Episode
A Social History of Analytic Philosophy (feat. Christoph Schuringa)
- Podcast
- Emancipations Podcast
- Published
- Jul 23, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 8512
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Summary
Analytic philosophy is the leading form of philosophy in the English-speaking world and most academic philosophy departments are analytic. But what explains this power and what is the history of analytic philosophy. Where did it begin and how did it rise to such prominence? I am joined by philosopher Christoph Schuringa to explore the social history of analytic philosophy. Analytic philosophy tends to think of itself as concerned with eternal questions, transcending the changing scenes of history. It thinks of itself as apolitical. This book, however, convincingly shows that the opposite is true. To this day, analytic philosophy is the ideology of the status quo. It may seem arcane and largely removed from the real world, but it is a crucial component in upholding liberalism, through its central role in elite educational institutions. Learn more about this book and acquire a copy here: https://bit.ly/4lhoHF5 SHOWNOTES: We discuss why Christoph wrote the book, the origin of the analytic/continental divide, the meaning of logical positivism, Wittgenstein's influence and the various schools in Cambridge and Vienna that formed analytic philosophy. The contradictions of the "linguistic turn" and the ways it failed to address social concerns. Whether there are exceptions within analytic philosophy, or philosophers whose methods might offer a more robust engagement with the social and with radical philosophy. The theory of the "colonization" of analytic philosophy in other disciplines, from ethics, to politics, to continental thinkers. Can analytic philosophy shake off liberalism and if not why. If so, how? #EmancipationsPodcast