I think Jeffrey Rosen does a truly incredible job moderating thoughtful, and even friendly debates between people who disagree often profoundly. The conversations are subtle, sensitive, deeply informative. I teach moral and political philosophy at a small liberal arts college, and so I often think about how to make conversations just like these possible. Each episode is a wonderful model. In fact, right now I’m teaching a class on the philosophy of law and I am now even thinking of assigning some of these episodes to my students. Thank you, Jeffrey Rosen! I genuinely believe you’re doing a service to our country and its citizens.
PS: a couple of reviews have claimed to discover a left-wing slant. I consider myself to be a conservative (in something like the Burke to Oakeshott tradition) and I am often frustrated by ideological bias and dogmatism in public discourse—but I have to say I found the claim that this podcast has any such bias utterly, utterly baffling. Every episode I’ve heard represents views on diametrically opposed sides of a legal or political divide, and both sides are represented by a brilliant, careful, well-informed thinker. This is exactly what makes it such an amazing podcast. So don’t listen to the haters! Instead listen to this amazing podcast.
