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In An Autobiographical Study, Sigmund Freud defines the process of free-association broadly as speaking one’s mind without direction or censorship.1 As Jonathan Lear aptly points out, Freud calls free-association the fundamental rule of psychoanalysis2 not only because it is essential to therapy but also because it is a sublime exercise of the capacity for human freedom.3 Despite this apparent freedom in free-association, Freud also notes: “we must, however, bear in mind that free association is not really free....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       This episode, Matt talks to Christopher Beem (Penn State University) about how we can cultivate those skills that conduce to having a functioning democracy. His book on the topic, The Seven Democratic Virtues, is out now from Penn State University Press. Click here to download Episode 144 of Elucidations. The storming of the US Capitol Building in 2021 was an eyebrow-raising event, to say the least....

Kuhn distinguishes two meanings for ‘paradigm’: in a narrow sense, (1) the examples a discipline uses to articulate its assumptions that set the template for solving puzzles that arise in the discipline during a period of normal science, and in a broad sense, (2) the key theories, instruments, values, and metaphysical assumptions that are made prior to puzzle-solving which constitute the disciplinary matrix of normal science. Count two paradigms ‘incommensurable’ when the new paradigm is a radical alteration of the matrix of measurements, observations, and language adopted by the scientific community not for good reasons but by a non-rational kind of religious conversion to a new world that is different than, and discontinuous with, the one represented by the former paradigm....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       This episode, Matt Teichman talks to Mark Linsenmayer about alternative models of education. Mark is creator and host of the Partially Examined Life, Nakedly Examined Music, Pretty Much Pop, and Philosophy vs. Improv podcasts. He is also the author of the recent book, Philosophy For Teens. You can download Episode 143 by clicking here....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       We didn’t have a blog yet when this episode came out, but the episode link is here. Thanks to Jasmine Li for the transcription! Matt Teichman: Hello and welcome to Elucidations, a philosophy podcast recorded at the University of Chicago. I’m Matt Teichman. Mark Hopwood: And I’m Mark Hopwood. Matt Teichman: With us today is Brian Leiter, John P....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       In this episode of Elucidations, Matt sits down with Emily Dupree to learn about whether it’s rational or irrational to try to seek revenge. Click here to download episode 142 of Elucidations. As a culture, we kinda can’t decide what we think about revenge. Out of one side of our mouths, we talk a big game about letting bygones be bygones, about how revenge and retaliation lead to cycles of violence, and about how nothing good can really come of getting back at people....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       This time around, Matt sits down with Rob Goodman to talk about political eloquence. Goodman is the author of a new book on this topic called Words on Fire, which you can pick up a copy of wherever you like to get books. As for this interview, you can click here to download episode 141 of Elucidations....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       Episode link here. Thanks to Jasmine Li for the transcription! Matt Teichman: Hello and welcome to Elucidations, a philosophy podcast recorded at the University of Chicago. I’m Matt Teichman. Mark Hopwood: And I’m Mark Hopwood. Matt Teichman: With us today is Agnes Callard, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chicago....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       This month, Meghan Sullivan returns to Elucidations with her co-author Paul Blaschko to discuss their new book on how to live a good life. Click here to download episode 140 of Elucdiations. Intro philosophy classes often get stuck in a rut. Some philosophy classes go through a list of old dead people and try to understand excerpts from some of their most influential writings, over the course of a semester....

Subscribe to Elucidations:       Episode post here. Transcription by Prexie Miranda Abainza Magallanes. Matt Teichman: Hello and welcome to Elucidations. I’m Matt Teichman. Agnes Callard: And I’m Agnes Callard. Matt Teichman: With us today is Aristotle, founder of the Lyceum in Athens and professor of philosophy there. He is here to discuss his philosophy. Aristotle, welcome....