referring to the World.
John Perry - Host Emeritus
John Perry is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of California at Riverside, and Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Stanford University. He is the author of over 100 articles and books, including A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality, Knowledge, Possibility, and Consciousness, and Reference and Reflexivity. He also has the internet’s most popular essay on procrastination.
About the program:
Philosophy Talk celebrates the value of the examined life. Each week, our host philosophers invite you to join them in conversation on a wide variety of issues ranging from popular culture to our most deeply-held beliefs about science, morality, and the human condition. Philosophy Talk challenges listeners to identify and question their assumptions and to think about things in new ways. We are dedicated to reasoned conversation driven by human curiosity. Philosophy Talk is accessible, intellectually stimulating, and most of all, fun! The program airs Thursday nights at 7:00 PM on Valley Public Radio.
Philosophy Talk is produced by KALW on behalf of Stanford University, as part of its Humanities Outreach Initiative.