talkPOPc's Podcast
talkPOPc (Philosophers' Ontological Party club), is public philosophy + cognitively-engaged art nonprofit founded by Dr. Dena Shottenkirk, who is both a philosopher and an artist. As a topic-based project (we are now on our fourth) talkPOPc sponsors one-to-one conversations between a participant and a philosopher (who always dons our amazing gold African king hat, along with our mascot Puppet!) These conversations are consensus-building conversations and feed back into Shottenkirk's related artworks and published philosophy. The conversations become collaborative acts of making both philosophy and art. Thus, each topic - #1. nominalism, #2. censorship, #3. art as cognition, and #4 power - has three "pillars" the associated artworks, the published philosophy book, and podcast conversations. Various philosophers participate (see our website talkpopc.org for the list of philosophers) and these conversations happen in various places. For example, we go into bars and have one-to-one conversations. 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 the MDC prison in Brooklyn and have conversations. We set up in galleries where the artworks and the philosophy are also displayed. And we listen. Here are some of those conversations.
Change happens when people talk.
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.