These podcasts are devoted to selected topics in Political Philosophy, and the History and Philosophy of the Natural and Social Sciences.
In the Introduction I explain that my starting point is philosophical problems, rather than, say, the history of great thinkers.
Each episode of Political Philosophy deals one topical issue: The issue of Power; the notion of (Republican) Liberty and the problem of Social Justice and the contrast between Open and Closed Societies
Episodes in History and Philosophy of science will deal with the notion of time, scientific revolutions and the nature of science.
Publisher
Friedel Weinert (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Bradford)
In previous episodes I discussed the differences between genuine science and non-science or pseudo-science. In the current episode I address the broader question: What is an ideology and how does it differ from science? An ideology is a coherent set of beliefs, based on fundamental assumptions, which provide adherents with a consistent view of reality. It is not required of an ideology that it accurately reflects reality. This is the job of objective science. An ideology offers a biased and partial interpretation of reality. Examples are atheism, conservatism, liberalism etc.. A scientific theory faces the verdict of reality. An ideology can be upheld in the face of counter-evidence.
Literature:
M. Freeden, Ideology. A very brief Introduction (OUP 2003)
D. Little: www-personal.umd.umich.edu
S. Žižek, The Sublime Object of ideology (1989)
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Ideology (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ideology/)
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Science and Ideology (https://iep.utm.edu/sci-ideo/)
25 May 2026
Episode 33 Part II: The Social Functions of Humour
This is the second part of the episode on humour. It looks at the emotional and sociological functions of humour. Humour is a social phenomenon. The most important distinction is that between conservative and critical functions of humour. Conservative functions re-confirm us a members of a community which shares a sense of humour. Critical functions highlight deficiencies in the way we act, talk and think.
Literature:
https://jonathansandling.com (https://jonathansandling.com)
Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/humor/)
Internet Encylopedia of Philosophy (https://iep.utm.edu/humor/)
Carroll, N.: Humour. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford UP 2014
Critchley, S.: On Humour. Ebook Bradford 2002. Routledge 2002
25 May 2026
Episode 33 Part I: Four Theories of Humour
Episode 33 is devoted to the question of humour or why we humans laugh. It consists of two parts.
Part I discusses the pros and cons of the main theories of humour (Superiority theory; Relief theory; Play theory; Incongruity theory).
Part II discusses the social functions of humour. It distinguishes a conservative from a critical function of humour.
I give examples of different types of humour in each part.
Literature:
https://jonathansandling.com (https://jonathansandling.com)
Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/humor/)
Internet Encylopedia of Philosophy (https://iep.utm.edu/humor/)
Carroll, N.: Humour. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford UP 2014
Critchley, S.: On Humour. Ebook Bradford 2002. Routledge 2002
Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100
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