ThinkBombs

Instructional video now on DVD!

ThinkBombs are topical collections of 5-10 minute segments from the award-winning philosophy talk show No Dogs or Philosophers Allowed ®. Each video collection is approximately 60 minutes in length, and is designed to set off reflection and conversation about an enduring issue of philosophical enquiry. These collections are a great way to frame a class discussion or provide additional perspectives on a particular area of study. Also included are select panel discussions from meetings of the American Philosophical Association.

Each program is available from the Philosophy Documentation Center in DVD, VHS, PAL, or SECAM video format, and the purchase price for each video includes non-public performance broadcast rights for classroom use. Customers also have permission to digitally encode any of the ThinkBomb segments and post them to a web site for students outside the classroom. Currently available programs are listed below.

"No Dogs or Philosophers Allowed will engage an audience with its usually spirited discussion on the burning philosophical issues of the day." -- The Washington Post

"A philosophical feast .... a Socratic symposium devoted to skepticism, the pursuit of truth, and the application of philosophical enquiry to everyday life." -- Talk of the Nation, National Public Radio

DVD (zone 1) or VHS tape · $80.00 · PAL or SECAM formatting $25 additional per video

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Check the box(es) of the videos you'd like to order. Specify format. Click the "add to order" button at the bottom of the page when finished to add to your shopping cart.

Bioethics - What are the major issues in the debate about physician-assisted suicide? What are the arguments for and against euthanasia? Is access to health care a natural right? What are the philosophical implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act? When should medical care be determined to be futile? How can managed care be delivered efficiently and ethically? At the boundaries of life, what values should guide our decisions? Featuring: Dr. Michelle Carter, University of Texas; Prof. John A. Loughney, Westfield State College; Dr. Arthur Kaplan, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. Bernard Gert, Dartmouth College; Prof. Justin Broakes, Brown University; Prof. Margaret Battin, University of Utah; Prof. Anita Silvers, San Francisco State University; Dr. Patrick Sullivan, Montgomery College; Prof. Claudette Jones, University of the District of Columbia; Prof. Shannon Jordan, George Mason University; and Prof. Helen Johns, Trinity College.
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Ethics - When is it justified for a nation to go to war? Is the use of mind-alterning substances always morally suspect? What are the rights of future generations? What is the moral status of 'obscenity,' and should it be legally controlled? Should the government mandate the 'Clipper Chip' technology to insure police access to all computers? Is relativism corrosive of our culture? What should theoretical ethical systems have to do with how we lead our everyday lives? What is the essence of friendship? Does music have a moral influence on us? Featuring: Prof. Joshua Halberstam, City College of New York; Dr. J. Stanley Yake; Kevin Zeese, Drug Policy Institute; Robert Chestnut, U.S. Department of Justice; Prof. John McCarthy, Catholic University of America; Prof. David Gallagher, Catholic University of America; Prof. Dorothy Denning, Georgetown University; Prof. Claudette Jones, University of the District of Columbia; and Scott Hibbard, U.S. Institute of Peace.
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The Philosophies of Mind - What are Descartes' central ideas about minds and bodies? Can we explain consciousness to ourselves? What is rationality, and how should it be employed? Are emotions like love rational? Are time and numbers creations of our minds, or do they have independent existence? How does the artist interpret reality: Is "everything relative?" Featuring: Prof. Daniel Robinson, Georgetown University; Prof. Peter Caws; George Washington University; Prof. Wayne Alt, Essex Community College; Prof. Alicia Juarrero, Prince Georges Community College; Prof. Floyd Tesmer, Strayer University; Prof. Jay Lampert, Howard University; Prof. David Gallagher, Catholic University of America; Prof. John Brough, Georgetown University; Prof. Bruce Umbaugh, Webster University; Prof. Robert Solomon, University of Texas-Austin; Prof. Verna Gehring, Hood College; and Prof. Joseph Earley, Georgetown University.
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Philosophy of Religion - What is the evidence for the existence of God? How do Christian and Jewish traditions conceive of the idea of God? Is atheism a rational worldview? What is the role of suffering in the life and growth of the human spirit? What is the significance of blasphemy for modern thinkers? Does the structure of the physical universe give us any kind of hints about the source of its creation? How should we evaluate the arguments of creationism? Featuring: Prof. Francis Ambrosio, Georgetown University; Rabbi Charles Arian, American University; Farzad Mahootian, Gonzaga High School; Natasha Kyburg, American Philosophical Institute; Reverend Robert Slye; Prof. Gregory Reichberg, Catholic University of America; Dr. Nat Heiner, Columbia University; Dr. Dennis Cioffi, George Washington University; and Dr. Hubert Yockey, University of California.
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Political Philosophy - How did the idea of toleration develop in the West? How can it be philosophically justified? Do disabled people have a right to equal access to buildings? Do animals have rights? Should symbols like the American flag be protected from desecration? How can we tell whether a law is a good one? Does the law have a natural source? How should a nation decide to go to war? Featuring: Prof. Jude Dougherty, Catholic University of America; Prof. Mark Tushnet, Georgetown University Law Center; Prof. Andrew Altman, George Washington University; Prof. Jay Lampert, Howard University; Prof. Anita Silvers, San Francisco State University; Scott Hibbard, U.S. Institute of Peace; Prof. Mark Hager, American University; and Dr. Robert Whittaker, Princeton University..
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Visit the No Dogs or Philosophers Allowed® website for more information.

For more information contact us at 800-444-2419, 434-220-3300, or by e-mail at order@pdcnet.org.