Philosophy takes many forms. So do its podcasts. Here are some of the most popular philosophy podcasts that I have found. I listen to almost all of them, so feel free to contact me if you have questions that are not answered in each podcast’s description below.
1. Philosophy Podcasts
Axons and Axioms (No longer available)
“A podcast dedicated to all things philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience.”
Consciousness Live!
“Conversations with philosophers, scientists, and anyone else interested in the scientific study of consciousness”
Critical Reasoning for Beginners
“…you will learn all about arguments, how to identify them, how to evaluate them, and how not to mistake bad arguments for good.”
Dilemma: A Philosophy Podcast
A podcast about moral dilemmas hosted by Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes.
Elucidations
“…a monthly philosophy podcast recorded at the University of Chicago. Each month, a prominent philosopher sits down with our graduate student co-hosts to talk about his or her latest work and areas of philosophical expertise.”
Examining Ethics
“We feature interviews with ethics experts about their work. We also tell the stories of everyday people and how they wrestle with ethics.”
Filosos
“A philosophical look at the problems posed by pop culture [in Spanish].” For Spanish-speakers: “Una mirada filosófica a los problemas que nos plantea la cultura pop. Conduce Tomás Balmaceda. Un podcast original de Posta.”
Future Perfect
Tackling big questions about the most effective ways to make the world better—a.k.a., an effective altruism podcast—with a “new limited series, The Way Through, …looking to belief systems, philosophies, and wisdom traditions.”
Grand Theories
Mark Ryan discussed emerging, broad ideas in philosophy in a narrative style, melding them with scientific concepts—designed for a general listener with any background.
Hi-Phi Nation
“A show …that turns stories into ideas”Simply the best podcast out there.
History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
“[A podcast about] the ideas, lives and historical context of the major philosophers as well as the lesser-known figures of the tradition.”
IAI’s Philosophy of our times podcast
“Gathering together the world’s leading thinkers from philosophy, science, politics and the arts, our podcast offers illuminating and lively debates on the big issues affecting your world.”
In Limbo Conversations
A “series of conversations that throw light on the numerous ways in which different philosophical domains receive and study the [COVID19] pandemic”—complete with a bibliography of “philosophical writings on the pandemic”!
In Our Time — Philosophy
BBC’s “Podcasts about [ideas], philosophers, theories and key themes.” (The episodes are archived all the way back to 1998!)
Issues and Ideas
Dr. Hugh LaFollette’s radio interviews with philosophers and other public figures from 1995-2003. “LaFollette is a wonderful interviewer: extremely thoughtful and …fun to talk to.” –Martha Nussbaum
John Corvino’s YouTube Channel
John Corvino (PhD) is a professor at Wayne State University and makes short, well-produced videos about foundational philosophical concepts as well as rigorous analysis of the philosophical assumptions in public discourse (e.g., about sexuality).
Journal Entries
The podcast of Wesley Buckwalter, lecturer in philosophy and cognitive science at the University of Manchester. His interests include epistemology, methods, and moral psychology.
Lil’ Philosophers
“A podcast for kids and adults to find new meaning in children’s books. To help foster an early relationship with philosophy. Where Plato meets Play-Doh”
Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast
“Hosted by Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison—both of whom have philosophy backgrounds—Meta Treks addresses the philosophical arguments that shape how the stories speak to us on a human level.”
Micro-digressions with Spencer Case
“Philosophical excursions into interesting, and often controversial, topics.”
Middle Way Society’s Philosophy Podcasts
A podcast from the Middle Way Society, which promulgates “a practical and moral philosophy of universal applicability, independent of any appeal to traditional authority and avoiding metaphysical dogma, whether positive or negative.”
Minerva
A collection of philosophical conversations between philosophers and Joshi Gottlieb. Insightful. And classy!
Modern Day Philosophers
Comedians “attempting to find the answers to life’s great questions. Even if the questions just lead to more questions, there will be many laughs in between. You can listen and decide: Are comedians really modern day philosophers?”
New Books in Philosophy
Podcast interviews of philosophers about their newest book. A great way to get a feel for a book before deciding whether or not to read it. Usually about 1 hour.
New Books in Political Science
Interviews with Political Scientists about their New Books
NOUS
“…tackles the deepest questions about the mind, through conversations with leading thinkers working in philosophy, neuroscience, psychiatry and beyond.”
On Wisdom
A social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discuss the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom.
Oxford’s Philosophy Talks
Over 500 podcast episodes from philosophers at (or visiting) Oxford.
Philosophical Disquisitions
The podcast of John Danaher, philosopher of future, technology, and more. (With a corresponding blog on the list of philosophy blogs.)
Philosophize This!
“a chronological approach to the biggest ideas that shaped our world explained in a way that you don’t need a master’s degree to understand.”
Philosophy 24/7
“A Podcast That Interviews Leading Philosophers.” (via David Edmonds from Philosophy Bites and other projects).
Philosophy Bakes Bread
“designed to showcase the public importance of philosophy, both for our everyday lives and for leadership in the policy world.”
Philosophy Bites
“Podcasts of top philosophers interviewed on bite-sized topics”. Interesting, clear, and concise. I love this podcast.
Philosophy for Beginners
A “series of five introductory lectures, aimed at students new to philosophy” by Dr. Talbot at the University of Oxford.
Philosophy Now
“Podcasts from philosophynow.org, home of the most widely read philosophy magazine in the world, Philosophy Now.”
Philosophy Sites
“Nigel Warburton’s podcast about places linked with philosophers”.
Philosophy Talk
One of the longest running philosophy podcasts out there. And the podcast that “questions everything.”
Poststructuralist Tent Revival
“Continental philosophy, theology, religious studies, [with some analytic episodes] and useless commentary on various issues by Eric Aldieri, Jacob Given, and Paula Landerreche Cardillo.”
Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society
Free audio recordings of philosophers’ discussions from a broad range of philosophical traditions held fortnightly in London.
Rationally Speaking
“…explor[ing] the borderlands between reason and nonsense, likely and unlikely, science and pseudoscience.”
Re:thinking
Zach Baker discusses philosophy and technology with philosophers from around the world.
Reductio: Adventures in Ideas
“A seasonal podcast that brings the ideas and tools of philosophy to everyone. Featuring interviews with professional philosophers, personal stories, and lots of fun thought experiments.”
Sacred and Profane Love
A podcast with philosophers, theologians, and other scholars discussing how literature has influenced our thinking about love.
Short & Curly
“a fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents”
Such That Cast
a free philosophy podcast featuring free-form conversations with some of the most influential and interesting philosophers of our day.
Sutras (and stuff)
“[Discussing] a range of ideas found in South Asian philosophy, along with their connections to the modern day [with] a philosopher who reads Sanskrit texts and thinks about how the modern and premodern are intertwined [and various guest scholars].”
Teoria Impura
Uma conversa sobre Direito, Filosofia, Psicologia e afins, entre três teóricos do Direito. (Google translation: “A conversation about Law, Philosophy, Psychology and the like, between three legal theorists.”)
The Dawdler’s Philosophy
An Intellectual Discussion Podcast – Science, Philosophy, Big Ideas – New Episode Every Sunday
The Informal Hour
…established philosophers, informally discuss their area of expertise.
The Life You Can Save
Each week The Life You Can Save bloggers bring you the latest news and reflections on effective philanthropy.
The Meaning of…
The Meaning of… explores how we find meaning in the modern world, hosted by anthropologist Dr Monty Badami and philosopher Dr Tim Dean.
The Moral Science podcast
A psychologist who is endlessly fascinated with human morality interviews experts who dedicate their careers to understanding it.
The Panpsycast
“…an ‘informal and informative’ philosophy podcast that supports teachers, students, and academics in philosophy.”
The Partially Examined Life
“[A]n informal roundtable discussion, with each episode loosely focused on a short reading that introduces at least one “big” philosophical question, concern or idea.”
The Philosopher’s Zone
A podcast featuring philosophy, philosophers, and stuff that’s of interest to philosophers.
The Philosophy Guy
“about the many ideas in philosophy that are popularized by our society and culture through movies, TV shows, public figures, and books all around us.”
The Philosophy Zone
Links to philosophy podcast episodes intended to start discussions around each episode.
The Podcast For Social Research
“an interdisciplinary podcast series featuring members of the [Brooklyn] Institute, and occasional guests…about a wide variety of issues of intellectual interest …accompanied by a bibliography of annotations and citation”
The Public Philosopher
Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel examines the thinking behind a current controversy.
The Understanding Project
Marteen van Doorn, in association with Central European University, talks with philosophers around the world to “help you achieve world-class insights by using philosophy to reveal the depth behind the everyday.”
The UnMute Podcast
“Conversations with extraordinary philosophers who give their take on controversial issues, pop culture, and the political and ethical dramas of our day. We learn. We Laugh. We plot revolutions.”
Thinking Allowed
Podcast about “new research on how society works.”
Thinking Books
“Nigel Warburton interviews authors of interesting books about thinking”
ild Orchids
Discussion (and sometimes debate) “about history, politics, and ideas in the United States” from historians historians Andrew Hartman and Ray Haberski.
Two Philosophers Drink Beer & Discuss Film
“A podcast offering philosophical readings of popular films, whilst drinking beer. Hosted by Dr Daniel Murphy and Dr Gregory David Jackson.”
Upon Reflection
This is my podcast about philosophy of cognitive science and vice verse: what we think as well as how and why we think it.
Very Bad Wizards
Discussions about philosophy and psychology … or losely related topics. Rated R for ‘repugnant’.
Weird Studies
“A filmmaker and a professor talk art and philosophy at the limits of the thinkable.”
Why We Argue
“Why We Argue” is an interview podcast that …questions political scientists, philosophers, journalists, historians, politicians, citizens, and the great political minds of our era from all sides of the political spectrum.”
Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life
…a conversation between philosophical professionals and the general public to illustrate how day-to-day life is steeped in deep philosophical commitments…
You Are Not So Smart
“[A] celebration of self delusion that explores topics related to cognitive biases, heuristics, and logical fallacies. David McRaney interviews scientists about their research into how the mind works.”
2. Recommendations
Do you think that someone might be interested in these philosophy podcasts? Then share the list with them! And if your favorite philosophy podcasts are missing from the list, then feel free to contact me to tell me about them! (At least a dozen of the podcasts on this list were recommended to me by readers.)
