The celebrated British philosopher and political theorist John Gray discusses the ways in which the Utopian aspirations of the secular left and right reflect the Christian heritage of Western political thought. From Stalinist Russia to contemporary Iraq, he argues, the road to perfection is built over the bodies of the innocent. Read Transcript
Listen Now - 28062008 | Download Audio - 28062008
The celebrated philosopher and critic John Gray is one of Britain's most prominent thinkers. In such books as Straw Dogs and Black Mass, he argues that apocalyptic religion has returned as a major force in global conflict. Read Transcript
Listen Now - 21062008 | Download Audio - 21062008
Australia prides itself on its egalitarianism, but what do we mean by 'egalitarianism'? Is it about treating everybody alike or just about treating like cases alike? Does inequality matter if nobody gets hurt? It is about fairness, and can we talk about fairness if there isn't actually anybody who's being unfair? (Can a roulette wheel be unfair?) This week, a philosophical look at one of the leading beliefs (or myths) of our time. Read Transcript
Listen Now - 14062008 | Download Audio - 14062008
Or the only truly tested philosophy is that of a dead philosopher. When the philosopher dies, the philosophy is put to the test. Does is still seem valid? Or does it fade into irrelevance in the face of eternity? From the Sydney Writers' Festival, a conversation with Simon Critchley, author of The Book of Dead Philosophers. Read Transcript
Saturday 1.35pm
repeated Monday 1.35pm
Presented by
Alan Saunders
10pm AEST
The Weekend Planet
with Doug Spencer
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