Philosophy For Our Times

Latest Episodes:

Emotion Vs Reason | Dan Ariely, Paul Bloom, Patty Kostkova Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

Are 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 Duke University Dan Ariely, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale Paul Bloom and Director of UCL IRDR Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies, Patty Kostkova.

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=emotion-vs-reason

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Becoming A Philosopher | Daniel Dennett Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

Listen 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 vehemently that there is a right and a wrong answer to the big questions? On today’s episode of Philosophy for our Times we find out how Daniel’s life shaped his ideas in this exclusive interview with neuroscientist Daniel Glaser.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reshaping The Self | Dan Zahavi, Lisa Bortolotti, Anders Sandberg Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

Looking 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 University of Birmingham Lisa Bortolotti and Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute Anders Sandberg. Joanna Kavenna hosts.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Beyond Us: Growth with Mo Gawdat Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Today 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 important and desirable. But rather than appreciating the limits and costs to growth, we often assume it can continue infinitely, if managed. Has modern society’s hijacking of this ancient concept unlocked humanity's true potential, or put us on the road to dysfunction and ruin?

Series hosts Bernardo Kastrup and Fred Matser discuss this fascinating topic with former Chief Business Officer for Google X, entrepreneur and the author of the book Solve for Happy, Mo Gawdat.

In association with Essentia Foundation

Read Beyond Us

Watch Beyond Me

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are we looking at life wrong? | Daniel Dennett, Sara Walker, Nick Lane Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

Looking 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 leading thinkers: Legendary American philosopher Daniel Dennett, astrobiologist and famed science communicator, Sara Walker, and evolutionary (and revolutionary) biochemist Professor Nick Lane.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do we know who to trust? | Maria Baghramian Mar 16, 2021

Show notes

Looking 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.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How to Save Conscious Life on Earth | Susan Schneider Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

Looking 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.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Beyond Us: Language with Jennifer Hornsby Mar 05, 2021

Show notes

Today 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 limitation as grounds for disavowing the complex inner world of consciousness. Some even think that what cannot be put into words does not exist. What is the relationship of language to the world and to human consciousness?

Series hosts Bernardo Kastrup and Fred Matser discuss the fascinating topic of language with renowned British philosopher of language, Jennifer Hornsby.

In association with Essentia Foundation

Read Beyond Us

Watch Beyond Me

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Experiencing The World | Annaka Harris, Hilary Lawson, Reza Negarestani, Bernardo Kastrup Mar 02, 2021

Show notes

Looking 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 between experience and reality we’re joined remotely by four leading thinkers: author and philosopher Annaka Harris, post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson, computer scientist Bernardo Kastrup and philosopher Reza Negarestani.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Compassion and Community | Dan Zahavi Feb 23, 2021

Show notes

Looking 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, who explores the value of empathy.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.