Philosophy For Our Times
435 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 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
In Defense of Pornography | Peter Tatchell
February 22, 2018 12:26 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes There is perhaps, nothing more contentious in a romantic relationship, than our partner’s attitude to pornography. Here to break through this taboo is our speaker for today’s podcast - former MP and LGBT rights activist Peter Tatchell. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_s...
Bonus Episode: The Story of I | John Cottingham, Richard Morgan, Mark Salter
February 20, 2018 11:42 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We rely on a narrative about who we are and what we are up to in order to make the everyday and the big decisions in our lives. But who is the I that writes the story of ourselves and how do we choose the narrative of our life? Are our choices more like reflexes and decisions an illusion? Or do we create both who we are and what we want to do? Philosopher and author of Western Philosophy John Cottin...
Changing the Love Narrative | Martha Fiennes, Chris Sherwood, Shahida Bari
February 13, 2018 10:52 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From love at first sight to falling head over heels, it seems love isn’t something we do but something that happens to us. Yet relationship experts say successful relationships are built on hard work. Can we construct the romantic narrative? Would power over love’s story improve the experience? Or is love a wild adventure best left untamed? Award-winning director and artist Martha Fiennes joins Rela...
Love Is the Drug | Anders Sandberg
February 06, 2018 13:08 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We’re happy taking drugs to fight depression. But what about a pill for engineering romance? Oxford neuroscientist and Future of Humanity Institute fellow Anders Sandberg makes the case for chemically enhancing our love lives. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=pod...
Is Science The Only Way To Truth? | Rosie Harper, Peter Atkins, Steve Fuller
January 30, 2018 13:35 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In this podcast we’re going to be uncovering the unknown by pitting science against religion in the ultimate quest for truth. Theologian Rosie Harper, chemist Peter Atkins and philosopher Steve Fuller debate whether science is the only way to truth. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcas...
How To Live In The Moment | Robert Eaglestone, Sam Roddick, Peter York
January 25, 2018 13:16 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Socrates famously claimed 'the unexamined life is not worth living'. Yet from surfing to sex, playing an instrument to riding a bike, our most joyous moments are not when we are lost in thought but when we are lost in experience. Do we reflect too much and should we explore just 'being' more? Philosopher and author Robert Eaglestone, Coco de Mer founder Sam Roddick and author of Authenticity is a ...
Newton's Fall | Erik Verlinde
January 23, 2018 10:32 - 20 minutes - 19 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Is Theoretical Physics on the cusp of discovering a new theory of gravity? Theoretical physicist Erik Verlinde outlines how spacetime and gravity dissolve. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=newton's-fall See Privacy Polic...
Knowing Others And Knowing Oneself | Robert Eaglestone, Anita Avramides, Nicholas Humphrey
January 16, 2018 10:19 - 34 minutes - 31.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Can you ever really know yourself? And if you can’t know yourself, how can you ever know the people around you, even those closest to you? Professor of Contemporary Literature Robert Eaglestone, theoretical psychologist and author of 'Soul Dust' Nicholas Humphrey and Oxford philosopher Anita Avramides investigate knowing ourselves and others. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv –...
Bonus Episode: In Search Of Safety | Finn Mackay, Brendan O'Neill, Chris Bryant
January 10, 2018 18:58 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Visions of a violent and lawless future are a commonplace, yet strangely crime has fallen 66% in the UK in the last two decades. Do we want to imagine the world is dangerous because our lives have become too safe? Or is the world scarier than the figures suggest? Former Anglican Priest Chris Bryant, feminist Finn Mackay and outspoken libertarian and editor of Spiked Online Brendan O'Neill examine ri...
What Is The Meaning Of Life? | Mark Rowlands
January 09, 2018 12:17 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We keep searching for life's meaning, but we still have no answer. Philosopher and author of 'Wolf' Mark Rowlands shows us where we might look. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=what-is-the-meaning-of-life See Privacy Pol...
Are Hospitals Bad For Us? | Diane Abbott, Natalie Bennett, David Healy, Mark Salter
January 02, 2018 12:23 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes A third of all deaths are due to medical intervention and some argue that eradicating poverty, not pathogens, makes the biggest difference. Is it a fantasy to believe that medical technology can solve health? Should we spend more on social justice and less on hospital medicine? Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, psychiatrist Mark Salter, Labour politician Diane Abbott and author of Pharmaggedon D...
The Swindle Of The New | Terry Eagleton
December 21, 2017 12:20 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In our topsy turvy post-modern world, we're held captive by the promise of the new. One of Britain's most influential cultural critics, Terry Eagleton, examines novelty's strange perils. Supported by Routledge - Associate Academic Partner of the IAI. To learn more, and for exclusive discounts and prizes visit: http://bit.ly/2huBNRx There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, ...
Beware Bankers Bearing Gifts: Is Debt Good? | Anatole Kaletsky, Stephen King, Laura Bear
December 19, 2017 12:09 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The world is awash with debt. Economists argue it is essential to growth and that repayment is a legal and moral obligation. Yet from Payday lending to the debts of Greece and the Third World many see debt as unfair and unjust. Should we be less dependent on debt? Is it a trap that maintains wealth and poverty, or a gift that enables growth? Capitalism 4.0 author Anatole Kaletsky, Senior Economic A...
Could Sex Robots Be Good For Us? | Kate Devlin
December 12, 2017 11:32 - 22 minutes - 21 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes With technological advancements in the world of computer science and robotics, sci-fi sex robots such as Ava from Ex Machina, and Joi from Blade Runner 2049, are coming closer and closer to becoming real. Would sex robots be a disaster for healthy sexual relationships? Or might they actually help us? In this episode, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computing at Goldsmiths Kate Devlin explores...
The Fantasy Of Money | Nigel Dodd, Sarah Bird, Izabella Kaminska
December 05, 2017 11:17 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes There was a time when gold money had real value. Yet now it floats free, a fantasy made real by our belief. Are there alternative fantasies that we could create to generate different and perhaps better realities? Or is there something special about the fantasy of money that makes it irreplaceable? Guardian columnist Stephen Hewlitt asks CEO of Timebanking UK Sarah Bird, reporter for the Financial ...
Understanding String Theory | James Ladyman
November 28, 2017 10:49 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Over 40 years have passed since string theory was first developed: what questions have been answered? Philosopher James Ladyman examines one of our strangest endeavours. "Challenging and provocative" TLS There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=showno...
Can lying ever be justified? | Helen Lederer, James Mahon, Mark Salter
November 21, 2017 11:05 - 32 minutes - 30 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Weapons of mass destruction, the NSA, and Watergate: many have felt cheated by the lies of the powerful. Yet we all twist the truth to keep people happy and deceive in order to protect. Is lying oddly essential? Should we accept lying as part of personal and public life? Or is there always more beauty in truth? New York philosopher and author of Lying for the Sake of Truth James Mahon, Absolutely ...
Power, Status And Sexuality | Catherine Hakim, Doon Mackichan, Peter Tatchell
November 16, 2017 11:09 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The goal of feminism seemed simple: equal rights for both sexes. Yet tabloid controversy is raging now Beyonce, GaGa and Sandberg have claimed the label. Can female sexuality be a vehicle for female power? And is feminism recast as female power a desirable goal or a threat to the original ideals? Sociologist and author of Erotic Capital Catherine Hakim, Smack The Pony star Doon Mackichan, and acti...
Should you trust your doctor? | David Healy
November 14, 2017 11:54We trust our doctors to do what’s best for us when we’re sick, and that their knowledge comes from the cutting edge of medical science. But what if our doctors are being led astray by medical... 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 festiva...
Real Men | Julie Bindel, Diane Abbott, Rowan Pelling, Serena Kutchinsky
November 07, 2017 11:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Being a real man used to be about courage, grit, and determination. But in an age of increased empathy and softness the story is getting blurred. Is the 'real man' a fantasy we should be pleased to see relegated to history along with Marlboro ads, or are these qualities that women still want and society needs? Jamie Whyte chairs this debate between Labour MP Dianne Abott and radical feminist Julie ...
Why Are Humans Monogamous? | Kit Opie
October 31, 2017 11:20 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Only 3 percent of mammals are monogamous. The faithful few include beavers, wolves, bats, and, of course, humans. Why is monogamy so rare? And how did we come to practise it? UCL anthropologist Kit Opie takes you on journey back to the beginning of human relationships. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big idea...
Diversity and Power | Sophie Walker
October 24, 2017 09:57 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Disillusioned with the mainstream, Sophie Walker joined and now leads the Women's Equality Party. Here she asks: is radical thinking enough to change society? Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv...
The Good, The Bad And The Unknown | Gita Sahgal, David Owens, Sebastian Farquhar
October 17, 2017 11:06 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We all want a better world and most see morality as helping to choose the right actions. Yet we can't know for sure the outcome of any action. Is morality therefore curiously independent of outcomes? Does this leave it without foundation or function? Or do good and bad have no place in this world at all? Centre for Secular Space founder Gita Sahgal, philosopher and author of Causes and Coincidences ...
Romancing Opiates | Theodore Dalrymple
October 10, 2017 09:41 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes What is the strange allure of opiate addiction? Author and former prison psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple argues his personal take on the problems poppies pose. "A modern master" - Guardian Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore...
Neuroscience vs. Philosophy | Margaret Boden, Steven Rose, Barry C. Smith
October 03, 2017 10:30 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From the existence of the self to the nature of free will, many philosophers have dedicated their lives to the problems of the mind. But now some neuroscientists claim to have settled these raging debates. Is it possible we have discovered a science to replace philosophy and we can finally make real progress? Cognitive scientist Margaret Boden, philosopher of mind and language Barry C. Smith and n...
A Philosophy of Confidence | Rowland Manthorpe
September 26, 2017 17:17 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Aristotle said that we "acquire a particular quality by acting a certain way" - he believed that you could fake it 'til you make it. But is this a reductive understanding of confidence? Are we right to desire confidence, or should we reimagine our understanding of it? WIRED editor and author Rowland Manthorpe examines our self-belief, from Nietzsche to now, and proposes a more collaborative definiti...
After Buddhism | Stephen Batchelor
September 19, 2017 10:55 - 20 minutes - 19 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes What could secular Buddhist philosophy bring to a dissatisfied West? Buddhist teacher and author Stephen Batchelor gives ancient wisdom a 21st century home. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/...
What we Cannot Know | Marcus du Sautoy
September 12, 2017 10:08 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The headlines of new discoveries about the universe continue, but are we approaching our limits? Mathematician and broadcaster Marcus du Sautoy explores. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podc...
Language and the World | Corine Besson, Nancy Cartwright, Hilary Lawson
September 05, 2017 10:58 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We effortlessly use language to describe the world. Yet the puzzle of how language achieves this has stumped philosophers for a century. Are we simply missing the right theory? Or is something more profound at stake if language does not in fact provide descriptions of the world at all. 2017 Lebowitz Prize-winning philosopher Nancy Cartwright, Closure theorist Hilary Lawson and Director of the Cent...
The Universe Code | Peter Atkins, Chiara Marletto, James Ladyman
August 29, 2017 09:34 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We think information provides facts about the world around us. Yet some in quantum physics now claim that information is primary, more fundamental than matter. Could information provide the ultimate constituents of the world? Or is this a delusion borne from the specific and passing vocabulary of a digital age? Emeritus Oxford chemist Peter Atkins, quantum physics information pioneer Chiara Marlet...
Life On The Edge | Sebastian Farquhar
August 23, 2017 14:32 - 32 minutes - 29.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes How can we rethink society to halt existential crises as rapidly as the threats can occur? Director of the Centre for Effective Altruism Sebastian Farquhar outlines his solution. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=life-on-t...
Imagining Imaginations | Terry Eagleton, Paul Boghossian, Joanne Harris
August 18, 2017 11:33 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From writing to art, the intense to the light hearted, imagination transports us to untold fantasy worlds. Yet Picasso claimed "everything you can imagine is real". Should we dismiss this as the overblown claims of a celebrity artist, or might what we take to be reality actually be a product of the power of imagination? Literary critic Terry Eagleton, New york University philosopher Paul Boghossian...
Politics and the Patriarchy | Angela Eagle
August 16, 2017 11:39 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Has Westminster made progress to equality? Cameron told Shadow Secretary for Business Angela Eagle to “Calm down dear”; here she forecasts the future of sexism in politics. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men and Enter the World of Paradise by D SMILEZ available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses...
Catching Sight of Ourselves | Christopher Hamilton, Adjoa Andoh, Daniel Miller
August 14, 2017 16:51 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Far flung destinations are often home to those seeking to 'find themselves'. Encouraged perhaps by Socrates’ maxim for an ethical life: 'know thyself'. But do any of us ever arrive? Is the self a real and stable enough 'thing' that it can be known? Or can we never catch sight of ourselves in the mirror? Anthropologist and author of Stuff Daniel Miller, actress and writer Adjoa Andoh, KCL philosoph...
The Good Fight | Charlotte Leslie
August 11, 2017 12:22 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Can the threat of terror be fought with compassion? Conservative politician and Spectator's 'Backbencher of the year' Charlotte Leslie issues a rallying cry for the politics of love. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men and Enter the World of Paradise by D SMILEZ available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, a...
The Vital Statistics | Helena Cronin
August 09, 2017 17:32 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Is statistical and scientific ignorance undermining the fight against sexism? Darwinian philosopher Helena Cronin argues sex difference should be accepted not ignored. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men and Enter the World of Paradise by D SMILEZ available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses wait...
The Shame Game | Robin Ince, John Milbank, Helen Croydon
August 08, 2017 12:40 - 39 minutes - 36.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The shaming exposes and social media scandals of today can seem as backwards as the stocks or the pillory. Yet the fear of shame can bring the powerful to heel. What is our curious shame about shame? Might shaming be our best tool for change? Or should we always be fearful of the tyranny of the mob? Comedian Robin Ince, Sugar Daddy Diaries author Helen Croydon, and theologian and Zizek collaborato...
On Air with Annie Nightingale
August 04, 2017 17:54 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The first female to enter the Radio Hall of Fame, MBE recipient Annie Nightingale is the BBC's longest serving DJ. Join the "first lady of radio" as she discusses 50 years at the forefront of Britain's shifting music scene. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and ...
Dreamland | Oliver Burkeman, Helen Lederer, Erwin James
August 02, 2017 14:17 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Fulfill your dreams and make the most of your life! So advocate headmasters, moralists and revolutionaries. Yet poet John Betjeman's principal regret was that he did not have more sex. Is life not about goals and ambition but about the moment of being? Or is making our dreams real the only way to fulfillment? Writer of The Guardian's This Column Will Change Your Life Oliver Burkeman, author of A L...
A Goldilock's World | Chiara Marletto, Bernard Carr, Massimo Pigliucci
July 31, 2017 10:02 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Copernicus and Darwin taught us to be skeptical of feeling we were special. Yet from the size of the electron to the cosmological constant our universe is strangely fine-tuned for life. Is this a spectacularly fortuitous accident? Has the universe been tailored for us or do the theories just make it look that way? New York philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, M-Theorist and author of Universe or Multive...
Love Me Tinder| Christopher Hamilton, Steve Carter, Anders Sandberg
May 31, 2017 15:56 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes At 10 billion matches, Tinder has made more connections than there are people. But neuroscience reveals that too much choice can increase expectations and reduce desire. Is choice actually a bad thing? Have dating apps democratised intimacy, or are they warping our relationships beyond repair? KCL philosopher Christopher Hamilton, eHarmony’s Chief Scientist Steve Carter, and Oxford neuroscientist ...
Blind Data | Steve Carter
May 09, 2017 10:15 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Mathematics is rarely seen as a romantic discipline. But 30% of couples now meet using online algorithms. Could big data be the key to making love last? And if so what makes for the perfect match? eHarmony's Chief Scientist Steve Carter unveils new research into the science of love and compatibility. (Supported by eHarmony) There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, ...
Space Hacks | Patricia Lewis
April 25, 2017 09:50 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Terror attacks on satellites would cause mass destruction within moments. Why are we ignoring the risks? Space security expert and Chatham House Research Director Patricia Lewis reveals the silent dangers in space. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_med...
After the Higgs Boson | John Ellis
April 18, 2017 11:17 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes In 2013 we found the Higgs boson. Then, in early 2016, we found Gravitational Waves. Eminent CERN physicist John Ellis asks: what's next for 21st-century physics? There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=after-the-higgs-boson Se...
A Politics of Hope | Owen Jones
April 13, 2017 19:07 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Where are the alternatives to injustice and uncertainty? Author of The Establishment Owen Jones makes the case for an end to despair and a new era of politics. There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=a-politics-of-hope See Priv...
Gravity | Laura Mersini-Houghton, Erik Verlinde, Frank Wilczek
April 06, 2017 19:45 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We all think we know what gravity is. But where gravity comes from stumped Newton, and 300 years later we are no closer to an explanation. We don't even have a mathematical account of gravity that applies in all situations. Why is a force so central to the universe so elusive in its character? Theoretical physicist Laura Mersini Houghton, Nobel Prize-winner Frank Wilczek and string theorist Eric Ve...
Beyond Experience | Tara Shears, Hilary Lawson, Alison Milbank
March 28, 2017 12:31 - 46 minutes - 43 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes We think we know what is real and what is not. Yet strangely we can't even agree what reality is made of - everyday things, particles and energy, or language and thought. Is reality essentially incomprehensible because it is beyond us? Or do we just need time and patience to uncover the truth? CERN physicist Tara Shears, author of Closure and post-postmodern metaphysician Hilary Lawson, and theolo...
The Emperor's New Genes | Dennis Noble, Anne Bowcock, Rupert Sheldrake
March 21, 2017 18:23 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes The $3bn Human Genome project to uncover the genetic cause of disease was billed as ground breaking. Despite frequent positive newspaper headlines, critics argue we have uncovered almost nothing about disease. Will it eventually prove useful or are genes not the blueprint for life we had imagined? Author of The Science Delusion, Rupert Sheldrake, Imperial College geneticist Anne Bowcock, and author...
The Limits of Freedom | Claire Fox, Julian Le Grand, Theodore Dalrymple
March 14, 2017 14:24 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes Freedom is a goal we all endorse. Yes as neuroscience shows and history suggests, we are less content when we have more choice. Is too much freedom paradoxically debilitating? Do we need constraints to thrive, and might our chains be key to our freedom? Or is this a dangerous conceit of the privileged and free? Psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple, Blair's former Senior Policy Advisor Julian Le Grand a...
The Illusion of Sense | Hilary Lawson, Rupert Read, Ophelia Deroy
March 07, 2017 10:54 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBLooking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes From bats to beetles, animals sense the world differently in order to survive. Yet we think seeing and feeling tell us how things really are. Might our senses be radically limited? Are science and logic routes to escape our sensory limitations, or is feeling the rain on our skin the closest we get to truth? Cognitive neuroscientist Ophelia Deroy, philosopher and author of Philosophy for Life Ruper...