Philosophy For Our Times

Latest Episodes:

The mystery of emergence | Suchitra Sebastian, Philip Goff, Hilary Lawson May 14, 2024

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Is complexity a cop-out?

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From consciousness to free will, and even life itself, it has become commonplace for philosophers and neuroscientists to explain some of the most puzzling phenomena in the universe as 'emergent'. Some even make the claim that nothing in science makes sense without emergence, the idea that the characteristics and behaviour of the whole is different from, and in addition to, its parts. But critics argue there is a danger emergence gives the impression of understanding when in reality it explains nothing.

Can we explain emergence and account for an overall property occurs when it is not present in the elemental parts? Might a new science of emergence enable breakthroughs in our understanding of life, consciousness and physical properties like superconductivity? Or is emergence a rhetorical device used to give the misleading impression that materialism is capable of explaining the deepest mysteries?

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A rule to live by | Peter Singer, Daniel Markovits, Carol Gilligan May 07, 2024

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Is it time to abandon the Golden Rule?

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Join us as world-leading cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman discusses his cutting-edge research about consciousness and perception, as well as its astonishing implications for the ultimate nature of reality.

Donald Hoffman is an American cognitive psychologist working at the University of California, Irvine. Hoffman's Interface Theory of Perception suggests that, instead of presenting reality as it "really is", our perception is like a desktop interface that has evolved to ensure survival. To advance his theory of consciousness, Hoffman explores cutting edge physics that suggests spacetime is non-fundamental. For Hoffman we must explain consciousness in fundamental terms, beyond spacetime.

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Humans' tendency for irrationality | Dan Ariely Apr 30, 2024

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Why do so many of us in the present day belief in conspiracy theories?

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Join professor and psychologist Dan Ariely as he discusses the main tenets of his 2023 book 'Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things.' With great sympathy for those, including some of us, who tend to believe various unsubstantiated claims, Ariely assesses their personality traits, the effects on society, and what, if anything, can be done about an increasing tendency for misbelief.

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Perception as a fantasy | Donald Hoffman Apr 23, 2024

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Can we look for consciousness outside the realm of space-time?

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Embracing solidarity in our secular age | Interview with Rowan Williams Apr 17, 2024

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What role can religion play in our contemporary secularised lives? Why do many (of us) still feel the need for it today?

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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 to work in communities across faiths. Perhaps religion, and Christianity specifically, can help us more easily embrace solidarity.

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On humans and animals | Peter Singer, Mary Midgley Apr 09, 2024

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Should we treat animals and humans equal?

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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" (Guardian) Mary Midgley to consider the future of bioethics. Roger Bolton makes sure the tough questions get answered.

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Does energy really exist? | Priyamvada Natarajan, Avshalom Elitzur, and Bernard Carr on the enigma of energy Apr 02, 2024

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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?

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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 physics: energy. It underlies our universe, and yet its versatile nature is still not entirely understood, for example in its mysterious manifestation as 'dark energy'. In this honest talk, three leading scientists discuss this and other issues, as well as their embrace of mysticism in the search for an underlying physical truth.

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Why we should question everything | Michael Della Rocca on radical philosophy Mar 26, 2024

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Is standard philosophy too conservative, overly relying on common sense? Can rationality and reason actually lead us to mysticism?

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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 metaphysical adventure, we end up questioning why we had not questioned everything before.

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The enlightenment and its alternatives | John Mearsheimer, Steven Pinker Mar 19, 2024

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Can we attribute societal progress to enlightenment ideals?

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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 the Enlightenment vision?

Sophie Scott-Brown, Director at Gresham College, hosts a debate between two of the most influential thinkers of our time. Join John Mearsheimer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, and Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, as they discuss the Enlightenment and its alternatives.

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Mind-body dualism and being transgender | Sophie Grace Chappell Mar 12, 2024

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How do the seemingly modern discussions around transgender and transsexuality relate to age-old philosophical queries?

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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) identities simply be a response to the ancient oracle's 'know thyself'?

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