This is made

philosophy bites with me David Edmonds and me Nigel Warberton.

Philosophy bites is available at

www

philosophy bites dot com.

Philosophy bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

If you study engineering, perhaps you'll invent an ingenious widget that will improve the lives

of millions and may even increase national GDP.

If you study philosophy, well frankly what good is knowing about Schopenhauer or

epistemology going to do you.

Surely then it's a positive development that under budgetary

pressures Western governments are squeezing University Humanity

departments. The Distinguished University of Chicago Professor Martha

Nusbaum thinks not.

Martha Nusbaum, welcome to Philosophy Bites.

Hi Nigel, it's very good to be there.

The topic we're going to focus on is the humanities and why they matter in a democracy.

First of all, who is the enemy here? Who could think that the humanities don't matter?

Well, I'm afraid that the humanities are being cut back

in pretty much every country in the world.

And they're being cut back because the attitude

to education that now dominates

...