Explore every episode of the podcast Philosophy for All

Should you put on Plato's Ring of Gyges? What makes a decision a good one? And what can slaying dragons teach us about living well? Join philosopher, educator, author and veteran Dungeon Master Peter Worley for an accessible introduction to the surprising philosophical depth of Dungeons & Dragons. Using examples from the game alongside ideas from the Stoics, Simone de Beauvoir and Nietzsche, Peter Worley will show how role-playing can become a powerful way of thinking about the decisions we make both in fantasy worlds and in our own lives. No previous experience of D&D required.

Peter Worley is a philosopher-educator, specialising in questioning, dialogue, and philosophical inquiry. He is the author or editor of eleven books on doing philosophy, including The If Machine, The If Odyssey and Corrupting Youth. He is creator of PhiE pedagogy of philosophical enquiry, and the Founder of The Philosophy Foundation, through which he helped bring philosophy into schools, communities, and workplaces internationally.

Peter's website: peterworley.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sean O'Connor talks about the moral philosophy of Adam Smith. Smith is often portrayed as the philosopher of selfishness and free markets. But was he really? In fact, Smith was first and foremost a moral philosopher, deeply interested in sympathy, human motivation, and how people cooperate in society. Drawing on close observation of human behaviour, his work offers a far richer view of self-interest than the stereotype suggests. In this talk, Sean O’Connor introduced Smith’s ideas and explored what they reveal about morality, self-interest, and human cooperation today.

Sean O’Connor spent over twenty years as an advertising executive before becoming a serial entrepreneur, assembler of private equity projects, investor and corporate strategist. He has been the Chairman of a number of public and private companies and a director of many others. His acclaimed novel, The Prisoner’s Dilemma, was published in 2013 and his four-volume series, The Secrets of Life: From Big Bang to Trump appeared throughout 2023.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second episode presents Christian Michel, a journalist and essayist, who teaches economics at City Lit and organises the café philo at the French Institute in London.

Here, Christian talks about values. What are they? How do we identify them? Are there such things as universal values, or are values irremediably limited by culture and social conditioning?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Andy West talks about philosophy in prison. Andy is a philosopher, writer, and author of the acclaimed book "The Life Inside", adapted for the BBC miniseries Waiting For The Out.

Here, he talks about his time teaching philosophy in prisons, and discusses the questions of freedom, moral responsibility and free will with the audience.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to the podcast channel of Philosophy For All, a London-based initiative dedicated to making philosophy accessible, alive, and relevant to contemporary life. We've been around since 1998!

Here, you'll find talks, conferences, and events to listen to, might have missed, or want to enjoy again. Our first episode about philosophy in prison with philosopher Andy West is coming soon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.