Everyday Philosophers is a podcast where philosopher Robert Gressis interview philosophers who are not famous (either to the public, or among philosophers, or online) to get a sense of what it's like to be a working philosopher.
What's Money, Eh? (w/ David Dick and Robert Gressis)
David Dick (of the University of Calgary) and Robert Gressis talk about the differences between American and Canadian universities (as usual, the Canadians use funny words); what it's like to teach in a business school (David often has to sprinkle ethics on papers); David's research in the philosophy of money (does the nature of money constrain what we can use for money? Or is it the effects of a currency that determine what we should use for money?); David's thoughts on cryptocurrency (it's not ideal, but the horse is out of the barn); and David's thoughts on tipping (he comes not to praise it, but to bury it).
4:45 - What’s the difference between American and Canadian universities?12:56 - What’s it like to teach in a business school? (And David is stoked about the philosophy of accounting)33:29 - David’s current research: the philosophy of money, in particular the ethics and ontology of currency. 46:27 - Cryptocurrency, OF COURSE. 1:01:30 - David’s stance on tipping: tipping bad.1:17:37 - Interest in the philosophy of money is compounding!
11 May 2021
Foreign Policy, Authoritarianism, and Teaching at the US Naval War College (w/ Yvonne Chiu)
In this episode of Everyday Philosophers, Robert Gressis (California State University, Northridge) interviews Yvonne Chui (US Naval War College) about what it's like to teach at a military institution (no, you can't make your students do push-ups) and her research on the unsustainability of soft authoritarianism.
0:03:29 The US Naval War College: “where is it?”, “Do you teach … tactics?!”, and other such questions 13:23 Teaching at the US Naval War College compared to the University of Hong Kong; the key word is “diplomatic” 26:50 Alone at the Hoover Institution 29:02 What “soft” authoritarianism is 38:41 Why soft authoritarianism (at least in south Asia) is unsustainable 54:24 The sustainability and attractiveness of China’s hard authoritarianism 58:33 Trump, China, and authoritarian countries 1:05:26 Is China exceptional, or should we expect more hard authoritarian governments to start getting rich? 1:07:33 Does China have a lot of paid operatives in the USA?
2 Apr 2021
Philosophy, Critical Thinking, and Teaching Community College (w/ Alberto Mendoza and Rob Gressis)
Rob Gressis (professor of philosophy at California State University, Northridge) talks with Alberto Mendoza-Larreynaga (adjunct professor of philosophy at Antelope Valley College) about what it's like to teach philosophy in a community college, as well as writing an ever-changing textbook addressed to community college students.
01:59 The students at Antelope Valley College08:06 How do you teach students academic norms?12:54 What other problems bedevil community college students?18:22 How first-generation, STEM-majoring, community college students react to philosophy.26:17 Alberto’s research on getting students to relate more to critical thinking33:03 Rob probably accuses Alberto of hypocrisy37:01 Why Alberto is writing a critical thinking textbook: price and pedagogy48:10 What is critical thinking?52:57 Has teaching critical thinking made Alberto and Rob better critical thinkers?
10 Mar 2021
Teaching at a Catholic college and Working on the Atonement (w/ Chris Dodsworth and Robert Gressis)
In this episode, Robert chats with Chris Dodsworth (Professor, Spring Hill College) about what it's like to teach at a Catholic college (spoiler: it's good!) and on the doctrine of the Atonement. We focus in particular on why Christians care about the Atonement, why the doctrine is baffling, how to make it less baffling, and why attempts to make it less baffling might not work.
0:00:00 Introductions0:01:25 Small Talk0:04:07 What it’s like to teach at a Jesuit college0:11:53 How Catholic is Spring Hill College?0:16:32 The atheists at Spring Hill are mostly friendly (in the technical sense)0:23:10 Chris’s research project: the Atonement, how does it work??0:31:31Why is the Atonement the central Christian doctrine?0:38:45 Why the Atonement is so weird0:44:00 Atonement: At-One-Ment or paying off debts?0:50:00 William Lane Craig’s penal substitution view of the Atonement1:03:40 Chris attacks Craig’s view while Rob tries to (sort of) defend Craig1:12:45 Why retain the doctrine of the Atonement?
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