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In Memoriam: Alan Saunders

June 25, 2012 by Seth Paskin 6 Comments

Alan Saunders

 It was with great sadness this weekend that I heard via Facebook and on the Australian Broadcast Corporation website of the untimely passing of Alan Saunders.  Saunders was the host of the ABC Radio National program The Philosopher's Zone, a weekly broadcast covering a broad range of topics, both in philosophy and outside of philosophy in a philosophical manner.

I first started listening to the show as a podcast via iTunes over 2 years ago and wrote a review in August of 2010.  I was a little critical of his style, but it was more out of a desire for more than the weekly, 30 minute format could accomodate in tackling lofty topics.  Saunders always demonstrated a strong grasp of the philosophical issues at hand, delivered his questions and comments calmly with his made-for-media voice and exhibited a generous spirit towards his guests, the issues, the thinkers and the history of philosophy.  He also clearly had a clever sense of humor that peeked out far too infrequently.

My blog post led to correspondence with the show's producer, Kyla Slaven, who kindly acknowledged my interest and gave me feedback occassionally on topics I addressed here.  She shares Saunders's enthusiasm and love for philosophy and his broad intellectual curiosity.  So I say to Alan Saunders's family, friends, colleagues, fans and particularly to Kyla, may his memory be a blessing.

You can read the announcement on ABC's site here and a tribute page here.  He will be missed.

--seth

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Filed Under: Other (i.e. Lesser) Podcasts Tagged With: Alan Saunders, philosophy blog, The Philosopher's Zone

Comments

  1. dmf says

    June 25, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    he will be missed and I hope the show goes on, why is radio from Australia so much better than ours in the States?

    http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/jules-evans/4071310

    Reply
    • Kyle H says

      July 10, 2012 at 7:28 am

      Because Ausralia is currently less “PC”, and also less corrupted by big business influence/marketing capitalism (for the time being I conjecture)

      Reply
  2. Michael says

    June 26, 2012 at 12:18 am

    He introduced me to philosophy and, particularly, the diversity therein and the wide application of. His weekly show has been a staple of mine for a long time now and I will sorely miss him. Thanks Alan.

    Reply
  3. Fred says

    June 26, 2012 at 7:02 am

    The reaper strikes again. Beings toward death.

    Reply
  4. swallerstein says

    June 26, 2012 at 7:33 am

    I enjoyed his podcasts.

    Saunders had a razor sharp wit and was very learned, but he generally hid his qualities behind a facade of the polite questioner, showing them in seemingly off-hand comments, which were not so
    off-hand.

    His going diminishes our world.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Alan Saunders and Han Baltussen on Aristotle’s Legacy | The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast | A Philosophy Podcast and Blog says:
    July 28, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    […] shot firstThe Philosopher’s Zone is now publishing repeats in light of Alan Saunders’s passing, but one of the most recent of these is more or less on target for us: “Aristotle on […]

    Reply

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