For this very special 4th of July episode, Dr. Danielle Allen returns to explore the history, meaning, and philosophical foundations of the Declaration of Independence. What did the Founding Fathers mean by the words, "We hold these truths to be self evident..."? In what ways did they weave the concept of equality into this founding document? How should we deal with the hypocrisy of Jefferson and others who pledged their lives to the words "all men are created equal" while at the same time enslaving people? What's the difference between our political constitution and our social constitution, and how are they aligned in America today?

Dr. Danielle Allen is the author of "Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality." She is also the James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, Director of Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, and the principle investigator for the Democratic Knowledge Project. Follow her on Twitter at @dsallentess.