John Rawls (1921–2002)
In the late 1930s, an anxious teenager sits in a boarding school in Connecticut, surrounded by the trappings of privilege he doesn’t quite know what to do with. The school is Kent, Episcopalian and…
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Contemporary
Episodes on Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, Heidegger, Arendt, and Foucault address freedom, responsibility, power, existence, and political life in contemporary thought.
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault is a pivotal figure in contemporary philosophy and social theory, whose work emerged in the mid-20th century, particularly in the context of post-World War II Europe. Known for his explorations of power,…
Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt was a prominent political theorist and philosopher of the 20th century, known for her profound examinations of power, totalitarianism, and the nature of evil. Emerging from the tumultuous contexts of Nazi Germany…
Martin Heidegger
Martin Heidegger, a central figure in 20th-century philosophy, is perhaps best known for his investigation into the nature of being and existence. His work, profoundly rooted in the existentialist tradition, aims to explore what…
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir is a pivotal figure in philosophy, particularly known for her profound contributions to existentialism and feminist thought. Active in the mid-twentieth century, she is best recognized for her seminal work "The…
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre was a profound French philosopher, playwright, novelist, and political activist who lived from 1905 to 1980. Emerging as a key figure in the existentialist movement during the mid-20th century, Sartre sought to…
Albert Camus
Albert Camus is a towering figure in existentialist thought, often celebrated for his exploration of the human experience amidst life's absurdities. Emerging from the tumultuous backdrop of 20th-century Europe, particularly during and after World…