Why We Argue

Seeing Truth in Physics

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Stephon Alexander talks about a better way of thinking about the interconnections between music, physics, and creativity and how as someone often seen as “outside” the field, he has found freedom to think harder, pursue ideas, and carve a place for himself in the story of science. Alexander and Alexis Boylan discuss how we should be thinking about physics, art, and the meaning of life all together, all the time.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

Alexis L. Boylan is the director of academic affairs of the University of Connecticut Humanities Institute (UCHI) and an associate professor with a joint appointment in the Art and Art History Department and the Africana Studies Institute

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Seeing Truth in the Climate Crisis

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Feeling bad about the environment? You should. Artist Alexis Rockman talks about his art, the potential for real change, and his ongoing relationship with the American Museum of Natural History.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in the Lab

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Max Liboiron founder of Environmental Action Research (CLEAR), a feminist, anti-colonial laboratory talks about making better science and how they aren’t interested in dismantling the masters house (because who cares about that place) but they definitely are taking those tools.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in Photographs

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Artist Penelope Umbrico talks about her work, images as currency, and how technology and various platforms herd images. And is photography tyrannical? Umbrico has some thoughts.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in the Archives

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Joel Sweimler, Exhibition Specialist at the American Museum of Natural History, talks about his career at the museum, working on Seeing Truth, and what his favorite object in the collection happen to be this week.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in Museums

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Feeling down about museums? We have so many reasons to, but Chris Newell, Tribal Community Member-in-Residence at UConn and Director of Education at the Akomawt Educational Initiative, gives a dose of optimism about the future of museums.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in the Speculative: A Conversation with Dexter Gabriel

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Historian and author Dexter Gabriel talks about his relationship to truth and memory in his fiction and non-fiction writing. Come for his thoughts on what truth we can find in history and stay for his thoughts about George Washington’s teeth and his affection for astrolabes.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in Picturing the Pandemic:

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Professor Sarah Willen talks about her part in creating the Pandemic Journaling Project and how that has morphed into a series of visual exhibitions that emphasis how we all can work to create new histories, shape archives, and reclaim our own creativity and power.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in Variability, Creativity, and Building Biological Collections

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In this episode, scientists speak back to ideas about collection building, knowledge making, and the role of art and creativity in research. Bernard Goffinet and Eric Schultz, professors in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut, discuss their roles in building and maintaining UConn’s Biodiversity Research Collections and their vision for how scientific knowledge, data, and research will shape our future.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at our website.

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Seeing Truth in Plant Humanities

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Art historian Romita Ray has long puzzled power, visual culture, and how knowledge moves globally. Currently writing about tea, we talk with Ray about botany, picking tea, archives, and the sexiness (and importance) of plant intimacies.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at here.

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Seeing Truth in Making and Unmaking Art

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Artist Valerie Hegarty like to rip things up, twist them, distort them, and then leave audiences to ponder the results of her violence against imagery. Join us for a conversation about making objects, tearing them up, origin stories, and what can happen to if you grow up in a revival historic home filled with fake artifacts.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at here.

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Seeing Truth in Collections, Memory and Death Studies

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Jane Wildgoose claims she just expanded a beachcomber’s collection but in fact her Wildgoose Memorial Library is a subversive infiltration into the nature of display, memory, knowledge building. Join us as we talk with Wildgoose about why we collect, what we remember, where we can find truth, and how we might think more creatively, and with more compassion about how we display objects.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at here.

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Seeing Truth in Data

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Wendy Hui Kyong Chun sees value in the truth, but worries what data we might be looking at to find it. Chun discusses her new book, Discriminating Data (MIT Press, 2021), and how we might use data, objects, and truth in better ways. She also considers the violence of a drawing of a gorilla and the one thing she knows is true.

Learn more about the Seeing Truth exhibition at here.

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Democracy and Social Critique with Cornel West

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Cornel West is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor at Union Theological Seminary. Professor West is among the nation’s most distinguished philosophers. For several decades running, Cornel West has infused into public life reflections on love, justice, grace, liberation, beauty, dignity, and truth. He can be followed on Twitter at @CornelWest.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Democratic Repair and Public Things with Bonnie Honig

Mon, 24 May 2021 20:00:00 -0000

Bonnie Honig the Nancy Duke Lewis Professor of Modern Culture and Media, and Political Science at Brown University. Bonnie works at the intersections of political theory, democratic theory, and culture. She has written broadly on traditional topics in political philosophy, while also examining the political significance of film, drama, and literature. You can follow Bonnie on Twitter at @bonnie_honig.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Climate Denialism and Propaganda with Catriona McKinnon

Tue, 18 May 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Catriona McKinnon is Professor of Political Theory at the University of Exeter. Her research focuses on climate ethics and environmental justice. Much of her recent work aims at addressing denialism about climate change.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Social Trust in a Free Society with Kevin Vallier

Tue, 04 May 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Kevin Vallier is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University. His most recent book is titled Trust in a Polarized Age. You can follow him on Twitter @kvallier.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Political Rhetoric and Demagoguery with Jennifer Mercieca

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jennifer Mercieca is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Texas A&M University. She is the author of Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump. You can follow her on Twitter: @jenmercieca.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Anger, Rage, and Forgiveness with Myisha Cherry

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Myisha Cherry is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Riverside. Myisha’s research focuses on the intersection of moral psychology and social and political philosophy. More specifically she is interested in the role of emotions.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Conspiracy Theories and Democracy with Quassim Cassam

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Quassim Cassam is Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. You can follow him on Twitter at .@QCassam. Quassim’s research focus is epistemology, the area of philosophy that deals with topics pertaining to knowledge,

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Democracy and Truth with Sophia Rosenfeld

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Sophia Rosenfeld is Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Democracy and Truth: A Short History.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Transitional Justice with Colleen Murphy

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Colleen Murphy is the Roger and Stephany Joslin Professor of Law at the College of Law and a professor in the Departments of Philosophy and Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Colleen also directs the Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program in the Illinois Global Institute. You can follow her on Twitter at @drcolleenmurphy.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Democracy, Protest, and Progress with Melvin Rogers

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Melvin Rogers is Associate Professor of Political Science at Brown University. You can follow Melvin on Twitter at @MRogers097. Professor Rogers specializes in democratic theory, with special focus on the traditions of American and African-American politics.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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Trailer: Future of Truth Season

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

A quick preview of what's to come in season two of Why We Argue, Future of Truth edition. New episodes arriving in March!

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project.

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The Conviction Workshop

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 08:00:00 -0000

This episode is a collection of talks with philosophers who attended Humility & Conviction in Public Life's Conviction Workshop in St. Petersburg Florida. In this episode you'll hear clips from Jen Cole Wright, Matthew Pianalto, Regina Rini, Christiane Heibach, and Justin E. H. Smith.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Controversial Ideas and “No Platforming” with Jeff McMahan

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 20:00:00 -0000

Jeff McMahan is White’s Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Oxford. His research focuses broadly on moral and political philosophy, and is perhaps best known for his work on the moral issues surrounding killing and letting die.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Democratic Faith and Social Change with Eddie Glaude, Jr.

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Eddie Glaude Jr. is James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Religion, and Chair of the Department of African American Studies, at Princeton University. He is the author of An Uncommon Faith: A Pragmatic Approach to the Study of African American Religion.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Global Oil and Social Change with Leif Wenar

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 09:00:00 -0000

Leif Wenar the Chair of Philosophy and Law at Kings College London. He is the author of the 2016 book Blood Oil: Tyrants, Violence, and the Rules that Run the World. This book has led to the publication, in 2018, of a companion volume, Beyond Blood Oil: Philosophy, Policy, and the Future.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Religious and Political Identities with Michele F. Margolis

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 09:00:00 -0000

Michele F. Margolis is assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania. She has recently published a book titled From Politics to the Pews: How Partisanship and the Political Environment Shape Religious Identity.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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The Constitution as a Public Ethos with Corey Brettschneider

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 09:00:00 -0000

Corey Brettschneider is Professor of Political Science at Brown University, and Visiting Professor of Law at Fordham University. His work is focused in democratic theory and constitutional law. His most recent book is titled The Oath and the Office: A Guide to the Constitution for Future Presidents.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Is Social Media Killing Democracy? with Regina Rini

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 09:00:00 -0000

Regia Rini is the Canada Research Chair in Philosophy of Moral and Social Cognition at the York University. Her research resides at the intersections of moral philosophy, psychology, and political epistemology. She also publishes popular work on topics concerning the social and political impacts of technology. She is currently working on a book about social media and democracy.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Are Citizens Polarized with Steven Kull

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 20:00:00 -0000

Steven Kull is a Senior Research Associate and director of the Program for Public Consultation at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. He is also the Founder and Director of the nonpartisan organization Voice of the People, which is working to create structures and institutions that would enrich the channels of communication between Congress and citizens. Steven is a political psychologist who studies a range of phenomena from public political ignorance and popular attitudes about climate change to congressional decision-making and international attitudes towards religion.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Epistemic Vice with Ian James Kidd

Thu, 24 May 2018 20:00:00 -0000

Ian James Kidd is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University of Nottingham with research interests in epistemology, vices, epistemic justice, and illness. He is a co-author of the recently published The Routledge Handbook of Epistemic Justice.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Faith and Politics with David Gergen, Rabbi Melissa Weintraub, Eboo Patel, and John Dankosky

Thu, 10 May 2018 08:00:00 -0000

This episode will feature a conversation between former presidential advisor David Gergen, Rabbi Melissa Weintraub of Resetting the Table, and Eboo Patel of the Interfaith Youth Core, taken from Humility and Conviction in Public Life’s event Faith & Politics which was held on April 25, 2018 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum in Hartford, Connecticut with the CT Forum. The conversation was moderated by John Dankosky of Connecticut public radio.

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What Money Can’t Buy with Michael Sandel

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 08:00:00 -0000

Michael Sandel is Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at Harvard University. Sandel is an internationally renowned political philosopher who Newsweek has lauded as “the world’s most relevant living philosopher.” His latest project is a video series titled What Money Can’t Buy, which has Michael and an international group of college students exploring the question “What, if anything, is wrong with a world in which everything is for sale?” You can view the series for free at whatmoneycantbuy.org.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Political Polarization and Epistemic Arrogance Workshop

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 08:00:00 -0000

This episode is a collection of segments from papers given at Humility and Conviction in Public Life’s workshop on Political Polarization and Epistemic Arrogance. On this episode you will hear short selections from talks given by Jennifer Saul, Lani Watson, Michael Lynch, Alessandra Tanesini, Elizabeth Krumrei Mancuso, Steven Sloman, and Heather Battaly.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Polarization with Shanto Iyengar

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 08:00:00 -0000

Shanto Iyengar is Professor of Political Science at Stanford University. He has written extensively on news media and political communication in contemporary democracy. His most recent book is titled Media Politics: A Citizen’s Guide (W. W. Norton, 2015); new edition is forthcoming this year. His current research focuses on political polarization, framing effects, and political affect.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Policing and Political Division with Alex Vitale

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 09:00:00 -0000

Alex Vitale is a Professor of Sociology and coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College. He has written for a number of popular publications including the New York Times, New York Daily News, USA Today, and the Nation. His newest book The End of Policing is out now from Verso press.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Anger, Forgiveness, and Public Philosophy with Myisha Cherry

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 09:00:00 -0000

Myisha Cherry is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and next year will be Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University of California, Riverside. She is co-editor of the volume, The Moral Psychology of Anger. Her work is focused on the nature of anger and forgiveness, especially in the context of racial injustice. Cherry is also the host and creator of the UnMute Podcast.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Conspiracy Theories with Quassim Cassam

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 09:00:00 -0000

Quassim Cassam is Professor of Philosophy at University of Warwick in the UK. His academic work resides at the intersection of epistemology and philosophy of mind, where he explores topics pertaining to self-knowledge, self-deception, and epistemic virtue and vice. His forthcoming book is titled Vices of the Mind, and it will be published this year with Oxford University Press.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Public Debate and Respectful Engagement with John Corvino

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 09:00:00 -0000

John Corvino is Professor of Philosophy at the Wayne State University in Detroit. His academic work focuses on topics in moral, social, and legal philosophy surrounding sexuality, gender, marriage, religious conviction, and discrimination. But John is also an active public philosopher who frequently participates in public debates over these topics. He produces and appears in a popular YouTube series of short videos devoted to the philosophical discussion of controversial topics. He is the author of What’s Wrong with Homosexuality?, co-author (with Maggie Ghallagher) of Debating Same Sex Marriage, and.co-author (with Ryan Anderson and Sherif Girgis) of Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination, all published with Oxford University Press.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Constitutional Reform in Iceland with Jon Olafsson

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 09:00:00 -0000

Jon Olafsson is Professor in the n the department of Comparative and Cultural Studies at the University of Iceland. His research is focused on democracy, political participation, dissent, reconciliation, and social criticism. Jon has written extensively about the efforts in Iceland – from roughly 2010 to 2013 - to revise the nation’s constitution.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Testimony and Anonymity with Sandy Goldberg

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 09:00:00 -0000

Sandy Goldberg is Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern University. He specializes in epistemology and philosophy of language, with particular interest in the social aspects of knowledge and speech; these foci converge in his ongoing work on testimony. Sandy has written several books including Relying on Others (Oxford 2010) and, more recently, Assertion (Oxford 2015); his forthcoming book is titled To the Best of Our Knowledge, and is forthcoming with Oxford University Press.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Misogyny and Politics with Kate Manne

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 09:00:00 -0000

Kate Manne is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Cornell University. She specializes in moral and social philosophy and feminist philosophy. her new book is titled Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny (Oxford 2018).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Inequality and Democracy with Tommie Shelby

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 09:00:00 -0000

Tommie Shelby is Caldwell Titcomb Professor of African and African-American Studies, and Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University. His research focuses on political equality and problems of economic, social, and criminal justice. His most recent book is Dark Ghettos: Injustice, Dissent, and Reform, which is published by Harvard University Press.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Confederate Monuments with Kevin Levin

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 09:00:00 -0000

Can we change minds about Confederate monuments? Kevin Levin is a historian and educator studying the American Civil War and memory. His book, Remembering the Battle of the Crater: War as Murder (University Press of Kentucky, 2012), was just released in paperback and he is the author of a recent article in the Atlantic Why I Changed My Mind About Confederate Monuments.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Climate Change Skepticism with Lawrence Torcello

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 08:00:00 -0000

How does corporate misinformation and partisan skepticism effect what we know about climate change? Lawrence Torcello is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Rochester Institute of Philosophy. His research focuses on social and political philosophy, democratic theory, and climate justice.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Free Speech and Free Thinking with Seana Shiffrin

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Seana Shiffrin is Professor of Philosophy and Pete Kameron Professor of Law and Social Justice at UCLA. She defends the “thinker theory” of freedom of speech, which holds that a central reason for upholding a moral and legal system of free speech is that such a system is necessary for free thought and reflective action. This view is articulated in her book, Speech Matters:On Lying, Morality, and the Law (Princeton 2014).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Smart Democracy with Helene Landemore

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Helene Landemore is Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at Yale University. She defends the idea that democracy succeeds at harnessing the collective wisdom of the citizenry. This view is spelled out in her 2013 book Democratic Reason (Princeton University Press 2013). Landemore is currently completing a new book about the institutional design of a smart democracy.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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The Public Value of Philosophy with Nigel Warburton

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Nigel Warburton holds a PhD in Philosophy from Cambridge and has held academic positions at University of Nottingham and the Open University. But he is today a freelance public philosopher. He has offered philosophy courses at the Tate Modern gallery, he conducts monthly philosophical discussions at Blackwell’s Bookshop in Oxford, and co-hosts with David Edmonds the wildly popular podcast series Philosophy Bites. Nigel is the author of several books of philosophy, including The Art Question (Routledge 2002), Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2009), and A Little History of Philosophy (Yale 2012).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Brexit, Trump, & Democracy with Thom Brooks

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Thom Brooks is Dean of Durham Law School, Professor of Law and Government, and Associate in the Department of Philosophy in the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University. His academic work focuses on issues in Ethics, Criminal Law, and Public Policy. But he is widely known as an outspoken critic of the UK Citizenship Test. His most recent book is Becoming British: UK Citizenship Examined (Biteback Publishing 2016).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Good & Bad Arguments with Trudy Govier

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Trudy Govier is Emerita Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. Her research is focused on the nature of argumentation and questions concerning social trust, forgiveness, and reconciliation. She is also the author of a highly influential informal logic text, A Practical Study of Argument (7th edition, Cengage), as well as Forgiveness and Revenge (Routledge 2002) and Victims and Victimhood (Broadview 2015).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Identity and Democracy with Akeel Bilgrami

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Akeel Bilgrami is Sidney Morgenbesser Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, and a member of Columbia’s Committee on Global Thought. Bilgrami’s research spans issues in Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language, Moral Philosophy, and Political Philosophy. His most recent book is titled Secularism, Identity, and Enchantment (Harvard 2014). And he is the author of the forthcoming book, What is a Muslim? (Princeton UP).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Know-Nothing Politics with Ilya Somin

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Does voter ignorance undermine democracy? Ilya Somin is Professor of Law at the Antonin Scalia Law School of George Mason University and regular contributor to the Volokh Conspiracy blog at the Washington Post. Somin’s research focuses on issues concerning constitutional law, property law, and public political participation. He is the author of The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain (University of Chicago Press, 2015) and Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter (revised edition, Stanford University Press, 2016).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Different Medias with Eric Alterman

Thu, 18 May 2017 08:00:00 -0000

How can we as consumers distinguish between the many different political medias? Eric Alterman is CUNY Distinguished Professor of English and Journalism at Brooklyn College. Eric is also a columnist for The Nation, and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington and the World Policy Institute in New York. He is the author of several books, including When Presidents Lie (Penguin 2004), Kabuki Democracy (Nation Books 2011), and most recently, Inequality and One City (Nation Books 2015).

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Democracy and Civility with Karen Stohr

Thu, 04 May 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Don't discuss politics at the dinner table? Why not? Karen Stohr is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Senior Research Scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University. Stohr’s research focuses on Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy and virtue theory. She is the author of academic articles dealing with topics such as beneficence, modesty, and friendship. In her recent book, On Manners (Routledge 2012), Stohr argues that the social niceties commonly characterized as manners have distinctively moral content.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Democracy and Dialogue Online with Joshua Cohen

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Joshua Cohen is a faculty member of Apple University, and is Distinguished Senior Fellow at the School of Law, the Department of Philosophy, and the Department of Political Science at Berkeley. He is the author of several influential academic articles, many of which are collected in Philosophy, Politics, Democracy(Harvard 2009), and The Arc of the Moral Universe and Other Essays (Harvard, 2011). Since 1991, Cohen has edited the Boston Review.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Populist Moments with Elizabeth Anderson

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 20:00:00 -0000

Contemporary democracy is becoming increasingly populist. Elizabeth Anderson explains what populism is, why many find it appealing, and what makes it dangerous. Elizabeth Anderson is John Dewey Distinguished University Professor, John Rawls Collegiate Professor, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, and Department Chair at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She specializes in Ethics and Political Philosophy, writing on issues of social justice, equality, race, and gender.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Democracy and Social Media with Michael Lynch

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 20:00:00 -0000

Social Media rewards snap judgments and blind conviction. Michael Lynch finds this troubling. Michael P. Lynch is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Humanities Institute a University of Connecticut. His research concerns truth, public discourse, and the impact of technology on democratic society.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Race and Democratic Virtue with Paul C. Taylor

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 08:00:00 -0000

As US politics becomes increasingly driven by divisions, we need some way of sustaining a shared civic life. Paul Taylor makes the case for democratic virtues. Paul C. Taylor is Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of the Liberal Arts and Associate Professor of Philosophy and African American Studies at Penn State. His research focuses on philosophy of race, social and political philosophy, Africana philosophy, and aesthetics.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Free Speech Matters with Robert George

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 08:00:00 -0000

The ‘ideological odd couple’ of Robert George and Cornel West jointly authored a statement defending free speech on campus and elsewhere. Find out why. Robert George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Professor of Politics at Princeton University, and the founding director of Princeton’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. His research focuses on issues in ethics, political philosophy, and philosophy of law.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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Political Rhetoric and Political Experience with William Galston

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 08:00:00 -0000

Donald Trump won the election largely by making grand promises of radical change. William Galston argues that, ultimately, talk is cheap and results are what counts. William Galston is Ezra K. Zilkha Chair and Senior Fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Governance Studies Program. He is also a former Deputy Assistant to President Clinton for Domestic Policy. Additionally, he writes a weekly column for the Wall Street Journal. Galston’s academic work focuses on value pluralism and civic renewal.

The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project.

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