Philosophy Talk Live: Franz Kafka and the World Without a Path

Franz Kafka is famous for his stunning, unparalleled, and often searing writings, from novels like The Trial and The Castle to short stories like “The Metamorphosis” and “A Hunger Artist.” All of these fictions clearly engage with philosophy, and they often seem to present a world without a clear path. Even as readers, we often struggle to find a clear path, something that would help us find our way in Kafka’s extraordinary world. So what does Kafka actually believe? What can we learn by spending time with his stories? And are they really trying to “teach” us something, or is their philosophical gift to us something far more precious?

Join our live audience at KALW’s downtown event space as the Philosophers record a brand-new episode with Karen Zumhagen-Yekplé, Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Tulane University and author of “The Everyday’s Fabulous Beyond: Nonsense, Parable, and the Ethics of the Literary in Kafka and Wittgenstein.”

In addition to thought-provoking conversation and audience questions, the show will feature multimedia reporting from our Roving Philosophical Reporter and satirical commentary from Ian Shoales the Sixty-Second Philosopher.

Please join us for this free event, and donate if you can to support independent public media.

Part of the Jewish Thinkers series, generously sponsored by Common Era.

This Episode's Guest