Recently associated with London University’s The Institute of Philosophy, editors David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton began Philosophy Bites as a series of podcast interviews with a wide range of distinguished philosophers and thinkers. In response to a flood of requests for transcripts, this 2010 Oxford University Press compilation gathers twenty-five of the over one hundred interviews collected in the program’s three-year history into easily readable essay form. Philosophy Bites: 25 Philosophers on 25 Intriguing Subjects covers topics ranging from relativism and tolerance to the aesthetics of architecture and the “yuk!” factor.

“Covers” may be a misnomer; each of these short articles, none more than ten pocket book size pages, barely scratches the surface of the sometimes weighty (infinity, atheism) and sometimes seemingly trivial (sport and enhancement, wine) subject matter broached in the original interview. Edmonds and Warburton set out to show how “Philosophy need not be obscure and it shouldn’t be inaccessible,” and while this volume is replete with references to philosophical classics, each interviewee brings to the topic at hand a fresh perspective and current application. There is a reassuring welcome offered by a philosophical review that discusses garden gnomes, horror movies, and Cabernet Sauvignon alongside time, cosmopolitanism, and evil.

Many of those interviewed were first asked, “What is philosophy?” From Aaron Ridley’s fully explanatory laugh to Robert Adams’ “Philosophy is what philosophers do,” the range of answers provide an enticing anticipation of the diverse discussions to be found in the remaining chapters. David Papineau’s “…an untangling of presuppositions: figuring out our thinking is being driven by ideas we didn’t even realize that we had” is a fitting summary for Philosophy Bites.

The fascinating “bites” offered in five broadly-defined categories, Ethics; Politics; Metaphysics and Mind; Aesthetics; and God, Atheism, and the Meaning of Life, encourage further consideration of familiar issues. Standard philosophical themes such as the meaning of life, skepticism, and the definition of art (and by extension, beauty) are juxtaposed with more nuanced issues of credibility, vagueness, and the paradox of tragedy. As would be expected, there are as many areas of overlap in foundational work as there are differences in interpretation, giving credence to Simon Blackburn’s comment in the chapter “Relativism,” taken, he notes, from economists: “If you come to a philosopher for solutions in any moderately complicated political arena, you’ll just find that you’ve got a dozen philosophers and thirteen solutions.” Such comparisons add a richness to the text as the interplay of commentary highlights the subtle interconnectedness of philosophical thought and the realization that there truly are no easy answers.

Old friends Plato and Aristotle, Descartes and Kant are referenced in several chapters; however, a novice student of philosophy may also find new resources including David Hilbert, Arthur Danto, and Noël Carroll. The twenty-five intriguing interviewees featured in Philosophy Bites surely must be added to that list.

Author Nigel Warburton offers classes in aesthetics at Tate Modern and is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Open University. His associate on Philosophy Bites, author and documentary film maker David Edmonds, is Research associate at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford University. They note their bite-sized dip into such weighty topics does not constitute “Philosophy Lite,” rather it is “deliberately short and to the point…Often the most brilliant philosophers are also those most willing and able to convey their thoughts to an intelligent non-specialist audience.” In that effort, Philosophy Bites certainly succeeds.

Current podcasts and archives from past editions are available at www.philosophybites.com. A second companion volume, featuring discussions on great philosophers, is planned.

© 2011 Cynthia Pauwels

Reviewer Cynthia L. Pauwels holds an MA in Creative Writing and a BA in Humanities with a World Classics certification from Antioch University McGregor in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She works as a freelance writer with numerous short fiction, non-fiction and technical writing credits.