Episode #197 - New Atheists and cosmic purpose without God (Zizek, Goff, Nagel)
Episode #197 - New Atheists and cosmic purpose without God (Zizek, Goff, Nagel)
This episode explores how seemingly objective worldviews—particularly scientific materialism—can function as ideologies, just like more overtly religious belief systems. Drawing from the work of Slavoj Žižek, Thomas Nagel, and Philip Goff, it challenges the idea that truth must be limited to what can be empirically verified. It highlights how even the scientific method depends on unprovable philosophical assumptions, such as the rational coherence of the universe or the reliability of induction. By tracing material reductionism’s historical roots and contrasting it with alternative perspectives, like Nagel’s teleological framework or Goff’s value-selection hypothesis, the episode invites listeners to question whether science alone can fully explain consciousness, meaning, and purpose. Rather than rejecting science, it proposes a more reflective approach—one that integrates scientific rigor with a broader philosophical awareness, recognizing that the frameworks we use shape the truths we find.
Further Reading:
The Sublime Object of Ideology by Slavoj Žižek (1989)
Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False by Thomas Nagel (2012)
Why? The Purpose of the Universe by Philip Goff (2023)
See the full transcript here
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Episode #196 - The Improbable Slavoj Zizek - Pt. 1
Episode #196 - The Improbable Slavoj Zizek - Pt. 1
This episode introduces the complex and polarizing philosopher Slavoj Žižek, focusing less on his individual claims and more on the form and function of his philosophy. The discussion opens by acknowledging Žižek’s reputation for provocative and sometimes outrageous statements, but reframes these moments as deliberate rhetorical tactics meant to disrupt ideological complacency. Drawing from thinkers like Hegel, Marx, and Lacan, Žižek sees human subjectivity as shaped by layers of ideology we often can’t see. Rather than positioning himself as a truth-teller with a new ideology, Žižek tries to expose the symbolic structures through which we all interpret the world—language, rituals, cultural norms—and highlight how they narrow our field of vision. The goal isn’t to offer neat solutions, but to awaken listeners to the frameworks they take for granted. By disorienting his audience, Žižek hopes to inspire deeper reflection about what we assume to be self-evident. His style may appear chaotic, but it serves a purpose: to shake us from dogmatic slumber and provoke better questions about progress, ethics, and ideology itself.
Further Reading:
The Sublime Object of Ideology by Slavoj Žižek (1989)
Looking Awry: An Introduction to Jacques Lacan through Popular Culture by Slavoj Žižek (1991)
Violence: Six Sideways Reflections by Slavoj Žižek (2008)
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Episode #195 - Could Anarcho-Capitalism be the solution to our problems? - Anarchism Pt. 4 (Rothbard, Friedman, Malice)
Episode #195 - Could Anarcho-Capitalism be the solution to our problems? - Anarchism Pt. 4 (Rothbard, Friedman, Malice)
This episode breaks down a key divide within anarchist thought: anarcho-communists versus anarcho-capitalists. It examines why historical anarchist movements have often failed and argues that lack of support—not failure of the ideas themselves—played a major role. The show then explores anarcho-capitalism through thinkers like David Friedman and Murray Rothbard, who propose free markets and private services as alternatives to state power, grounded in the non-aggression principle. Critics like Noam Chomsky and anarcho-communists argue that capitalism itself creates coercive hierarchies, concentrating power through wealth and media control. The episode ends by asking whether real change is still possible and encourages small, values-based actions as a way to push toward liberty, equality, and solidarity—setting up a future discussion with philosopher Slavoj Žižek.
Further Reading:
The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism by David D. Friedman (1973)
For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto by Murray N. Rothbard (1973)
On Anarchism by Noam Chomsky (2013)
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Episode #194 - Do we really need the police? - Anarchism Pt. 3 (Gelderloos, Security)
Episode #194 - Do we really need the police? - Anarchism Pt. 3 (Gelderloos, Security)
This episode revisits the ideas of Byung-Chul Han, who sees modern life as increasingly self-centered and disconnected. He argues that today’s world pushes even well-meaning people to focus on themselves rather than others. The episode connects this to anarchist thought, suggesting that many of our biggest problems—violence, inequality, addiction—are shaped by systems built on hierarchy and disconnection. It looks at the 1919 Seattle General Strike as proof that communities can self-organize without top-down authority. While skeptics say anarchism is unrealistic, the show suggests it may be better understood as an ethical framework to guide how we live, not a blueprint to enforce overnight. It closes by asking whether imagining new ways of living is really naive—or whether not imagining them is the real danger.
Further Reading:
Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos (2010)
The Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han (2015)
Anarchy by Errico Malatesta (1891)
See the full transcript here
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Episode #193 - The main export of the western world is trash. - Anarchism Pt. 2 (Bookchin, Social Ecology)
The main export of the western world is trash. - Anarchism Pt. 2 (Bookchin, Social Ecology)
This episode introduces the ideas of Murray Bookchin, a self-described social ecologist whose work reshaped how anarchist philosophy might respond to today’s ecological crisis. Bookchin argued that the world’s environmental problems are not just technical or scientific, but social—reflecting deeply embedded hierarchies in how people relate to one another and to nature. Building on last episode’s foundation of anarchist values like liberty, equality, and solidarity, this episode shows how Bookchin saw modern society’s obsession with domination and growth—especially under capitalism—as the root of ecological collapse, social unrest, and global inequality. He critiqued common environmental solutions like green consumerism and futurist techno-fixes, calling them superficial responses that fail to address deeper systemic issues. Instead, Bookchin called for decentralized, directly democratic communities grounded in mutual care, ecological responsibility, and human-scale relationships. The episode ends by revisiting a recurring historical theme: when enough people recognize that existing power structures no longer serve them, demands for new forms of freedom and solidarity emerge. Listeners are invited to send in their questions about real-world challenges and historical examples, which will be explored in the next episode.
Further Reading:
Social Ecology and Communalism by Murray Bookchin (2007)
Ecology or Catastrophe: The Life of Murray Bookchin by Janet Biehl (2015)
Ecology and Socialism: Solutions to Capitalist Ecological Crisis by Chris Williams (2010)
See the full transcript here
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Episode #192 - Should we overthrow the government tomorrow? - Anarchism Pt. 1 (Chomsky, Malatesta)
Should we overthrow the government tomorrow? - Anarchism Part 1 (Chomsky, Malatesta)
This episode introduces anarchism not as violent rebellion or chaos, but as a serious political philosophy questioning the legitimacy of hierarchical authority. Drawing on Noam Chomsky and thinkers like Errico Malatesta, the episode explores the idea that any form of power—whether in families, churches, corporations, or governments—must justify itself or be dismantled. Anarchists, rather than opposing organization, advocate for decentralized, democratic systems built on voluntary association, liberty, equality, and solidarity. Through real-world examples and critiques of state power, the episode outlines how modern authority structures, including governments and corporations, can suppress human potential and create systems of domination disguised as order. It ends by inviting listeners to explore whether hierarchical authority is truly necessary or simply an inherited constraint on collective freedom.
Further Reading:
On Anarchism by Noam Chomsky (2013)
Anarchy by Errico Malatesta (1891)
Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos (2010)
See the full transcript here
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Episode #191 - The modern concentration camp and the failure of human rights. (Giorgio Agamben)
Giorgio Agamben
Giorgio Agamben’s critique of human rights, influenced by Simone Weil, begins with the argument that legal frameworks fail to capture the essence of what they claim to protect—human dignity and freedom. Weil’s example contrasting a farmer’s legal right to sell eggs with the moral horror of forced prostitution underscores how legal language can flatten profound ethical violations. Agamben expands this critique, arguing that human rights are often weaponized as justifications for imperialist actions, such as U.S. and Russian military interventions framed as humanitarian efforts. He warns that the reverence given to human rights can obscure real political motivations and hinder discourse on equally urgent issues like inequality or climate change. Drawing on Aristotle’s concepts of zoe (bare life) and bios (political life), Agamben suggests that in states of exception—like concentration camps or Guantanamo Bay—individuals are stripped of both private autonomy and public representation, existing in a dehumanized limbo. He sees this logic extending through normalized practices like police brutality, pandemic lockdowns, international customs, and mass surveillance, arguing that these examples follow the same core political maneuver: suspending rights through emergency declarations. Additionally, Agamben critiques modern institutions for suppressing human potential in favor of control and productivity, proposing that societies rooted in potential rather than fear may offer a more humane future. Ultimately, his work asks whether the frameworks we depend on for justice are inherently flawed—and if moving beyond them is the only way forward.
Further Reading:
Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life by Giorgio Agamben (1998)
State of Exception by Giorgio Agamben (2005)
Means Without End: Notes on Politics by Giorgio Agamben (2000)
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Episode #190 - Are emotions a waste of time? - Neo-Stoicism (Martha Nussbaum)
Are emotions a waste of time?
This episode introduces the ethical philosophy of Martha Nussbaum, who challenges the Stoic belief that emotions should be suppressed or distrusted. Using literature and psychology, Nussbaum argues that emotions are not irrational forces, but powerful forms of moral judgment—ways of valuing what matters most. She explores how emotions like grief, anger, and love shape our understanding of justice and our ability to care for others. Against the Stoic ideal of emotional detachment, she offers a more realistic and compassionate vision: one that embraces vulnerability and acknowledges our deep need for others. This idea becomes central to her Capabilities Approach, a political philosophy that redefines justice in terms of what people are actually able to do and be. In a world that often values control, optimization, and self-reliance, Nussbaum’s work is a reminder that wisdom also means being open—to other people, to uncertainty, and to the emotions that make us human.
Further Reading:
Upheavals of Thought: The Intelligence of Emotions by Martha C. Nussbaum (2001)
Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach by Martha C. Nussbaum (2011)
The Fragility of Goodness: Luck and Ethics in Greek Tragedy and Philosophy by Martha C. Nussbaum (1986)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #189 - Everything that connects us is slowly disappearing
Everything that connects us is slowly disappearing.
This episode continues exploring the philosophy of Byung-Chul Han, who argues that today’s society is not best represented by Orwell’s 1984 but by Huxley’s Brave New World, where people voluntarily embrace control through pleasure and self-optimization. Han claims that modern neoliberalism, with its slogans of authenticity and empowerment, actually dissolves community bonds, rituals, and shared narratives, leading to widespread narcissism, anxiety, and disconnection. What disappears, he says, is “constructive negativity”—the pauses, transitions, and moments of reflection that allow for deep understanding, real difference, and truth. As rituals vanish and information floods perception, Han sees society replacing meaningful communication with shallow noise, flattening culture and weakening democracy. In this world obsessed with transparency and efficiency, he suggests a radical antidote: be an “idiot”—someone who slows down, embraces uncertainty, and reconnects with the depth and discomfort that make life and love real.
Further Reading:
The Transparency Society by Byung-Chul Han (2015)
Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power by Byung-Chul Han (2017)
The Disappearance of Rituals: A Topology of the Present by Byung-Chul Han (2020)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #188 - Achievement Society and the rise of narcissism, depression and anxiety
Achievement Society
In this episode, Byung-Chul Han’s theory of positive power takes center stage, building on themes of surveillance, control, and the modern self. Han argues that we no longer live in a disciplinary society where behavior is regulated through prohibition and punishment; instead, we exist within an achievement society governed by the illusion of total freedom. This shift replaces the coercive “should” with the self-imposed “can,” encouraging individuals to optimize themselves endlessly under the guise of autonomy. Han sees this as a sophisticated form of domination: people internalize the pressure to constantly improve, turning themselves into marketable projects, and framing their worth in terms of productivity and efficiency. In doing so, they lose touch with “the Other”—that which is different, imperfect, or disruptive to self-centered striving. Han links this to rising levels of depression and burnout, noting how technology reinforces this isolation by offering shallow, self-affirming experiences in place of real connection. True thinking, he argues, requires slowness, contemplation, and a deliberate effort to engage with difference. Rather than succumbing to a world of sameness, Han urges a return to presence, rest, and a deeper sense of the Other—practices that offer a quiet resistance to the invisible forces shaping modern life.
Further Reading:
The Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han (2015)
Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power by Byung-Chul Han (2017)
The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord (1967)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #187 - How much freedom would you trade for security? (Foucault, Hobbes, Mill, Agamben)
How much freedom would you trade for security?
This episode builds on the idea of a digital panopticon by exploring how power operates beyond laws and governments. Foucault argued that institutions like schools and factories discipline people not through force but by structuring behavior. This leads to a deeper question: how is behavior shaped today? The episode considers Stuart Armstrong’s counterintuitive claim that a surveillance state might reduce crime and hypocrisy, eliminate passwords, and improve research—but at what cost? The philosophical debate around freedom vs. security takes center stage, comparing thinkers like Hobbes, Mill, and Judith Jarvis Thomson to show how privacy is more than secrecy—it’s the space that makes individuality and dissent possible. Giorgio Agamben’s idea of the “state of exception” helps frame COVID-era privacy trade-offs as precedents for future control. The episode ends with Deleuze’s concept of the “control society,” where institutions blur together, roles are fluid, and people become “dividuals”—data fragments monitored and influenced by algorithms. It’s a call to see our digital choices—like accepting cookies—as small but real votes in the ongoing tension between freedom and security.
Further Reading:
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff (2019)
The Black Box Society by Frank Pasquale (2015)
Surveillance Society: Monitoring Everyday Life by David Lyon (2001)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #186 - Are we heading for a digital prison?
Are we heading for a digital prison?
This episode explores how Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon—a prison design based on constant, unseen surveillance—inspired Michel Foucault’s theory of modern social control, where institutions shape behavior through internalized norms. It draws a parallel to today’s algorithm-driven systems, which monitor individuals, shape their choices, and influence thought. Philosopher Stephen Cave’s idea of a “freedom quotient” frames how AI may restrict our agency by limiting our options, distorting decision-making, and dulling our will—creating a digital panopticon we may not realize we live inside.
Further Reading:
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff (2019)
The Black Box Society by Frank Pasquale (2015)
Dragnet Nation by Julia Angwin (2014)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #185 - Should we prepare for an AI revolution?
Should we prepare for an AI revolution?
This episode explores the rise of generative AI as a technological revolution potentially more disruptive than the Industrial Revolution itself. It opens with a thought experiment: a peasant farmer reading a sci-fi novel that eerily anticipates the machinery-driven transformation of human life. The narrative tracks how AI has evolved since 2017, highlighting the shift from ranking algorithms used in social media to generative models that now create content, automate tasks, and influence decision-making across medicine, education, and beyond. Optimists frame AI as a tool to scale intelligence, expand access, and raise the baseline of human productivity, while critics warn of increased manipulation, job displacement, and democratic instability. Through references to thinkers like Aza Raskin, Tristan Harris, and Yuval Harari, the episode raises urgent questions about alignment, power, and control in a world where AI’s exponential progress far outpaces regulation. With a nod to philosophical frameworks from Stoicism to Guy Debord’s “Society of the Spectacle,” it calls for a reexamination of how humanity understands itself amid rapid change. Whether we face utopia or collapse, the episode argues that now is a rare moment where awareness and education still offer a choice—and that philosophy may be one of our best tools for navigating what comes next.
Further Reading:
Generative Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know by Jerry Kaplan (2024)
The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI by Ray Kurzweil (2024)
Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI by Reid Hoffman (2023)
See the full transcript of this episode here.
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Episode #184 - Is Artificial Intelligence really an existential threat?
Is Artificial Intelligence really an existential risk?
This episode challenges the popular idea that technology is a neutral tool, instead asking whether each technological advance carries its own moral trajectory based on the power it grants and the systems it shapes. Building from last episode's critique of ChatGPT’s limitations, the discussion explores how narrow AI, like large language models, might evolve into general intelligence not by mimicking humans but by developing new, non-human forms of intelligence. Referencing thinkers like John Searle, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and Stuart Russell, the episode lays out the major concerns surrounding AGI: the alignment problem, instrumental convergence, and the limits of containment. Through vivid analogies—like AI viewing humans the way humans view bees or bugs—the episode paints a chilling but plausible picture of an intelligence that may surpass human understanding without ever meaning harm. It concludes by reframing the AGI debate as part of a larger question: how should we relate to technology in an era when innovation vastly outpaces regulation? Whether or not AGI is ever realized, the conversation calls for a new level of responsibility, reflection, and global coordination around the release of high-stakes technologies.
Further Reading:
The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values by Brian Christian (2020)
Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control by Stuart Russell (2019)
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark (2017)
See the full transcript of this episode here.
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Episode #183 - Is ChatGPT really intelligent?
What if consciousness is an illusion?
This episode examines whether machines like ChatGPT are truly intelligent or merely simulate intelligence through statistical pattern recognition. It begins by revisiting the Turing Test and Alan Turing’s proposal that a machine displaying human-like behavior could be considered intelligent. John Searle’s Chinese Room argument challenges this idea by distinguishing between syntax and semantics, arguing that computers manipulate symbols without understanding their meaning. The episode traces how this critique applies to modern large language models, including ChatGPT, and discusses Noam Chomsky’s view that such systems, while useful, do not engage in genuine scientific or moral reasoning. Chomsky argues that human intelligence involves creating explanations and distinguishing between what is possible and impossible, a capacity lacking in current AI. The episode concludes by warning that hype and misunderstanding around AI may distract from urgent global threats, such as climate change and nuclear war, and sets the stage for a continued discussion on AI’s potential impact on society.
Further Reading:
Common Sense, the Turing Test, and the Quest for Real AI by Hector J. Levesque (2017)
Views into the Chinese Room: New Essays on Searle and Artificial Intelligence edited by John Preston and Mark Bishop (2002)
The Mind's I: Fantasies and Reflections on Self and Soul edited by Douglas R. Hofstadter and Daniel C. Dennett (1981)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #182 - What if free will is an illusion?
What if free will is an illusion?
This episode explores the question of whether free will is an illusion and why that question matters beyond abstract theory. It begins by connecting the issue to everyday concerns like moral accountability, social responsibility, and the structure of legal and political systems. The conversation outlines the long philosophical debate over free will and determinism, placing views like libertarian free will, hard determinism, and compatibilism on a spectrum of belief. It examines how definitions of freedom have evolved, including the distinction between wanting something and willing it, and highlights Harry Frankfurt’s theory of first and second order desires. The episode also considers how society might change if hard determinism were widely accepted, from criminal justice to incentive structures and personal blame. It closes by noting the growing relevance of artificial intelligence in reshaping how we understand agency, setting up the next episode’s discussion of AI and free will.
Further Reading:
Free Will: A Very Short Introduction by Thomas Pink (2004)
Four Views on Free Will by John Martin Fischer, Robert Kane, Derk Pereboom, and Manuel Vargas (2007)
Freedom Evolves by Daniel C. Dennett (2003)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #181 - What if consciousness is an illusion?
What if consciousness is an illusion?
This episode explores the theory of illusionism in consciousness studies. It examines the claim that phenomenal consciousness may not be a separate feature of reality but a byproduct of the brain’s physical processes. The discussion highlights how common metaphors shape our understanding of consciousness, often reinforcing the belief that subjective experience is something distinct and in need of special explanation. Philosophers such as Susan Blackmore and Daniel Dennett argue that this belief might be based on misleading intuitions. They propose that the feeling of a unified self is a simplified representation created by the brain. The episode also considers objections to illusionism, including the concern that calling consciousness an illusion may mischaracterize its role. It concludes by introducing the topic of free will, which will be explored in the next episode.
Further Reading:
Consciousness Explained by Daniel C. Dennett (1991)
Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore (2003)
Illusionism: As a Theory of Consciousness edited by Keith Frankish (2017)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #180 - What if everything is consciousness?
What if everything is consciousness?
This episode introduces the theory of panpsychism as a response to the “hard problem” of consciousness. Drawing from philosopher Philip Goff’s book Galileo’s Error, the discussion explores how modern science, may be inherently unequipped to fully explain consciousness. Panpsychism offers an alternative framework, suggesting that consciousness is a fundamental feature of all matter, existing even at the smallest scales. The episode traces the implications of this view—from reshaping environmental ethics and our concept of self, to the potential for new scientific approaches and reevaluations of artificial intelligence. Through interviews and thought experiments, the episode considers how adopting panpsychism could shift both our personal worldviews and broader societal values.
Further Reading:
Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness – Philip Goff (2019)
Panpsychism: The Philosophy of the Sensuous Cosmos – Peter Ells (2011)
Panpsychism in the West – David Skrbina (Revised Edition, 2017)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #179 - Why is consciousness something worth talking about?
Why is consciousness something worth talking about?
This episode marks a shift from exploring the history of philosophy to applying those ideas to real-world issues, focusing on the urgent and complex topic of consciousness. The discussion introduces the “hard problem” of consciousness—the mystery of how subjective experience arises from physical brain processes—and explores why this question, though theoretical, has massive implications for ethics, politics, science, and society. Drawing from thought experiments like philosophical zombies, animal minds, and artificial intelligence, the episode investigates how assumptions about consciousness shape everything from moral responsibility to public policy. It emphasizes that even if consciousness can’t be fully explained, we still make daily choices based on our beliefs about it—choices that affect how we treat animals, machines, the elderly, and even each other. By unpacking current debates in neuroscience and philosophy, the episode invites listeners to think critically about how we define consciousness and how those definitions quietly structure our world.
Further Reading:
Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness by Philip Goff (2019)
Consciousness: Creeping Up on the Hard Problem by Jeffrey Gray (2007)
Philosophers on Consciousness: Talking about the Mind edited by Jack Symes (2022)
See the full transcript here.
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Episode #178 - Susan Sontag - How much is your view of everything affected by metaphors?
Susan Sontag - How much is your view of everything affected by metaphors?
This episode explores Susan Sontag’s critical view on how metaphors shape public understanding of illness, often with unintended harm. Building on her work Illness as Metaphor, the episode examines how common comparisons—like describing cancer as a “battle” or the mind as a “machine”—simplify complex realities and reinforce social stigmas. From historical myths surrounding tuberculosis to modern narratives about cancer, AIDS, and COVID, Sontag reveals how cultural metaphors influence not only how diseases are perceived, but how patients are treated by society and medicine. Through real-world examples and cultural critique, the episode challenges listeners to examine the metaphors they use, encouraging greater awareness of how language can impact lives—especially in moments of vulnerability.
Further Reading:
Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag (1978)
Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors by Susan Sontag (1989)
Metaphor in Illness Writing: Fight and Battle Reused by Anita Wohlmann (2022)
See the full transcript here.
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