The Canadian Philosophy Show

On Certainty A discussion on the concept of certainty and the consequences of being certain.   with: Hale Rothery (Vancouver Island University) Brandon Brownlee Recorded January 26, 2024        

A fresh perspective on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, which entails an uncommon definition of "peace." With Michael Robert Caditz & Zelik Segal.   Recorded January 22, 2024

On Irony: An exploration of the concept of irony and lives lived ironically.   Led by: Brandon Brownlee with: Hale Rothery (Vancouver Island University) Recorded January 14, 2024        

In this episode, Hale and Brandon continue their discussion of aesthetic theory in the context of architecture by comparing and contrasting the modern architectural ideas of Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright.   Led by: Hale Rothery (Vancouver Island University) with: Brandon Brownlee Recorded January 3, 2024        

Replay of Dr. James Atkinson on Eastern philosophy.

Dr. Laura Shanner on "happiness."   Recorderd July 17, 2017.

The Philosophy of Architecture A discussion in aesthetics with a focus on architecture as a medium.   Led by: Hale Rothery (Vancouver Island University) with: Brandon Brownlee Recorded December 11, 2023

The Presocratics - The Milesians   In this series, we'll be exploring and discussing the fragments of the Presocratics. In this first episode we'll begin the series by reading the Milesians, who are considered the first recognizable philosophers in the west.   Led by: Aaron Wang (Vancouver Island University) with: Michael Robert Caditz (University of British Columbia) Brandon Brownlee (Vancouver I...

Cultural evolution Part 4   The relationship between biological and cultural evolution. A discussion on the various types of change affecting living things. This includes biological evolution in a Darwinian sense, as well as human cultural change. What is the relationship between genetic and cultural evolution? Are they indeed distinct?   Led by: Michael Robert Caditz (University of British Columb...

Cultural evolution Part 3   The relationship between biological and cultural evolution. A discussion on the various types of change affecting living things. This includes biological evolution in a Darwinian sense, as well as human cultural change. What is the relationship between genetic and cultural evolution? Are they indeed distinct?   Led by: Michael Robert Caditz (University of British Columb...

The relationship between biological and cultural evolution. PART 2.  A discussion on the various types of change affecting living things. This includes biological evolution in a Darwinian sense, as well as human cultural change. What is the relationship between genetic and cultural evolution? Are they indeed distinct? Led by: Michael Robert Caditz (University of British Columbia) with: Aaron Wang...

The relationship between biological and cultural evolution. PART 1.  A discussion on the various types of change affecting living things. This includes biological evolution in a Darwinian sense, as well as human cultural change. What is the relationship between genetic and cultural evolution? Are they indeed distinct? Led by: Michael Robert Caditz (University of British Columbia) with: Aaron Wang...

Is free speech dead? In the digital age, there are many questions about what constitutes free speech, where we draw the line to impermissible speech, how to restrict it, and who has the right to defend it. In this discussion we touch on these questions and topics such as algorithms, cancel culture, and free speech as a means as opposed to an end. Led by: Mihai Coveaser (University of British Colum...

Aaron and Brandon discuss the Renaissance period of philosophy, diving into the three strands of thought present in the period political philosophy, humanism, and philosophy of nature. Led by: Aaron Wang (Vancouver Island University) with: Brandon Brownlee Recorded October 23, 2023

Kant and Philosophy of Respect In this episode Aaron and others discuss the philosophy of respect from the Kantian perspective. Its linguistic and philosophical heritage and how it can inform our understanding of the world today.   with: Aaron Wang (Vancouver Island University) Brandon Brownlee (Vancouver Island University) Mihai Coveaser (University of British Columbia)   Recorded 15 October 2023

Aaron and Brandon discuss medieval philosophy in the context of the entire history of western philosophy. The importance of the translation of philosophical texts and cultural exchange in the creation of ideas that continue to change the world to this day. Led by: Aaron Wang (Vancouver Island University) with: Brandon Brownlee     Recorded October 1, 2023

The Usefulness of Philosophy   In this episode, Hale and Brandon explore one way in which philosophy might be useful: to help understand and clear-up problems and their meaning in our lives. Each discuss their own experiences and the ways that philosophy has enabled reflection upon and change in understanding these experiences.   Led by: Brandon Brownlee with: Hale Rothery (Vancouver Island Univer...

You and Your Profile: Introduction In this episode of our Media Studies series, Hale and Brandon begin reading You and Your Profile by Hans-Goerg Moeller and Paul J. D'Ambrosio, which theorizes the concept of profilicity: a mode of identity-construction made possible by current social media technologies involving self-curation of one's image. We discuss the introductory chapter and preface, explor...

In this episode, we discuss Michael Cholbi's article, "Philosophical Approaches to Work and Labor," an introduction to the concepts, values, and projections surrounding work in the modern day and the historical context surrounding this train of thought. Led by: Mihai Covaser (University of British Columbia)   with: Brandon Brownlee Aaron Wang (Vancouver Island University)     Recorded 8 September...

Title: Philosophy and Sociology  Description: A discussion centered around the four main theories of sociology: functionalism, symbolic interactionism, conflict theory, and feminist theory. As well as the philosophical underpinnings of those theories and how those theories have started to become a part of modern philosophical thought. Led by:   Tagen Marshall (Vancouver Island University) https://...

Part 1 of Paradoxes in Philosophy explores the importance of logical and semantic paradox in the philosophical tradition. In this episode, we discuss the paradoxes of Ancient Greece, beginning with Euthyphro's Dilemma and two of Zeno's famous paradoxes: Achilles and the Tortoise and The Arrow. Metaphysics, ethics, and logic all coincide in this exploration of the odd and contradictory.   Led by:  ...

Title: Philosophies of Dialogue Description: A discussion on the relationship between the process of doing philosophy and the process of having a dialogue. This show draws on content from the Socratic dialogues, Martin Buber's concept of I and Thou relationships, and the modern perspectives of Science with regards to truth and knowledge. There are some brief mentions of the epistemological nature...

Introduction to The History of Western Philosophy: Episode 3: Greek and Roman Ideas Episode 3 of the miniseries introducing ideas from the most influential thinkers in western thought and philosophy. On this episode we delve into what happened after the death of Aristotle covering the four schools of thought Stoicism, Epicureanism, Early Skepticism, and Neo-Platonism with a focus on understanding...

A discussion of the differences between Plato's theory of forms and Aristotle's rejection of the forms in favor of a more nuanced approach. This show also investigates the history of mathematics as a subset of the history of western philosophy in order to create the observation that both the Platonic and Aristotelian models of reality have strongly shaped Western Philosophy.   Led by: Aaron Wang (...

Hannah Arendt on Production and AI In this episode of our Media Theory series, Brandon introduces the distinction drawn by Hannah Arendt between labour, work and action in order to explore and help understand new productive technologies such as ChatGPT and AI text-to-image programs. We also explore the related concept of automation and how AI, understood through Arendt, changes our understanding o...