Chasing Leviathan

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. David Wills discuss Derrida's Perjury and Pardon, exploring Derrida's historical account of the concept of forgiveness and his own formulation of it. Dr. Wills shares unique insight from his work as a translator of Derrida and also discusses the challenges of translating philosophical works. For a deep dive into Dr. David Will's work, check out his...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Mary-Jane Rubenstein discuss the religious nature of the new space race in which powerful individuals, such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, promise that they have the power to save humanity and bring us to new worlds of prosperity, peace, and perfection. Dr. Rubenstein explores the mythologies of our current moment and offers reflection on the dangers...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Hugo Award-winning author Charles Stross discuss the process of blending various literary genres and current events with Lovecraftian horror. Stross reflects the stranger-than-fiction historical events that have inspired his stories, writing for the same characters in various stages of life, and why fiction is an integral part of our lives. For a deep d...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Lauren Bialystok discuss the difficult subject of sex education for minors. Dr. Bialystok walks through the history of sex education in the US and Canada, and raises various controversies, such as how to discuss sexual flourishing in a classroom setting and the relationship between religious communities and public sex education. For a deep dive into...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. James Kastely discuss the nature of persuasion and its relationship to critical aspects of the human experience, such as political engagement, personal development, and love. Dr. Kastely also shares how his exploration of rhetoric and persuasion led him to question 2500 years of interpretation of Plato's seminal text, The Republic.  For a deep dive...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Adam Hochschild discuss the deeply troubling challenges to American democracy that arose in the years between the end of WWI and the conclusion of Woodrow Wilson's presidency. Hochschild also draws parallels between the political unrest of the early twentieth century and today, exploring issues such as government surveillance, xenophobia, and censorship...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Tiger Roholt discuss how smartphones are drawing us away from intimate moments and focal practices that shape our identities and give life meaning. While critical of the effects of our cellular devices, Dr. Roholt also shares how smartphones can be intentionally incorporated into a flourishing life. For a deep dive into Dr. Tiger Roholt's work, chec...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Brent Waters discuss a distinctively Christian approach to bioethical issues through the lens of the Incarnation of Christ. Dr. Waters explores topics such as aging, embryonic cell research, and transhumanism, arguing that the Incarnation reaffirms the good of embodiment and the need for our medical technologies to aid us in love for neighbor. For a...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. John Modern discuss the dynamic relationship between the histories of neuroscience and religion, including brain studies on religious experience and religious groups that include (psueo) scientific neurological rituals. Dr. Modern also explores the push in contemporary science to locate religiosity in the brain while simultaneously developing neurol...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Joseph Keim Campbell discuss the various philosophical models of free will, the concept's origins, and the debates between free will, determinism, and compatibilism. Dr. Campbell also explores the interdisciplinary nature of the study of free will, the relationship between free will and morality, and the Frankfurt cases. For a deep dive into Dr. Jos...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Chris McRae discuss the power of listening to create new realities within ourselves and in the world around us. Dr. McRae also explores the relationship between learning and listening, inviting us to consider how the practices, spaces, and even the flooring of the classroom can have a profound impact on both student and teacher.  For a deep dive int...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Pia Campeggiani discuss emotions and the fascinating insights into the study of our feelings that come from listening to voices in multiple disciplines. They explore discoveries in the field of biology, philosophical contributions from Aristotle, Ludwig Wittgenstein and John Dewey, and the power of fictional characters to profoundly impact our emoti...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Andre Gazal discuss the exegetical work of the Renaissance humanist and theologian John Colet, particularly his reading of 1 Corinthians through the lens of Neoplatonism. Dr. Gazal uses Colet as a springboard into a broader and critical conversation on the relationship between philosophy and the interpretation of religious texts. For a deep dive int...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Cyrus Farivar discuss the increasingly sophisticated surveillance technologies that threaten to undermine our right to privacy. Technologies such as drones, license plate readers, and infrared cameras introduce new ways for local police to circumvent Fourth Amendment protections, while online businesses gain intimate data on users with nearly every clic...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Duane Armitage discuss the implicit violence of Nietzsche's and Heidegger's philosophical work, how Nietzsche and Heidegger view the relationship between power and identity, and how their philosophical systems have led to our current postmodern debates. In looking back at Nietzsche and Heidegger, Dr. Armitage also points out the dangers of tribalism...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Martin Glazier discuss the relationship between explanations, essences, and the nature of facts. Dr. Glazier also explores how his distinction between active and latent facts intersects with the philosophical debate over A-Theory and B-Theory of time. For a deep dive into Dr. Martin Glazier's work, check out his book: Essence (Elements in Metaphysic...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Noël Carroll discuss whether the author's intent matters when evaluating an aesthetic work and, relatedly, whether moral defects in a work of art are an artistic defect. Dr. Carroll also explores the historical contexts of these debates and how these positions have developed in contemporary discussions on the philosophy of art. For a deep dive into...

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Hallvard Lillehammer discuss the trolley problem: Imagine that a trolley is speeding towards five people who are stuck on the trolley track. You are standing by a lever that can turn the trolley to another track to save those five people...but there is a person lying alone on the other track. Would you pull the lever? What if one of the people on th...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Kristen Rundle discuss the politically fraught concept of "the rule of law." Dr. Rundle clarifies its meaning and explains how the exercise of the rule of law has exacerbated injustice. At the same time, Dr. Rundle points towards ways in which the rule of law, when carried out imaginatively and with an emphasis on care for people, has an...

<p>In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Paul Moser discuss an oft overlooked aspect of God within philosophical and theological discourse: God's guidance. Dr. Moser argues that God seeks to lead people to develop moral rapport, and that this rapport may actually provide good reason for belief in God.</p>  <p>For a deep dive into Dr. Paul Moser's work, chec...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Gilad Sharvit discuss the concept of repetition as relates to twentieth-century Jewish theories of messianism. Dr. Sharvit's work not only elucidates the messianic impulses within the works of Kafka, Freud, and Benjamin, but also explores themes of hope that the Jewish faith shares with other traditions. For a deep dive into Dr. Gilad Sh...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Amir Eschel discuss contemporary crises, such as the tyranny imposed by recent technological innovations, the war in Ukraine, and the global pandemic, and how approaching these threats through poetic thinking provides a way forward that preserves human flourishing and freedom. For a deep dive into Dr. Amir Eschel's work, check out his bo...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Robert Pippin discuss the ways in which art, particularly film and literature, can help us uncover and internalize truth in ways that discursive philosophy often cannot achieve. For a deep dive into Dr. Robert Pippin's work, check out his book:  Philosophy by Other Means: The Arts in Philosophy and Philosophy in the Arts 👉 https://www.a...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Asma Afsaruddin discuss the Islamic concepts of jihad and martyrdom, exploring their complexity and the ways in which Western interpretations of these terms is often divorced from their historical, religious, and social contexts. By working through our assumptions of such terms, we can see the common humanity of those of differing religi...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Robin R. Wang discuss the concepts of Yinyang and Dao, parceling out their intended meanings from Westernized formulations. Dr. Wang also discusses how Yinyang can engage Western philosophical traditions, pulling from her own work on Hegel. For a deep dive into Dr. Robin R. Wang's work, check out her book: Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and...