Good Is In The Details

Gwendolyn and Rudy welcome founder/president of Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center, Dr. Dermell Brunson. In this episode we focus on the importance of the arts in education, how it contributes to creative skills, connection with community, and self-esteem. Dr. Brunson debunks the myth that the arts are tangential to a good education. Quite the opposite! Students learn the value of discipline through the process of artistic expression and this paves the way for improved mental health and career opportunities. We address several common questions like: How does arts education benefit children? Is arts education linked to academic success? What skills do students learn from arts? How do the arts support social and emotional learning? Learn more about Dermell's work: https://www.ltyc.net/our-history Get your copy of Philosophy Unplugged: Classroom Guide to Good Is In The Details. Philosophy Podcast Discussion Questions Get in touch: https://www.goodisinthedetails.com Join our Book Club on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Get your copy of Interview with Intention.

In this solo episode of Good Is In The Details, Gwendolyn Dolske, PhD explores the lives, ideas, and philosophical impact of four remarkable twentieth-century thinkers: Iris Murdoch, Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, and Mary Midgley. Drawing inspiration from Benjamin J.B. Lipscomb's The Women Are Up To Something, the episode examines how these philosophers reshaped modern moral philosophy and offered a powerful alternative to earlier approaches to ethics. Who were these four women philosophers, and why are they so influential in the history of philosophy? How did they challenge dominant ethical theories of their time? What is virtue ethics, and how does it differ from rule-based morality? Through biography, history, and philosophical reflection, this episode answers these commonly asked questions while revealing how Murdoch, Anscombe, Foot, and Midgley transformed the way we think about ethics, moral responsibility, character, and human life. Listeners will explore: the philosophical relationship between Murdoch, Anscombe, Foot, and Midgley how twentieth-century moral philosophy shifted away from strict rule-based ethics what virtue ethics is and why it remains influential today how biography and historical context shaped their philosophical ideas why these women were pivotal figures in a traditionally male-dominated field Blending history, philosophy, and accessible explanation, this episode makes complex ethical ideas understandable and meaningful for students, educators, and curious listeners alike. Whether you are new to philosophy or deeply interested in ethics, this discussion offers insight into how moral thinking evolved — and why these thinkers continue to matter today. Learn more about Professor Libscomb's work: https://www.houghton.edu/staff-members/benjamin-lipscomb/ Support the pod and get extra content: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Get in touch: https://www.goodisinthedetails.com

Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo invite Physicist Samir Varma (The Science of Free Will) to discuss how AI reveals our understanding of the classical philosophical debate: Free Will vs Determinism. What are the possibilities with AI and how can it be useful without disrupting our humanity? Are we purely material beings interacting with an "alien" intelligence? If all of our actions and thoughts are caused does that necessarily mean we are not free? Critical Thinking + Practical Philosophy + Science. Get Samir's book: The Science of Free Will. Join our Patreon for more Good Is In The Details and bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Subscribe to our Substack: https://giitd.substack.com Check out the pod's Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/GoodIsInTheDetails Pod music by Rich Balling.

Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo welcome philosophers Dr. Alex Madva and Dr. Daniel Kelly, co-authors of the book Somebody Should Do Something. Together, we explore one of social psychology's most famous concepts: the fundamental attribution error. How does misunderstanding human behavior, responsibility, and government investment lead us to the wrong solutions for the world's biggest problems? Why do we so often blame individuals instead of recognizing the systems, structures, and environments shaping their actions? And why do so many attempts at social change fail when they focus solely on individual choice rather than collective action? This episode examines: • The psychology behind blaming individuals • Why structural problems require structural solutions • How small choices and large systems interact • Practical ways to design meaningful, long-term social change • Why philosophical thinking matters for public policy and everyday life If you've ever wondered "How do we actually change society?", "Why do people behave the way they do?", or "Why do good solutions fail?", this conversation offers insight, clarity, and a fresh way to understand the complexity of social life. Perfect for listeners interested in philosophy, social psychology, bias, ethics, behavioral science, and critical thinking. Learn more about Dr. Madva and Dr. Kelly and get their book! Read Dr. Madva's OpEd in The NY Times: Guest Essay Join our Patreon for more GIID content: https://www.patreon.com/GoodIsInTheDetails

Gwendolyn and Rudy welcome back friend, third time guest of the pod, expert in Fitness, Education for Sports Medicine, Rich Fahmy (National Academy of Sports Medicine). We dive into the world of influence, social media, and marketing tricks that intentionally mislead consumers. From our Critical Thinking tool box, Rich breaks down the importance of science based research for health and how we can distinguish truth from rhetoric. Learn more about Rich Fahmy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-fahmy/ Bioethicist mentioned in the Introduction: Evan Thornburg. Shoutout to our friend & podcast guru, Greg Wasserman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman/ Music for GIID by Rich Balling. Get more of GIID: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Thank you to our sponsor: http://www.avonmoreinc.com

What part of American history have we overlooked and why? In this episode of Good Is In The Details, we explore a lesser-known chapter of Los Angeles history: the mass deportation efforts of the 1930s that targeted Mexican and Mexican American communities. After attending a lecture by writer and professor Desiree Zamorano, Gwendolyn reflects on what it means to encounter a history you didn't know, and why these stories matter today. Zamorano's historical novel Dispossessed brings to life a period often left out of mainstream discussions of U.S. immigration and civil rights. Questions we explore in this episode: What was the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s? Why is this part of California and U.S. history not widely discussed? How do historical narratives shape our understanding of immigration today? What can literature reveal that history books sometimes leave out? Why is it important to revisit overlooked or uncomfortable histories? This conversation connects history, immigration, and philosophy, inviting us to think more critically about collective memory, identity, and the stories that shape public understanding. If you're interested in: U.S. history and immigration, Los Angeles history, Mexican American experience, social justice and historical memory, philosophy and critical thinking, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Thank you to Rich Balling, the Rockstar Educator, for producing music for Good Is In The Details! Learn more about Desiree's novel Dispossessed: https://desireezamorano.com/dispossessed/ Get extra content and support the pod: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Deepen your knowledge of Philosophy with Philosophy Unplugged Thank you to our sponsor: http://www.avonmoreinc.com

Gwendolyn and Rudy welcome back finance and relationship expert Brian Page of Modern Husbands. In honor of Father's Day we're diving into the meaning of fatherhood. How has the role changed? What should one prioritize as a father? How can stress be managed? What cultural dynamics impact ideas of fatherhood? Learn more about Brian Page's work: https://www.modernhusbands.com Get your copy of Philosophy Unplugged. Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Check out Matt Ritter's podcast: Man of the Year Thank you to our sponsor: http://www.avonmoreinc.com

Can you fall deeply in love with someone without any sexual attraction? Philosophy says yes — and the answer changes everything we think we know about desire. Most of us were taught, implicitly or explicitly, that romantic love and sexual attraction are inseparable. This episode gently, rigorously dismantles that assumption, and in doing so, opens up a richer, more honest account of what love actually is. In this episode of Good Is In The Details, Gwendolyn Dolske sits down with two of the world's leading philosophers of love and intimacy: Luke Brunning, author of Romantic Agency (Polity Press, 2024) and co-director of the Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships at the University of Leeds, and Natasha McKeever, his co-author and fellow philosopher at Leeds, with whom he also co-wrote the new textbook The Philosophy of Love, Sex, and Relationships: An Introduction (Polity, 2025). Together they co-authored the landmark peer-reviewed article "Asexuality" in the Journal of Applied Philosophy — and that article is the springboard for one of the most nuanced conversations this show has ever had. What we explore in this episode: What asexuality actually is — and what it definitively is not (it is clearly different from celibacy or disorders of desire, and the philosophy makes that case rigorously) Why sexual attraction and sexual desire are not the same thing and why that distinction matters enormously for how we understand ourselves and our relationships Asexuality as a spectrum: what gray-sexuality and demisexuality tell us about the full range of human attraction How asexual experiences are diverse; some asexual people have sex; some have romantic relationships in the complete absence of sex and what that reveals about what romantic love actually requires The myths and social erasures that harm asexual people and why overlooking asexuality in philosophy and wider society produces incomplete and inaccurate accounts of romantic life for everyone, not just asexual people What asexuality teaches us about the nature of attraction, desire, and intimacy more broadly — including for people who don't identify as asexual at all. Whether romantic relationships require sexual attraction and the philosophical arguments for why they don't. This is an episode for anyone who has ever questioned the standard scripts around love and desire, anyone who identifies anywhere on the asexual spectrum, anyone who loves someone who does, or anyone who simply wants to think more carefully and compassionately about what it means to be in relationship with another person. Guests: Luke Brunning — Philosopher, University of Leeds. Author of Romantic Agency (Polity, 2024). Co-director, Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships. lukebrunning.com Natasha McKeever — Philosopher, University of Leeds. Co-author, The Philosophy of Love, Sex, and Relationships (Polity, 2025). Co-director, Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships. Learn more about Dr. Brunning's and Dr. Mckeever's work: https://www.ethicaldatingonline.com/team Join our community and get exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/GoodIsInTheDetails Get Philosophy Unplugged: Discussion Questions Digital Copy on Amazon Contact us: https://www.goodisinthedetails.com Thank you to our sponsor: http://www.avonmoreinc.com