Chasing Leviathan

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...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Joel Reynolds discuss the ableist assumptions and conflations that undermine the dignity and rights of disabled persons. Dr. Reynolds also shares how their work (and their own story) highlights the ways in which the lived experiences of disabled persons challenge commonly held assertions of what it means to live a good life.  For a deep...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Djene Bajalan discuss how historical factors like the nation-state project of the Ottoman Empire and World War I contributed to the Kurdish movements for independence we see today. In case you missed it, we highly recommend that you listen to our previous episode, "What is Nationalism?" as it gives some crucial context for this episode's...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Djene Bajalan discuss the various ways that nationalism is defined, how nationalism intersects with political, cultural, and religious identities, and how nation states form, setting the groundwork for their next conversation on Kurdish history.  For a deep dive into Dr. Djene Bajalan's work, check out his book: Studies in Kurdish Histor...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Kevin McCain discuss how we develop scientific knowledge, how scientific explanations differ from other types of explanations, and what we should rationally expect of scientific theories.  For a deep dive into Dr. Kevin McCain's work, check out his book: The Nature of Scientific Knowledge: An Explanatory Approach 👉 https://www.amazon.co...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Colin McAllister discuss the end of the world and the ancient literature that prophesied of a coming apocalypse. Drawing on his musical expertise, Dr. McAllister also explores the process of creating music that conveys the dread and awe of the end times. For a deep dive into Dr. Colin McAllister's work, check out his book: The Cambridge...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Brian Cummings discuss the history of the book, particularly as it relates to issues of power, social control, and backlash against "dangerous" books. Dr. Cummings also explores the interplay of books and belief in the history of global religions. For a deep dive into Dr. Dr. Brian Cummings' work, check out his book: Bibliophobia: The En...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. David Peña-Guzmán discuss how research on the dreams of non-human animals is providing new insight into the nature of consciousness. They also discuss the ethical impact this body of research could have, especially as it becomes more evident that humans and other animals are not as different as previously believed. For a deep dive into D...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Ovamir Anjum discuss the political and theological history of Islam, focusing on the contributions of medieval theologian Ibn Taymiyyah. Dr. Anjum also explores our conceptualization of "the West" and how Islam should complicate our assumptions. For a deep dive into Dr. Ovamir Anjum's work, check out his book: Politics, Law, and Communit...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Kevin Elliott discuss the ethics of scientific research, focusing on whether it would be ideal for science to be "value free." For a deep dive into Dr. Kevin Elliott's work, check out his book: Values in Science (Elements in the Philosophy of Science) 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Values-Science-Elements-Philosophy/dp/1009055631 Check out ou...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Steven Nadler discuss the heated debates between Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Antoine Arnauld, and Nicolas de Malebranche over how to best answer the theological problem of evil and suffering. Dr. Nadler not only provides historical insight into this particular conversation, but also reflects on the impact that theological speculation has...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Heather Akou discuss the surprisingly complex question of whether uniforms should be implemented in the workplace, schools, prisons, and other public spaces. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Akou shares fascinating snippets from the history of fashion and uniforms. For a deep dive into Dr. Heather Akou's work, check out her research: htt...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Alyn Shipton discuss Dr. Shipton's journey into the world of jazz as a historian, broadcaster, and musician. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Shipton shares little-known stories from the lives of some of the most accomplished jazz musicians of the 20th century.  For a deep dive into Dr. Alyn Shipton's work, check out his book: On Jazz: A...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Michael Clune discuss the value of forming judgments about works of literature and responds to criticisms that such judgments necessarily entail elitism. Dr. Clune also shares how great literature can hone both our aesthetic sensibilities and moral intuitions.  For a deep dive into Dr. Michael Clune's work, check out his book:  A Defense...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Anna-Sofia Maurin discuss the longstanding debate on the existence (or non-existence) of properties. Dr. Maurin also explores the challenges that arise in translating what we say into logic. For a deep dive into Dr. Anna-Sofia Maurin's work, check out her book: Properties (Elements in Metaphysics) 👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7JTS992/...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Christopher Lauer discuss his philosophical work on intimacy. They discuss Dr. Lauer's dialectic approach to the topic, the contradictions that arise in the pursuit of intimacy, and the ways in which Napoleon Dynamite can help us think through the difficulties of making a transcendent connection with another person.  For a deep dive into...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Amy Kind discuss her philosophical work on imagination and creative thinking. They explore the various types of imagination we regularly exercise, how imagination and creative thinking can make us more empathetic, and whether these facets of our mind are skills that we can train and develop.  For a deep dive into Dr. Amy Kind's work, che...

In this episode of the Chasing Leviathan podcast, PJ and Dr. Paul Craddock discuss the history of transplant surgeries, exploring how changes in medical science both affect and reflect beliefs about what it means to be human. For a deep dive into Dr. Paul Craddock's work, check out his book: Spare Parts: The Story of Medicine Through the History of Transplant Surgery 👉 https://a.co/d/7qTjgLS  Sub...