The web as a source of intellectual stimulation - Philosophy Talk

For those that enjoy learning, the web now supplies an amazing resource. Of course there is considerable discussion about the validity of what one finds on the web. Is the information correct, is it up to date, does it push some particular point of view? These are valid concerns, however I believe the same concerns apply to almost if not all information sources to some extent. In the end we have the responsibility of making our own conclusions about what we can believe and in deciding what particular sources are trustworthy. There are plenty of cases where famous and trusted academics have led whole fields astray. Examples that come at once to mind are Margaret Mead’s conclusions about the lives of Polynesian islanders, Thompson’s misleading views on the Mayan language that delayed work on its decipherment, J.B. Rhines work on ESP at Duke. There are all too many others!
So a good place to begin sharpening ones skeptical facilities is to listen to “Philosophy Talk”, a radio program that originates at the Philosophy Department of Stanford University. The show is available at: http://www.philosophytalk.org . Ken Taylor and John Perry, both Stanford Philosophers, host the show, which is archived on the web site. They cover just about any topic that has anything approaching philosophical content from baseball to Wittgenstein. The show is lively and each topic involves a knowledgeable guest. Best of all it is a wonderful antidote to dogmatism to listen to how the participants debate the various issues and connect them to the practical world. In addition they maintain a blog that continues the discussion of each topic and allows the listener to also participate in the fun. And of course the fact that the show originates at such a leading institution as Stanford implies it is totally trustworthy (or does it, something you can think about!).

Marty Lesser