E124: How to Have A Philosophical Marriage w/ Agnes Callard and Arnold Brooks

Today on Upstream, we’re releasing an episode from Modern Relationships which originally aired on February 28, 2025 where Erik Torenberg interviews philosophy professors Agnes Callard and Arnold Brooks about their unconventional marriage, the role of philosophy in their relationship, the impact of their public profile, and how they balance personal and philosophical life together.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 

🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod 

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LINKS:

New Yorker article on Agnes and Arnold, by Rachel Aviv: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/13/agnes-callard-profile-marriage-philosophy

Agnes Callard: https://philosophy.uchicago.edu/faculty/a-callard

Arnold Brooks: https://philosophy.uchicago.edu/arnold-brooks 

Pre-order Agnes Callard's new book Open Socrates: https://wwnorton.com/books/open-socrates 

Agnes Callard on Upstream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JotaCsaG3Y 

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X / TWITTER:

@AgnesCallard

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

• Agnes Callard and Arnold Brooks are philosophy professors at University of Chicago who met when she was his teacher, leading to her divorce from Ben and marriage to Arnold.
• Agnes was initially attracted to Arnold's remarkable ability t