WHY? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life
Each month, host Jack Russell Weinstein, a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of North Dakota, leads philosophical discussions about everyday topics. Weinstein is also the director of The Institute for Philosophy in Public Life. Produced by Prairie Public, the podcast brings philosophical inquiry to common-place subjects, making complex ideas accessible to a general audience.
Episodes
Is it immoral the world is profiting from shame?
Are social media and corporations profiting from public shame? On Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein talks with Cathy O’Neil about online humiliation, consumer manipulation and the ethics of exploiting human insecurities.
The Ethics of Speaking for Others
What does it mean to speak for someone else, and when do we have the right to do so? Host Jack Russell Weinstein speaks with philosopher Wendy Salkin about the ethics of speaking on behalf of others, political movements and public advocacy, and the informal ways people claim to represent communities they belong to or sometimes don’t.
In Tribute to Gloria Steinem: Gloria Steinem and Suzanne Braun Levine on the Philosophy of Feminism
Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with Ms. Magazine co-founder Gloria Steinem, and the magazine's first editor, Suzanne Braun Levine.
What is Jewish Philosophy?
On Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein speaks with philosophers Paul W. Franks and Yitzhak Y. Melamed about the history of Jewish philosophy, its central questions and how marginalized thinkers can challenge assumptions we may not realize we hold.
WHY? Celebrates 200 Episodes
The 200th episode of “Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life” premieres this Sunday. Ahead of the milestone, Erik Deatherage sits down with host Jack Russell Weinstein and his wife, Kim Donehower, a professor in the University of North Dakota’s Department of English. Friends and colleagues also join the celebration as we turn the tables on Jack and ask him questions, and give those he
How Do Philosophers Talk About Suicide?
Host Jack Russell Weinstein welcomes philosophers Michael Cholbi and Paolo Stellino for a conversation on one of the most difficult subjects: suicide.
A Philosophical Look at Addiction
Jack Russell Weinstein sits down with philosopher and neurobiologist Owen Flanagan to examine addiction through the lenses of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience. Owen discusses responsibility, recovery, social influences, and the challenges of confronting addiction.
What is Agriculture For?
In this episode of WHY: Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein explores one of humanity’s oldest and most consequential questions: What is agriculture for?
Is Freud Still Relevant?
In this episode of Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life, host Jack Russell Weinstein and guest Susan Sugarman explore the enduring legacy of Sigmund Freud, one of the most recognizable and controversial figures in psychology.
The Cost of Moving Up
Drawing from Jennifer Morton’s work on the ethical dilemmas faced by first-generation and low-income students, this episode examines the personal costs of pursuing higher education—fractured family ties, difficult tradeoffs, and the quiet loss of identity that can accompany social mobility. Together, they reflect on why we sometimes deny uncomfortable realities and what those choices reveal about
What Things Are Worth Saving?
How do we place a value on the things we keep and pass down? Objects can be timeless and multi-generational or they can be a burden to bear. Jack Russell Weinstein and his guest, Wellesley philosophy professor Erich Hatala Matthes explore the question, why should we save for posterity?
Why Do People Deny Such Obvious Things
Jack sits down with philosopher Adrian Bardon to unpack The Truth About Denial and our strange habit of rejecting what’s right in front of us. Together, they discuss why people deny obvious facts, how self-deception takes hold, and what denial reveals about our fear, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to get through the world.
Privacy Isn’t What You Think It Is
Jack sits down with scholar Lowry Pressly to discuss the provocative ideas behind his book The Right to Oblivion: Privacy and the Good Life. They explore what it means to protect our inner worlds in an age of constant exposure, why forgetting can be just as crucial as remembering, and how reclaiming privacy might be the key to living well.
How Is It That Ordinary People Can Commit Such Overwhelming
Evil?
Jack sits down with Elizabeth Minnich, moral philosopher and author, to explore a haunting and urgent question: How is it that ordinary people can commit extraordinary evil? Together, they unpack Minnich’s idea of the evil of banality, a subtle, everyday corruption of thought and conscience that allows atrocities to unfold, and consider what it means for our moral lives today.
How Do We Do Philosophy In Politically Difficult Times
Jack sits down with philosophers Jason Hill and Elizabeth S. Anderson to tackle a timely and urgent question: How do we do philosophy during difficult times? From the rise of AI and shifting political landscapes to debates over censorship, diverse student bodies, and evolving educational models, this conversation explores how philosophy can and must adapt.
What is indigenous philosophy?
Jack sits down with Brian Burkhart, Indigenous philosopher and scholar, to explore a radical and timely idea: What if Indigenous thought isn’t just tradition or spirituality, but a powerful philosophical framework—one that challenges Western systems and offers a deeply relational way of understanding nature and community in our time?
Is Marx Still Relevant?
Jack interviews Vanessa Wills, philosopher, professor, and author of Marx’s Ethical Vision, to explore a radical and timely idea: What if Marx wasn’t just a political economist, but a moral thinker, one whose ethical critique of capitalism speaks urgently to the injustices of our time?
The Argument for Peace and Non-Violence
Host Jack Russell Weinstein visits with peace activist Kathy Kelly
A Philosophical Look at Madness with guest Justin Garson
Jack interviews Justin Garson, writer, philosopher, and professor, to explore an unsettling and illuminating idea: What if madness isn't just a disorder, but a signal, expressing something deeply out of sync in our lives or society?
Is Virtual Reality Real?
Jack sits down with David Chalmers, renowned philosopher of mind, to explore the provocative question: Is virtual reality real? They explore the blurred boundaries between the virtual and the physical, consciousness, and presence. Together, they consider whether digital worlds can hold the same ontological weight as the "real" world, and what that means for the future of how we live, think, and pe
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