Notes on the philosophy (and deeper meaning) of travel, with Emily Thomas

“Asking questions about travel, and exploring ways philosophy has changed travel, can help us think more deeply about our journeys.” – Emily Thomas

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Emily discuss the relationship between philosophy and travel (2:00); speculative fiction as a form of travel writing, and the relationship between feminism and travel (13:30); maps as a way of representing the world, and the aesthetic significance of mountains (24:00); beauty versus the sublime, and American naturalism and literature (32:00); and “cabin porn” and doom travel (40:00).

Emily Thomas (@emilytwrites) is an Associate Professor in Philosophy at Durham University. She completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge, and has published extensively on the philosophy of space and time. She is  the author of The Meaning of Travel. For more about Emily, check out https://emilythomaswrites.co.uk.

Notable Links:

• Age of Discovery (period of European exploration)
• Francis Bacon (philosopher)
• Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe (book)
• The Blazing World, by Margaret Cavendish (book)
• Mary Kingsley (explorer)
• Isabella Bird (explorer/writer)
• Mary Wollstonecraft (philosopher/writer)
• Egeria (pilgrim)
• Utopia, by Thomas More (book)
• Henry David Thoreau (philosopher/naturalist)
• Ralph Waldo Emerson (philosopher/essayist)
• Climate change (large-scale shift in global weather)
• Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer (book)
• René Descartes (philosopher)

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.