Agnes Callard

Agnes Callard is a philosopher and professor at the University of Chicago, who specializes in ancient philosophy, ethics, and moral psychology. With a clear interest in public philosophy, Callard is a regular contributor to media outlets such as The New Yorker, Harpers, The Point and the New York Times, approaching present-day questions through the lens of the classical philosophers. She is co-creator, along with the economist Robin Hanson, of the podcast Minds Almost Meeting, where they debate on a wide range of topics drawing from contrasting intellectual traditions. Additionally, she regularly participates in conversations, debates, and events aimed at the general public, in which she puts the tradition of Socratic dialogue into practice. Her notable works include Aspiration: The Agency Of Becoming (Academic, 2018), a book in which she reflects on how and why great transformations and changes in values take place throughout people’s lives, and what role is played by our will and rational decision-making capacity. Callard is also the author of Sócrates al descubierto (Kairós, 2025, Open Socrates, Norton 2025), in which she defends the importance of Socratic dialogue in addressing fundamental questions such as romantic love, grief, and politics.