Episode 002 - Hallvard Lillehammer on Trolley Problems and the Nature of Ethical Intuitions

In this first episode of 2021, I am delighted to welcome my colleague Alex Grzankowski (alexgrzankowski.com). We discuss questions in the philosophy of language and mind surrounding reference and the ascriptions of mental attitudes such as beliefs. Our discussion revolves around Saul Kripke's important paper "A Puzzle About Belief", In A. Margalit (ed.), Meaning and Use. Reidel. pp. 239--83 (1979).   London Philosophy Talk ([email protected]) is a philosophy podcast of the Department of Philosophy of Birkbeck College, University of London. It is hosted by me, Florian Steinberger (floriansteinberger.weebly.com). Each episode I have an informal philosophical discussion with an expert in the field.  For more information about the Birkbeck Philosophy Department, please see our website: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/departments/philosophy/ We also run an excellent distance learning program in philosophy in association with the University of London Worldwide: https://london.ac.uk/courses/philosophy, of which I am the Director. 

In this third, "very special election" episode, I am delighted to welcome my colleague Kristoffer Ahlstrom-Vij (ahlstromvij.com). We discuss the question as to whether there is a case for restricting suffrage to those who are sufficiently competent. We discuss Jason Brennan's paper, "The right to a competent electorate", Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 61, No. 245 (2011), pp. 700-24.   London Philosophy Talk ([email protected]) is a philosophy podcast of the Department of Philosophy of Birkbeck College, University of London. It is hosted by me, Florian Steinberger (https://floriansteinberger.weebly.com/). Each episode I have an informal philosophical discussion with an expert in the field.  For more information about the Birkbeck Philosophy Department, please see our website: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/departments/philosophy/ We also run an excellent distance learning program in philosophy in association with the University of London Worldwide: https://london.ac.uk/courses/philosophy, of which I am the Director. 

In this second episode I am delighted to welcome my colleague Hallvard Lillehammer (hallvardlillehammer.com). We discuss trolley problems and what we can learn from them about the nature of our intuitions in ethics.  We discuss Judith Jarvis Thompson's paper, "Turning the Trolley", Philosophy and Public Affairs, Vol. 36, No. 4 (2008), pp. 359-74. We also draw on Hallvard Lillehammer's paper "The Epistemology of Ethical Intuitions", Philosophy, Vol. 6, No. 336 (2011), pp. 175-200.  London Philosophy Talk ([email protected]) is a philosophy podcast of the Department of Philosophy of Birkbeck College, University of London. It is hosted by me, Florian Steinberger (https://floriansteinberger.weebly.com/). Each episode I have an informal philosophical discussion with an expert in the field.  For more information about the Birkbeck Philosophy Department, please see our website: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/departments/philosophy/ We also run an excellent distance learning program in philosophy in association with the University of London Worldwide: https://london.ac.uk/courses/philosophy, of which I am the Director. 

In this first episode I am delighted to welcome my colleague Stacie Friend (http://www.bbk.ac.uk/philosophy/our-staff/academic_staff/dr-stacie-friend). We discuss the issue of “imaginative resistance” in the philosophy of fiction.  We discuss Tamar Szabó Gendler's paper, "The Puzzle of Imaginative Resistance", The Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 97, No. 2 (Feb., 2000), pp. 55-81. You may also want to consult Emine Hande Tuna's Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry. London Philosophy Talk is a philosophy podcast of the Department of Philosophy of Birkbeck College, University of London. It is hosted by me, Florian Steinberger (https://floriansteinberger.weebly.com/). Each episode I have an informal philosophical discussion with an expert in the field.  For more information about the Birkbeck Philosophy Department, please see our website: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/departments/philosophy/ We also run an excellent distance learning program in philosophy in association with the University of London Worldwide: https://london.ac.uk/courses/philosophy, of which I am the Director.