Alexander Douglas's guest appearances

Alexander Douglas

Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society

Thoughts: Philosophy Untangled

The Philosopher & The News

Jonathan Wolff

Emily Thomas

Tommy Curry

James Wilson

Philip Goff

Stephen Mumford

Elizabeth Anderson

Quassim Cassam

David Papineau

Elizabeth Barnes

Toby Buckle

Guy Longworth

Rae Langton

Katrin Flikschuh

Helen Beebee

OwlTail

In this episode Alexandros and Calum sit down with Dr Alexander Douglas, a senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, to discuss the life and work of Baruch Spinoza. They touch on several topics, including Spinoza's controversial theological stances, his substance monism and the implication of his views for how society should operate.

In this episode Alexandros and Calum sit down with Dr Alexander Douglas, a senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, to discuss the life and work of Baruch Spinoza. They touch on several topics, including Spinoza's controversial theological stances, his substance monism and the implication of his views for how society should operate.

#42. Spinoza ft. Dr. Alexander Douglas

In 2019 the US Congress representative Alexandria Occasio Cortez and US senator Edward Markey put forward a resolution called the Green New Deal. Borrowing the name from Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930s, a massive state-led plan to save the economy from the 1929 crash, the Green New Deal proposes an even more ambitious state plan, this time to save the planet from climate change. The aim of a net-zero carbon emissions economy within the next thirty years, the argument goes, can only be achieved by huge state intervention. The swift closing down of the oil and gas sectors of the economy will require the state to become the leader in investment planning, and even the guarantor of jobs for everyone. But what assumptions about the economy, the nature of currency and the role of financial institutions do we need to rethink in undertaking such a project? And what are the ethical challenges in giving the state unprecedented power over our future? Alex Douglas is lecturer in philosophy at the University of St Andrews, author of The Philosophy of Debt and co-director of The Future of Work and Income Research Network. This podcast is created in partnership with The Philosopher, the UK’s longest running public philosophy journal.  Register for free for the spring series of talks and events at: https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/events  Music by Pataphysical  Artwork by Nick Halliday

In 2019 the US Congress representative Alexandria Occasio Cortez and US senator Edward Markey put forward a resolution called the Green New Deal. Borrowing the name from Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930s, a massive state-led plan to save the economy from the 1929 crash, the Green New Deal proposes an even more ambitious state plan, this time to save the planet from climate change. The aim of a net-zero carbon emissions economy within the next thirty years, the argument goes, can only be achieved by huge state intervention. The swift closing down of the oil and gas sectors of the economy will require the state to become the leader in investment planning, and even the guarantor of jobs for everyone. But what assumptions about the economy, the nature of currency and the role of financial institutions do we need to rethink in undertaking such a project? And what are the ethical challenges in giving the state unprecedented power over our future? <a href="https://axdouglas.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alex Douglas</a> is lecturer in philosophy at the University of St Andrews, author of <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Philosophy-of-Debt/Douglas/p/book/9781138929746" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Philosophy of Debt </a>and co-director of <a href="https://ceppa.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/research-projects/the-future-of-work-and-income/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Future of Work and Income Research Network</a>. This podcast is created in partnership with <a href="https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Philosopher</a>, the UK’s longest running public philosophy journal.  Register for free for the spring series of talks and events at: <a href="https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/events" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/events</a> Music by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/pataphysicaltransmission" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pataphysical</a> Artwork by <a href="https://www.hallidaybooks.com/design" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nick Halliday</a>

Alexander Douglas & Planning the Green New Deal

Alexander Douglas is a lecturer in the School of Philosophical, Anthropological, and Film Studies at the University of St Andrews. Previously he taught at Heythrop College, University of London. He studies early modern rationalism, particularly various forms of Cartesianism and especially that of Spinoza. He is interested in the idea that human reason can access a reality not visible to the senses and aims to trace some of its history, involving the history of formal logic and theology as well as of philosophy. He is the author of Spinoza and Dutch Cartesianism: Philosophy and Theology (Oxford University Press, 2015). He is also interested in critiques of political economy and is the author of The Philosophy of Debt (Routledge, 2015). He is currently writing a book that draws on Spinoza’s philosophy to present the thesis that ‘special hope’ – hope that exceeds scientifically-warranted belief – is both a personal and political virtue. This podcast is an audio recording of Dr. Douglas' talk - 'Spinoza’s Unquiet Acquiescentia' - at the Aristotelian Society on 17 February 2020. The recording was produced by the Backdoor Broadcasting Company.

Alexander Douglas is a lecturer in the School of Philosophical, Anthropological, and Film Studies at the University of St Andrews. Previously he taught at Heythrop College, University of London. He studies early modern rationalism, particularly various forms of Cartesianism and especially that of Spinoza. He is interested in the idea that human reason can access a reality not visible to the senses and aims to trace some of its history, involving the history of formal logic and theology as well as of philosophy. He is the author of Spinoza and Dutch Cartesianism: Philosophy and Theology (Oxford University Press, 2015). He is also interested in critiques of political economy and is the author of The Philosophy of Debt (Routledge, 2015). He is currently writing a book that draws on Spinoza’s philosophy to present the thesis that ‘special hope’ – hope that exceeds scientifically-warranted belief – is both a personal and political virtue. This podcast is an audio recording of Dr. Douglas' talk - 'Spinoza’s Unquiet Acquiescentia' - at the Aristotelian Society on 17 February 2020. The recording was produced by the Backdoor Broadcasting Company.

17/2/2020: Alexander Douglas on Spinoza’s Unquiet Acquiescentia