Philosophy For Our Times
433 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★ - 249 ratingsPhilosophy for our Times is a free philosophy podcast bringing you the latest talks and debates from the world’s leading thinkers. We host weekly episodes on today’s biggest ideas in news, society, culture, politics, science and arts. Subscribe today to never miss an episode.
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Episodes
The neuroscience of consciousness | Patricia Churchland
July 06, 2021 09:30 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBIs consciousness all in the brain after all? Listen to find out! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Have you ever made a decision and wondered why you made it? Or wondered where your morality comes from? Renowned philosopher of mind and founder of Neurophilosophy Patricia Churchland takes us on a journey into the brain, the nature and data of morality and the origins of nonconscious decision-making. Patricia Churchland is a the dis...
The world beyond what we see | Hilary Lawson, Hannah Dawson and Matthew D'Ancona
June 29, 2021 09:30 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBIs there more? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Many despise the arrival of a post-truth world and fear politicians who blatantly manipulate facts and peddle falsehoods. But does this rely on assuming that truth is objective and falsehoods can be simply identified? Does the demise of truth mark the end of centuries of progress? Or is truth a construct of the powerful and post-truth a revolution against elites? There are thousands...
Post-truth and postmodernism | Hilary Lawson, Hannah Dawson and Matthew D'Ancona
June 29, 2021 09:30 - 32.9 MBMany despise the arrival of a post-truth world and fear politicians who blatantly manipulate facts and peddle falsehoods. But does this rely on assuming that truth is objective and falsehoods can be... Philosophy for our Times features debates and talks with the world’s leading thinkers on today’s biggest ideas. This live recording podcast is brought to you by the Institute of Art and Ideas – described by Total Politics as “Europe’s answer to TED” and host to the annual philosophy and music ...
Humans and other animals | Ray Tallis, Melanie Challenger, Jamie Blackett and Kay Peggs
June 22, 2021 09:30 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBWhen did we become MORE THAN...? And why? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Many think fur coats immoral yet are happy to wear leather shoes. We fiercely protect tigers and pandas from extinction, while thousands of vital insect species get notably less attention and concern. Many claim to be concerned about the welfare of animals. But it is the cute and the charismatic that come first. The others are largely an after thought. Sho...
The philosophy of who we are | Kwame Anthony Appiah
June 15, 2021 11:04 - 17 minutes - 16 MBWho are we really? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes NYU Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah details his journey and life's work, from why identity is such an important issue to how his experiences have differed across countries, and to the impact he wants his writing to have. Kwame Anthony Appiah is Professor of Philosophy and Law at New York University and author of 'The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity and Cosmopolitanism: Eth...
Spirituality for the non-religious | Rupert Sheldrake
June 08, 2021 11:54 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBWe keep looking for something more... for a reason. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Pilgrimage is undergoing a revival across Europe. But why are so many non-religious people drawn to spiritual journeys? Author of Ways To Go Beyond Rupert Sheldrake asks why we are attracted to holy places. Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist, author and parapsychology researcher, best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. He is a critic of ...
A Philosopher's Guide to Being Happy | David Pearce
June 01, 2021 10:02 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBCan we crack to key to happiness once and for all? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Most of us think of suffering as a necessary feature of life. But what if that's just a lie we tell ourselves because we can't imagine the alternative? In this interview, David Pearce explores the practical possibilities of biomedically engineering a world of intelligent bliss. David Pearce is an eminent figure within the transhumanist movement, ...
Do we really experience reality? | Graham Harman, Donald Hoffman & Mazviita Chirimuuta
May 25, 2021 10:53 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MBIs your experience of this episode even real? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We are working toward a true account of the universe, and the world we see around us is an accurate picture of reality. Or so most of us believe. At the same time we think we, along with our experience, are a product of evolution. Yet evolution is driven by survival not by truth. Some scientists go further and argue that evolution rules out even the po...
The Logical Labyrinth of Expertise | Anandi Hattiangadi
May 18, 2021 10:04 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBWhat even is "expertise"? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We turn to experts for guidance in uncertain times, but what happens when the experts disagree? Should we just wait until they figure it out, or disregard evidence and go with our gut? Professor of Philosophy at Stockholm University Anandi Hattiangadi investigates the logical labyrinth of expertise. Anandi Hattiangadi is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sto...
The Skeptic’s Case for Free Speech | Michael Shermer
May 11, 2021 09:30 - 27 minutes - 25 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes If we put barriers up to silence 'unpleasant' ideas, what's to stop the silencing of any discussion? Professional sceptic and bestselling author of 'Giving the Devil his Due' Michael Shermer explores the dangerous possibility of a world without free speech. Michael Shermer is the founder of The Skeptics Society, the editor-in-chief of its magazine 'Skeptic', and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman Uni...
Reaching for Truth | David Aaronovitch, Asa Wikforss, Santiago Zabala
May 04, 2021 09:16 - 41 minutes - 37.5 MBIs it possible to tell the truth? Or is it time to accept that lying has a central role in all social discourse? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes On today’s episode The Times journalist David Aaronovitch, author of Freedom In the Age of Alternative Facts Santiago Zabala, and philosophy of the mind specialist Åsa Wikforss lock horns over whether telling the truth still matters at all. There are thousands of big ideas to discover ...
Psychedelics and the Birth of Philosophy
April 27, 2021 11:07 - 28.8 MBMany have argued that Western civilisation was born in Ancient Greece by combing art, democracy, religion and science. Fewer have explored the role that psychedelic experiences played in building... Philosophy for our Times features debates and talks with the world’s leading thinkers on today’s biggest ideas. This live recording podcast is brought to you by the Institute of Art and Ideas – described by Total Politics as “Europe’s answer to TED” and host to the annual philosophy and music fes...
Psychedelics and the Birth of Philosophy | Brian Muraresku
April 27, 2021 11:07 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBCould they possibly be connected? Listen to find out! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Many have argued that Western civilisation was born in Ancient Greece by combing art, democracy, religion and science. Fewer have explored the role that psychedelic experiences played in building these traditions as we know them. On today’s episode we’re joined remotely by New York Times bestseller Brian Muraresku who takes us on a trip back i...
The Future of Mind Control | Rupert Sheldrake, Susan Schneider, Natasha Vita-More
April 20, 2021 12:42 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes A decade ago scientists enabled a monkey to control a robot on the other side of the world with its mind. Now the technique has been extended to enable paraplegics to move robotic arms with their thoughts, and Elon Musk claims to be launching mind control technology this year. Today we’re asking whether this marks the beginning of a new age in which humans control things around them with their min...
Beyond Us: Bonus Review
April 16, 2021 12:43 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBThere are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and course waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers Today we release the fifth and final episode of Beyond Us, a mini-series made in association with Essentia Foundation, which explores four concepts that define the modern world: knowledge, competition, language and growth. In each of the previous four episodes, series hosts Fred Matser and Bernardo Kastrup were joined by a l...
Emotion Vs Reason | Dan Ariely, Paul Bloom, Patty Kostkova
April 13, 2021 11:17 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBAre humans any good at making decisions? Listen to find out! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Are we motivated by reason? Or are humans evolved to make social and emotional decisions, relying on the value and importance of crowd responses? On today’s episode we’re asking whether the best strategy for survival is emotion or reason. Joining us remotely to discuss rationality is Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Economics at ...
Becoming A Philosopher | Daniel Dennett
April 06, 2021 10:56 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBListen to hear about Daniel Dennett's journey to becoming a philosopher! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Award winning author Daniel Dennett is one of the best known living philosophers of today. Shooting to notoriety as one of the 'four horsemen' in the New Atheist movement, he has written with acclaim on topics ranging from free will, consciousness and the self. But how does he reconcile being an unbeliever with believing so v...
Reshaping The Self | Dan Zahavi, Lisa Bortolotti, Anders Sandberg
March 30, 2021 10:55 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The notion that there is no self has won over philosophers and scientists since Hume argued that the self is nothing but a 'bundle of perceptions'. So is our experience of a unified, continuous self merely illusory? And if the self does exist, how should it be understood? Joining us remotely to ask whether the self is an illusion is author of Self and Other Dan Zahavi, Philosophy Professor at the U...
Beyond Us: Growth with Mo Gawdat
March 26, 2021 11:59 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBToday we bring you the fourth episode of Beyond Us, an IAI mini-series made in association with Essentia Foundation. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The ancient concept of growth referred to a function of nature, the development of natural phenomena and their qualities. While in many modern contexts growth simply means 'bigger' on some numerical scale, the word has come to play a key role in almost everything we consider importa...
Are we looking at life wrong? | Daniel Dennett, Sara Walker, Nick Lane
March 23, 2021 11:58 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes It is the question that has rocked humanity for millennia, the conundrum that has confounded scientists, philosophers, politicians, artists and everyone in between: which came first, the chicken or the egg? And here we find ourselves, in need of help from the world’s greatest thinkers to settle this issue once and for all. To ask whether we’re looking at life wrong we’re joined remotely by three l...
How do we know who to trust? | Maria Baghramian
March 16, 2021 11:57 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Why do people trust some experts but not others? And how can we improve trust between the public and experts. On today’s episode we’re exploring the philosophical relationship between trust and relativism. To help us we’re joined by one of the world’s leading experts on moral and epistemological relativism, Professor of American Philosophy at University College Dublin, Maria Baghramian. There are ...
How to Save Conscious Life on Earth | Susan Schneider
March 09, 2021 10:30 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes When we look back our century will undoubtably be defined by the rise of intelligent machines. But in the future will humans and artificial coexist symbiotically? And is it possible that we'll ever be able to merge with AI? On today’s episode we’re joined remotely by American philosopher and cognitive scientist Susan Schneider who delves into the future of AI-human relations. There are thousands ...
Beyond Us: Language with Jennifer Hornsby
March 05, 2021 10:48 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBToday we bring you the third episode of Beyond Us, an IAI mini-series made in association with Essentia Foundation. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Language is at once one of the most fulfilling and frustrating of human faculties. It allows us to communicate vital information and to organise communities. But language also has limited use in conveying the feelings and intuitions experienced by individuals. We often take this limi...
Experiencing The World | Annaka Harris, Hilary Lawson, Reza Negarestani, Bernardo Kastrup
March 02, 2021 12:23 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes For centuries we have distinguished between our experience and the world, between the subjective and the objective, between consciousness and material reality. Might the very distinction between subject and object, conscious experience and the world, be the mistake? Or could we formulate a new conceptual framework that might enable us to escape the puzzle? To help us discuss the relationship betwee...
Compassion and Community | Dan Zahavi
February 23, 2021 10:39 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Is empathy a prerequisite for a successful society? Or is empathy an irrational emotion which appeals to our narrow prejudices? This week we’re asking whether empathy is our best base for morality and we explore the implications of empathy in the modern world. On Today’s episode we’re joined remotely by Oxford professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Subjectivity Research, Dan Zahavi,...
How To Traverse Time | Peter Sjöstedt-H
February 16, 2021 11:43 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes How should we treat time in our lives? What should time mean to us? And can psychedelic experiences allow us to reconfigure our sense of time? On today’s episode we’re joined by philosopher of the mind, metaphysician and associate lecturer at The University of Exeter Dr Peter Sjöstedt-H, who breaks down our relationship to time through the lens of psychedelic experience. There are thousands of big...
Beyond Us: Competition with Donald Hoffman
February 12, 2021 13:12 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBToday we bring you the second episode of Beyond Us, an all-new series made in association with Essentia Foundation. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Evolution favours cooperation as well as competition. But to what extent is human competitiveness culture-bound? Is the competitive dynamic environmentally, politically and psychologically sustainable, or excessive, delusional and bound for disaster? Do the values and assumptions tha...
Everything We Cannot Know | Henry Gee
February 09, 2021 12:06 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBHow much can we possibly know about the universe? And where do the boundaries of scientific knowledge lie? Listen to find out! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The more we discover, the more we realise we have yet to learn. On today’s episode we’re discussing the philosophy of science and the limits of what we can know. We’re joined remotely by palaeontologist, evolutionary biologist and senior editor of the scientific journal Na...
The Rise and Fall of Ideologies | Rory Stewart, Grace Blakeley, Michael Sandel
February 02, 2021 11:58 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes On today’s episode we’re discussing the role of idealism in the world of politics. Whether it's tribal nationalism, radical socialism, or environmental activism, the goals and ideals of politics are once again taking centre stage. Is a return to idealism dangerous or a necessary antidote to a bland politics that has served no one other than the ruling elite? To help us discuss idealism in politics ...
Overcoming Individualism | Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad
January 26, 2021 12:35 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In Western society, individualism is everywhere – whether it’s being fuelled by capitalism, technology or populist politics, we are being encouraged to think of ourselves more than ever before. But how do other parts of the world understand the self? Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, FBA is the Distinguished Professor of Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Lancaster University. His research focuses on In...
Beyond Us: Knowledge with Rebecca Goldstein
January 22, 2021 12:20 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBToday we bring you the first episode of Beyond Us, an all-new series made in association with Essentia Foundation. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Few things are more valued by 21st century humans than knowledge. But how is it acquired? Cognitive psychology tells us that we leverage a variety of functions which can be roughly divided into two classes: the 'mental' and the 'feeling' faculties. Our culture increasingly champions k...
Building the Future, Remembering the Past | Peter Tatchell
January 19, 2021 11:31 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBHow should we redress the wrongs done to the LGBT+ community in the past? And is it even possible? Peter Tatchell discusses. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The LGBT+ community has won many hard fought battles, but that doesn't make up for the years of suffering caused by prejudice and oppression. On today’s episode we’re joined by Renowned LGBT+ activist Peter Tatchell who outlines a direction to move forward without forgetting...
Philosophy for our Times Presents: 'Beyond Us'
January 15, 2021 15:50 - 56 seconds - 876 KBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Philosophy for Our Times is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of Beyond Us, an all-new podcast series by the IAI, exploring four concepts that define the modern world: knowledge, competition, language and growth. In each episode, humanitarian Fred Matser and philosopher Bernardo Kastrup are joined by a leading thinker with a unique take on one of these fascinating topics. Episode one, release...
How To Spot An Emergency | Santiago Zabala
January 12, 2021 11:29 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Is the greatest emergency in our current age the absence of emergency itself? And how helpful is freedom in tackling emergencies? On today’s episode we’re discussing the philosophy of crises and how society should respond to emergencies. Santiago Zabala is a philosopher and ICREA Research Philosopher at the Pompeu Fabra University, where he currently teaches contemporary and political philosophy. ...
Ditching Selfish Ideologies | John Milbank
January 05, 2021 17:58 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We value the feeling of happiness above all else. But is it time we outgrew this self-centred ideology? On today’s episode we’re discussing happiness and the future of our society. Joining us to share his vision for a post-liberal society is John Milbank, renowned theologian and President of the Centre of Theology and Religion at the University of Nottingham. There are thousands of big ideas to di...
Words and the World | Paul Muldoon, Jennifer Hornsby, Hilary Lawson, Rebecca Roache
December 29, 2020 09:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBHow has language informed the evolution of philosophy? And is there a point where the usefulness of words ends? Our experts discuss. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes On today’s episode we’re discussing philosophy’s linguistic turn as well as the general relationship between language and philosophy. To help us discuss our descriptions of the world we’re joined remotely by professor of philosophy Jennifer Hornsby, Pulitzer Prize wi...
The Tyranny of Meritocracy | Michael Sandel
December 22, 2020 13:20 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes On Today’s episode we’re discussing meritocracy and social models of success. Is sorting people by merit dangerous and should we be championing an alternative model, one more attentive to the role of humility, solidarity and luck? Renowned philosopher Michael Sandel exposes the hubris a meritocracy generates among the winners and the harsh judgement it imposes on those left behind. He puts forward ...
Overwhelmed By Choice | Renata Salecl
December 15, 2020 13:01 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBHow tied are mental health and choice? Listen to find out! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From eating to dating, what the modern world presents us with are endless choices. But is this leading to lives full of anxiety and guilt? On today’s episode we’re discussing happiness and freedom of choice. Renata Salecl is a philosopher, sociologist and legal theorist currently working as a senior researcher at the Institute of Criminol...
Surviving and Thriving On Curiosity | Garrick Jones
December 10, 2020 16:00 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MBWhat are the benefits of curiosity? Listen to find out! Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In our modern world of encroaching digital connectivity, is it curiosity that enables individuals and businesses to survive and thrive? On today’s episode we’re discussing curiosity and how practicing being curious can improve our private and professional lives. We're joined by businessman, academic and co-author of The Curious Advantage, Ga...
Morality Before Metaphysics | Simon Blackburn, Raymond Tallis, Joanna Kavenna
December 08, 2020 13:01 - 48 minutes - 44.9 MBShould we prioritize morality over scientific research? Our experts discuss. Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Are our descriptions of the world independent from our morality? And should philosophy aim to interpret the world or to change it? On today’s episode we’re discussing the relationship between morality and metaphysics and whether putting morality first is a good idea when proposing theories. To help us debate the role of...
Reality Uncovered | John Ellis, Sabine Hossenfelder, Jim Baggott
November 24, 2020 14:32 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes At the heart of our understanding of reality is physics, the cornerstone of science. But it appears to be in all sorts of trouble. On today's episode we ask whether the whole framework of contemporary physics might be wrong? And if so, where can we turn for an alternative? CERN physicist John Ellis, theoretical physicist and Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies Sabine Hos...
Animal Rights and Human Wrongs | Peter Singer, Christopher Belshaw, Mary-Ann Sieghart, Peter Egan
November 17, 2020 13:33 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes What is our relationship with other species? And can we care about animals if we eat them? On today’s episode we’re discussing the morality of our relationship with animals. World-renowned moral philosopher Peter Singer, Honorary Associate in Philosophy at the Open University Christopher Belshaw, former assistant editor of The Times Mary-Ann Sieghart and British actor and longtime vegan Peter Egan ...
Do We Really Want To Save The World? | Vince Cable, Aaron Bastani, Emma Slade, John Zerzan
November 10, 2020 11:26 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Is the purpose of life personal development or changing society for the better? And what is the future of political engagement? On this week’s episode we’re discussing the relationship between our personal beliefs and civic engagement. We’re joined remotely by anarcho-primitist John Zerzan, author and Buddhist nun Emma Slade, radical left-wing journalist Aaron Bastani and former liberal democrat le...
Rational Animals | Steven Pinker, Daniel Kahneman, Shami Chakrabarti
November 03, 2020 11:49 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Are humans incapable of weighing up risk rationally? And are governments any better? Should we seek to reduce all risks and outlaw activity we deem dangerous? Nobel Prize winning economist Daniel Kahneman, Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker and Labour MP, barrister and human rights activist Shami Chakrabarti explore risk, rationality and coronavirus. Anil Ananthaswamy hosts. There are thousands of...
Free Will Worth Wanting |Daniel Dennett, Helen Steward, Patrick Haggard
October 27, 2020 11:58 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Do we choose to follow the rules? Are we really free to decide, or is choice just an illusion? On this week’s episode we’re trying to understand why many neuroscientists and philosophers argue that there is no such thing as free will. Groundbreaking philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett, Cognitive Neuroscience specialist Patrick Haggard and author of A Metaphysics for Freedom Helen Ste...
Why Choice is Not an Illusion | Raymond Tallis
October 20, 2020 11:23 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In the modern world we seem to benefit from an abundance of choices in our day-to-day life. But are we really free to decide, or is choice just an illusion? On today’s episode we’re joined remotely by cultural critic and philosopher Raymond Tallis who unpicks the arguments against the existence of free will. Professor Raymond Tallis is a philosopher, poet, novelist and cultural critic and was unti...
Materialism Deconstructed| Bernardo Kastrup, Nancy Cartwright, Peter Atkins
October 13, 2020 12:11 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Has physical materialism been undermined in favour of fields and energy, mathematics and information? This week we’re asking whether the world is only material, only made of physical stuff. Metaphysical idealist Bernardo Kastrup, chemist and Fellow of Lincoln College at Oxford University Peter Atkins and Philosopher of Science Nancy Cartwright debate beyond material. Founding director of the Centre...
The Maths of Life | Silvia Jonas
October 06, 2020 10:06 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes How can mathematical models inform our understanding of the world? And how can we explain overwhelming experiences? This week, philosopher Silvia Jonas investigates how mathematics shapes the way in which philosophers conceptualise reality and considers how we can use mathematical models to answer big philosophical questions. Silvia Jonas is a philosopher at the Munich Center for Mathematical Philo...
What do we really know? | Renata Salecl, Philip Goff & Simon Blackburn
September 29, 2020 20:14 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes For much of human history people have held firm - if mistaken - beliefs about the nature of the world and the right course of action. But now a steep decline in religious belief, compounded by doubts about the very possibility of objective truth, has left many in the West profoundly lost. Should we welcome this new uncertainty and revel in the absence of a constricting set of agreed beliefs? Are we ...
Martyrdom and Sacrifice |Terry Eagleton
September 22, 2020 07:52 - 17 minutes - 16 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Can the radical elements of religion help us today? And how should we view martyrdom and sacrifice? To help us discus the role of religion today we’re joined this week by Marxist literary critic and public intellectual Terry Eagleton who explores the intersection between faith, martyrdom and sacrifice in a post 9/11 age. Terry Eagleton is widely recognized as a mainstay of British academia. He has ...