A philosophical exploration of this month’s biggest news stories.
Philosophical Currents is a monthly conversation between philosopher Jack Russell Weinstein and journalists Ashley Thornberg or craig blumenshine. It is a non-adversarial and accessible journey through the parts of the news that always seems to get left behind: the assumptions we take for granted.
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Meet Our Hosts
Jack Russell Weinstein
Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Dakota. For the last fifteen years, Jack has been the host of Prairie Public’s Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life. Originally from New York City, he is the author of three books, and is an amateur triathlete and a hobbyist baker.
Ashley Thornberg
Producer and host for Prairie Public’s Main Street. Ashley is an Edward R. Murrow regional award winner. Her interview passion and good humor comes through in all of her discussions. She started her career teaching and writing outside of Paris. Now based in North Dakota, Ashley practices and teaches yoga.
Craig Blumenshine
Producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street. Craig came to Prairie Public from Wyoming he served as the senior public affairs producer for WyomingPBS, interviewing scores of people from across the state for the Wyoming Chronicle series and popular Capitol Outlook show. Craig and his wife Tracy have three children.
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Most Recent Episode
When Music Becomes Us: A Philosophical Look at Identity, Memory, and Jimmy Cliff
Ska and Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff passed away today, prompting a deep reflection on how music shapes who we are. In this Philosophical Currents segment, UND philosophy professor Dr. Jack Russell Weinstein joins Main Street to explore why the songs we discover as teenagers become part of our emotional DNA, how music forms identity and community, and whether today’s instant-access digital listening changes that bond. From revival theaters and vinyl rituals to TikTok swipes and earbuds on the go, Weinstein examines how our relationship with music evolves—and why truly listening is never a waste of time.
Episode Archive
Philosophical Currents is recorded as a segment of the Prairie Public radio news magazine Main Street.
