#26 Lydia Amir | Transformative Philosophy and the Philosophy of Humor

In this episode, we welcome Lydia Amir, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University, pioneer of philosophical practice, and a leading voice in transformative philosophy and the philosophy of humor. Lydia reflects on her lifelong commitment to bringing philosophy beyond the academy and making it responsive to the needs of communities and the challenges of our time. We explore her understanding of philosophers’ responsibility, the role of philosophical practice in professional education, and her distinctive claim that humor is a key bridge between theory and lived transformation. The conversation also highlights her work on philosophy as an alternative form of spirituality grounded in reason and dialogue. Sandra Radinger, guest researcher and philosophical practitioner, joins the dialogue, contributing perspectives from her work in philosophical practice and palliative care, and deepening the discussion on transformation, responsibility, and lived philosophy.

00:01:29 – Entry into philosophical practice & academic life journey

00:05:00 – Positioning philosophical practice among different approaches

00:06:53 – Responsibility of philosophers & philosophy beyond academia

00:11:23 – Philosophy and the “needs of the epoch” / unusable philosophy

00:13:16 – Philosophy’s contribution to professional education

00:15:05 – Relationship between philosophy and humor

00:19:31 – Necessity of humor for philosophizing

00:20:43 – Playfulness and the figure of the philosopher

00:25:05 – Transformative philosophy and its core ideas

00:29:18 – Role of the philosophical practitioner in personal transformation

00:32:57 – Current frontiers and future of philosophical practice

00:36:40 – Hopes for the future of lived philosophy

00:41:12 – Final reflections on promoting philosophy worldwide

Literature:

• Amir, L. (ed.) (2015): Humor and the Good Life in Modern Philosophy. Albany: State University of New York Press.
• Amir, L. (ed.) (2017): New Frontiers in Philosophical Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Amir, L. (2017): Rethinking Philosophers’ Responsibility. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Amir, L. (2024): The Legacy of Nietzsche’s Philosophy of Laughter. Routledge.
• Amir, L. (2025): Handbook of Transformative Philosophy. Springer.