Philosophical Orientations

What shapes our identity today? How does the academic industry influence philosophy and our pursuit of wisdom? In this conversation, Hans-Georg Moeller and Reinhard G. Mueller discuss Moeller’s theory of profilicity and the three identity technologies – sincerity, authenticity, and profilicity – as developed in his book "You and Your Profile," exploring how we can orient ourselves amid t...

In this episode, philosophy professor Kathleen Higgins joins Reinhard to discuss her profound new book "Aesthetics in Grief and Mourning: Philosophical Reflections on Coping with Loss" (2024). They explore why grief transforms our experience of the world, how mourning relates to love, meaning, and art — and why aesthetic activity may be essential in navigating loss. From ancient Greek tr...

In this episode, Carlin Romano joins Reinhard G. Mueller to revisit his 2012 book "America the Philosophical," where he claims that the United States embodies the most philosophical culture the world has ever seen. The two discuss to what extent this claim holds true, what defines philosophy, and the challenges facing philosophical inquiry today. Carlin Romano is currently a Fulbright-Ne...

In this episode, FPO Fellow Jes Heppler joins Reinhard G. Mueller to discuss her dissertation project, "Gut Feelings and Embodied Epistemology," and the question of what kind of knowledge our body offers. Together, they dive into what gut feelings really are and where they come from, how the body’s wisdom challenges the mind-body divide, and to what extent Nietzsche’s line — “There is mo...