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talkPOPc's Podcast
talkPOPc or the Philosophers' Ontological Party club, is a public philosophy + socially engaged art practice non-profit founded by Dr. Dena Shottenkirk, who is both a philosopher and an artist. talkPOPc sponsors one-to-one conversations between a participant and a philosopher (who always dons our amazing gold African king hat!) Various philosophers participate and these conversations happen in various places. For example, we go into bars and have one-to-one conversations. Various bars, both dives and fancy. We go to Grand Central Station in New York City. We set up shop on the sidewalk outside of City Hall in Philly. We go into bodegas all over Brooklyn. We sit down next to the deli counter and hold a conversation with someone who has walked in to get a ham sandwich and walked out knowing so much more about their own thoughts. We go into city parks or down dead end streets and set up the talkPOPc's tent. We listen. Here are some of those conversations.
talkPOPc's Podcast
Episode #122, Resident Philosopher J. L. Brandl and talkPOPc participant Ophia talk about philosophy, art, and sociology
1:00 The conversation touches on the connection between philosophy and aesthetics, particularly how philosophers discuss art and define what constitutes a work of art.
4:00 They delve into the nuanced ways art and philosophy intersect and diverge in their approaches to reflection and understanding society.
6:30 They reference the work of philosopher Thomas Hobbes, known for his exploration of conflicts in society, to prompt a discussion on the role of art in addressing societal tensions.
8:00 Brandl suggests that while art can help some people overcome conflicts, others may find solace in different activities, such as sports. He provides background information on philosopher Thomas Hobbes, who believed that humans could find solutions to conflicts through societal arrangements but acknowledged that this optimistic view may not hold in contemporary society.
9:20 The conversation shifts to the application of philosophical ideas to music and whether music serves as an exception in addressing conflicts and discomfort.
11:30 They highlight the debate within musicology regarding the extent to which music reflects society but assert their belief that societal influences are present in all genres of music, including songs, symphonies, and chamber music.
14:00 They discuss the role of art in expressing feelings, particularly feelings about the state of society. Brandl posits that expressing feelings is a key means through which art contributes to philosophy and our comprehension of the world.
16:00 They discuss the subjectivity of interpreting artwork and the uniqueness of individual experiences. Ophia highlights Bingen's contribution to music, emphasizing her perspective as a woman, which brought a new dimension to the field.