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
Happy or Content? Rethinking What a Good Life Really Means
Philosophers spend a lot of time discussing the meaning of happiness but don’t explore the idea of contentment as much. Surely there is a fundamental difference between feeling fulfilled and recognizing that things don’t need to get better. In this episode, Craig and Jack explore the tension between joy, pleasure, and satisfaction, and investigate the place of morality, emotions, and reason in these feelings.
Episode Archive
Philosophical Currents is recorded as a segment of the Prairie Public radio news magazine Main Street.
