ABOUT THIS EPISODE
03:00 – Hamas, October 7 & Moral Responsibility
06:45 – The Asymmetry Trap: Hamas's Strategy Against Israel
14:40 – Civilian Casualties & Israel's Military Strategy
20:25 – Did Michael Walzer Change His Mind About Israel?
22:45 – When Should Israel Have Ended the War?
28:05 – Netanyahu, Gaza & Israel's Strategic Mistakes
32:45 – Iran, Hezbollah & Israel's Security
35:00 – Palestinian Self-Determination & Democracy
39:45 – The Future of Zionism & a Palestinian State
43:40 – Walzer's Final Message: Israel Must Survive
48:13 – Did The New Yorker Misrepresent Michael Walzer?
51:00 – Why Noam Does This Podcast: Access to Great Minds
1:01:00 – Bari Weiss, 60 Minutes & What Makes a Good Interview
1:02:00 – Omar Bartov, Hamas & Intellectual Accountability
1:05:40 – Do Intellectuals Change Their Beliefs to Be Accepted?
1:08:40 – The Psychology of Belonging & Political Conformity
1:10:30 – Why Interviewing Anti-Israel Intellectuals Matters
1:14:00 – Noam Chomsky, Intellectual Integrity & Controversial Associations
1:19:50 – Russell Brand, Sexual Assault & the Question of Consent
1:24:20 – Celebrity, Power & Sexual Consent
1:28:10 – Final Thoughts: Why the Walzer Interview Matters
Michael Walzer, renowned political philosopher and author of Just and Unjust Wars, joins Noam Dworman and Periel Aschenbrand for a conversation about Israel, Hamas, Gaza, and the morality of modern warfare.
Walzer discusses Hamas's October 7 attack, the asymmetry trap, civilian casualties, Netanyahu's leadership, and the point at which Israel should have shifted from military action to political solutions. He also addresses his New Yorker profile, rejects the claim that he changed his position on Israel, and discusses the future of Zionism, Palestinian self-determination, and Israel's security.
Then, a provocative discussion between Noam and Periel about intellectual dishonesty, antisemitism, media bias, and the willingness of public intellectuals to change their positions to gain approval.
Michael Walzer is an American political philosopher, public intellectual, and professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS). He is widely recognized as one of the preeminent thinkers in contemporary political theory. He is the author of multiple books including Just and Unjust Wars and the subject of a recent profile in The New Yorker titled, "A Philosopher of War Changes His Mind."
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/a-philosopher-of-war-changes-his-mind
