Philosophy For Our Times

Embracing solidarity in our secular age | Interview with Rowan Williams

What role can religion play in our contemporary secularised lives? Why do many (of us) still feel the need for it today? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join former Archbishop of Canterbury, theologian, and poet Rowan Williams in a deep-dive interview into his professional and theological trajectory. He reflects on what he's learned, including the challenges of being in the spotlight, why he engaged in climate activism, and how t...

On humans and animals | Peter Singer, Mary Midgley

Should we treat animals and humans equal? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Almost forty years after these two philosophers helped create the idea of animal rights, what do they believe would constitute further progress in our attitudes to other forms of life? Live from Melbourne, Australian philosopher, Princeton professor and author of Animal Liberation, Peter Singer joins the "UK's foremost scourge of scientific pretention" ...

Does energy really exist? | Priyamvada Natarajan, Avshalom Elitzur, and Bernard Carr on the enigma of energy

Is 'energy' as a concept suited to the 21st century? Or is it a simplification of processes we do not understand, whose nature may be more mystical rather than purely rational? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join leading minds in the world of physics - Priyamvada Natarajan, Avshalom Elitzur, and Bernard Carr - as they face head on the necessity, or lack thereof, of one of the most essential building blocks of contemporary physic...

Why we should question everything | Michael Della Rocca on radical philosophy

Is standard philosophy too conservative, overly relying on common sense? Can rationality and reason actually lead us to mysticism? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join philosopher Michael Della Rocca as he defends his radical interpretation of what philosophy tells us of the world. He encourages us to interpret reality without any distinctions of any kind (and thus, without any relationships either): as a total unity. On this me...

The enlightenment and its alternatives | John Mearsheimer, Steven Pinker

Can we attribute societal progress to enlightenment ideals? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The Enlightenment advocated reason, science, democracy, and universal human rights as a grounding for human morality and social organization. In the quarter millennium since, to what extent have these ideals been realized? Has the Enlightenment in fact been successful in bringing about moral progress? Are there viable alternatives to th...

Mind-body dualism and being transgender | Sophie Grace Chappell

How do the seemingly modern discussions around transgender and transsexuality relate to age-old philosophical queries? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join philosopher Sophie Grace Chappell in this honest interview in which she reflects both on her personal experience as transgender and also on its connections with well-known philosophers such as Plato and John Stuart Mill. Might the modern day openness to exploring our (gender)...

Dostoevsky vs Nietzsche | Kathleen Higgins, Janne Teller, Oliver Ready

Doestoevsky vs Nietzsche - where do we find meaning in life? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Dostoevsky and Nietzsche both regarded the creeping nihilism and meaninglessness of their time as a fundamental threat to humanity. While both were critical of modernity and rationalism, their solutions were radically opposed. Dostoevsky looked towards transcendence for an answer and found, in love and compassion, 'the chief law of hum...

The God desire| David Baddiel

Does our very need for God point to the fact that he (or perhaps she, they) does not exist? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join well-known comedian and author David Baddiel in this honest (and funny!) conversation about humanity's deepest fears and desires with Chine McDonald, Director of Theos. Baddiel reads and cites from his 2023 book - 'The God desire: On being a reluctant atheist'. Can those of us who are atheists admit tha...

Why we seek spirituality | John Vervaeke, Sophie-Grace Chappell, Michael Shermer

The economics of almost everything | Daniel Markovits, Martin Wolf, Madeleine Pennington

Rethinking economics - what is the meaning of productivity in the 21st century? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes "Productivity isn't everything, but in the long run, it is almost everything" claimed Paul Krugman. Throughout the twentieth century productivity, the average level of output for each hour worked, improved dramatically across the developed world. A greater increase than in the previous 2000 years. Driven by life chan...

In conversation with Slavoj Žižek: Life and philosophy

How do we save freedom? And, please, would you like coffee without cream or coffee without milk? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join renowned philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Zizek as he divulges his ideas regarding the apocalypse, ideology, freedom in the present moment, and more through a classic Zizekian mix of personal anecdotes, pop culture, and philosophical references. As he asserts, he did not exist before theory....

Psychology of AI | Isabel Millar

An interview with Isabel Millar. Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Questions over artificial intelligence seem to dominate our contemporary. But underpinning the technology are an array of presuppositions - about thinking, knowledge and consciousness - that are in dire need of philosophical scrutiny. In this fascinating interview, Dr Isabel Millar discusses her work in challenging these assumptions by deploying the tools of psyc...

On the nature of reality | Iain McGilchrist and Rowan Williams

Who are we? Why are we here? Does life have a meaning beyond itself? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and ground-breaking psychiatrist, literary scholar and author of 'The Matter with Things', Iain McGilchrist, to explore the nature of meaning, and why we should move beyond the assumptions of a materialist worldview from radically divergent perspectives.  There are thousands o...

Narcissism and self-love | Simon Blackburn

What is the difference between narcissism and self-love, vanity and pride, in today's self-obsessed world? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From books to podcasts, we are now told to embrace the idea of ‘self-love’. But are we creating a generation of narcissists? Join renowned philosopher Simon Blackburn to unpack the uses and abuses of loving ourselves. Author of Think and Truth: A guide for the perplexed, Simon Blackburn h...

The end of good and evil | Slavoj Žižek, Maria Balaska, Rowan Williams, Richard Wrangham

Can humans ever be inherently good or evil? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Whether we see humans as essentially good or essentially selfish and violent has been central to our politics, our account of society, and our vision for social progress. But is this very distinction itself a mistake? Recently, Harvard scientists have shown humans to be both the kindest and most malevolent species on the planet. While figures like Hitl...

The limits of knowledge | Rupert Sheldrake, Suchitra Sebastian, Tommy Curry

Have we entered a post-knowledge era? Or was the idea that we can attain knowledge misleading in the first place? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The acquisition of knowledge has been a central factor driving advance. And since Descartes, Western thought has placed the question of what we know, and how we know what we know, at the centre of philosophy. But might this focus on knowledge be a mistake? Feminist and postmodernist...

Can we make sense of the cosmos? | Iain McGilchrist and Hilary Lawson in conversation

Getting to Truth... Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join groundbreaking psychiatrist, writer, philosopher, and literary scholar Iain McGilchrist in this exclusive studio interview with post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson. The two thinkers explore McGilchrist's early introduction to philosophy, the nature of truth and the cosmos, and the danger of delusional thinking from the left brain. Iain McGilchrist is an Oxford sch...

Why is language no guide to reality? | Nolen Gertz, Betty Sue Flowers, Joscha Bach

Does our rhetoric shape reality? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Hugely powerful, we assume language enables us to represent reality. But some argue language, from the greatest narratives to the finest theories, not only fails to describe reality it actually distorts and misleads us. Language, the critics argue, formulates a world in its own image. The structure of language, nouns, adjectives, verbs, encourages us to imagine r...

On the edges of knowledge | Michael Shermer vs Rupert Sheldrake

How do we assess claims to scientific knowledge? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes What is it possible to know? Is the physical universe all there is, or is the immaterial part of reality too? Join radical scientist, Rupert Sheldrake, and world-leading sceptic, Michael Shermer, as they go head-to-head on where the edges of knowledge lie. Güneş Taylor hosts. Michael Shermer is a famous science writer, historian of science, found...

Necessity and lies | Rebecca Roache, Simon Baron-Cohen, Hilary Lawson

Is it ever right to lie? Is honesty ever wrong? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Honesty is upheld as an age-old virtue of civilisation. Yet there are many instances where we deem lying desirable. Few would think it right for parents to be honest with their offspring about their favourite child, or to be honest about talents or abilities if it is likely to be hurtful for a relative, colleague or friend. Nor are we critical of C...

Taking leave of reason | Joanna Kavenna, Rory Sutherland, Rebecca Roache

Is rationality as vital as we think? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Philosophers from Spinoza and Hegel to Bertrand Russell argued that logic and reason are the key to understanding the world. But is this a fundamental error? After all, recent studies show that reason does not lead to more successful outcomes in business or personal relationships. Should we abandon the idea that reason is the key either to truth or successful...

The quest for freedom | Katarina Schwarz

What does modern-day slavery look like? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The past centuries have seen rapid improvements in health, poverty, literacy and violence. Yet despite this progress, few are aware that 50 million globally still live in modern slavery, the largest group ever in human history. Join fearless professor Katarina Schwarz as she explores how we can free the oppressed of our world. In partnership with Nottin...

Ancient traits in a modern world | Sunetra Gupta, Anders Sandberg, Subrena Smith

Is our neurobiology at odds with the modern world? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We see the remarkable evolution of the human brain as one of the driving factors behind our success as a species. Our neurobiology evolved though to solve challenges in a drastically different world than we find ourselves in today. Might our evolved traits, once advantageous, now be our Achilles heel? For human aggression, inventiveness and a de...

Free will is not an illusion | Denis Noble

Biology against determinism! Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We all feel like we have free will. That our decisions are our own and that we could have chosen otherwise. But today, many prominent figures argue free will is an illusion. Join groundbreaking biologist Denis Noble as he argues that, in fact, our bodies hold the key to our freedom. Denis Noble is a renowned physiologist and one of the pioneers of Systems Biology....

Me, my world and I | Barry Smith, Hannah Critchlow, Gary Lachman

Is collective experience a myth? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We see experience as quintessentially subjective. But while we take this for granted might it be an error? From parliament and politics, festivals and football stadiums, to weddings and funerals, some of our most significant experiences occur in moments shared in collective experience with others. Should we conclude that experience is always shared and mediate...

Cities of the future | Lucelia Rodrigues

What is the architecture of a sustainable world? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We are living in environmental crisis. But the solution might be closer to home than we think. Join Nottingham University Professor Lucelia Rodriguez as she sets out her vision for the cities of the future. In association with University of Nottingham. Lucelia Rodrigues is one of the world’s foremost experts on sustainability. She is Chair of ...

Anonymity: the dream and the nightmare | Stephen Kinsella, Victoria Baines, Hugh Tomlinson

Is internet anonymity causing social breakdown? Should we do anything about it? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Anonymity was the gift that was going to give everyone a voice, free from the oversight of institutions and government control. Yet critics claim the dream has turned into a nightmare. For the anonymous world turns out to be one full of abuse, division and wild conspiracy. In addition, many contend that the dark s...

The new renaissance | Sophie Scott-Brown, David Aaronovitch, John Ellis

Is the academy and our culture as a whole in need of newer, bigger ideas? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In the first half of the twentieth century radical thinkers, from Einstein to Schrödinger, Russell to Wittgenstein, Woolf to de Beauvoir, were transforming ideas. But many wonder where the equivalents are today and point to a deep seated flaw. Universities and research labs have become increasingly specialised and focus on sm...

The ignorance of experts |Julian Baggini, Ellen Clarke, Ben Burgis

Can we rely on science for the answers? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts' argued Richard Feynman. He held that the best science respects no authority and is not a learnt set of facts, but a rigorous method of questioning in search of a better account. Yet in the pandemic governments and commentators propounded the opposite, that experts should be followed without question. Fey...

Beyond the boundary | Lisa Miller, Nick Lane, Paul Bickley

Are we overlooking the profound mystery of life and death in a secular age? Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In a scientific, secular age, narratives of the afterlife often appear to many as empty and anachronistic wish fulfillment. However, this podcast episode invites listeners to delve deeper into this topic, pondering the unexplained phenomenon of consciousness and the potential limitations of a physical machinery to har...

How I changed my mind about truth | Simon Blackburn

Can we have objective morality without metaphysics? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Join Simon Blackburn, renowned philosopher at Cambridge University, as he discusses navigating heated moral discussions, the play of perspective on moral dilemmas, and his notable disagreements with Richard Rorty. From understanding contentious topics to gaining insights into meta-ethics, Blackburn takes us on an enlightening journey into the dept...

The good, the bad and the ignored | Peter Singer, Julian Baggini, Sophie Scott-Brown

Is human agency a fantasy? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We may not always agree on questions of morality, but whatever standards we adopt we apply them to human action. We are less inclined to take a moral stance on human inaction and failure to act. Many would argue that Putin's attack on the Ukrainian people is morally evil, but there is less outrage that we fail to save any of the estimated 5.4 million children under five w...

Getting everything, losing everything | Anders Sandberg, Massimo Pigliucci, Mazviita Chirimuuta

Is our future reality a digital utopia or impending nightmare? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes As tech giants promise a lavish digital existence and unparalleled virtual experiences, there's a rising concern. Will we be trading real-life relationships for virtual ones? Substituting nature for mere simulation? And at the forefront, will control rest solely with corporations like Meta? Dive into this pressing debate and navigate th...

How philosophy got lost | Slavoj Zizek

Should we seek to fulfill our needs with multiple partners? Does dissecting a rat brain count as philosophy? Are we entering the age of corporate authoritarianism? Listen as Zizek guides us through these and other major questions of our time.  Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Slavoj Žižek provides a Hegelian insight into historical and current political crises. The dialectical repetition of history is not inevitable, and the recen...

How to find and make sense of happiness | Paul Dolan

Want lasting happiness? Paul Dolan reveals the secret: it's all about where you direct your attention to on a daily basis.  Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Happiness isn't about what you think, it's about what you do. And you're more in control than you'd imagine. Join happiness expert and LSE Professor of Behavioural Science, Paul Dolan, as he explains how to create a happy life by your own design. Paul Dolan is Professor of Be...

Truth, delusion, and psychedelic reality | Eileen Hall, Julian Baggini, James Rucker

Are psychedelics the lens to reality or the key to delusion? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here:  https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes With a resurgence in the cultural zeitgeist, psychedelics are now at the forefront of debates about mental health treatments. Critics challenge the efficacy of these substances, but are they missing a broader truth? Join Anne Katrin Schlag, Julian Baggini, and James Rucker as they grapple with the nature of psychedelic experiences and t...

The seduction of thought | Miranda Keeling, Steve Taylor, Andy West

Is thought a distraction from reality? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From the birth of reason to Descartes' "I think, therefore I am"; Western culture has placed thought at the centre of what it is to be human. We spend much of our time planning the future, reflecting on the past, puzzling about what to do, and talking about it with others. But might this be a mistake? Should culture, as Nietzsche proposes, 'free itself from th...

A world by any other name | Arif Ahmed, Ruth Kempson, Hilary Lawson

Is language a flawed prism standing in the way of our understanding of the world? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes For much of the 20th century language was seen as central to our understanding of the world. 'The limits of my language mean the limits of my world', argued Wittgenstein. 'There is nothing outside of the text' claimed Derrida. But now it seems language is being jettisoned by philosophers as either containing puzzles t...

Material girls - philosophies of gender | Kathleen Stock

What is behind the polarising debate on gender? How can we navigate the new politics of gender identity... if at all? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Gender identity is the hot topic, but many argue that we must remain grounded in biological sex. Join philosopher Kathleen Stock as she seeks collaboration between trans rights activists and feminists to move towards less polarised future. Kathleen Mary Linn Stock OBE is a British ...

Being ourselves and being with others | Janne Teller, Stefan Priebe, Sophie Ward

In a world that places a premium on independence, are we undervaluing the power of community? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In this engrossing debate, we examine the societal shift towards solo living and ask critical questions about its impacts. Has our pursuit of independence led to a higher incidence of depression? Have we sidelined the significance of community, and in turn, our inherent need for interconnectedness? We nav...

Head to Head: Philosophy vs Science | Marika Taylor, Julian Baggini

In a fascinating conversation, renowned theoretical physicist Marika Taylor and acclaimed philosopher Julian Baggini explore the history and evolving relationship between these two disciplines. Listen in as they delve into the intricacies of how science and philosophy have been intertwined, only to diverge since the Enlightenment. Can they be reconciled? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Joining the debate are Professor Marika Tayl...

The new 10 commandments | Massimo Pigliucci, Simon Baron-Cohen, Sophie Grace Chapel

Are we bound by traditional rules for life or is it time for a new playbook? Tune in to find out! Seeking the link mentioned in this episode? It's right here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In this thought-provoking discussion, our distinguished panelists delve into the foundations of moral codes and rules for living. Sophie-Grace Chappell, Professor of Philosophy at the Open University, Massimo Pigliucci, Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, and Simon...

The making of reality | Hilary Lawson

Could it be that the world's true essence is beyond our comprehension? And what if this isn't a drawback, but an advantage? Explore this paradox in this interview with Hilary Lawson. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We tend to think the world is divided into bits, and we spend time trying to define those bits. But what if this metaphysical approach is false? In this interview, we sit down with the post-postmodern philosopher Hila...

Do our lives tell a story? | Sophie Fiennes, David Hare, Janne Teller

Can you understand a novel - or a life - before you know how it ends? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From Beethoven's 5th to Batman, Harry Potter to Hamlet, we want and expect satisfying endings that tie up loose ends and provide resolution. But real life doesn't often come tied up so neatly. Relationships and careers often evolve in tangled confusion with transitions that can leave messy legacies. And, as TS Eliot said, often t...

A tale of truth | Simon Blackburn

Is "truth" a redundant concept? Listen as Simon Blackburn grapples with the topic. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Truth has had a difficult century. More than ever we are lost as to both 'what truth is' and 'what is true'. Should we instead turn to pragmatism? Join Simon Blackburn to explore why truth and pragmatism may be more aligned than at first it may seem. Author of Think and Truth: A guide for the perplexed, Simon Black...

The happiness delusion | Aaron Bastani, Paul Dolan, Joanna Kavenna

Is our focus on happiness making us unhappy? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes "Oh happiness! Our being’s end and aim!” claimed Alexander Pope. Now, a few centuries later, it's not just smiling faces on billboards, some governments have made happiness measures a central goal. 89% of young people in their twenties think life has no purpose other than happiness. But might this be a fundamental error? Income in the West has gone up th...

The key to consciousness | Donald Hoffman, Hannah Critchlow, Sam Coleman

Is materialism a fundamental mistake? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The relationship between the individual human subject and the world was once the central focus of Western philosophy. Modern neuroscience has instead tended to assume that the world is purely material and physical, and the problem of consciousness a question of how to generate thought from matter. Yet, we are no closer to solving the deep puzzle of consciousnes...

Can experiments settle the free will debate? | Julian Baggini, Peter Godfrey-Smith, Sarah Garfinkel

Does science have anything to say about our freedom of choice? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes A famed experiment, by Libet in the 1980s, led many scientists and philosophers to argue that free will was an illusion. Despite the experiment being challenged at the time and in recent studies, its legacy persists. Many materialists still contend that free will has been shown to be illusory, supporting their belief that humans are mer...

Love and other drugs | Rupert Sheldrake, Anders Sandberg, Ella Whelan

Can synthetic drugs induce true feelings of love? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From the Christian tenet 'God is love' to the plots of countless novels and films, love is seen as central to our lives. Yet from scientific studies along with anecdotal accounts we know that psychoactive substances and MDMA in particular can enhance and even induce feelings of love. If love can be hacked by a change in brain chemistry, might our ro...

The good and the evil│Tommy Curry, Massimo Pigliucci, Joanna Kavenna

Can we make ultimate moral judgements? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes For a couple of millenia in the West we have judged people and their actions by the standards of good and evil. But, from Mother Theresa to Winston Churchill the notion that an individual is simply good is hard to sustain. Almost all claim to be good. Even the Nazis believed they were on a moral crusade against the evils of corruption and deceit, managing to e...