Philosophy For Our Times

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Neuroscience vs. Philosophy | Margaret Boden, Steven Rose, Barry C. Smith Oct 03, 2017

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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 neurobiologist Steven Rose put neuroscience on trial.

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A Philosophy of Confidence | Rowland Manthorpe Sep 26, 2017

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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 definition of confidence.

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After Buddhism | Stephen Batchelor Sep 19, 2017

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What could secular Buddhist philosophy bring to a dissatisfied West? Buddhist teacher and author Stephen Batchelor gives ancient wisdom a 21st century home.

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What we Cannot Know | Marcus du Sautoy Sep 12, 2017

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The headlines of new discoveries about the universe continue, but are we approaching our limits? Mathematician and broadcaster Marcus du Sautoy explores.

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Language and the World | Corine Besson, Nancy Cartwright, Hilary Lawson Sep 05, 2017

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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 Centre for Logic and Language Corine Besson.

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The Universe Code | Peter Atkins, Chiara Marletto, James Ladyman Aug 29, 2017

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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 Marletto and author of Everything Must Go James Ladyman decode the universe.

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Life On The Edge | Sebastian Farquhar Aug 23, 2017

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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.

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Imagining Imaginations | Terry Eagleton, Paul Boghossian, Joanne Harris Aug 18, 2017

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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 and Chocolat author Joanne Harris find places where reality ends and the power of imagination begins.

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Politics and the Patriarchy | Angela Eagle Aug 16, 2017

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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.

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Catching Sight of Ourselves | Christopher Hamilton, Adjoa Andoh, Daniel Miller Aug 14, 2017

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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 philosopher Christopher Hamilton examine the limits of self-knowledge.

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