Named “Top 20 Philosophy Podcast” for 2023!

STORY SUMMARY: After Dinner Conversation editor Kolby wraps up the Season Five podcast and answers ten listener questions.

BOOK LINK: Download the accompanying short stories here.

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Named “Top 20 Philosophy Podcast” for 2021!

STORY SUMMARY: Are there certain things you shouldn’t be able to insure against? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, the narrator has an eating disorder, and mental health issues. Regardless, she is a good employee at an insurance company. Just before closing, a call arrives from a good client, the local diocese who inquires about getting insurance to protect them against sexual abuse of children by priests. She takes the issue, and her concerns, to her boss who threatens to fire her if she fails to write the policy. It’s not their job to judge, he says, it’s their job to insure. A flashback shows why this point strikes so close home with the narrator. As a young child she was bullied on the school bus for being overweight. In an attempt to lose weight she started getting off the bus early to walk the last three miles home. Later, her bully accused the bus driver of touching her when they were on the bus alone together. Having come full circle, not much has changed. The narrator writes the contract, and sends it to the diocese to sign and return.

DISCUSSION: A wonderful story set in Ireland in the 1980’s that asks an important question about risk, and what you should and shouldn’t be able to insure against. Of course, you can’t crash your car and get an insurance payout. You can’t burn down your own house and then make a claim. Can you insure against sexual assault allegations if you know those allegations are likely to be coming soon? What obligations, if any, does the insurance company have to ask questions first, or to report what they may know?

BOOK LINK: Download the accompanying short story here.

COMPANION PODCAST: Listen to our audiobook readings of After Dinner Conversation short stories (“Philosophy | Ethics Short Story Audiobooks”).

MAGAZINE: Sign up for our monthly magazine and receive short stories that ask ethical and philosophical questions. Use the discount code on our website to get the first month free!

SUPPORT: Support us on Patreon.

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Named “Top 20 Philosophy Podcast” for 2021!

STORY SUMMARY: After Dinner Conversation editor Kolby wraps up the Season Four podcast and answers ten listener questions.

DISCUSSION:

1. What got you interested in doing After Dinner Conversation?

2. How do all of you know each other from the podcast?

3. Why does your audio sound different each episode?

4. How long do you think you will do the podcasts for?

5. Why does Kolby always do the story introductions?

6. How can I submit a story for consideration for the podcast? How do you find your stories?

7. Do you ever talk to the authors before doing the podcast?

8. Would you ever consider having a guest on the podcast?

9. What kind of stories are you looking for?

10. Would you ever consider reading the stories on the air instead of just discussing them?

BOOK LINK: Download the accompanying short stories here.

MAGAZINE: Sign up for our monthly magazine and receive short stories that ask ethical and philosophical questions. Use the discount code on our website to get the first month free!

SUPPORT: Support us on Patreon.

FOLLOW: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Named “Top 20 Philosophy Podcast” for 2021!

STORY SUMMARY: The narrator is walking down a small-town street when he comes across the devil, relaxing on vacation for the holidays. The narrator knows it is the devil because of his horns and goat legs. He also has a few small demon children in tow. The narrator, surprised, stops the devil to talk to him. The devil is cordial and says he has outsourced most of the “hell work” and spends his time traveling around the world moving from place to place. He likes the small towns during the holidays and enjoys the peace and quiet. The narrator feels he should do something, perhaps confront the devil, rather than allowing him to exist in peace. Finally, the narrator has second thoughts, in part because he doesn’t have a suitable weapon. The devil and his children continue in peace on their way.

DISCUSSION: One of our shorter stories and more to the traditional form of what we tend to discuss; a single interesting question put into a short story framework. In this case, the question is just wonderful, that being, do you always have an obligation to fight evil when you see it, even when you are fighting alone and feel (or know) that your efforts are futile, and are likely to go unnoticed? This story serves as a wonderful allegory for fighting against political or corporate abuse and how small our single vote or purchasing choice feels. Feeling, as the story says, that we are equipped with nothing more than a set of knitting needles. And yet, someone like Greta Thunberg was just a single person and her lone voice did, and does, matter. Maybe the lesson is fight futile battles and lose them in a public way?

BOOK LINK: Download the accompanying short story here.

MAGAZINE: Sign up for our monthly magazine and receive short stories that ask ethical and philosophical questions. Use the discount code on our website to get the first month free!

SUPPORT: Support us on Patreon.

FOLLOW: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook