Philosophy For Our Times

Evidence in the Dock | Nick Enfield, Timothy Williamson, Genia Schönbaumsfeld

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:46:29 GMT

Should we give up seeing evidence as the truth and instead see it as a persuasive argument? Does evidence settle the matter or is a counter-narrative always possible? And if evidence is not the truth, how are we to choose between competing perspectives and models of the world?

We turn to evidence to settle the matter. And we imagine it is evidence that confirms a scientific theory, or the guilt of an accused. But perspective can result in evidence being interpreted radically differently. One person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. More broadly some argue all so-called 'facts' are context or theory dependent. And if evidence depends on perspective, it is no longer clear what counts as evidence in the first place. Unlike the French legal system, that assumes evidence determines truth, the English system embeds opposing narratives, each employing their own 'evidence' to support a case. The same is true when physicists operate with different models of reality, recognising that alternative frameworks can be used.

Nick Enfield is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney and Director of the Sydney Centre for Language Research. He is the author of Language vs Reality.

Analytic philosopher and author of Knowledge and Its Limits, Timothy Williamson is a Senior Research Fellow at New College, Oxford and former Wykeham Professor of Logic.

Genia Schönbaumsfeld is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southampton and the author of several books – most recently, Wittgenstein on Religious Belief. In 2023, Genia was awarded a highly prestigious ERC Advanced Grant for her project entitled ‘The Ethics of Doubt – Kierkegaard, Scepticism and Conspiracy Theory’.

Jay Shapiro hosts.

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The limits and potential of transgressiveness | Catherine Liu, Rowan Williams, Josh Cohen

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The good, the bad, and the transgressive

Is the transgression of norms and rules what brings history forward and allows for creativity and change? OR is the fetishization of transgression an ever-present danger that breaks down all structures of meaning and becomes totalizing in of itself?

The limits and potentials of transgressiveness have been long debated, especially in rule-breaking Modernity. Listen to this lively conversation between three unlikely and profound thinkers - provocative cultural theorist Catherine Liu, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, and psychoanalyst Josh Cohen - to hear what role transgression should, and should not, play in our societies.

Hosted by philosopher Barry C. Smith

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Sisters and Sisterhood | Myriam Francois, Margaret Heffernan, Kimberlé Crenshaw

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 13:05:48 GMT

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More women MPs, more women CEOs, women it would seem are on the move. Yet the gap between successful women and the rest is growing. Might feminism's success paradoxically harbour the end of the sisterhood as we swap one inequality for another? Or are female care workers and CEOs still on the same side?

American civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw joins Wilful Blindness author Margaret Heffernan and outspoken journalist Myriam Francoise-Cerrah to seek the truth about solidarity.

In association with Unilever.

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The People's Champion | Owen Jones, Michael Howard, Phillip Blond

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We believe democracy leads to a fairer world. Yet almost all governments claim to be democratic including China, Russia and Syria. And 50 years after the abolition of hanging, UK polls still show a majority in favour. Is democracy illusory and troublingly incoherent? Or is an ideal democracy yet to be fully realised?

Author of The Establishment Owen Jones, ResPublica director and author of Radical Republic Phillip Blond, and former leader of the Conservative party Michael Howard examine the strange perils of democracy.

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Capitalism And Anarchy | Aaron Bastani, Stephen King, Deirdre McCloskey

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 11:05:22 GMT

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Few take anarchism and the abandonment of organised government as a viable political goal. Yet in economics, capitalism is just such a leaderless anarchic system. Might a radically decentralised political system be more credible than we think? Or is centralised government necessary in politics if anything is to be achieved?

Senior economic advisor at HSBC Stephen King, author of Bourgeois Dignity Deirdre McClosky and cofounder of Novara Media Aaron Bastani take anarchy seriously.

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Becoming A Philosopher | Daniel Dennett

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 10:56:46 GMT

Listen to hear about Daniel Dennett's journey to becoming a philosopher!

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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.

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In search of nothing | David Deutsch, Amanda Gefter, Lee Smolin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What is nothing? Can it be defined, either philosophically or scientifically? Or will the exploration of nothing bring, ultimately, to nothing?

The philosophical exploration of nothingness is an ancient one, from the mysterious number zero through theological understandings of the absence of God right to modern physics and ideas of the void.

Join leading theoretical physicists David Deutsch and Lee Smolin, alongside science writer Amanda Gefter, as they discuss the edges of their understanding of nothing, including what something is, what physics tells us, and the extent to which we require esotericism to comprehend it.

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Why is There Something Rather than Nothing? | Amie Thomasson, George Ellis, Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 10:21:38 GMT

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The fundamental problem of philosophy, argued Heidegger, is 'why is there something rather than nothing?'. Now, some scientists claim nothing doesn't exist and that even deepest space is full of virtual particles. Have we misunderstood the very idea of nothing? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Templeton prize winning cosmologist George Ellis, metaphysician Amie Thomasson and author of The Science Delusion Rupert Sheldrake unlock the mystery.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Dreamland | Oliver Burkeman, Helen Lederer, Erwin James

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 14:17:43 GMT

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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 Life Inside Erwin James, and Absolutely Fabulous star Helen Lederer debate the best way to live.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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The Known, The Strange And The New | John Ellis, Robert Rowland-Smith, Janne Teller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 11:14:11 GMT

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From Aristotle to Einstein humans have tried to make sense of the world. Yet despite huge advances a final explanation looks ever distant. What makes our lives and the world so puzzling and inexplicable? Is it the limitation of the human brain or is language not able to describe reality? Or is it too soon to give up on finding light in the darkness?

Eminent CERN physicist John Ellis joins philosopher Robert Rowland-Smith and existential novelist of Why? Janne Tellar to confront the strangeness of reality.

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Breaking through the consciousness stalemate | Philip Goff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 15:45:45 GMT

Can we free ourselves from stale ideas about consciousness?

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Some argue that the reality we perceive is a controlled hallucination. Others claim that science is about to crack the ancient problem of the self once and for all. Distinguished philosopher and panpsychist Philip Goff argues that neither of these are true, and explains why we need a new theory altogether.

Philip Goff is a renowned philosopher of consciousness at Durham University. His unique research focuses on integrating consciousness into our scientific worldview.

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Overcoming Individualism | Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 12:35:51 GMT

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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 Indian religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – and comparative phenomenology, epistemology, metaphysics and philosophy of religion.

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Bonus Episode: Hidden Desires, Secret Thoughts | Shahida Bari, Barry C Smith, Richard Bentall

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 14:37:19 GMT

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Over a century after Freud wrote the interpretation of dreams, how much of our unconscious minds have we uncovered?

Writer, academic and critic Shahida Bari, Philosopher and Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the Institute of Advanced Studies in London Barry C Smith and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Liverpool Richard Bentall debate the relevance of Freud's work today.

Supported by Routledge - Associate Academic Partner of the IAI. To learn more, and for exclusive discounts and prizes visit: bit.ly/2huBNRx

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The Good, Bad, & Controversial | Naomi Goulder, Brendan O'Neill, Sameer Rahim, Sam Roddick

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We all want to do the right thing. But from suicide bombers to Catholic priests, we have never been able to agree on what the right thing is. Should we give up on morality and see it as a fiction designed to justify beliefs? Or, despite our disagreements, is it still the most important tool we have to measure human behaviour?

Spiked Online Editor Brendan O'Neill joins NCH philosopher Naomi Goulder, journalist Sameer Rahim, and Coco de Mer founder Sam Roddick to seek answers.

In association with Prospect.

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How to Make the Right Decision | Jason McKenzie Alexander

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 May 2020 17:50:31 GMT

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Cognitive science has shown that all of us suffer from biases that distort our reality, impair our judgement and lead us to bad decisions. Here author J. McKenzie Alexander guides a workshop session that talks through the findings of contemporary decision theory and what's really involved when we make a choice.

Head of Philosophy at the London School of Economics, Jason McKenzie Alexander is an expert in evolutionary game theory and its application to the evolution of morality and social norms.

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The Prejudice of Philosophy | Chakravarthi Ram Prasad, Nivi Manchanda, Timothy Williamson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 08:59:51 GMT

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Many see the search for universal truths about the world as the noble aim of philosophy. Yet our universities largely dismiss non-Western philosophy, and critics argue that British students are taught a narrow analytic approach. Are great ideas independent of time, place and tradition? Do African conceptions of the self or Chinese Mohist logic offer equally valid insights? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Timothy Williamson, Nivi Manchanda and Chakravarthi Ram Prasad uncover the prejudice of philosophy.

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The Morality of the Tribe | David Miller, Natalie Cargill, Peter Tatchell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 11:53:42 GMT

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We think everyone should be treated equally. Yet we also think we are right to care most about our family, our friends and our lovers, and 82% of charitable donations in the UK are given to the causes closest to home. Should we just accept that our ethics are in practice tribal? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, barrister and founder of Effective Giving UK Natalie Cargill, Oxford political theorist and author of On Nationality David Miller and human rights activist Peter Tatchell examine the tribal nature of morality.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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A Politics of Hope | Owen Jones

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:07:50 GMT

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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.

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Generation Wars II | Diane Abbott, Anatole Kaletsky, Victor Adebowale, Joe Todd

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 11:11:54 GMT

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Some refer to millennials as entitled avocado-eating lay-about’s who care more about their social media presence than engaging with and caring about the world. Millennials, on the other hand, soothe their sorrow at never being able to afford a mortgage (even if they didn’t eat avocados) by eating avocados. Who deserves sympathy and crucially, whom does the state support? The older generation or the younger?

Our panel for Generation Wars, part 2, features Labour MP Dianne Abbott, economist Anatole Kaletsky, People’s Peer Victor Adebowale and Momentum campaigner Joe Todd. Tom Clark hosts.

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 12:23:51 GMT

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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.

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The Ancient Indian Roots of Consciousness | Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 11:30:35 GMT

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The radical idea that everything is conscious has a small but growing following in Anglo-American philosophy. How deep are the philosophical roots of panpsychism? And how do older Indian systems of thought inform modern philosophical ideas?

To explore these questions we’re joined on this week’s episode by Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, Professor of Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Lancaster University who helps us explore the realms of consciousness and experience through the lens of classical Indian philosophy.

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Politics and the Patriarchy | Angela Eagle

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 11:39:25 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men and Enter the World of Paradise by D SMILEZ available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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A tale of truth | Simon Blackburn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 10:05:49 GMT

Is "truth" a redundant concept? Listen as Simon Blackburn grapples with the topic.

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Truth has had a difficult century. More than ever we are lost as to both 'what truth is' and 'what is true'. Should we instead turn to pragmatism? Join Simon Blackburn to explore why truth and pragmatism may be more aligned than at first it may seem.

Author of Think and Truth: A guide for the perplexed, Simon Blackburn has worked to bring philosophy to a wider audience. He was a Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University and Vice President of the British Humanist Association.

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The Logical Labyrinth of Expertise | Anandi Hattiangadi

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 May 2021 10:04:34 GMT

What even is "expertise"?

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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 Stockholm, with interests in the philosophy of mind and language, epistemology, and meta-ethics. She is a core part of the interdisciplinary program 'Knowledge Resistance: Causes, Consequences, and Cures'.

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Leadership in the Age of Trump | Jess Phillips, Jon Barnes, Tania Branigan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 10:16:02 GMT

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There are many who see Trump and Putin as a threat to world peace. But are they in power because we believe that strong leaders are good for us? Is it a mistake to imagine that leaders can solve all of our problems? Can we imagine a politics where we voted for policies rather than personalities? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, outspoken Labour MP Jess Phillips, Guardian journalist and China expert Tania Branigan and author of Democracy squared Jon Barnes imagine a different sort of politics.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Nietzsche on overcoming nihilism | Philosopher Babette Babich

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Nietzsche, the birth of tragedy, and the technology trap with Babette Babich

Do life's struggles make the search for meaning a hopeless endeavour?

Join renowned, continental philosopher Babette Babich as she explains the Nietzschean path to finding purpose, arguing that we must embrace all elements of life - good and bad - in our search for a meaningful existence.

Babette is a trailblazing philosopher of technology and science. Known for her exploration of the philosophy, history, and sociology of science, she also works on the philosophy of digital media, poetry and art. Babette is a Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, New York City.

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Philosophy of the senses | Philosopher Barry C. Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:29:56 GMT

The puzzle of perception with Barry C. Smith

Has philosophy ignored taste, smell, and touch to its detriment? What can we learn from these senses, and why are they important? What do they have to tell us about being human?

Join philosopher Barry C. Smith as he gives an introduction to his most recent subject matter: the philosophy of the senses, beyond sight and sound. Barry (also a wine connoisseur!) is Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London and founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses.

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Psychology of AI | Isabel Millar

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:00:00 GMT

An interview with Isabel Millar.

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Questions over artificial intelligence seem to dominate our contemporary. But underpinning the technology are an array of presuppositions - about thinking, knowledge and consciousness - that are in dire need of philosophical scrutiny. In this fascinating interview, Dr Isabel Millar discusses her work in challenging these assumptions by deploying the tools of psychoanalysis to the study of AI.

Dr Isabel Millar is a groundbreaking philosopher and psychoanalytic theorist, currently working at Newcastle University and the Global Centre for Advanced Study.

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The neuroscience of consciousness | Patricia Churchland

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 09:30:00 GMT

Is consciousness all in the brain after all? Listen to find out!

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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 distinguished founder of neurophilosophy. A pioneer of eliminative materialism, Patricia heralds a radically different way to understand the brain, arguing that ideas like pure morality and reason will eventually be abandoned in favour of a purely scientific view of the human mind.

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Why we seek spirituality | John Vervaeke, Sophie-Grace Chappell, Michael Shermer

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:09:48 GMT

The end of good and evil | Slavoj Žižek, Maria Balaska, Rowan Williams, Richard Wrangham

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:45:01 GMT

Can humans ever be inherently good or evil?

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Whether we see humans as essentially good or essentially selfish and violent has been central to our politics, our account of society, and our vision for social progress. But is this very distinction itself a mistake? Recently, Harvard scientists have shown humans to be both the kindest and most malevolent species on the planet. While figures like Hitler and Stalin though responsible for tens of millions of deaths were also remarkably empathetic in aspects of their private lives.

Should we give up the idea therefore that humans are either inherently good or bad and conclude that all of us are both at the same time with potentially profound consequences for our political beliefs? Or is it vital to retain the distinction to alert us to danger and to drive personal and social change? Or more profoundly, are the categories of good and bad themselves the underlying error and unhelpful, and even dangerous, ways of categorising human behaviour?

Anthropologist and Harvard University Professor Richard Wrangham, renowened philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Žižek, University of Hertfordshire professor Maria Balaska and the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams join Myriam François to discuss the nature of good and evil.

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Anonymity: the dream and the nightmare | Stephen Kinsella, Victoria Baines, Hugh Tomlinson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 20:16:06 GMT

Is internet anonymity causing social breakdown? Should we do anything about it?

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Anonymity was the gift that was going to give everyone a voice, free from the oversight of institutions and government control. Yet critics claim the dream has turned into a nightmare. For the anonymous world turns out to be one full of abuse, division and wild conspiracy. In addition, many contend that the dark side of the anonymous web has infected real world personal and public life undermining social cohesion, communication and wellbeing.

Is it essential that we end anonymity now if we are to arrest the growing tensions in our culture? Are the financial benefits of anonymity to the web giants so great, and the short term pleasures it offers so addictive, that this cannot be achieved? Are we as a result snared in a downward spiral from which there is no escape, or can we find a way to return to the original dream?

Stephen Kinsella is founder of Clean Up the Internet. He is a competition lawyer with a longstanding interest in human rights, digital technology, and democracy.

Victoria Baines is part of the organisation Demos. Her interests cover content moderation, digital labour, datafication and blockchain technologies.

Hugh Tomlinson is a barrister, famed for his role in the UK MP’s parliamentary expenses scandal and in the News of The World phone-hacking case.

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The making of reality | Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 11:16:02 GMT

Could it be that the world's true essence is beyond our comprehension? And what if this isn't a drawback, but an advantage? Explore this paradox in this interview with Hilary Lawson.

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We tend to think the world is divided into bits, and we spend time trying to define those bits. But what if this metaphysical approach is false? In this interview, we sit down with the post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson who walks us through his theory of Closure, a non-realist view which describes the world as an open, unreachable 'other', and provides an account of how we enclose the world with our language, thoughts and categories.

Hilary Lawson is a philosopher and a renowned critic of philosophical realism. He is best known for his work on reflexivity and his theory of Closure, which puts forward a non-realist metaphysics arguing that we close the openness of the world with our thought and language.

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Do our lives tell a story? | Sophie Fiennes, David Hare, Janne Teller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 12:11:59 GMT

Can you understand a novel - or a life - before you know how it ends?

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From Beethoven's 5th to Batman, Harry Potter to Hamlet, we want and expect satisfying endings that tie up loose ends and provide resolution. But real life doesn't often come tied up so neatly. Relationships and careers often evolve in tangled confusion with transitions that can leave messy legacies. And, as TS Eliot said, often things end "not with a bang but a whimper."

Is it that our stories and narratives are in error, or the way we run our lives?

Academy award nominee David Hare, critically acclaimed writer Janne Teller and director-producer Sophie Fiennes talk endings. Hosted by Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy.

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Consciousness in the machine | Donald Hoffman, Bernardo Kastrup, Susan Schneider

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 21:00:00 GMT

Is fully conscious AI just around the corner?

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Earlier this year, Google fired Blake Lemoine, for claiming that the company's chatbot was a self aware person. While the claim was derided, the belief that one day AI will become conscious is widespread and, according to a recent survey, held by 79% of experts. But many claim this is a fundamental error. While machines are becoming ever more capable and intelligent we still have no idea how a machine could create consciousness nor are neuroscientists able to provide an explanation for how the human brain does so.

Should we accept that consciousness arises in biological beings and that AI just isn't made of the 'right stuff'? Or, is it possible that a computer that observes, interacts, and represents its own internal state to itself might also give rise to consciousness? Then again, is the puzzle deeper still on the grounds that we have no means of determining whether an intelligent machine, an organism or even a person other than ourselves is conscious or not?

Legendary anti-reality theorist Donald Hoffman, fearless computer scientist and philosopher Bernardo Kastrup and distinguished AI ethicist and philosopher Susan Schneider lock horns over the possibility of AI consciousness. Theories of Everything's Curt Jaimungal hosts.

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The one true story | Janne Teller, Barry C. Smith, Silvia Jonas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:09:19 GMT

Is philosophy an unbiased quest for the true account of the world?

From Plato to Aristotle, Russell to Wittgenstein, we traditionally see philosophers as engaged in the disinterested pursuit of truth: a view philosophers themselves are inclined to encourage. But in a postmodern world, shaped by Richard Rorty's claim that philosophy is merely a form of 'cultural politics', few now imagine that truth with a capital 'T' can be uncovered. Must we abandon the ideal of a philosophy free from motives and social goals? If so, how is such a philosophy to be distinguished from literature or politics? Should we hold on to philosophy as the pursuit of the one true story of the world, with logic and rationality central to the endeavour, or are these themselves rhetorical tools to convince the unwary? Janne Teller, Barry C. Smith and Silvia Jonas exchange their views.

Janne Teller is a critically-acclaimed writer, whose oeuvre consists mainly of novels, essays, and short stories, often focusing on grand-scale existential topics which spark controversial debate.

Barry C Smith is a philosophy professor, and the director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study. He also co-directs the Centre for the Study of the Senses, a research centre trying to understand how our senses contribute to our perception of the world.

Sophie Allen is a renowned philosopher, her work focuses on philosophical methodology, metaphilosophy and metaphysics. She is a lecturer at the University of Keele where she writes on the very understanding of philosophy itself.

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Is science objective? | Rupert Sheldrake, Peter Atkins, Steve Fuller, Angela Saini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Can empirical observation lead us to the truth?

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From Newton to Darwin, Curie to Einstein, science has been built on empirical observation. Now the very idea of neutral observation is under threat. In a postmodern world it is claimed all observation is perspectival, everything we see influenced by what we already think. The founder of quantum mechanics, Heisenberg went further arguing that observing reality was not even possible. Are we at sea in a world of competing models? Or is it time to reassert the value of empirical observation, supported perhaps by machine learning and big data, as a means of choosing between incompatible theories?

Steve Fuller is an academic studying science and technology. Fuller has published prolifically on such topics as intelligent design, the sociology of academia, and transhumanism.

Angela Saini is an award-winning science journalist, author and broadcaster. She regularly presents science programmes for the BBC, and her writing has appeared in publications ranging from New Scientist, Wired and the Guardian.

Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and bestselling author. Best known for his 2012 book 'The Science Delusion' and the controversial, viral TED talk he gave which was banned by the organisation.

Peter Atkins is a chemist and Fellow of Lincoln College. He’s a Distinguished Supporter of Humanists UK, Atkins is outspoken in his opposition to religion.

Danielle Sands hosts.

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Is rationality a delusion? | Sophie Archer, Timothy Williamson and Nina Power

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:10:50 GMT

Is rationality productive or is it a method for manipulation?

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Rationality, once revered, has had a bad press. Increasingly derided as the rhetorical bluster of the educated elite, typically powerful and male. And seen as the prejudiced claim of those who are sure they are right. Yet in its absence public debate becomes ever more rancorous and tribal.

Do we need less emotion, more calm, and more rational conversation and debate? Should we see rationality as a method for positive change? Or is rationality a rhetorical delusion, a means of dressing up privilege and power, which should be seen for what it is, a defence of the vested interests it seeks to hide?

Eminent philosopher of mind and psychology Sophie Archer, ground breaking Oxford logician Timothy Williamson and trailblazing cultural critic Nina Power put reason and emotion to the test. Hosted by Mary Ann Sieghart.

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Human justice and machine intelligence | Joanna Bryson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 09:05:15 GMT

Should we be scared of AI?

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Joanna Bryson discusses how she became interested in the ways different species use intelligence, how the typical tropes in science fiction misunderstand AI and the problem of anthropomorphism. In this interview, Bryson discusses the most pressing ethical challenges concerning the future of artificial intelligence and whether or not we can stabilize democracy when we have so much information about each other. She also touches on how the problems that arise with AI aren't always to do with the technology itself but with the social conditions that often produce it.

Joanna Bryson is professor at Hertie School in Berlin. She works on Artificial Intelligence, ethics and collaborative cognition. She advises governments, corporations, and other agencies globally, particularly on AI policy.

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Art beyond the sublime | Rupert Sheldrake, Minna Salami, Olivia Fane, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 13:25:46 GMT

Has contemporary culture abandoned the quest for the sublime? Our experts try to find out.

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From Rembrandt to Rothko, Mozart to Wagner, art and music have the capacity to give us a feeling of the sublime and transcendent wonder. Yet in contemporary culture the sublime is rare and for the most part not even desired. Few would claim that watching the WAP video or Takashi Murakami's art are gateways to the sublime.

What really is the sublime and where can we find it in the 21st century?

Thought-provoking author Olivia Fane, journalist and social critic Minna Salami, radical biologist Rupert Sheldrake and award-winning novelist Joanna Kavenna interrogate our awe at what lies beyond, and how it does - and doesn't - manifest today. Mark Salter hosts.

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The power of ritual in the modern world | Noel Carroll, Hannah Dawson, Linda Woodhead

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 13:45:02 GMT

Is the abandonment of ritual a contemporary mistake? Listen to what our experts have to say.

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From greetings and introductions, to love and relationships, church services and dances, formality and ritual were once a central part of our lives. But form and ritual have been in retreat for more than a century. Many now see formality as outdated, an unnecessary sign of deference, and welcome a less constrained, more open culture.

Historian of ideas Hannah Dawson pulls no punches debating philosopher of religion Linda Woodhead and distinguished art critic Noel Carroll on the place of formality and ritual in the modern world. Writer and broadcaster Myriam Francois hosts.

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Do We Really Want To Save The World? | Vince Cable, Aaron Bastani, Emma Slade, John Zerzan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 11:26:14 GMT

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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 leader Vince Cable.

This episode is in association with Say Your Peace. Say Your Peace aims to spark global change through self-transformation and community dialogue. Find out more at sayyourpeace.org, and check them out on Instagram and Facebook.

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Knowledge Resistance | Åsa Wikforss

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 May 2020 11:50:04 GMT

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With the rise of 'fake news' and the publicising of blatant lies, how important is it to reassert the importance of accuracy and truth?

Åsa Wikforss is a professor of theoretical philosophy at Stockholm University. Wikforss is a member of Swedish Academy whose research focuses on the intersection of philosophy of mind, language and epistemology, ans in 2017 Wikfoss published Alternative facts. On knowledge and its enemies, a book that has had a great impact in Sweden.

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The Mind and the World | Raymond Tallis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 11:43:27 GMT

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Is the mind just a part of the world? Or is the world all in the mind? Neither, argues physician, philosopher and poet Raymond Tallis as he puts forward his take on how we make sense of experience.

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How To Do Philosophy and Why | Timothy Williamson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 12:54:58 GMT

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For millennia, humans have looked to philosophy to help them understand the world, but why is it then that so many people find philosophy confusing? Is the confusion perhaps part of the solution?

Philosopher of logic Timothy Williamson outlines how philosophy can help us think more clearly, such as Alan Turing's use of logic to invent the computer, how the principles of logic can be understood as the laws of reality, and the importance of debate in making philosophy more inclusive.

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Into the Unknown | Martin Rees, Tony Milligan, Elizabeth Seward

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 08:54:03 GMT

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Fifty years ago we landed on the moon, and imagined that in 2001 we would be travelling vast distances through space. But the fantasy died, and we went nowhere. Now a new age of space exploration is underway - this one driven by companies, billionaires, and new players like China and India. Is it an essential trait of being human to reach out into the unknown? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, philosopher and author of Nobody Owns the Moon Tony Milligan, and Senior Strategist for Airbus Elizabeth Seward reach out to the cosmos.

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The Prejudice of Facts | Barry Barnes, Joanna Kavenna, John Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:18:53 GMT

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In a world obsessed with Trump, alternative facts have not had a great press. But it is a century and more since Nietzsche claimed 'there are no facts, only interpretations' - and fifty years since Thomas Kuhn argued that facts were theory dependent. Is an insistence on 'the facts' the dogmatic prejudice of believers in their particular truth? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Barry Barnes, Joanna Kavenna and John Ellis explore the prejudice of facts.

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Lost in Language | Saul Kripke, Hilary Lawson, Paul Boghossian, Silvia Jonas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 08:00:05 GMT

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Language is widely seen as the critical tool which has set our species apart. We assume that it is successful because our words are able to describe reality. Yet from Wittgenstein to Derrida, no satisfactory theory has been able to support this intuition. Might the problem be not with our theory of language, but with the very idea of reality? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Saul Kripke, Paul Boghossian and Silvia Jonas get lost in language.

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The New Enlightenment | Julian Baggini, Amie Thomasson, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 10:13:56 GMT

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'Dare to know' was the radical rallying cry of the Enlightenment. But since then, philosophers from Nietzsche to Derrida have argued there are limits to knowledge so profound that truth is an impossible goal. Is the enlightenment dream over? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, A Short History of Truth author, Julian Baggini, post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson and metaphysician Amie Thomasson go in search of a new enlightenment.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Truth in a Post Truth World | Interview with Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 13:07:58 GMT

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Hilary Lawson is a post realist philosopher, known for his theory of Closure. In this exclusive interview, Hilary explains how we should understand truth in a post truth world and why we need Enlightenment thinking now more than ever.

In association with the New College of the Humanities bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Do we Need Romance to be Happy? | Bella DePaulo, Anders Sandberg, Heidi Rice

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 11:33:34 GMT

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From medieval legends to Hollywood endings to the horoscope, we are led to believe that lifelong love means happiness. But a recent survey of 814 separate studies showed single people to be happier, more fulfilled and less stressed. Is it time to stop seeing romantic love as all-important? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, psychologist and author of Singled Out Bella DePaulo, Oxford transhumanist Anders Sandberg and romance author Heidi Rice challenge our ideas about the narratives of love.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Do we need relationships? | Helen Croydon, Kit Opie, Susan Quilliam

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 14:50:48 GMT

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In this week’s episode, we’re looking at the science behind monogamous relationships and asking the question: have we, as a species, evolved beyond them? Screw the Fairytale author Helen Croydon, UCL anthropologist Kit Opie, and psychologist Susan Quilliam imagine new models for relationships.

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The Swindle Of The New | Terry Eagleton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:20:50 GMT

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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

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 10:30:16 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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After the Higgs Boson | John Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:17:44 GMT

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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?

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Eternal Tales | Stanley Fish, Joanna Kavenna, Barry Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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While the world turns we think ideas, right or wrong, are eternal. Yet meaning changes over time and context. Should we conclude that, like the material world, ideas are transient and knowledge and morality passing stories? Or is the eternal in our grasp after all?

New York Times columnist and author of The Trouble with Principle Stanley Fish, philosopher of language Barry C. Smith and award-winning novelist Joanna Kavenna seek out the eternal.

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The enlightenment and its alternatives | John Mearsheimer, Steven Pinker

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:00:00 GMT

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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Narcissism and self-love | Simon Blackburn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 17:53:57 GMT

What is the difference between narcissism and self-love, vanity and pride, in today's self-obsessed world?

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From books to podcasts, we are now told to embrace the idea of ‘self-love’. But are we creating a generation of narcissists? Join renowned philosopher Simon Blackburn to unpack the uses and abuses of loving ourselves.

Author of Think and Truth: A guide for the perplexed, Simon Blackburn has worked to bring philosophy to a wider audience. He was Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge and Vice President of the British Humanist Association.

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How I changed my mind about truth | Simon Blackburn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Can we have objective morality without metaphysics?

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Join Simon Blackburn, renowned philosopher at Cambridge University, as he discusses navigating heated moral discussions, the play of perspective on moral dilemmas, and his notable disagreements with Richard Rorty. From understanding contentious topics to gaining insights into meta-ethics, Blackburn takes us on an enlightening journey into the depths of truth and its implications in the modern world.

Simon Blackburn is an academic philosopher known for his work on meta-ethics and his attempts to popularise philosophy to a wider audience. He has published over a dozen books on various philosophical issues both for public and academic audiences, and has appeared on shows such as Radio 4's The Moral Maze and PBS's Closer to Truth. He is known for proposing a meta-ethical view called 'quasi-realism' which proposes that ethical statements are projections of emotional attitudes as if they were real features of the world. His latest book, On Truth (2018), examines various philosophical approaches to the concept of truth, in order to interrogate what it is, how we should think about it, and why it matters.

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Getting everything, losing everything | Anders Sandberg, Massimo Pigliucci, Mazviita Chirimuuta

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 10:28:13 GMT

Is our future reality a digital utopia or impending nightmare?

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As tech giants promise a lavish digital existence and unparalleled virtual experiences, there's a rising concern. Will we be trading real-life relationships for virtual ones? Substituting nature for mere simulation? And at the forefront, will control rest solely with corporations like Meta? Dive into this pressing debate and navigate the line between digital advancement and the essence of human experience. Hosted by Maria Balaska.

Maria Balaska is currently a research fellow at the University of Hertfordshire and at Åbo Akademi University.

Anders Sandberg is a researcher, popular science debater, trans-humanist and author of Superhuman: Exploring Human Enhancement from 600 BCE to 2050.

Massimo Pigliucci is a philosophy professor at the City College of New York and former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast. His research interests include the Philosophy of Science and the Philosophy of Biology.

Mazviita Chirimuuta is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. She is a self-described techno-pessimist and anti-transhumanist.

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The happiness delusion | Aaron Bastani, Paul Dolan, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:30:00 GMT

Is our focus on happiness making us unhappy?

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"Oh happiness! Our being’s end and aim!” claimed Alexander Pope. Now, a few centuries later, it's not just smiling faces on billboards, some governments have made happiness measures a central goal. 89% of young people in their twenties think life has no purpose other than happiness. But might this be a fundamental error? Income in the West has gone up three fold since the 1950's, but those who say they are unhappy has not fallen, instead it is up 50%. Countries, like New Zealand, that target a happiness index have some of the highest rates of depression and suicide.

Should we see happiness not as the goal, but as the outcome of other actions and focus instead on purpose and achievement, both individual and collective? Or is the notion of an end or purpose to life, be it happiness or anything else, the fundamental mistake?

Cofounder of Novara Media Aaron Bastani, behavioural scientist Paul Dolan and multi-award-winning author Joanna Kavenna debate the the role of happiness in life. Rana Mitter hosts.

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Is our search for an objective morality misguided? | Slavoj Žižek, Joanna Kavenna, Simon Blackburn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 11:35:16 GMT

Should we think of morality in terms of objective truth or social consensus?

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Once the fashion of a postmodern age, moral relativism has always had its detractors, many of them religious. But now a new breed of atheist celebrity thinkers, from Sam Harris to Peter Singer, are making claims for the existence of absolute moral truths. Critics argue that like authoritarian moralists of the past, they use so-called 'objective' morality to shore up to their own prejudices and silence dissent.

Firebrand philosopher Slavoj Žižek, bestselling author of Zed Joanna Kavenna, and philosopher and author of Truth Simon Blackburn debate objective morality in a postmodern age. Hosted by Professor and Chair of Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford, Ruth Chang.

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Where sceptics fail | with Alex O'Connor

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 12:30:00 GMT

An interview with CosmisSkeptic

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What is scepticism? How do we deal with our own coginitive dissonance? Can veganism ever be justified purely by reason? These are just some of the questions that Alex O'Connor, AKA CosmicSkeptic, has been grappling with on his youtube channel, viewed by over 40 million people, for the past few years. In this interview, Alex O'Connor sits down with the Institute of Art and Ideas to discuss his positions on scepticism, David Hume, veganism, Peter Singer and religion.

Alex O’Connor, also known by his YouTube alias ‘CosmicSkeptic’, is a prolific philosopher, youtuber, public speaker and animal welfare activist. His youtube channel has amassed over 450 000 subscribers and discusses issues relating to free speech, free will, animal rights and the philosophical arguments against religion.

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Did hunter-gatherers have a better life? | Mark Williams, Peter Lilley, Natalie Bennett

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:30:00 GMT

Should we go back to a world before civilisation?

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With high rates of infanticide, senicide and disease, not many of us pine for the era before human civilization, farms and nations. Yet anthropologists Yuval Harari and Jared Diamond have called the agricultural revolution a"trap"and humanity’s "worst mistake”, arguing hunter gatherer life was more leisurely and free, as humans were not tied down to private property or oppressed by hierarchy.

Is there a way to keep the benefits of industry and technology while also living as freely as our untamed ancestors? Should we go further and rewild to escape the status, hierarchy and oppression of civilisation? Or is this an impossible fantasy born out of a misunderstanding of anthropology and the idealistic myth of the ‘noble savage’?

Paleobiologist Mark Williams, Conservative former cabinet minister Peter Lilley and former leader of the Green Party Natalie Bennett weigh in on civilisation as we know it. Hosted by Güneş Taylor.

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Lies we tell about religion | Slavoj Zizek, Rupert Sheldrake, Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 14:33:28 GMT

Will science ever come on top?

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In a survey of academic philosophers 85% identified as atheists. In Europe established religion has been in decline for a century; even in the States attendance is falling. Yet globally religion remains a potent force, and predictions of its demise have not materialised. Amongst those who have abandoned established religion new forms of spirituality, such as mindfulness and yoga are on the rise. Does religion, in all its many forms, provide a psychological support for humans that makes it essential - without which there is only the void?

Scientist, author, and parapsychology researcher Rupert Sheldrake, Hegelian psychoanalyst Slavoj Zizek and Professor of History at University of Madison-Wisconsin Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen discuss whether the persistence of religion is an extended but ultimately temporary phenomenon. Wes Alwan hosts.

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Asking the ultimate questions about reality | Robert Lawrence Kuhn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 15:49:02 GMT

All the questions.

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What exists? Why is there anything at all? Are there realities beyond physics? What is consciousness, personal or cosmic? Robert Lawrence Kuhn, host of the long-running 'Closer to Truth' television series and acclaimed website, has spent over 20 years interviewing the greatest thinkers and exploring the deepest questions. In this talk, he uncovers the common thread running through the most profound mysteries of existence and human sentience.

Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the creator, writer, host and executive producer of Closer To Truth. He has written or edited over 30 books, including The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All? And Closer to Truth: Challenging Current Belief.

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A guide to parenting in the digital age | Melanie Challenger

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:19:36 GMT

How do we make decisions regarding our children in an impossibly complicated digital world?

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Technology is changing parenthood. From children raised by smartphones, to making choices about gene-editing and enhancement, Melanie Challenger asks what it means to be a parent in a technological age.

Melanie Challenger is a researcher on the history of humanity and the natural world, and on environmental philosophy. Her latest book, How to Be Animal: A New History of What It Means to Be Human was published by Canongate in 2021.

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Was Nietzsche right about meaning? | Rupert Sheldrake, James Tartaglia, Maria Balaska

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 13:22:48 GMT

Does life have meaning or is it time to embrace nihilism? Listen to find out!

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Humans have always sought meaning beyond themselves in stories about the gods and the “beyond”. Yet today contemporary culture and thought has left many alone with only human, and contradictory, perspectives on the universe. In the absence of something beyond ourselves some would argue we have also lost meaning and purpose.

Do we need the transcendental to give our lives meaning? Can we conjure a 21st century form of the transcendental in the philosophical mysteries of life and the universe? Or should we ring out a Nietzschean cheer at the death of god and focus our attention on creating our own, human meanings that have lasting value and importance?

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Machines that feel? | Fotini Markopoulou

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 12:16:56 GMT

Can AI really help us reach our human potential? How reliant should we be on technology?

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We all know that the world of AI is rapidly changing. What is less obvious are the ways in which we change with it. In this talk, complex systems expert and pioneer of the world’s first empathic technology, Fotini Markopoulou, explores how we co-evolve with our technologies, and what this means as we build a new world of AI and emotion technology.

Fotini G. Markopoulou-Kalamara is a Greek theoretical physicist interested in quantum gravity, foundational mathematics and quantum mechanics and a design engineer working on embodied cognition technologies. Markopoulou is co-founder and CEO of Empathic Technologies.

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The mechanics of other minds | Philip Ball

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 12:01:31 GMT

Have you ever wondered how animals, robots and even aliens think? Listen to find out!

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How do non-human minds think? Acclaimed science writer Philip Ball provides a whistle-stop tour of the kinds of minds that might exist in the universe and how these might be similar to and different from our own.

Philip Ball is a science writer and broadcaster. He is the former editor of the journal Nature and a prolific author of popular science books. Ball’s 2004 book Critical Mass won the Aventis Prize, and in the same year, he presented Small Worlds, a three-part series on nanotechnology for BBC Radio 4.

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The big ideas we choose to believe in | Dallas Campbell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:53:10 GMT

Why do Flat Earthers believe the world is flat even when confronted with scientific evidence? Why don't anti-vaxxers "trust the science"? Listen to find out.

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Dallas Campbell is one of the most celebrated science television presenters in the UK. He has been communicating complicated ideas to the nation for years. But what does it really take to mediate between scientists and the public? In this interview, Dallas shares his insights into the scientific community and sheds light on why we choose to believe what we believe. Gunes Taylor hosts.

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Necessary lies | Michael Shermer, Hilary Lawson & Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 11:22:58 GMT

Can we hold multiple truths at once? Listen to find out!

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Many still remain convinced that their own views and opinions are not just culturally relative but are true and accurate accounts of the way things are.

Should we conclude that all forms of relativism are a mistake and insist on the importance and need to identify the true version of events, and the correctness of our own outlook? Alternatively, are some beliefs, such as morality and politics, contextual, while science remains objective? Or are all views essentially perspectival and we have no alternative to give up on the very possibility that we can be ultimately right about anything?

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Leadership, hypocrisy and power | Joseph J. Ellis, Chris Hirst & Natalie Bennett

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 11:09:26 GMT

How much should we trust our leaders? Listen to find out!

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Great leaders promise to change the world. They claim to have the vision and the values to transform our lives. But rarely do they deliver. Again and again the promises are not kept, the transformation fails to arrive, and instead there is incompetence, deceit and duplicity.

Are leaders a singularly useless and malevolent bunch? Or could it be that the hypocrisy is in fact ours, demanding ethical standards we do not apply to ourselves and which none can live up to, and expecting leaders implausibly to solve intractable problems once and for all? Would we be better to stop vilifying our politicians and leaders and focus on the complexity and challenge of finding the best solutions, or is it simply the case that absolute power corrupts absolutely and we should redouble our oversight to ensure they remain in check?

In Association with Havas.

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Spirituality for the non-religious | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:54:30 GMT

We keep looking for something more... for a reason.

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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 New Atheism, and has also challenged the idea that the laws of nature are fixed and unchanging.

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Emotion Vs Reason | Dan Ariely, Paul Bloom, Patty Kostkova

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 11:17:33 GMT

Are humans any good at making decisions? Listen to find out!

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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.

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:58:55 GMT

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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.

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How do we know who to trust? | Maria Baghramian

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:57:05 GMT

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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.

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Animal Rights and Human Wrongs | Peter Singer, Christopher Belshaw, Mary-Ann Sieghart, Peter Egan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 13:33:12 GMT

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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 debate in love with animals. Myriam Francois hosts.

In association with Future Normal

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A Philosopher’s Duty? | Julian Baggini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 10:04:22 GMT

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Should it be a philosopher’s duty to discuss politics? And how can philosophy be used to improve public life? This week we’re discussing the roles and responsibilities of philosophers and the everyday applications of philosophy.

Julian Baggini is a philosopher, journalist and the author of philosophy books for a general audience. He is co-founder of The Philosophers' Magazine and has written for international newspapers and magazines.

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Morality and Humanity | Simone Schnall, Joel Robbins, Rae Langton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 11:18:58 GMT

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Is being good an innate component of the human condition? Or is morality just a story we tell ourselves rather than a set of rules we must follow?

Psychologist Simone Schnall, Cambridge philosopher Rae Langton and anthropologist and author of Becoming Sinners Joel Robbins rethink meaning, morality and what it is to be human.

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The Margins of Language | Stanley Fish, Genia Schönbaumsfeld, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:30:34 GMT

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We use language every day to communicate with others and understand the world. Yet, from metaphors to the mystical, there are many things we seem unable to directly express.

To help us explore the limits of language we are joined by eminent literary critic Stanley Fish, Wittgenstein expert Genia Schönbaumsfeld and post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson. Joanna Kavenna hosts.

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A Philosophy of Fashion | Shahidha Bari

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 13:34:03 GMT

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We all get dressed. But how often do we pause to think about the place of clothes in our lives? Can a philosophy of living be wrapped up in a winter coat? Can we see a suit not just as an object, but as an idea?

Philosopher, broadcaster, and author of 'Dressed: The Secret Life of Clothes', Shahidha Bari, unveils the hidden power of what we wear.

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The Fascination With Evil | Terry Eagleton, Susan Neiman, Stephen de Wijze

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 09:30:19 GMT

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We may condemn tyrants and abhor serial killers, but we are obsessed with evil and violence. Are we fascinated by evil, violent characters because they make life more exciting? Or because they express our real nature? Should we look to end this morbid obsession, or accept it as a feature of humanity? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, cultural critic Terry Eagleton, author of Evil in Modern Thought Susan Neiman and philosopher Stephen de Wijze get to the bottom of evil's strange allure.

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The Illusion of Now | Julian Barbour, Tim Maudlin, Emily Thomas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:32:28 GMT

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Past and future are worlds we can never inhabit. We live of necessity in the present. But physicists and philosophers with very different outlooks, from Einstein to Derrida, claim that the present is an illusion. Are we deluded by experience into imagining the present is real? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Philosopher of science Tim Maudlin joins author of The End of Time Julian Barbour and philosopher and historian of science Emily Thomas go in search of lost time.

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The Dark Side of the Universe | Erik Verlinde, Catherine Heymans, Sabine Hossenfelder

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 09:03:17 GMT

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According to current theories, Dark Energy and Dark Matter make up 95% of all the stuff in the universe. Yet we still have no direct evidence for them. Might we need to rethink our account of the universe entirely? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, String theorist Erik Verlinde, astrophysicist Catherine Heymans and physicist and writer Sabine Hossenfelder propose radical solutions to the mystery of the dark universe. In association with the New College of the Humanities.

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The Cult of Mindfulness | Vishpani Blomfield, Linda Woodhead, Miguel Farias

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 09:50:09 GMT

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From yoga retreats to mindfulness, meditation is fashionable and now even prescribed by the UK's National Health Service. Yet in some cases it can lead to depression and even psychosis. Is it a mistake to think that self-exploration and being at one with ourselves are necessarily good things? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, The Buddha Pill author Miguel Farias, Buddhist teacher and broadcaster Vishvapani Blomfield, and sociologist of religion Linda Woodhead explore how we can reach peace.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Digital Revolution | Interview with Jon Barnes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 11:17:26 GMT

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Jon Barnes is a guest lecturer at the world's top business schools, innovator and author. In this exclusive interview, Jon shares with us how technology is already being used to shape the way we vote, organise and think about politics. From Democracy Squared to Tech Monopolies, Jon's work has focused on the relationship between technology and democracy and here he shares why he thinks we should be optimistic about the digital revolution which can democratise our democracies.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Reality in the Digital World | Laurence Scott

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 15:33:52 GMT

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Our worlds were once human and solid, but now our lives are increasingly virtual. What place has reality in this fantasy world? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, ‘Picnic Comma Lightning’ author Laurence Scott explores the challenges of finding meaning amidst the digital noise.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Good, the Bad and the Artist | Stanley Fish, Emma Sulkowicz, Nell Stevens, John Harvey

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 11:21:26 GMT

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In the wake of the Weinstein scandal, many called for a boycott of the films of Roman Polanski and Woody Allen. Yet 20th century literary critics encouraged us to look at the text alone, citing "the death of the author." Can and should we separate the artist from the art? Are the misdeeds of writers, thinkers and artists irrelevant to their work? Or should we excise the morally indefensible? Literary critic Stanley Fish, Carry That Weight performance artist Emma Sulkowicz, novelist Nell Stevens and Cambridge cultural theorist John Harvey untangle the beautiful and the good.

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The End of the Theory of Everything | John Ellis, Huw Price, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 10:31:14 GMT

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Stephen Hawking once predicted a theory of everything by 2000. However, after decades without one he began to doubt its existence. Have we failed because no one theory can make sense of reality? Must we "employ different theories in different situations" as Hawking suggested, or is there a final theory just waiting to be discovered?

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Technology, Relationships and Freedom | Chi Onwurah, Kate Russell, James Ladyman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 12:16:24 GMT

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What’s the price we pay for the buzz we get from likes online? Are tech companies forcing us to follow their every whim? Mining us for data they can profit from? Or do we have the power to harness technology for good? Making our lives easier and giving us more free time? Connecting us with people and enriching our lives?

To debate this issue, we have on our panel Chi Onwurah, shadow Minister for Industrial Strategy, Science and Innovation. Kate Russell, a technology reporter and presenter of BBC Click. And professor of philosophy at the university of Bristol, James Ladyman. Isobel Hilton hosts.

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What happens to our bodies after we die? | Brooke Magnati

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 May 2018 14:46:12 GMT

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What happens to our bodies when we die? Forensic scientist and Belle de Jour blogger Brooke Magnanti anticipates life's strangest certainty.

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After Evolution | Oliver Scott Curry, Daniel Everett, Janet Radcliffe Richards

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:14:43 GMT

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In 1859, Charles Darwin changed the course of history for ever by publishing On the Origin of Species. In 1872 he published ‘The expression of the emotions in man and animals.’ Which didn’t rock the boat quite so much, but it continues to be a source of controversy in our ongoing scientific debates on evolution, and specifically, how it relates to human psychology. Can evolution explain cultural and social differences? Or do we need something new? Julian Baggini explores the limits of evolution with philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards, anthropologist Daniel Everett and Oxford evolutionary psychologist Oliver Scott Curry.

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Being Certain: Are convictions dangerous? | Julian Baggini, Andrew Bowie, Edwina Currie

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 10:56:29 GMT

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From Galileo to Mandela, history is made by those with strong convictions. Yet as Nietzsche argued and Islamic State attest, those most convinced of their righteousness are often the most dangerous. Should politicians and the rest of us avoid convictions and see them as dangerous fantasies, or is conviction essential to leadership and action? Philosophers Julian Baggini and Andrew Bowie, and former Conservative politician Edwina Currie debate. Richard Coles hosts.

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Bonus Episode: The Story of I | John Cottingham, Richard Morgan, Mark Salter

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 11:42:46 GMT

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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 Cottingham, East End psychiatrist Mark Salter and Altered Carbon author Richard Morgan seek out the all-seeing I.

Supported by Routledge - Associate Academic Partner of the IAI. To learn more, and for exclusive discounts and prizes visit: http://bit.ly/2huBNRx

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Is Science The Only Way To Truth? | Rosie Harper, Peter Atkins, Steve Fuller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 13:35:03 GMT

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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.

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Can lying ever be justified? | Helen Lederer, James Mahon, Mark Salter

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 11:05:25 GMT

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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 Fabulous star Helen Lederer, and psychiatrist Mark Salter dissect the ethics of deceit.

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The Good, The Bad And The Unknown | Gita Sahgal, David Owens, Sebastian Farquhar

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 11:06:57 GMT

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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 David Owens, and director of the Centre for Effective Altruism Sebastian Farquhar discuss the outcomes of our actions. Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License.

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 10:58:59 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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A Goldilock's World | Chiara Marletto, Bernard Carr, Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 10:02:23 GMT

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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 Multiverse? Bernard Carr, and Oxford constructor theorist Chiara Marletto wonder why we are here.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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Dreaming The Future | Natalie Bennett, Phillip Blond, Roger Scruton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 12:13:12 GMT

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We all want a better world, and we seemingly make progress, with more technology and less prejudice. Yet ideals and utopias are strangely difficult to imagine, let alone achieve. Is it that we just lack imagination or are leaders inherently corrupt? Or is there something impossible in the very idea?

Philosopher and author Roger Scruton, former Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett and MP and ResPublica Director Phillip Blond confront the future.

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March Of The Machines | Roger Penrose, Nigel Shadbolt, Warren Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Evil artificial intelligences are luckily confined to fiction. Yet leading scientists claim that intelligent machines are 'the most serious threat facing mankind'. Are they right or could a mind free from human prejudices create a better world? Or is all talk of artificial intelligence a deluded fantasy?

Physicist Roger Penrose, computer scientist Nigel Shadbolt and novelist and digital age icon Warren Ellis consider the threat of intelligent machines. Gabrielle Walker hosts.

Doing Right And Feeling Good | Anders Sandberg, Simon Baron-Cohen, Peter Dews

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We think empathising with others is the route to a better world. But studies show that empathy encourages us to help one named child over ten anonymous others. Is morality perhaps not about empathy at all? Does the moral way to act have more to do with thinking than feeling, or is empathy a vital force for good?

Zero Degrees of Empathy author Simon Baron-Cohen, philosopher Peter Dews and Oxford Transhumanist Anders Sadnberg dispute how to be good.

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/doing-right-and-feeling-good

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Mind, Myth And Madness | Richard Bentall, Simon Baron-Cohen, Dinesh Bhugra

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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From schizophrenia to depression we assume our psychiatric diagnoses are real. But as the mental health epidemic turns global, the categories now seem like the cause. Is it time to abandon our biological account of mental illness? Or is it the best strategy we've got?

Polly Toynbee interrogates Cambridge psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen, author of Madness Explained Richard Bentall and Professor of Mental Health at King's College Dinesh Bhugra.

In association with Guardian Live

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After the End of Truth | John Searle, Hilary Lawson, Hannah Dawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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A generation raised on Foucault and Derrida has learned to distrust claims to objective truth. Yet the mantra that 'there is no truth' is a paradox. Do we need a new conception of fantasy and reality to free us from the tyranny of truth makers and the paradoxes of postmodernists alike?

American philosopher John Searle, post-postmodernist Hilary Lawson and Historian of Ideas at KCL Hannah Dawson untangle the truth.

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Permissivism and Irrelevant Influences | Miriam Schoenfield

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

What does it mean for rationality to be ‘permissive’? Is rationality more limited than we would like to admit? Does the idea that ‘truth is the aim of belief’ still stand?

The concept of irrelevant influences has long been troubling for philosophers, despite the fact that rationality does not require us to renounce any of our beliefs. Miriam Schoenfield argues that permissivism, a framework where more than one rational conclusion can be reached from a given set of evidence, can help us to accept and manage differences in our beliefs, which are often constructs of our past, upbringing and religious motivations.

Miriam Schoenfield is a leading epistemologist, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, and award-winning essayist.

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The chains of freedom | Daniel Markovits, Elizabeth Anderson, Yaron Brook

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Is freedom always an absolute good? For freedom to be beneficial and practical, does it need constraining? Are attacks on freedom really the first step to tyranny?

From freedom from tyranny and poverty to the right to free speech, we assume freedom is always desirable. But critics argue the consequences of freedom are less obviously desirable than we imagine and frequently unknown. Kafka wrote, "It is often better to be in chains than to be free," and Sartre that, "we're condemned to be free" since we are responsible for everything we do. And in wealthier countries where citizens are freer from the hunt for basic necessities like food, water, and housing, studies show depression and anxiety are more prevalent, not less.

Daniel Markovits is Professor of Law at Yale Law School and the Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Private Law. He is the author of the bestselling book The Meritocracy Trap

Elizabeth Anderson is Professor of Public Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Michigan. She specialises in moral, social and political philosophy, as well as feminist theory and the philosophy of economics and the social sciences.

Yaron Brook is an entrepreneur, writer, activist, and political scientist. He is currently chairman of the board of the Ayn Rand Institute and host of the Yaron Brook Show.

Isabel Hilton hosts.

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In the name of reason | Steve Fuller, Miriam Schoenfield, Dan Sperber

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Is the future one where we accept tribalism and conflict as inherent in the human condition, where moral and scientific beliefs based on reason are badges, shaped by class, nation, ethnicity and culture? Or is reason more important than ever, not as a route to truth, but as a means to test the effectiveness and consequences of a given outlook? And can we reclaim reason as a method for resisting the crowd rather than following it?

Reason was supposedly the great liberator – an Enlightenment gift that freed us from blind adherence to tradition and the authority of church and state. But today, many now contend this is a comforting myth. For as Benjamin Franklin put it, reason merely helps us “make a reason for everything one already has a mind to do.” Furthermore, studies confirm people with more developed reasoning skills are more susceptible to groupthink and polarization, not less. For the more rational we are, the better we are at justifying what we already believe – especially when it aligns with our social circle.

Dan Sperber is a distinguished anthropologist and philosopher who is the author of several critically-acclaimed books, including The Enigma of Reason.

Steve Fuller is a professor of sociology at the University of Warwick. He is the author of dozens of books, including Post-truth: Knowledge as a Power Game.

Miriam Schoenfield is a leading epistemologist, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, and award-winning essayist.

Jack Symes is a public philosopher and writer. He is the producer of The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast and editor of the Bloomsbury series Talking about Philosophy. He is currently Teacher and Researcher at Durham University, UK.

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Truth, beauty and other misconceptions | Lisa Randall

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Is beauty a reliable indicator of scientific truth? Or is it merely a distraction?

Some of the best scientists throughout history have equated beauty with truth. But is this a mistake? Join pioneering physicist Lisa Randall to discuss the allure and dangers of equating beautiful advances with scientific achievement. Specifically, the talk will cover the subjective nature of beauty, and instances where beauty succeeded and where it failed, bringing in notions of symmetry and symmetry breaking.

One of the most daring theoretical physicists alive today, Lisa Randall is the Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University. Randall's books Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven's Door have both been on the New York Times 100 notable books lists

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Overcoming evolution | Subrina Smith, Keith Frankish, Simon Baron-Cohen

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Is evolutionary psychology merely a way of excusing outdated behaviours? Is it instead culture which really defines how we behave?

As with the animal kingdom, we see human behaviour as the product of elemental drives to survive and reproduce. Evolutionary psychology has taken this a stage further - seeing violence, social hierarchy, and sexual promiscuity as a product of evolutionary drives. But might this be a misleading and dangerous approach? Murder rates have fallen seventy-fold since the Middle Ages, and across the globe birth rates are a fraction of what they were a hundred years ago. Fathers are actively involved in child care and we've radically changed our outlook on social issues like gender identity - suggesting ideas and culture drive behaviour rather than evolution.

Should we conclude that evolutionary psychology is a blind alley with no predictive power? Are we capable of overcoming behavioural traits and therefore wholly responsible for our actions? Or is evolution an inescapable force and behavioural change a result of altered circumstances while our core nature remains identical?

Critic of evolutionary psychology Subrena E. Smith, philosopher of mind Keith Frankish, and clinical psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen debate the significance of evolutionary psychology. Hosted by Güneş Taylor.

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A new theory of ethics | Martha Nussbaum

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Do we need a moral reawakening? Is animal suffering simply a fact of life or can it be avoided? How did the US Navy break whale protection laws? Is there more to animal suffering than just pain?

From the cruelty of the factory meat industry to hunting and habitat destruction, animals are in trouble all over the world. Some deem the treatment of animals in farms the worst crime in history, yet it still takes place all over the world. Join philosopher and renowned ethicist Martha Nussbaum, as she explains how we have gone so wrong and argues for a brand new theory of animal ethics, demonstrating why we need and how to achieve a moral and philosophical reawakening.

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The end of materialism | Àlex Gómez-Marín

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Alex Gómez-Marín is a controversial figure in contemporary neuroscience, known for challenging the materialist framework that dominates scientific accounts of consciousness. He argues that Near Death Experiences (NDEs) raise profound questions about the nature of reality and the limits of reductionist explanation. In this interview, Gómez-Marín reflects on the scientific evidence we have for NDEs and what they might mean for answering ultimate questions about the purpose of human existence.

Àlex Gómez-Marín is a Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist, Associate Professor at the Instituto de Neurociencias of Alicante in Spain, and director of the Pari Center in Italy.

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The relationship between mind and matter | Slavoj Žižek, Alenka Zupančič and Carlo Rovelli

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:30:00 GMT

The self and the world

We tend to think of ourselves as observers of the world and experience as something different from the material stuff that makes up reality. Yet at the same time as human beings, we are at once part of the universe and part of that reality. And this profoundly puzzling relationship, that we are both part of something and yet separate from it, has been at the centre of Western thought. Materialists claim there is only physical material. But if so, thought, experience, and consciousness become illusory. Idealists argue there is only consciousness, but then it is reality that becomes an illusion. While dualists hold that both the self and the world exist, but that the connection between the two is mysterious.

Is the self part of the world or necessarily outside of it? Was Kant right that the distinction between subject and object is necessary for experience to be possible? Or are these deep metaphysical questions beyond us, and our theories and language incapable of uncovering the ultimate state of things?

Slavoj Žižek is one of the most famous philosophers in the world and is the author of more than 50 books, including most recently at the time of the debate Zero Point. Alenka Zupančič is a leading Lacanian philosopher and social theorist. She is a professor at The European Graduate School and at the University of Nova Gorica. Joining from America, Carlo Rovelli is a leading theoretical physicist, the author of several best-selling books, and a founding figure in the field of quantum gravity. His recent book, Reality Is Not What It Seems, has ethical implications for the nature of the self and personal identity. Jack Symes hosts.

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Freedom and Fate

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMT

An individual "is responsible for everything he does," claimed Sartre. And from criminal justice to creative expression, free will and responsibility are central to our culture and our personal lives. Yet neuroscientists and materialist thinkers commonly maintain that freedom is an illusion. And it remains unknown how the core principles of freedom and responsibility can be reconciled with this outlook. Many attempts have been made to argue that the two seemingly contradictory frameworks can be made compatible. But critics say these "compatibilist" arguments are unconvincing and are driven merely by the attempt to make scientific materialism acceptable. Furthermore, whilst surveys suggest most materialist philosophers believe we can reconcile the two, the majority of us reject the idea that an action can be both determined and free.

Paul Bloom is a Canadian-American psychologist, bestselling author, and celebrated speaker. He is Professor Emeritus at Yale and a professor at the University of Toronto. Bloom’s work explores human nature, morality, and pleasure.

Joining us from California is Robert Sapolsky. Sapolsky is a distinguished neuroscientist, primatologist, and author, best known for his research on stress and its impact on behaviour and health. He is also a professor at Stanford University.

Lucy Allais is a philosopher at Johns Hopkins University and the University of the Witwatersrand, renowned for her work on Immanuel Kant. Her writing spans ethics, metaphysics, and political philosophy.

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The philosophy of religion and love with Alain de Botton and Alex O'Connor

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Why we worship without knowing it

What should be included within the remit of philosophy? Religion? Love? Hair?

Join well-known public speakers and writers Alain de Botton and Alex O'Connor as they talk through what philosophy can offer us, why we should study love, and what the role of religion is in philosophy and in our lives.

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The language of the unconscious: Pyschoanalysis and AI | Alenka Zupančič

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT

As ChatGPT and AI increase their presence in our lives, have we interrogated enough what this means for, and about, our collective psyche?

In one of the most original critiques of ChatGPT, Slovenian Lacanian philosopher Alenka Zupančič interprets large language models as a form of our collective unconscious that has absorbed all our discourse at the expense of the subject, shutting down emancipatory possibilities. She analyses the Right's use of ChatGPT, the evolution of irony, and more.

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Psychedelics and the structure of reality | Julian Baggini, Eileen Hall, and James Rucker

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Truth, delusion and psychedelic reality

Do psychedelics reveal hidden layers of reality, or are we simply tripping?

Psychedelics are back in the cultural zeitgeist, this time as a treatment for mental health issues. However, critics argue that psychedelics only work by replacing mental illness with a distorted view of reality - but, is this an accurate assessment? A study from Imperial College London suggests that after taking psychedelics people get better at future life events. Visual acuity is also known to increase, suggesting people become less delusional, not more, when taking psychedelics. Should we see the psychedelic experience as showing us something true about the nature of reality? Or is it merely a distortion?

James Rucker is a Consultant Psychiatrist and a Senior Clinical Lecturer in mood disorders and psychopharmacology at the Centre for Affective Disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.

Julian Baggini is a philosopher, journalist and author of over 20 books about philosophy for the general reader. He is the co-founder and editor of "The Philosophers’ Magazine", and also writes and broadcasts for The Guardian and the BBC.

Eileen is an Ecuadorean-Scottish creative director, artist, and explorer based in London. She is the founder of Tayos, an organisation supporting the protection of endangered habitats in Ecuador as well as exploring their relationship to nature and its role in wellbeing through art, music, and science.

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Is free will an illusion? The chemistry of freedom | Patrick Haggard, George Ellis, Jennifer Hornsby

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The question of free will - and whether we have it or not - is age-old across philosophy, religion, and human thought in general. Having free will allows us to have meaning, responsibility, reward and punishment. Yet discoveries in neuroscience have put our ability to choose, outside of a set of neuronal reactions, in question.

Do we have free will? Or is it an illusion? And, also, do we need free will?

Join our panel of neuroscientist Patrick Haggard, Templeton Prize winning physicist George Ellis, and philosopher of mind and action Jennifer Hornsby as they consider where choice begins and chance ends.

But what do you think? Is free will "real"? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Video games and the meaning of life | James Tartaglia

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Video games are changing how we think. Many are so realistic that some argue they are becoming reality. In this talk by philosopher James Tartaglia, he uncovers the relationship between games and reality.

James Tartaglia is Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Keele University. His latest book is Inner Space Philosophy: Why the Next Stage of Human Development Should Be Philosophical, Explained Radically (Suitable for Wolves).

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The limits of logic: Should we embrace the irrational? |Iain McGilchrist, Beatrix Campbell, Simon Blackburn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 11:49:52 GMT

Our culture prizes logic and rationality, if not above all else, as two of the most fundamental social traits. But are we missing out by overlooking the irrational? Can logic explain everything, or what is it missing? And is it possible to live (and enjoy) a life led by logic?

Logic, in philosophy and beyond, seems to always to be self-evidently right. Join our three eminent panellists as they variously challenge this assumption and expose the holes in logic's seemingly perfect facade. Iain McGilchrist is a philosopher, neuroscientist, and psychiatrist known for his book The Master and His Emissary. Beatrix Campbell is a writer and activist, especially in the field of women's liberation. Simon Blackburn is a philosopher working especially on metaethics and the philosophy of language. Shahidha Bari, a critic and broadcaster, hosts.

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The life and philosophy of Peter Singer | In conversation with Myriam François

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:34:31 GMT

Peter Singer is one of the world's leading philosophers, renowned for his challenging and often controversial views. From animal ethics to effective altruism, Singer has shaped the philosophical landscape. In this episode we uncover the key events in his life that led to his ideas, and hear him answer his critics and defend the convictions that have made him the force that he is today.

"The Dangerous Philosopher." - The New Yorker

Peter Singer is the most prominent figure in contemporary ethics. He has made groundbreaking contributions to animal welfare, bioethics, effective altruism and practical ethics more broadly.

He is a founder of both Animals Australia and The Life You Can Save, and has been a key figure in the Effective Altruism movement - an initiative that uses evidence and careful analysis to find the very best way for individuals to do good. Singer has received multiple accolades for his work, including a nomination as one of Australia's ten most influential public intellectuals and the $1 million Berggruen Prize in 2021.

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The crisis of the new | Stanley Fish, Claire Hynes, and Martin Puchner

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Is genuine originality a realistic goal for artists?

From fashion to fantasy, entertainment to enterprise, we seek the 'new' as the means to originality, change, and creativity. And for the most part, we imagine the new is always identifiable as a radical break from the past. But the nature of the new is more elusive and unknown than it first appears. Is the new an illusion, and the search for originality a mistake? Should creative endeavour be focussed on other goals, such as the timeless, the provocative, and the beautiful? Or is the new an essential part of life, creativity and action, without which we would have mere passive re-orderings of the known?

Martin Puchner is a literary critic and philosopher. He is the Byron and Anita Wien Chair of Drama and of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard University. Claire Hynes is Associate Professor in Literature & Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, and an author of fiction and creative non-fiction. Stanley Fish is a literary critic, legal scholar, and public intellectual. Renowned for his role in developing reader-response theory in literary studies, Fish has written on a wide range of topics including the poetry of John Milton, the distinction between free speech and academic freedom, and the doctrine of liberalism.

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Consciousness is quantum mechanical | Stuart Hameroff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Consciousness is one of the most fundamental aspects of our existence, but it remains barely understood, even defined. Across the world scholars of many disciplines - philosophy, science, social science, theology - are joined on a quest to understand this phenomenon.

Tune into one of the more original and controversial thinkers at the forefront of consciousness research, Stuart Hameroff, as he presents his ideas. Hameroff is an anaesthesiologist who, alongside Roger Penrose, proposes that the source of consciousness is structural, produced from a certain shape in our brain. He expands on this, and much more (such as evolution), in this talk. Have a listen!

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The consciousness test | Yoshua Bengio, Sabine Hossenfelder, Nick Lane, and Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The consciousness test

Could an artificial intelligence be capable of genuine conscious experience?

Coming from a range of different scientific and philosophical perspectives, Yoshua Bengio, Sabine Hossenfelder, Nick Lane, and Hilary Lawson dive deep into the question of whether artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT could one day become self-aware, and whether they have already achieved this state.

Yoshua Bengio is a Turing Award-winning computer scientist. Sabine Hossenfelder is a science YouTuber and theoretical physicist. Nick Lane is an evolutionary biochemist. Hilary Lawson is a post-postmodern philosopher.

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The lure of Lucifer | Terry Eagleton, Susan Neiman, and Stephen de Wijze

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Why do we love evil?

We may condemn tyrants and abhor serial killers, but we are obsessed with evil and violence. Our news and our entertainment focus on such material. Are we fascinated by evil, violent characters because they make life more exciting? Or because they express our true nature? Should we look to end this morbid obsession, or accept it as a feature of humanity?

Join Terry Eagleton, Susan Neiman, and Stephen de Wijze for a debate about why evil is so seductive to modern society. Terry Eagleton is is a literary theorist, critic, and public intellectual. Susan Neiman is a moral philosopher and cultural commentator. Stephen de Wijze is senior lecturer in political theory at Manchester, whose work concerns the interface between ethical constraints and political action.

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Is morality human? | Peter Singer, Slavoj Žižek, Nancy Sherman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:45:56 GMT

Humanity and the gods of nature

Do animals and nature have an ethical life of their own? Must, or should, we extend our morality to non-human entities, or are their limits to notions of ethics?

Tune in to hear three world-famous philosophers on ethical issues discuss these questions from their different perspectives: Peter Singer has made a name for himself defending the rights and feelings of all sentient creatures; Slavoj Zizek enjoys turning established ideas on their head; and Nancy Sherman always brings insights from her beloved Aristotle and the stoics. The discussion is at times rigorous and philosophical, and other times provocative and fun.

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The forgotten values of a stoic life | Stoicism Series PART 4 | Nancy Sherman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:30:00 GMT

Stoicism reimagined

With the modern revival of stoic philosophy, plenty of ancient wisdom has returned to the modern world - but what ideas have we consigned to history?

These days, we think of stoicism as a philosophy that preaches a fearless self-reliance and detachment from the challenges of the world. However, distinguished philosopher Nancy Sherman argues that this is an incomplete understanding of Stoicism, and that the modern Stoic must also focus on cultivating strong relationships in the outside world.

Nancy Sherman is professor of philosophy at Georgetown University, having previously taught at Yale University, John Hopkins University, and the University of Maryland. Nancy was also the inaugural Distinguished Chair in Ethics at the United States Naval Academy, and she has written six books, including; "Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons For Modern Resilience", "Stoic Warriors: The Ancient Philosophy Behind the Military Mind", and "Afterwar: Healing the Moral Wounds of Our Soldiers".

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The inner life of a stoic | Stoicism Series PART 5 | Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Massimo Pigliucci | In-depth Interview

How can philosophy play an active role in daily life? How can ancient philosophical traditions like stoicism help us navigate modern challenges? Why does scepticism remain relevant in a world dominated by technology and information overload? In this interview, Massimo Pigliucci explores these questions, advocates stoicism as a philosophy to live by, delves into the enduring value of stoicism, and reflects on the philosophers who have most profoundly influenced his thinking.

Massimo Pigliucci is an author, blogger, podcaster and philosophy professor at the City College of New York and former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast. His research interests include the Philosophy of Science and the Philosophy of Biology. Pigliucci is, and always has been, a vehement critic of creationism and pseudoscience and a central advocate for secularism and science in education. His most recent works include a FieldGuide to a Happy Life and How to be a Stoic. He has contributed to numerous TedTalks and his lectures are widely available on youtube. He is the author of several books including How to be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (2017) and Philosophy of Pseudoscience: Reconsidering the Demarcation Problem (2013).

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Ancient solutions for modern problems | Stoicism Series PART 1 | Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 12:00:00 GMT

How to be a Stoic

What can Marcus Aurelius teach you about the iPhone?

Join philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci for part one of a series on the ancient practice of Stoicism, exploring and analysing ideas from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Zeno of Citium.

Massimo Pigliucci is an American philosopher and biologist who currently works as professor of philosophy at the City College of New York. He is also the former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and former editor-in-chief for the online magazine Scientia Salon. He is a critic of pseudoscience and creationism, as well as an advocate for secularism and science education. Massimo's recent work has focused on stoicism, having written three books on the topic, including 'The Stoic Guide to a Happy Life' and 'How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life'.

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Nietzsche, Epicurus, and the Santa Claus lie | The philosophy of Christmas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Are you ready to discover the true meaning of Christmas?

Join the team at the IAI for three Christmas-themed articles, written by James Mahon, Tim O'Keefe, and the IAI editorial team. In this present, you'll find a scathing analysis of the Santa Claus lie, an Epicurean reflection on holiday traditions, and musings about Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and their relationship with Christmas!

Tim O'Keefe is professor of philosophy and director of graduate studies at Georgia State University. He is also the author of 'Epicurus on Freedom' and 'Epicureanism'. James Mahon is chair of the CUNY-Lehman College Philosophy Department, He has written extensively on the ethics of lying and is the author of 'Kant On Lies'.

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Ecstasy and philosophy: PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM |Philosopher Simon Critchley

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Has contemporary philosophy colonised all philosophy with its preference for rationality over feeling, intensity, experience, and love? What can an open conversation about mysticism help us uncover about our philosophical tradition and ourselves?

Join maverick Professor of Philosophy Simon Critchley as he talks about his new book On Mysticism and explores some of the mystical characters in the Medieval times, as well as ways in which we can access mysticism in our daily lives.

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How important is rationality to humans? PART 1 | Stuart Hameroff, Subrena Smith, Paul Bloom

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Thinking set free

Is the emphasis our modern society places on rationality well-placed? Does rationality help us think or should we be in tune with other ways of thinking/perceiving the world?

Join our diverse panel of speakers as they discuss these questions: Stuart Hameroff, anesthesiologist known for the theory of consciousness he developed with Roger Penrose; Subrena Smith, philosopher and vocal critic of evolutionary explanations of behaviour; and Paul Bloom, professor of psychology and cognitive science (and staunch defender of rationality).

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The devil in all of us | Paul Bloom

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:17:33 GMT

Our human shadow

Many have had the experience of an urge to do something wrong just for the hell of it. From walking on grass we're told to keep off to fantasies of violence towards someone we find a minor annoyance. Join Yale psychologist Paul Bloom as he invites us to see the clever, creative and beautiful side of our impulses toward evil.

Paul Bloom is a trailblazing Canadian American psychologist, bestselling author and celebrated speaker. He is the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University and Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto.

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The end is a new beginning | Philosopher Ben Ware

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:00:00 GMT

Are we sliding towards our own extinction? How can we find hope amidst the despair of the modern world?

Join philosopher Ben Ware as he analyzes the various apocalyptic narratives that have existed throughout history, dissecting everything from antinatalism to the romantic poets. Ben is Co-Director of the Centre for Philosophy and Art at King’s College London where he is also a Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy. He has also written extensively on a range of philosophical subjects, including Ludwig Wittgenstein, aesthetics, morality, and extinction theory.

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What is consciousness? PART 2 | Iain Mcgilchrist, Roger Penrose and Steve Fuller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:30:00 GMT

Being conscious

We think we have this thing, consciousness, whether we share it with the entire earth or with only our species, but yet its definition has evaded the efforts of leading philosophers and neuroscientists alike for decades.

Do you think you know what consciousness is? Does it exist out there in the world or only in our thoughts?

Join leading neuroscientist and philosopher Iain Mcgilchrist, Nobel prize winning mathematical physicist Roger Penrose and postmodern sociologist Steve Fuller as they ask themselves these questions. Their conversation touches on the quantum element of consciousness, its hard problems, and more. The host if post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson.

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Slavoj Žižek on God, reality and quantum physics

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:27:43 GMT

How will our scientists know if they are looking at complex phenomena from the wrong perspective? Have we taken the wrong approach to understanding the quantum world? Join Slavoj Žižek for an exclusive interview as he discusses the current state of quantum physics and questions the accuracy of our research into all things subatomic.

Slavoj is a Slovenian Marxist-Lacanian philosopher and author, known for his incisive, radical, and humourous takes on society, politics, and science. He rarely holds back when giving his opinion, laying out his views and analysis in stark terms.

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Metaphysics and science: do we need both? PART 1 | Eric Weinstein, Becky Parker, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:39:00 GMT

The matrix, myths, and metaphysics Part 1

Is metaphysics still relevant? Or has the pre-eminence of science over the last centuries made such questioning obsolete?

Join provocative mathematician and investor Eric Weinstein, award-winning physicist Becky Parker and post-post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson as they discuss what role, if any, metaphysics should currently be playing in our society. Their discussions touch on issues such as the openness or not of science, as well as the underlying truth of reality.

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Does life have meaning? PART 2: Rob Boddice on the happiness crisis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT

PART 2 of Does life have meaning Series: How do we find meaning (and happiness) in the contemporary age?

In the so-called 'happiest' countries in the world, the uncomfortable reality of high rates of depression, suicidality, chronic pain, and social isolation are obscured by the conflation of happiness with capitalist conformity.

In this intriguing talk, Rob Boddice challenges the tenets of happiness indices that flatten the subjective states of citizens, asking pointedly if it is still possible for suffering to be a virtue.

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ŽIŽEK on surplus happiness | The false joy of excess

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 17:35:41 GMT

Contemporary life is defined by excess. There must always be more, but there is never enough...

Is the pursuit of happiness a terrible mistake?

Join firebrand philosopher, Slavoj Žižek, as he argues the joys of excess are flimsy and futile and asks whether we can ever find a way out. Slavoj Žižek is a world-renowned philosopher, cultural critic and public intellectual. He is international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities and a senior researcher at the University of Ljubljana's Department of Philosophy.

Minor content warning: mentions of violence

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Epiphanies in philosophy PART 1 | Philosopher Sophie-Grace Chappell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:30:00 GMT

What should guide our actions?

We all have epiphanies. Yet most of us choose to ignore them, and trust in reason to determine our path in life. Join philosopher Sophie-Grace Chappell, who argues that we should allow our epiphanies to guide our actions.

Sophie-Grace Chappell is a Professor of Philosophy at the Open University who writes about ethics, politics, feminism and epistemology. She argues that we should allow our epiphanies to guide us.

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Philosophy's linguistic turn: Was it a mistake? | Hilary Lawson, Michael Potter, John Searle

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:48:00 GMT

Is the real world unreachable due to the mediation of language? Or has the linguistic turn in philosophy and academia gone too far?

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Join post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson, professor of logic Michael Potter and philosopher of language John Searle as they discuss what debates over language add or takeaway from the discipline of philosophy. The three philosophers do not shy away from metaphysics and the potential of removing meaning from our understanding of the world.

Listen to learn more about the linguistic turn and its implications.

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Should we care for ants | Peter Godfrey-Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:58:56 GMT

What are the moral limits today?

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We think we should be concerned for the well being of farm animals and those used in experiments. But where should we draw the line? Mosquitoes? Plants? Rivers? Join philosopher and bestselling author Peter Godfrey-Smith as he argues we should draw new limits for our moral consideration.

Peter Godfrey-Smith is professor in the School of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney. His main research interests are in the philosophy of biology and the philosophy of mind.

He is the author of numerous highly-acclaimed, including 'Other Minds: The Octopus, The Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness.'

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Why Choice is Not an Illusion | Raymond Tallis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 11:23:14 GMT

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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 until recently a physician and clinical scientist. In the Economist's Intelligent Life Magazine (2009) he was listed as one of the top living polymaths in the world.

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Love is more than magic | Alain de Botton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:30:00 GMT

What do voyeurs want? What can the Greeks teach us about love? Why do we pursue those who we now are going to hurt us?

Despite our longing for lasting connection, love often falters on the rocks of misunderstanding and unmet expectations. Philosopher and founder of The School of Life, Alain de Botton, explores how romantic ideals mislead us and why emotional maturity, not chemistry, holds the key to enduring intimacy. Drawing on philosophy and psychology, he examines how our childhood shapes desire and how love, far from being a mystical or ethereal force, is a demanding skill we must patiently and consciously learn.

"One of our most consistently illuminating writers on contemporary culture." — John Gray

Alain de Botton is the bestselling philosopher redefining how we understand love, work, and meaning in the modern world. He first rose to prominence with Essays in Love, a novel-philosophy hybrid that became an international bestseller. He has since authored several bestselling works that blend literary elegance, psychological insight, and philosophical depth.

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Can we distinguish truth from lies? | Sacha Golob, Steve Fuller, Åsa Wikforss, Peter Pomerantsev

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 13:14:13 GMT

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It seemed that we had all got used to the idea that rather than a single definitive truth there are a multiplicity of competing and alternative perspectives. Now with the rise of 'fake news' and the publicising of blatant lies, we want to reassert the importance of accuracy and truth.

Author of Post Truth Steve Fuller, theoretical philosopher Åsa Wikforss, continental philosopher Sacha Golob, and former Moscow journalist and author of This is Not Propaganda Peter Pomerantsev ask whether anybody has a monopoly on truth.

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Science and Spiritual Practices | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 12:05:34 GMT

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How closely do science and spirituality inform our daily practices? How closely does science underpin the spiritual practices which so many embrace in the modern world?

To explore these issues we are joined this week by author, scientist and researcher in the field of parapsychology Rupert Sheldrake. Sheldrake discusses the importance music festivals, learning from animals, existing in the moment and the boundaries of modern science.

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Philosophy Vs Quantum Theory | Tim Maudlin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 11:34:11 GMT

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Philosopher of science Tim Maudlin discusses interpretations of quantum mechanics, explaining the pilot wave theory and objective collapse theory, and considers what we stand to learn from quantum theory about the nature of our universe.

Tim Maudlin, author of Philosophy of Physics, is an American philosopher of science responsible for influential works on metaphysical foundations of physics and logic.

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The Morality of the Left and Right | Peter Hitchens, Sophie Walker, Chris Bryant

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 29 May 2019 09:02:06 GMT

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The left has traditionally seen itself as progressive, with history and morality on its side. But is history on anyone's side? And as for morality, don't all politicians think they're in the right? Should the left then give up its claim to the moral high ground and argue for policies on pragmatic grounds alone? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Peter Hitchens, Sophie Walker and Chris Bryant debate the morality of the left and right.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Beyond Men and Women | Finn Mackay, Angela Eagle, Patricia MacCormack

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 17:23:33 GMT

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What does is mean to socially construct a gendered identity, and why do some feminists insist on separating this from the sex we are assigned at birth?

On the panel: activist Finn Mackay, Labour politician Angela Eagle and post-human philosopher, Patricia MacCormack.

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Missing Evidence | Tara Shears, Rupert Sheldrake, Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We think science is based on facts and evidence. But from gravity to dark matter, string theory to parallel universes, its theories are curiously bereft of hard evidence. Is evidence less important than we think and conjecture alone capable of leading to greater understanding? Or has science dangerously drifted into fantasy?

New York philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, CERN physicist Tara Shears and author of The Science Delusion Rupert Sheldrake seek answers.

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On the nature of reality | Rowan Williams and Iain McGilchrist

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Who are we? Why are we here? Does life have a meaning beyond itself?

Join former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and groundbreaking psychiatrist, literary scholar and author of 'The Matter with Things', Iain McGilchrist, to explore the nature of meaning, and why we should move beyond the assumptions of a materialist worldview from radically divergent perspectives.

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Anxiety and the soul's itch | Sarah Wilson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Is anxiety something to be embraced, rather than fixed? Why are more and more of us feeling the 'soul's itch'? How we can start living more meaningfully?

Anxiety is often understood as a problem to fix. But Sarah Wilson argues that it can be a vital signal - a "soul's itch" calling us to deeper attunement with our moral purpose. In this talk, Sarah describes how technological acceleration, neoliberal society and disconnection from nature can cause us to miss these signs, and how we can live more defiantly and meaningfully.

Sarah Wilson is multi-New York Times bestselling author, social philosopher and philanthropist. She edited Cosmopolitan Australia at 29 and founded the global I Quit Sugar movement.

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How to fathom timelessness | Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT

What should time mean to us?

Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes is a philosopher of mind who specialises in the thought of Alfred North Whitehead, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Benedict de Spinoza, and in fields pertaining to panpsychism and altered states of mind. In this talk, he combines insights from psychedelic experiences with an intriguing view put forward by Spinoza: that the mind can enter a rare state of eternity, not as a spirit enduring beyond the corpse, but as a mind collapsing into the eternal.

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The return of idealism | James Tartaglia

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Is materialism mistaken in its understanding of consciousness? How can dividing experience into the phenomenal and the transcendent provide a new angle from which to view consciousness? Have you ever wondered what philosophical jazz sounds like?

The world's greatest minds have struggled over the question of consciousness for centuries. Idealism, the idea that reality is the product of the mind, was a popular idea in the 19th century. But over the last hundred years, materialism became the dominant metaphysics. With faith in materialism starting to wane, philosopher James Tartaglia breaks down the consciousness misconceptions and discusses why he believes that idealism is making a comeback.

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Is philosophy becoming irrelevant? | Mary Midgley

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Does philosophy still matter in today's world? If so, why are students less and less interested in studying in it?

In a special episode from the IAI archives, Mary Midgley addresses the declining interest in philosophy among young people. Instead of an outdated discipline for old people with too much time on their hands, Midgley argues that philosophy is more important than ever if we wish to understand the world around us, beyond the narrow spheres of the traditional sciences.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Has the world gone to Hell? | Slavoj Žižek on fascism, shame, and dirty jokes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Žižek: "Trump did what The Left couldn't"

As we look around at the state of the modern world, it's very easy to get disheartened - and that's putting it lightly! From pointless wars and endless suffering to the decline of social bonds and trustworthy institutions, there really is a lot to get you down. Fortunately, maverick philosopher Slavoj Žižek is on the case, arguing that all is not lost - though we must act quickly.

Slavoj Žižek is a world-renowned philosopher, cultural critic and public intellectual. Foreign Policy named Žižek a Top 100 Global Thinker "for giving voice to an era of absurdity”.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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Everything We Know Is Wrong | Lawrence Krauss, Kenneth Cukier, Steve Fuller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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At a time of uncertainty and doubt, we often suppose that science alone can uncover the truth. Yet a recent paper found that 90% of scientific studies are not reproducible. Should we see science as a flawed method and look elsewhere for our truths, or is it the only direct line to reality we’ve got?

Outspoken philosopher of science Steve Fuller, Economist Data Editor Kenneth Cukier and bestselling theoretical physicist and cosmologist Lawrence Krauss tell Gabrielle Walker why so much of what we think we know is wrong.

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In conversation with Slavoj Žižek: Life and philosophy

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 11:30:58 GMT

How do we save freedom? And, please, would you like coffee without cream or coffee without milk?

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

Join renowned philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Zizek as he divulges his ideas regarding the apocalypse, ideology, freedom in the present moment, and more through a classic Zizekian mix of personal anecdotes, pop culture, and philosophical references. As he asserts, he did not exist before theory.

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How Words Warp Reality | Nick Enfield

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Language shapes how we think, remember, and reason. But does it help us to uncover the fundamental nature of reality? Join the author of Language vs. Reality and linguistic anthropologist, Nick Enfield, as he explores why language excels at persuasion but falters at faithfully representing reality. From media spin to courtroom rhetoric, he reveals how words reframe our world, often without us noticing. Drawing on two decades of research, Enfield shows why understanding the limits and power of language is essential in an age of misinformation and cognitive bias.

Nick Enfield is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney and Director of the Sydney Centre for Language Research.

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The Problem with Materialism | John Ellis, Susan Blackmore, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 09:31:43 GMT

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The idea that the world is made of physical stuff alone has been central to scientific progress. But our theories do not account for experience or thought. Might materialism be a profound mistake? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, CERN physicist John Ellis, Consciousness author Susan Blackmore and Closure theorist Hilary Lawson uncover the problem with materialism.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Stoicism for contemporary society | Stoicism Series PART 3 | Nancy Sherman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:46:04 GMT

Why is stoicism one of the most well-known and read philosophical strains in the contemporary age? After 2000+ years, what is its continued appeal?

Join philosopher Nancy Sherman, an expert in ancient philosophy, as she delves into her attraction to the topic and the ways she believes it applies to the contemporary age. A good introductory episode to the topic for those interested in learning more.

To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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African Philosophy SPECIAL | Contemporary philosophers

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

What can African philosophers teach us about history, the modern world, and the good life? And can their ideas and teachings cross cultural boundaries?

Join the IAI team for a reading of three articles about African philosophy, written by professor of communication Omedi Ochieng and professor of political theory Katrin Flikschuh. From the apparent divide between the philosophies of Africa and the Western world, to advice on how we can lead happier, more fulfilling lives, these articles provide an excellent foundation for anyone interested in learning more about the ideas and voices that have shaped Africa.

Katrin Flikschuh is professor of political theory at the London School of Economics. Her research interests relate to the political philosophy of Immanuel Kant, metaphysics and meta-level justification in contemporary political philosophy, global justice and cosmopolitanism, and the history of modern political thought. Omedi Ochieng is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Denison University. His areas of specialization include the rhetoric of philosophy; comparative philosophy; and social theory. He has published articles in the International Philosophical Quarterly, Radical Philosophy, and the Western Journal of Communication.

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

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Why we should question everything | Michael Della Rocca on radical philosophy

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 18:05:38 GMT

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

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

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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How Maths Changed Philosophy | Silvia Jonas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 12:00:40 GMT

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What does mathematics have to do with the nature of human thought? How does it change how philosophers think of reality?

Philosopher and author of 'Ineffability and its Metaphysics', Silvia Jonas explains how mathematics has come to shape our politics, ethics and our very idea of what the world is.

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The Right To Offend | David Aaronovitch, Joanna Williams, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 06:00:05 GMT

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Should we seek to eradicate offence? Last year Ireland voted to get rid of its blasphemy laws, and most applauded the new right to offend the Catholic Church. Yet to avoid giving offence, student campuses are introducing no-platforming and safe spaces. Should we seek to eradicate offence to create a more tolerant and equal society? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, David Aaronovitch and Joanna Williams pull no punches. Please be aware that, due to the nature of this debate, this podcast may contain language that some listeners may find offensive.

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The economics of almost everything | Daniel Markovits, Martin Wolf, Madeleine Pennington

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Rethinking economics - what is the meaning of productivity in the 21st century?

Looking for a link we mentioned? Find it here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

"Productivity isn't everything, but in the long run, it is almost everything" claimed Paul Krugman. Throughout the twentieth century productivity, the average level of output for each hour worked, improved dramatically across the developed world. A greater increase than in the previous 2000 years. Driven by life changing technologies, such as electricity, combustion engines, and phones, living standards increased sevenfold. But since the 2008 financial crisis, despite computerisation and the internet, productivity growth in many countries has been low, static or even, in the case of Japan, falling.

Might the 20th century's extraordinary growth prove to be a unique event? Is tech itself the problem, seemingly creating solutions but in fact encouraging pointless activity? Or is the mistake to focus on productivity in the first place, and should we instead change how we value our activities and our time?

This debate was sponsored by Theos.

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Psychedelics and the Birth of Philosophy | Brian Muraresku

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 11:07:44 GMT

Could 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 in time to uncover the importance of psychedelic experiences to Ancient Greek and early Christian culture.

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Me, my world and I | Barry Smith, Hannah Critchlow, Gary Lachman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Is collective experience a myth?

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We see experience as quintessentially subjective. But while we take this for granted might it be an error? From parliament and politics, festivals and football stadiums, to weddings and funerals, some of our most significant experiences occur in moments shared in collective experience with others.

Should we conclude that experience is always shared and mediated through others? Or is collective experience and behaviour a dangerous idea that can be used by authority to impose subservience?

Renowned musician and author on mysticism and the occult Gary Lachman, internationally aclaimed neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow, philosophy professor and expert of the senses Barry Smith debate collective experience versus subjectivity. Matt O'Dowd hosts.

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Humanity's Distant Future | Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 12:43:34 GMT

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Should we upgrade our bodies and minds? Will developing technologies create utopian or dystopian futures? On today’s episode we’re discussing transhumanism, artificial intelligence and ageing.

Anders Sandberg is a researcher, science debater, futurist, transhumanist and author. He holds a Ph.D. in computational neuroscience from Stockholm University, and is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University.

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Epiphanies, Experiences, and Ethics | Sophie-Grace Chappell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 12:07:30 GMT

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Is it possible for certain experiences to reveal specific truths to the experiencer? On this week’s episode we’re discussing epiphanies, experience and ethics. Sophie-Grace Chappell explores the moments of discovery which shape our moral identities.

Sophie-Grace Chappell is the author of numerous books and articles on ethics, ancient philosophy, epistemology and philosophy of religion. TLS described her as "an inspiring expression of an ethical vision".

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Reality and Evolution | Donald Hoffman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:28:09 GMT

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On this week's episode we interviewed cognitive psychologist Donald Hoffman. He talks through his work on evolutionary game theory and puts forward the radical view that we have evolved to experience something different to reality.

Donald Hoffman is an American cognitive psychologist and popular science author. He is a Professor in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California and specialises in the study of consciousness, visual perception and evolutionary psychology using mathematical models and psychophysical experiments.

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Elite Rule | Carne Ross, Yassmin Abdel Magied, Hugo Drochon

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 10:37:46 GMT

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Does our abuse of 'elites' ignore their necessity, or should all elites be challenged and dissolved? Author of The Leaderless Revolution Carne Ross, Political Theorist at Cambridge Hugh Drochon, and activist Yassmin Abdel Magied put elites on trial.

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After Buddhism | Stephen Batchelor

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:55:09 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License.

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Slavoj Žižek on quantum history and the end of the past

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Does the past even exist anymore?

Quantum mechanics has long unsettled our understanding of matter and measurement. But what if its implications reach further — into history, politics, and the very structure of reality itself? If the present can retroactively reshape the past it emerged from, what does that mean for how we act, how we remember, and how we govern?

These are not merely theoretical puzzles. In a world where liberal democracy appears to be fracturing, where AI and climate change defy traditional political categories, and where new authoritarian currents are emerging from thinkers like Curtis Yarvin in the West and Wang Huning in the East, the question of whether reality offers any coherent ground for political action has never felt more urgent.

Few thinkers are willing to hold all of this together at once — to move from Niels Bohr to Stalinism, from Lacanian psychoanalysis to the collapse of the political centre, without flinching. Slavoj Žižek does precisely that. In his new book Quantum History: A New Materialist Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2025), Žižek argues that incompleteness is not a failure of knowledge but a feature of existence itself — and that this demands an entirely new way of thinking about history and politics.

Slavoj Žižek is a Hegelian philosopher, Lacanian psychoanalyst, and one of the most provocative intellectuals of our time. Hosted by Omari Edwards.

Read the full transcript of this conversation at IAI News: https://iai.tv/articles/slavoj-zizek-on-quantum-history-and-the-end-of-the-past-auid-3437

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

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Consciousness and psychedelics: In conversation with Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Philosophers cannot stop talking about consciousness - what are its limits? What is it made of? What does it allow us? This podcast is part of that conversation, but from a more experimental perspective.

Join biologist and researcher Rupert Sheldrake as he discusses consciousness with philosopher Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes from the lens of psychedelics. Once on the fringes of academic and popular interest, psychedelics have recently moved towards the mainstream as their potential in expanding our awareness and connecting us to others is progressively revealed. Both Rupert and Peter have much intimacy with the topic at hand, and creatively draw lessons from it to muse on the inner workings of our mind.

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Sartre vs Baldwin | Joanna Kavenna, Jonathan Webber, and Marie-Elsa Bragg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:37:55 GMT

We take it for granted that through language and communication we can learn about the experience of others. But it remains unknown whether we can fully know what it is like to be another human being. James Baldwin and Jean-Paul Sartre take radically different approaches. For Sartre, the experience of others is unknown to us. Fundamentally, we are alone with our own subjectivity. While for Baldwin, "to encounter oneself is to encounter the other; and this is love". Summing up his disagreement with Sartre he remarked: "it has always seemed to me that ideas were somewhat more real to him than people.”

Was Baldwin right that to be alive is to be socially connected to others? Or is Sartre's insight that the only thing we can know is our own experience more telling? Should we conclude that we cannot understand the experience of another unless we have had the same experience? Or is language capable of bridging the seemingly impossible gap between us?

Jonathan Webber is a professor at Cardiff University specializing in moral philosophy and the philosophy of psychology. Marie-Elsa Roche Bragg is an author, teacher, and priest. Her first novel, Towards Mellbreak is about four generations of a quiet hill farming family on the North Western fells of Cumbria. Joanna Kavenna is an award-winning writer. She was born in the UK but as a seasoned traveller, she was led to her first book, The Ice Museum, which details her experience travelling in the remote North. Hosted by presenter, writer and professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at Oxford, Rana Mitter

To witness such debates live, buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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How to use philosophy for a better life | Rebecca Roache

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 15:15:49 GMT

Opening a path towards more enlightened societies with Rebecca Roache.

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

Philosophy is not just about armchair thinking. It can help us live better lives and find meaning. In this talk philosopher of mind Rebecca Roache shows us that philosophy can be the key to creating better lives, and more enlightened societies.

Rebecca Roache is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research interests range from ethics and metaphysics to philosophy of mind and philosophy of language. She is a pioneer in field of philosophy of swearing, and her work has been featured in The Times, The Guardian and the BBC.

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Catching Sight of Our Self | Iain McGilchrist, Betty Sue Flowers, Anil Ananthaswamy, and Bence Nanay

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 21:13:57 GMT

Is knowing oneself even possible? Listen to find out.

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

From the self-help industry to the contemporary focus on mental health, the ancient Greek maxim 'Know Thyself', is very much in fashion. But many would argue it is an impossible dream. We can't catch sight of ourselves, and the attempt to do so often leaves us lost and confused. What's more, from the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy to drug addicts who's lives are in ruin, individuals can be well aware of their failings but unable or unwilling to change.

Pioneer of modern understanding of ancient myths Betty Sue Flowers, Award winning journalist Anil Ananthaswamy, renowned psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist and Professor of Philosophy Bence Nanay are joined by our host, Professor of Religion and Science Mary Jane Rubenstein to ask if we can ever truly know ourselves.

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Are facts trustworthy? |Simon Blackburn, Sophie Grace Chappell and Anandi Hattiangadi

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 13:00:00 GMT

Are 'facts' a tool for manipulation? Listen to find out!

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

Facts and reason are essential if we are to make progress and create a better world. At least that's how it used to be. But now it seems everyone has their own 'facts'. Our political leaders have 'alternative' facts, but so, it is also claimed, do the liberal elite and the mainstream media. Meanwhile, reason has been derided by many as a typically male bludgeon to deny alternative views. Should we welcome the challenge to facts and reason as a progressive move undermining the authority of traditional Western hierarchies? Or is the undermining of facts and reason a singularly dangerous exercise?

Professor of Philosophy at the Open University Sophie-Grace Chappell, Professor of Philosophy at Stockholm University Anandi Hattiangadi and Professor of Philosophy at the New College of the Humanities Simon Blackburn dicuss the changing value of truth in contemporary society. Julian Baggini hosts.

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Reality Uncovered | John Ellis, Sabine Hossenfelder, Jim Baggott

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 14:32:15 GMT

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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 Hossenfelder, and award winning science writer and quantum expert Jim Baggott debate the crisis in physics. David Malone hosts.

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Was Richard Dawkins wrong about memes? | Massimo Pigliucci, Hilary Lawson, Joanna Bryson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:41:28 GMT

What do memes really mean? Listen to find out!

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

Memes are everywhere. But the term was coined only a few decades ago by Richard Dawkins to describe ideas and cultural behaviour that can be passed on from one individual to another. He argued that memes are a stage in evolution, and just as humans are carriers for genes, we are also carriers for memes. We don't so much choose our memes as they choose us. Its critics however argue that meme theory upends all human agency and thought. Is meme theory an exciting new framework that moves evolution forward to account for concepts and culture? Or is the very idea of a meme a misguided and reductionist account of what it is to be human?

Post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson, Professor of Ethics and Technology at Hertie School Joanna Bryson and Professor of Philosophy at City College of New York Massimo Pigliucci discuss whether or not it is useful to think about sharing mimetic information like genetic information. Gunes Taylor hosts.

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Time's Arrow | Jim Al - Khalili, Raymond Tallis, Craig Bourne, Angie Hobbs

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 11:28:25 GMT

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Time appears to be the ultimate form of progress: an unavoidable direction imposed on the universe. Some physicists claim this is an illusion. How should we make sense of time? As a dimension, a flow, a place, a process, a social construct, or something altogether more mysterious? Physician, poet and thinker Raymond Tallis, philosopher and broadcaster Angie Hobbs, theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili, and philosopher of time Craig Bourne go in search of time's direction.

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Dreams of a transhumanist future | Luke Robert Mason

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:01:30 GMT

Is our obsession with enhancing ourselves leading to the end of humankind? Luke Robert Mason explains.

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

The transhumanist dream, the merging of humans with machines, may soon be a reality. Elon Musk's NeuraLink is developing quickly, and before long, with the rise of more forms of human biotechnology, we may find that more and more of us are becoming half-human, half-machine.

Futures theorist Luke Robert Mason is a researcher, filmmaker and digital media artist. He has been a frequent contributor to BBC Click Radio, The Guardian, Discovery Channel, VICE Motherboard, Wired Magazine and Futurism.com.

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The case for virtuous virtue signalling | Kwame Anthony Appiah, Crystal Fleming, David Goodhart

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:22:15 GMT

Are we all hypocrites?

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Most of us want to be good and be seen to be good. But aren't these goals contradictory? Isn't the desire to be seen to good a means of placing ourselves higher than others and wishing to gain status and position as a result?

Should we conclude that the attempt to be seen to be good is immoral and call it out as hypocritical, including philanthropist donation, explicit piety on the part of the religious, and virtue signalling be it on campus or on social media? Or is being seen to be good vital to cement socially positive behaviour? And explicit public demonstration of morality the only morality worth having?

World-leading cultural theorist Kwame Anthony Appiah, Professor of sociology and African Studies and international authority on race, Crystal Fleming, and founder of Prospect Magazine David Goodhart probe the moral maze of public morality. Mark Linsenmayer hosts.

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Consciousness predates life | Stuart Hameroff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Consciousness predates life

Did consciousness exist before life? Could such a counter-intuitive idea, in fact, be the answer to the hard problem of consciousness?

Join anaesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff as he puts forward his theory that consciousness came before the origin of life on Earth, using quantum mechanics and his research with Sir Roger Penrose to support his claim.

Stuart is a professor at the University of Arizona, and he is known for his studies of consciousness and his controversial contention that consciousness originates from quantum states in neural microtubules. He is also the lead organizer of the Science of Consciousness conference.

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

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Newton's Fall | Erik Verlinde

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 10:32:04 GMT

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Is Theoretical Physics on the cusp of discovering a new theory of gravity? Theoretical physicist Erik Verlinde outlines how spacetime and gravity dissolve.

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Is the sun conscious? | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 19:35:29 GMT

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Is consciousness stranger than we thought? The Science Delusion author Rupert Sheldrake strikes out against orthodoxy and asks: is the sun conscious?

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The Problem with Paradoxes | Slavoj Žižek, Sophie Allen, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 04:00:03 GMT

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Once we assumed that reason and rationality would gradually uncover the truth. But from quantum mechanics to set theory, paradox it seems is found at the heart of our most revered theories and at the cornerstones of our thought. Are these paradoxes evidence that our theories are wrong and is it essential that they are overcome?

In this episode of Philosophy for Our Times, Slavoj Žižek, Sophie Allen, and Hilary Lawson debate whether paradox is an unavoidable consequence of human thought.

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How To Spot An Emergency | Santiago Zabala

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:29:05 GMT

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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.

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Reshaping The Self | Dan Zahavi, Lisa Bortolotti, Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:55:03 GMT

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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.

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In search of the 'Self' | David Chalmers, Ed Stafford, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:13:00 GMT

In search of ourselves

Is the 'self' a useful category, philosophically, psychologically, in our everyday lives? What might it help us do? And where do we find ourselves?

Join our mixed panel of speakers as they approach this question from their different points of view - Australian philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers, English explorer and survivalist Ed Stafford and novelist Joanna Kavenna. Recording of this conversation in 2017 was partly corrupted and the audio has been restored as best as possible. The discussion does not resolve this age-old question but rather plays with it.

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Slavoj Žižek on chaos and the modern world - PART 4

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Heaven in disorder

What is the relationship between atheism and faith? How do we relate to 'the big other', and how does this influence how we think about God, nature and ourselves. Join Slavoj Žižek for his glorious finish to a fantastic talk.

Slavoj is a Slovenian Marxist-Lacanian philosopher and author, known for his incisive, radical, and humourous takes on the global political landscape. He rarely holds back when giving his opinion, laying out his views and analysis in stark terms.

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Fires of Progress | Steven Pinker, Tariq Ali, Elif Sarican

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 10:15:12 GMT

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Most think that social progress should be driven by ideas and persuasion not force. Yet from the French and Russian Revolutions to the Suffragettes, violent action has been instrumental to generating change. Is violence ever justified as a political strategy? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Enlightenment Now author Steven Pinker, filmmaker and author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms Tariq Ali and Kurdish Women's Movement activist Elif Sarican grapple with the forces of history.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Future of Thought | Julian Baggini, Vivienne Shue, Jamie Whyte

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 10:25:43 GMT

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Few now doubt that China will soon eclipse the US to become the world's largest economy. Is the sun setting on Western ideas as well as Western economies? In this episode of Philosophy for our Time, philosopher Julian Baggini, politician and academic Jamie Whyte, and Professor of Contemporary China Studies at Oxford University, Vivienne Shue, discuss the future of Western and Chinese thought.

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The End of the West | Linda Yueh, Rana Mitter, David Aaronovitch

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 04:00:03 GMT

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Once, Britain was the dominant power, then the US. Now, with the largest economy in the world by purchasing power, it seems China's turn has come. Should we accept, even welcome, the passing of the West? Or is there a response that would enable the West to retain significance, if not the dominance it once had? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Linda Yueh, Rana Mitter, and David Aaronovitch explore whether it is the end of the West.

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The End of Humans | Interview with Patricia MacCormack

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 12:18:14 GMT

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Patricia MacCormack is Professor of Continental Philosophy at Anglia Ruskin University, known for her work on Posthuman ethics. In this exclusive interview, Patricia explains why she thinks the world would be a better place without humans.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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In Defense of Pornography | Peter Tatchell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 12:26:20 GMT

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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.

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Trump's Foreign Policy | George Galloway, Mark Leonard

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 May 2019 12:01:33 GMT

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Many think Donald Trump a buffoon and a threat to world peace. But with IS weakened, and signs of progress in North Korea, perhaps his supporters can point to some initial successes. Could a belligerent approach to foreign policy make for a safer world? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, George Galloway and Mark Leonard debate the threat of Trump's foreign policy.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Lure of Evil | Christopher Hamilton, Patricia MacCormack, John Milbank

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:49:31 GMT

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From Milton's Paradise Lost to bad boys and femmes fatales, we are seduced by the dark and dangerous. Why does the devil have all the best tunes? Have we sanitised the good and made it vacuous? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, moral philosopher Christopher Hamilton, theologian and Zizek collaborator John Milbank, and Professor of Continental Philosophy Patricia MacCormack look into our dark side.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The world after liberalism | Maurice Glasman & Sohrab Amari

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Is this the end of liberalism, or just another temporary crisis? If it is the end, what will follow it? And where did it all go wrong?

Since the end of WWII, the Western world has been governed by liberal principles. But as faith in liberalism fades, many are asking: what deeper vision should guide our societies going forward? Join Blue Labour founder Maurice Glasman and author of Tyranny Inc., Sohrab Ahmari, as they diagnose the roots of the current crisis and explore possibilities for what lies beyond the faltering liberal world order. Both Glasman and Ahmari's diverging visions call for ideas and morality to lead politics, not the other way around.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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In Search Of The Self | Simon Blackburn, Mary Midgley, Colin Blakemore

Institute of Art and Ideas — Sat, 03 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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There is no self, no 'I', only a flickering illusion. So claim many neuroscientists and philosophers. Yet for the rest of us, the denial of the self feels like a bitter pill to swallow. Is the self a fantasy? Or is it essential to our being and consciousness?

Cambridge and NCH philosopher Simon Blackburn, neuroscientist Colin Blakemore, philosopher and author of Are You an Illusion? Mary Midgley seek out the all seeing I.

In association with New College Humanities.

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The Right Way to Think | Paul Boghossian, Mary Jane Rubenstein, Alister McGrath

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 09:09:17 GMT

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Reason was traditionally seen as the Enlightenment’s great legacy and the origin of our success. Yet reason is increasingly derided as just the rhetorical bluster of the educated elite, typically powerful and male. Is rationality just the prejudiced claim of those who are sure they are right? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Professor of Religion at Wesleyan Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Silver Professor of Philosophy at New York University Paul Boghossian and Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University Alister McGrath debate the right way to think.

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The Good Fight | Charlotte Leslie

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 12:22:51 GMT

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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

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 16:51:37 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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Could Sex Robots Be Good For Us? | Kate Devlin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 11:32:04 GMT

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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 possibilities of sex robots.

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Mysteries of the multiverse | Catherine Heymans

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:26:34 GMT

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Can we ever observe universes beyond our own? Astrophysicist Catherine Heymans reveals the latest innovations that might help map out the multiverse.

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When Time Stands Still | Lee Smolin, Michael Duff, Eleanor Knox

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We structure our lives on the flow of time. Yet physicists since Einstein have argued that all time, past, present and future, is like space provided in a single block. Is the flow of time an illusion? Are we deceived when we feel time passing, or is it time to strike the strangeness from our science?

Author of Time Reborn Lee Smolin, live from Ontario, joins Imperial theoretical physicist Michael Duff and KCL metaphysician Eleanor Knox to reunite science and experience.

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Is objective news an illusion? | John Lloyd, Hilary Lawson, Jonathan Calvert

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We want news to accurately reflect the real world. But in an age when competing channels with different perspectives are instantly available should we recognise this goal as an illusion? Should we accept that journalists set the world's agenda with their own fictions and fantasies, or is there a framework of objectivity we should require and demand?

Editor of The Sunday Times Insight Jonathan Calvert, founder of the Reuters Journalism Institute John Lloyd and philosopher and former editor of The World This Week Hilary Lawson examine truth in news.

In Association with Huffington Post UK.

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Life On The Edge | Sebastian Farquhar

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 14:32:28 GMT

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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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Rethinking Capital | Paul Krugman, Stephen Dorrell, Alex Callinicos

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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As China and Russia adopt their own variants, the reign of capitalism seems absolute. Yet there are many who wish for an alternative and some who claim a final crisis is in the making. Is there a radical alternative that we have not yet discovered? Or is the reality that capitalism is the only viable economic system?

Former Secretary of State for Health Stephen Dorrell, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman and Marxist political theorist Alex Callinicos reimagine capitalism and the current economic system.

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The brain filters consciousness | Alex Gomez-Marin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Is the brain actually productive? Or is it instead permissive, simply acting as a filter through which consciousness passes? Can near death experiences help us to get closer to understanding the true nature of the brain?

Neuroscientist and theoretical physicist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that the brain may not produce consciousness, but instead filter or permit it. Tracing a provocative history from Galileo to modern consciousness science, he argues that scientific progress came by prioritising what can be measured, leaving inner experience behind. Using his own near-death experience and cases like terminal lucidity, he calls for a more open, rigorous “Science 2.0” that takes anomalous experiences seriously.

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The Enlightenment is racist (and why) | Kehinde Andrews

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:00:00 GMT

The Enlightenment has faced a lot of criticism in recent years - its defenders and detractors often come head to head, scrambling to articulate its ultimate value or lack thereof to contemporary society.

This podcast contributes to this wider debate and question facing all those interested in philosophy and politics: Are Enlightenment ideas salvageable? Or are they too intrinsically tainted with the racism of their times? If so, what do we do next?

Join Birmingham City University Professor Kehinde Andrews in this exclusive interview as he lays out his provocative claims on the limited utility of Enlightenment thought.

What do you think? Do you agree with Kehinde? Who is your philosophical reference? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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All the things we cannot say | Ray Tallis, Hilary Lawson, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:38:42 GMT

Can language ever truly capture reality? Is there anything unsayable? Listen to what the experts have to say.

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"What we cannot speak about we must pass over in silence", famously claimed the philosopher Wittgenstein. He primarily had in mind the relationship between language and the world, and more generally the very idea of metaphysics. Yet, a century after Wittgenstein's conclusion, many continue to wildly speculate about the ultimate meaning and nature of reality using our all-to-human language.

Have we ignored Wittgenstein's clear message that we cannot know how language and our theories relate to the world? Are all our lofty descriptions about the nature of reality and metaphysics simply nonsense? Or was Wittgenstein wrong, and can we continue in our human quest to uncover the essential character of reality and our relationship to it?

Author of the bestselling Zed Joanna Kavenna, philosopher and neuroscientist Ray Tallis, and post-realist philosopher and author of Closure, Hilary Lawson lock horns over how we understand the world. Hosted by author and research fellow at the University of Hertfordshire, Maria Balaska.

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Why is language no guide to reality? | Nolen Gertz, Betty Sue Flowers, Joscha Bach

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:10:24 GMT

Does our rhetoric shape reality?

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Hugely powerful, we assume language enables us to represent reality. But some argue language, from the greatest narratives to the finest theories, not only fails to describe reality it actually distorts and misleads us. Language, the critics argue, formulates a world in its own image. The structure of language, nouns, adjectives, verbs, encourages us to imagine reality consists of their equivalent, things, qualities and actions. But there is no reason to suppose this is the case. And reason instead to conclude that reality is entirely different from the way it is represented in language.

Nolen Gertz is an Assistant Professor of applied philosophy at the University of Twente. He is the author of a number of books including Nihilism and Technology.

Betty Sue Flowers is Emerita Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin. She pioneered the modern, psychological appreciation of ancient myths alongside Joseph Campbell.

Joscha Bach is an AI researcher for MIT Media Lab and the Harvard Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, where he explores new frontiers in cognitive architectures and mental representation.

Katie Robertson hosts.

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Searching for the purpose of life |Babette Babich, Frank Tallis, Jonathan Webber, Sandra Laugier

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:54:51 GMT

The journey in search of the destination

Does life have a purpose? Is that what gives life meaning? Or is it the journey that matters the most?

Join our four speakers - Nietzschean philosopher Babette Babich, clinical psychologist Frank Tallis, existentialist philosopher Jonathan Webber, and linguist philosopher Sandra Laugier - as they explore the different facets of this question. Setting ourselves goals in life seems both inevitable and necessary for the good life, yet achieving them might render living life meaningless. The balance between having a sense of purpose and experiencing things as they come is a hard one to set.

Do you think life must have a purpose? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Metaphysics and science: do we need both? PART 2 | Eric Weinstein, Becky Parker, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The matrix, myths, and metaphysics Part 2

Is metaphysics still relevant? Or has the pre-eminence of science over the last centuries made such questioning obsolete?

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The Beautiful World | Nicholas Humphrey

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Are homo sapiens the only organisms capable of creating and experiencing beauty? Can we find beauty in God? Why do we see the hand of an Artist in the Natural, if God does not exist?

Beauty is one of the most fundamental truths of the world. Everyone can understand it, but why? Where does evolution come from and what is its benefit to humanity? Nicholas Humphrey argues that our attraction to the beautiful is primarily a psychological phenomena, that we have used to train ourselves throughout history. His expansion upon Hopkins musing that "all beauty may be called rhyme" illuminates how our minds search for and reward a hunt for similarities, not identical matches, between objects, people, and organisms. If our body needs nutrients, our minds are stimulated by beauty.

Nicholas Humphrey is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the London School of Economics and a Bye Fellow at Darwin College, Cambridge. As a theoretical psychologist, his research focuses on the evolution of intelligence and consciousness. He is the author of twelve books, including Consciousness Regained (1983), The Inner Eye (1986), A History of the Mind (1992), Soul Searching (1995), The Mind Made Flesh (2002), Soul Dust (2011), and Sentience (2022). His honors include the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize, the Pufendorf Medal, and the 2026 Dennett Prize, awarded by the International Center for Consciousness Studies for significant advances in philosophy of mind, cognitive science, evolutionary biology, or artificial intelligence.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Humans are not morally superior | Alex O'Connor

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Humans are not morally superior

Is the meat industry a monstrous tyrant?

Join YouTuber Alex O'Connor for a thought-provoking talk on the ethics, or lack thereof, of eating meat. From a horrifying look at the practices of the meat industry to provocative analogies and compelling arguments, Alex doesn't hold back as he holds up a mirror to our modern dietary culture.

Alex O’Connor, also known by his YouTube alias ‘CosmicSkeptic’, is a prolific philosopher, YouTuber, public speaker and animal welfare activist. His YouTube channel has amassed over 1 million subscribers and discusses issues relating to free speech, free will, animal rights and the philosophical arguments against religion.

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The truth about philosophy of science| Sabine Hossenfelder

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:40:45 GMT

Can science accommodate human subjectivity? Sabine Hossenfelder responds.

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In this interview, leading physicist and author, Sabine Hossenfelder, discusses the relationship between physics and philosophy. She examines the scientific community’s desire to find a unified theory of everything, and contemplates how science can accommodate human subjectivity. She also considers the role of physics in helping us tackle major philosophical issues involving time, free will, and consciousness.

Sabine Hossenfelder is a theoretical physicist who specialises in the foundations of physics. She is a Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies where she leads the group on Superfluid Dark Matter.

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Tribal Truths and New Wisdom | Paul Mason, Hilary Lawson, Ella McPherson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 17:51:53 GMT

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From populist demagogues to liberal elites, Fox News to the BBC, the warring tribes of our troubled world agree on few ideals and still fewer facts. Yet they all share the belief that they are right. Are we all suffering from the illusion that we can uncover the truth?

Should we embrace a world of competing facts while still seeking a progressive and stable society? Or do we need new grand narratives to help us escape a dangerous, relativistic world? Post-Capitalism author Paul Mason, Cambridge sociologist Ella McPherson, philosopher and former editor of The World This Week Hilary Lawson question whether it is ever really possible to report the truth. Roger Bolton hosts.

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Love and other drugs | Rupert Sheldrake, Anders Sandberg, Ella Whelan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 May 2023 09:23:22 GMT

Can synthetic drugs induce true feelings of love?

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From the Christian tenet 'God is love' to the plots of countless novels and films, love is seen as central to our lives. Yet from scientific studies along with anecdotal accounts we know that psychoactive substances and MDMA in particular can enhance and even induce feelings of love. If love can be hacked by a change in brain chemistry, might our romanticised idea of love itself be the distortion?

Should we use drugs to encourage, initiate and repair relationships as some therapists advocate? Or are such experiences false, damaging, and potentially socially dangerous? Is love a product of brain chemistry, or, is it something deeper that a drug could never replicate?

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Are we right about atheism? | Julian Baggini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 16:09:16 GMT

Can you be an atheism 'expert'? And if you are, what do you have to say? Listen to find out.

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The first decade of the 21st century saw an extraordinary rise in confident atheism. Now the whirlwind has settled, what does the future of belief look like? In this talk philosopher and author of Atheism: A Very Short Introduction, Julian Baggini explores the new landscape of atheism.

Julian Baggini is a British philosopher, journalist and author of over 20 philosophical books. Since graduating with a PhD from University College London in 1997, he has co-founded The Philosopher's Magazine and been a regular contributor to both national and international newspapers.

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:13:34 GMT

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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The key to consciousness | Donald Hoffman, Hannah Critchlow, Sam Coleman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 May 2023 16:30:00 GMT

Is materialism a fundamental mistake?

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The relationship between the individual human subject and the world was once the central focus of Western philosophy. Modern neuroscience has instead tended to assume that the world is purely material and physical, and the problem of consciousness a question of how to generate thought from matter. Yet, we are no closer to solving the deep puzzle of consciousness and many argue that the American philosopher Thomas Nagel is right when he maintains that the question of consciousness 'cannot be detached from subject and object'.

Is the notion that the world is purely material a fundamental mistake? Would we be more likely to unlock the mysteries of consciousness by once again adopting the framework of the subject and object? Or will slow, piecemeal advances in neuroscience and analytic philosophy eventually yield the answers that we have been searching for?

Revolutionary cognitive psychologist Donald Hoffman (joining us live from across the pond), neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow and philosopher Sam Coleman battle to unlock consciousness. Hosted by award-winning novelist Joanna Kavenna.

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Beyond Us: Bonus Review

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 12:43:51 GMT

There 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 leading thinker with a unique take on one of these fascinating topics. But in this bonus episode our hosts reflect on the series as a whole, discuss the views of their guests, and see if they have come to any new conclusions of their own.

In association with Essentia Foundation

Read Beyond Us.

Watch Beyond Me.

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Philosophy for our Times Presents: 'Beyond Us'

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 15:50:09 GMT

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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, released next Friday, will be all about knowledge and features Canadian philosopher and champion of the enlightenment project, Rebecca Goldstein.

In association with Essentia Foundation.

Read Beyond Us

https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Beyond-Us-by-Fred-Matser-author/9781789045512?a_aid=HTLGI

Watch Beyond Me

https://www.beyondmedocumentary.org/en/watch-film-en/

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Rehumanising science | Carlo Rovelli - Part 2

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

What makes humans different from nature? What do Confucianism and Daoism have to do with physics? Is science too realist?

In part 2 of our interview with Carlo Rovelli, we help unpick the history of the philosophy of science. From uncovering how millennia old Chinese philosophers were debating Enlightenment philosophical principles, to finding whether the self and consciousness are functionally identical, Rovelli's argument finds a home in a single statement: we must rehumanise science.

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli is a pioneer of theories like Loop Quantum Gravity, White Holes, and the relational interpretation of quantum mechanics. His books include Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, which has been translated into 41 languages and sold over a million copies, as well as the bestselling Reality Is Not What It Seems (2015) and White Holes (2023). He was named one of the 100 most influential thinkers in the world by Foreign Policy magazine, and is Emeritus Professor at the Centre de Physique Théorique of Marseille, as well as holding positions at the Santa Fe Institute and the Perimeter Institute.

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Rehumanising science | Carlo Rovelli - Part 1

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Are electrons real? What is the connection between physics and Buddhism? Is now the time to rehumanise science?

Eastern philosophies have been an integral part of scientific thought and the development of multiple fields for millennia. Individuality and innovation have resulted in breakthrough after breakthrough, pushing the boundaries of the known in an ever-advancing march. However, Carlo Rovelli argues that science, especially physics, is leaving its philosophical roots behind, to the detriment of clarity and productive discourse.

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The future of the right | Sohrab Ahmari, Gawain Towler, Rachel Maclean, Mark Littlewood

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Is the populist right opposed to liberalism and the free market? Does this mark a change in what it is to be right-wing, or was it a mistake to see populism as far right in the first place? Or is there an unavoidable conflict on the right between maintaining the status quo and being conservative, and enabling change through the free market?

At the outset of the use of the term, to be on the right was to back the aristocracy, authority and the status quo. In contrast, the liberals, known as Whigs in 18th century Britain, backed change, freedom and the rights of the individual. But in recent decades to be in favour of the free market and against the state itself came to be seen as right-wing. Now there's a further twist. The new populist right, often described as far right by its critics, has become critical of some aspects of the free market. Trump's tariffs are in support of current jobs and against the market. Le Pen is against big corporations. Reform in favour of state ownership of key services.

Sohrab Ahmari is a celebrated journalist and cultural critic and co-founder of Compact magazine and author of Tyranny, Inc.

Gawain Towler is a British political strategist, journalist, and long-standing figure in the Eurosceptic movement. Best known for his work in party communications and media strategy, he currently serves on the governing board of Reform UK.

Rachel Maclean is a former UK minister, Conservative peer, and is Director of Strategy to the Leader of the Opposition.

Mark Littlewood is a libertarian economist and media commentator known for his provocative advocacy on free markets, regulation, and public policy. He’s currently director of the think tank Popular Conservatism.

Hosted by Roger Hearing.

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Neighbours before strangers | Alain de Botton, Seyla Benhabib and Tommy Curry

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Should everyone be treated equally?

Many see populism with its focus on immigration and nationalism as not only politically dangerous but morally wrong. This reflects the universalist morality of the main Western moral frameworks. But critics argue moral universalism generates a case for favouring strangers over the interests of those close to us and that it is profoundly mistaken. In contrast, Chinese Confucian morality accepts partiality towards our nearest. Recent studies have shown that we do in practice favour those close to us, and moreover that we think we are morally right to do so.

Alain de Botton is the best-selling philosopher and founder of The School of Life, an organisation dedicated to developing emotional intelligence through philosophy, psychotherapy, and culture. Seyla Benhabib is one of the most influential political philosophers of her generation and is the author of At the Margins of the Modern State. Tommy Curry is the Personal Chair of Africana Philosophy and Black Male Studies at the University of Edinburgh, renowned for his critical scholarship on the intersection of race, gender, and power. Alex O'Connor hosts.

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The importance of giving up | Adam Phillips

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:30:00 GMT

Einstein was called “slow” at school, J. K. Rowling collected a dozen rejections, and Walt Disney was once fired for “lacking imagination.” We love stories of perseverance—but what’s the cost of never letting go? In this conversation, psychoanalyst Adam Phillips argues that our obsession with endurance can have hidden, corrosive effects. He invites us to consider giving up not as failure, but as a creative act: a way to revise who we are, resist the tyranny of completion, and make room for lives that fit.

Adam Phillips is a leading British psychoanalyst and acclaimed essayist, celebrated for bringing psychoanalytic ideas into everyday life with clarity and wit. He is the author of more than twenty books, including On Kissing, Tickling, and Being Bored, Darwin’s Worms, Going Sane, On Balance, Attention Seeking, and On Wanting to Change. He has served as a child psychotherapist in the NHS and is the general editor of the new Penguin translations of Sigmund Freud. Health journalist Claudia Canavan hosts.

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After postmodernism | Hilary Lawson, Robin van den Akker, Abby Innes, Sophie Scott-Brown

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Hugely influential in the latter decades of the 20th century, postmodernism transformed many academic disciplines and culture at large. Associated with an attack on objective truth and the uniqueness of meaning, it called into question the whole edifice of knowledge which Western culture had previously glorified. But it left many lost, and in the wake of a polarising post-truth world, there is a widespread recognition that we need to move on. Feminist and post-colonial critics though claim there is a danger that instead we risk retreating to the questionable certainties of the past. Alongside defenders of objective truth like Richard Dawkins and Noam Chomsky, figures like Jordan Peterson argue for a return to moral certainties and belief in the existence of God.

Are there viable alternatives to postmodernism that are not simply a return to belief in universal truth? Are metamodernism or model-theoretic realism possible ways forward? Or is the chaos initiated by postmodernism so profound that the only credible approach is to return to the Enlightenment notion that we can arrive at the objective truth?

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The struggle for the good life | Massimo Pigliucci on ancient philosophy for the modern era

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

We all want to live the good life. But how many of us can claim to be truly content? Join philosopher and evolutionary biologist Massimo Pigliucci as he argues that pleasure, character, and a healthy dose of doubt, form the basis of the good life, and that purpose in life is crucial to realising our potential.

Massimo Pigliucci is a renowned philosopher and professor at the City College of New York. He is the author of several books, including, 'How to be a Stoic' and 'Beyond Stoicism'. A former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast and a self-proclaimed sceptic, Pigliucci is a champion of Enlightenment notions of reason and rationality.

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Will psychedelics revolutionize mental health treatment? | Matthew Johnson, Shayla Love, and Kevin Sabet

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The psychedelic revolution

Will LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine treatments live up to the hype?

For decades, psychedelics were derided as dangerous recreational drugs; now many claim they have the potential to revolutionise the treatment of mental health. With hundreds of clinical trials now taking place, the psychedelic therapeutic market is predicted to be over ten billion within the decade. It has been widely thought that psychedelics are effective at treating mental health because of the way they change brain chemistry. But studies from King's College London and Johns Hopkins suggest this is an error, arguing that it's the psychedelic experience that aids mental wellbeing, not the physical brain changes.

Should we stop focussing on brain chemistry as the solution to mental health? What is it about psychedelic experience that can aid mental well being and will psychedelics live up to their promise and usher in a mental health renaissance? Or is the hype bubble about to burst and should we look elsewhere for the silver bullet to the mental health crisis of our age?

Matthew Johnson is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. Shayla Love is a freelance reporter and former senior science writer at Vice News, focusing on psychedelics. Kevin Sabet is the founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and he has been described as the "quarterback of the new anti-drug movement".

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Minds, Madness And Medicine | Lucy Johnstone, David Nutt, David Healy

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 10:38:49 GMT

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Deaths from heart disease have fallen by almost two thirds since the 1960s, yet outcomes for those with mental illness have not improved for decades. Is this because we have the wrong categories and the wrong diagnoses? Might neuroscience enable more precise descriptions and more effective treatment? Or is it a mistake to think that biological accounts of mental illness will ever provide the answers? Users and Abusers of Psychiatry author Lucy Johnstone, psychiatrist David Nutt and author of The Antidepressant Era David Healy consider plausible alternatives to diagnosis.

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Are Hospitals Bad For Us? | Diane Abbott, Natalie Bennett, David Healy, Mark Salter

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 12:23:09 GMT

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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 David Healy get real about health, the NHS and the dangers of modern medicine.

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Slavoj Žižek on chaos and the modern world - PART 3

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 17:16:04 GMT

Heaven in disorder

What is the concept of 'the self'? How does it relate to how we understand freedom, democracy and ideology?Join Slavoj Zizek as he explores the ideas that underpin how we understand the world.

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How other species challenge our idea of consciousness | Peter Godfrey-Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

In this IAI Studio interview, philosopher and science writer Peter Godfrey-Smith explores the evolution of consciousness and the enduring mystery of the mind–body problem. Drawing on his work with octopuses and other animals, he argues that consciousness emerged gradually through increasingly complex forms of sensory-motor interaction, rather than as a sudden leap. Using cephalopods as a case study, he shows how minds can evolve in radically different ways, suggesting that subjective experience is more widespread,and varied, than we often assume. The conversation touches on ethics, the limits of physicalism, and how studying animal minds can reshape our understanding of our own.

Peter Godfrey-Smith is a philosopher of science and a leading thinker on the evolution of consciousness and animal minds. He is a professor at the University of Sydney and the author of several acclaimed books, including Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness and Metazoa: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind. His work combines philosophy, biology, and firsthand experience with marine animals to explore how subjective experience arises in the natural world. Through his research and writing, Godfrey-Smith offers a compelling naturalistic account of the mind that bridges science and philosophy.

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The Selfish and The Selfless SPECIAL | JD Vance, Pope Francis, and the 10 Commandments

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 08:00:00 GMT

What can JD Vance's arguments with Pope Francis teach us about selfishness, altruism, and the morality of the modern world?

Join the team at the IAI for four articles about egoism, self-sacrifice, and everything in between, analysing a range of subjects, including: Friedrich Nietzsche and his rivalry with former maestro Arthur Schopenhauer; the 10 Commandments and their relationship to jealousy; why God might be "stupid, indifferent, and evil"; and of course the aforementioned showdown between JD and the Pope.

These articles were written by Slavoj Žižek, Steven D. Hales, Kristján Kristjánsson, and Guy Elgat.

Slavoj Žižek is a Hegelian philosopher, a Lacanian psychoanalyst, and a Communist. He is the author of 'Christian Atheism: How to Be a Real Materialist'. Steven D. Hales is Professor of Philosophy at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, and author of 'The Myth of Luck: Philosophy, Fate and Fortune'. Kristján Kristjánsson is Professor of Character Education and Virtue Ethics at the University of Birmingham. His work spans topics in moral philosophy, moral psychology, and moral education. He is also the editor of the Journal of Moral Education. Guy Elgat is a lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is the author of 'Nietzsche's Psychology of Ressentiment' and 'Being Guilty: Freedom, Responsibility, and Conscience in German Philosophy from Kant to Heidegger'.

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A world without values | Janne Teller, Dale Turner, Robin van den Akker, Isabel Hilton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Once values such as justice and equality were agreed upon by all. Now they are identified by some as vehicles to entrench or overturn power. On the left, 'justice' as a means to sustain and impose privilege, 'truth' as an attempt to claim enduring authority. On the right, 'diversity' and 'equality' as means to undermine the status quo in favour of a new elite. The danger is apparent to many. Without agreed values, society is increasingly divided. Debate is limited by tribal associations that make discussion hard if not impossible.

Do we need to re-engage with those whose values and beliefs we reject, while accepting that our own values are not universal? Should we seek to construct a new enlightenment to provide an agreed basis for progress that could apply to all? Or do we just need to reinforce the liberal democratic values of our past?

Dale Turner, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Centre for Indigenous Studies at the University of Toronto, Janne Teller, critically-acclaimed writer of novels, essays and short stories, and Robin van den Akker, Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy of Culture at Erasmus University College Rotterdam, debate the values that govern our lives, and whether they are universal.

Do you think values are universal? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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The dark side of chasing rewards | Paul Bloom, Nancy Sherman, and Dan Ariely

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Something for nothing

Do rewards and incentives damage our humanity?

In much of our personal and professional lives, we receive rewards for good behaviour and carrying out our responsibilities. But, evidence now suggests there are risks to this approach. Studies show rewards can damage wellbeing, fostering dependence and undermining our own sense of control. And neuroscientists have shown those more prone to seeking reward have a 70% higher risk of addiction, with addictive behaviour now present in almost half of the U.S. population. So, should we move away from rewards-based systems, and instead learn to value doing the right thing simply for the sake of, well, doing the right thing?

Paul Bloom is a Canadian-American psychologist, bestselling author, and celebrated speaker. Bloom has written widely on human nature, and he won the Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize for his investigations into how children develop a sense of morality.

Dan Ariely is a Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Economics at Duke University and best-selling author. Ariely is a scholar of irrationality and decision-making, explaining how we repeatedly and predictably make the wrong decisions in many aspects of our lives.

Nancy Sherman is a Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University who has conducted research in general ethics, moral psychology, and the history of philosophy with focus on the Stoic tradition. A New York Times Notable Author and sought-after speaker, her views on military ethics have been influential.

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The power and the pitfalls of narrative | Matthew Beaumont, Ruth Padel, and Theodore Dalrymple

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Lost in stories

Is life a story or a sequence of events?

Our narratives enable us to make sense of the complex, often confusing, world that we live in. And yet there is a risk that rather than helping us to truly understand this world, narratives can hide reality from us, providing delusional states of mind in its place. From witch hunts to cults, from war propaganda to religious honour killings, people are prepared to kill and die for stories they believe in, while others see these narratives as wildly false illusions.

Matthew Beaumont is Professor of English at University College London, UK and the author of several books, including two on the topic of late nineteenth-century utopianism. He has also edited several essay collections and published numerous articles in scholarly journals.

Ruth Padel is a poet, broadcaster, and critic whose engagement with the natural world infuses her volumes of poetry, nature writing, biography, and criticism.

Theodore Dalrymple is the pen-name for Anthony Malcolm Daniels, an English cultural critic, prolific writer, satirist, prison physician, and psychiatrist.

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Ancient Philosophy SPECIAL | Plato's Gymnasium, Celebrity Messiahs, and Bronze Age Economics

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 10:30:00 GMT

What can ancient philosophers teach you about exercise, economics, and the myth of celebrity?

Join the team at the IAI for three articles about life, ideas, and status in ancient Greece. Written by Etienne Helmer, Steve Fuller, and Sabrina B. Little, these articles cover a range of thought-provoking concepts, including; why Plato wants you to go for a run, how Athenian values can improve our current economic predicament, and what we can learn from the (perhaps embellished) stories of Socrates and Jesus.

Sabrina B. Little is an Assistant Professor at Christopher Newport University and the author of "The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners," published by Oxford University Press. Sabrina's research is in virtue ethics, classical philosophy, and moral psychology. She is also a 5-time US Champion and World Championship silver medallist in trail and ultramarathon running.

Steve Fuller is a postmodern philosopher, Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick, and the author of "Popper vs. Kuhn," and "Dissent Over Descent: Intelligent Design's Challenge to Darwinism."

Etienne Helmer is a philosopher at the University of Puerto Rico, specialising in the philosophy of economics, politics, and the sociology of ancient Greece.

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The philosophy behind Thanksgiving | Property, Power, and Indigenous Land Rights

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:24:38 GMT

Land, ownership and hypocrisy with Peter Singer, Dale Turner, Tommy J. Curry and Janne Teller

Since Magna Carta, the right to property is seen as universal, yet this principle often favours the strong. While nations like Ukraine are supported in reclaiming invaded land, Indigenous peoples in North America—who lost 99% of their land after European invasion—face severe inequalities and little restitution. Despite the belief in inalienable rights, almost no one advocates returning land to Native Americans. Is this principle applied hypocritically? Or is our attachment to universal rights genuine and should we be returning a major part of the land in North America to its original inhabitants?

This episode, hosted by Barry C. Smith, features a panel of distinguished experts exploring justice, rights, and ownership. Peter Singer, a leading ethicist renowned for his work in bioethics and animal rights, has received accolades including the Berggruen Prize and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award. Dale Turner, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, specializes in Indigenous politics and postcolonial thought, with a highly anticipated novel, Vision, on the horizon. Tommy J. Curry, Chair in Africana Philosophy and Black Male Studies at the University of Edinburgh, is the award-winning author of The Man-Not: Race, Class, Genre, and the Dilemmas of Black Manhood. Janne Teller, an acclaimed writer of fiction and essays, has been celebrated for her works promoting peace and understanding. Together, they bring unique perspectives to this timely conversation.

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Halloween SPECIAL | The philosophy of monsters, magic, and mausoleums

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:09:36 GMT

Why do audiences across the world love to be scared at the cinema? Why do we have such strong attachments to those who have left this Earth? What can horror tell us about ourselves?

Join the team at the IAI for a reading of three Halloween-themed articles, written by historian Thomas Laqueur, and philosophers Noël Carroll and David Livingstone Smith. From the importance of funeral practices to the true meaning of vampires and werewolves, this episode is a spooky journey through all things macabre.

David Livingstone Smith is professor of philosophy at the University of New England. His research interests include self-deception, dehumanization, human nature, ideology, race and moral psychology. Noël Carroll is an American philosopher considered to be one of the leading figures in contemporary philosophy of art. Although Carroll is best known for his work in the philosophy of film, he has also published journalism, works on philosophy of art generally, theory of media, and also philosophy of history. Thomas Laqueur is an American historian, sexologist and writer. He is the author of 'Solitary Sex: A Cultural History of Masturbation' and 'Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud' as well as many articles and reviews.

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Consciousness and the limits of science PART 1 | Sean Carroll, Ellen Langer, and Tamar Gendler

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Mind, matter, and everything - PART ONE

Can science ever solve the problem of consciousness? Do our methods look for answers in all the wrong places? Join Sean Carroll, Ellen Langer, and Tamar Gendler as they debate the possibility of science providing answers to the hardest problem of all - the problem of subjective experience. Jack Symes hosts.

Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at John Hopkins University, and he also hosts the weekly podcast ‘Mindscape’, which explores interesting ideas in science, philosophy, culture, and the arts. Ellen Langer is an award-winning scientist, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, and the author of ‘The Mindful Body’. Tamar Gendler is Yale University's Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Vincent J. Scully Professor of Philosophy, and also a Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science.

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Does life have meaning? PART 1: John VERVAEKE on Solving the meaning crisis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:07:22 GMT

PART 1 of Does life have meaning Series: How do we find meaning (and happiness) in the contemporary age?

Humans have a special need for meaning in their life. A life without meaning, many would agree, has no value. But what does meaning actually mean? And how can we ensure our life is full of it?

Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science John Vervaeke has dedicated much of his research precisely to this question. He is well-known for his attempts to define a meaningful life in an age characterised by increasing rates of depression and loneliness. He has also been at the forefront of efforts to treat studies on mindfulness and related topics with seriousness in academia.

In this talk, he gives the lay of the land: why are we devoid of meaning in the current moment, and what can we do about it?

Our London festival is coming up on 21-22 September at Hampstead Heath! Make sure to book your tickets while they are available here: https://howthelightgetsin.org/.

There are thousands of more big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/.

You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

If you want to hear/read more from John Vervaeke, explore some of the below, all published by the IAI:

His article: The return of meaning

Speaking on spirituality with other famous speakers: De-bunking new-age spirituality

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Loving oneself and loving others | Carol Gilligan, Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, Richard Wrangham

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:43:46 GMT

How much should we really value altruism?

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From charity-givers, to those who sacrifice themselves in war for others, we see altrusim and selflessness as virtues to be applauded. Those who take no heed of their own interests are highly praised in Western culture. But many point to a danger. Studies show that altruism gone awry leads to tolerating abusive partners, eating disorders and depression. And critics argue that some of history's most horrific episodes rose from appeals to altruistic tendencies. Forced sterlizations in the West were justified as "better for all the world". Should we see unhampered altruism not only as futile, but actively dangerous?

Join Professor of Humanities and Applied Psychology at New York University, Carol Gilligan, feminist icon and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lodz, Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, and Research Professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard University, Richard Wrangham as they debate the dangers of altruism. Robert Lawrence Kuhn hosts.

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Slavoj Žižek on philosophy today | The madness of reality

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Slavoj Žižek is back in a new interview where he takes us through his thoughts on the role of philosophy, the future of sex, his fear and love of AI and, as always, so much more.

Tune in to hear one of contemporary philosophy's most original and darkly comedic minds expose his thoughts on the present and where we are heading - though that is impossible to know.

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Building the Future, Remembering the Past | Peter Tatchell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:31:59 GMT

How should we redress the wrongs done to the LGBT+ community in the past? And is it even possible? Peter Tatchell discusses.

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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 our past.

Peter Tatchell is a prominent activist, author and co-founder of the queer human rights group OutRage!. Through the Peter Tatchell Foundation, he campaigns for human rights in Britain and internationally.

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Words and the World | Paul Muldoon, Jennifer Hornsby, Hilary Lawson, Rebecca Roache

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 09:00:00 GMT

How 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 winning poet Paul Muldoon, post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson and senior philosophy lecturer Rebecca Roache.

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Perversity and the limits of rational | Psychologist Paul Bloom

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What is rationality? Why is it or is it not important? And where does perversity fit in?

Join psychologist Paul Bloom in this interview where he discusses his research on these themes and defends his viewpoints.

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The price of everything, value of nothing | Politics series | Daniel Susskind, Abby Innes, Will Hutton, Richard Kibble

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:30:29 GMT

Under capitalism, it can be hard to disentangle an idea of 'value' from that which the market sets as 'valuable' - that is to say, expensive items. Is the price mechanism in any way a useful or accurate way of representing value, or are we unable to measure what we really value through it?

Join our panel of four diverse social scientists to make sense of this question: Abby Innes is Associate Professor of Political Economy at the LSE; Daniel Susskind is a Research Professor in Economics at King's College; Will Hutton is a political economist and journalist; and Richard Kibble is a Partner at Deloitte. The question of whether we should keep or scrap our current economic model obviously enters the picture.

And please email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode! Do you believe the GDP and the price mechanism are good ways of approximating value?

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How they ruined philosophy | Babette Babich, Genia Schönbaumsfeld, and Christoph Schuringa

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Did analytic philosophy ruin the entire discipline?

For more than a century there has been a divide in Western philosophy between two distinct approaches, often described as analytic and continental philosophy. Analytic philosophy is predominantly based in the English-speaking world taking its name from Bertrand Russell’s philosophy of logical analysis that overthrew the grand Hegelian metaphysics of the 19th century. It did so in favour of a focus on logic and linguistic precision, with the assumption that science would do the serious work of uncovering the nature of reality. Continental philosophy, based primarily in France and Germany, has offered a broad range of outlooks on the nature of the human condition and the world. It has been defined by its critics simply in opposition to analytic philosophy.

Few thinkers have bridged the divide to be taken seriously by both camps. Yet both traditions now have deep challenges. The original focus of analytic philosophy has become increasingly blurred while in France English speaking philosophy is now in vogue.

What is the future of European thought? Are we seeing the end of the analytic and continental divide? Or is the Enlightenment tradition itself under threat and with it the influence and identity of European philosophy?

Associate Professor of Philosophy at Northeastern University London, Christoph Schuringa is known for his works on German philosophy and is Editor of the Hegel Bulletin. Genia Schönbaumsfeld is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southampton and the author of several books – most recently, Wittgenstein on Religious Belief. Babette Babich is Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University and the editor of the journal New Nietzsche Studies. Hosted by Danielle Sands.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Crisis in the academy | Yaron Brook, Eric Kaufmann, Catherine Liu

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Universities, long celebrated as sanctuaries of free thought and intellectual rigour, have for centuries been regarded as the best way to educate and conduct research. But increasingly, this assumption is being questioned. A recent study found that two-thirds of academics feel their freedom to teach and study is being curtailed. In 2022 alone, over 1,000 instances of content warnings or text removals were documented across UK universities. While some academics now criticise PhD programmes as a way to extract "fees and cheap labour" from students, reports suggest that most academic papers are read by an average of just ten people. More than half of respondents now say that going to university is not worth it. And in the US, graduate student debt averages over $71,000, while similar information is often freely available online.

Should we call time on the age of the university and find new, innovative ways to educate people? Should we leave research and innovation to the business sector and free-market forces? Or are universities still vital to our education and culture and can a radical overhaul restore them to their original purpose?

Yaron Brook is a political scientist, and chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute. He’s a bestselling author and the host of The Yaron Brook Show. Catherine Liu is a Professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She’s the author of Virtue Hoarders: The Case against the Professional Managerial Class. Eric Kaufmann is Professor of Politics at the University of Buckingham. He’s the author of Taboo and Whiteshift: Immigration, Populism and the Future of White Majorities. Jay Shapiro hosts.

Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts on the episode!

To see your favourite thinkers tackle philosophy's most current issues, buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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The Maths of Life | Silvia Jonas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 10:06:28 GMT

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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 Philosophy working in metaphysics, philosophy of mathematics, and epistemology. She is the author of 'Metaphysics: The Unspeakable in Art, Religion, and Philosophy'.

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The philosophy of dehumanisation | David Livingstone Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:08:15 GMT

The philosophy of dehumanisation with David Livingstone Smith

In this exclusive interview, philosopher David Livingstone Smith explores the history, nature, and evolution of dehumanisation. As what is 'acceptable' in society changes, so do the tactics of undercover dehumanisation. How can we identify these, and how might we progress? Smith's solutions vary from holding up the mirror to reveal there are no 'monsters', to his more radical suggestion: getting rid of dehumanisation's prelude, racialisation. Smith presents us with a candid but unique outlook on this topic, touching on everything from deferring to the expert and symbols of hate, to having hope without optimism.

David Livingstone Smith is a philosopher and author, most recently of Making Monsters: The Uncanny Power of Dehumanization. His research interests include self-deception, dehumanization, human nature, ideology, race and moral psychology. His book Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others, won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award.

To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode! Do you agree with David Livingstone Smith's analysis? Where do you think dehumanisation comes from?

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Is our metaphysics beholden to common sense? | Fragments and reality with Michael Della Rocca, Timothy Maudlin, Kathleen Higgins

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:25:58 GMT

Should we follow our philosophical conclusions wherever they take us? Or is there a hard wall of common sense that we are beholden to?

Listen to some of today's leading philosophers in science and metaphysics as they talk it out!

Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at New York University as well as the Founder/Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Michael Della Rocca is Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and a famous disciple of the pre-Socratic philosopher Parmenides. Kathleen Higgins is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, specialising in aesthetics, philosophy of music, nineteenth and twentieth-century continental philosophy, and philosophy of emotion.

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Was Max Planck right about consciousness? | Patricia Churchland, Brian Greene, Amanda Gefter and Laura Mersini-Houghton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:49:34 GMT

Was Planck wrong or was he into something? Our experts discuss.

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Most of us, scientists included, see physics as an attempt to provide an objective description of the world independent of human subjectivity and consciousness. Yet, Max Planck, one of major scientific figures of the twentieth century and the founder of quantum mechanics, stated as a result of his investigations and experiments: “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness.”

Should we listen to Planck? Can we plausibly see matter as derivative of consciousness? Might doing so help solve the deep puzzles facing contemporary physics and overcome the ‘hard problem of consciousness’ itself? Or does this outlook, as Einstein argued, undermine the very success and objectivity of science and take us back to a world of superstition?

Cosmologist, theoretical physicist Laura Mersini-Houghton, groundbreaking physicist Brian Greene, esteemed physics and philosophy writer Amanda Gefter and eliminative materialism pioneer Patricia Churchland debate Planck and the Consciousness Puzzle. Catherine Heymans hosts.

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Will science crack the mystery of consciousness? | Bernardo Kastrup, Patricia Churchland, Carlo Rovelli

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 17:54:59 GMT

Neuroscience?! Quantum Physics?! Is new data on the horizon?

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We are uncovering a new science of consciousness. A theory that is getting closer to solving the problem of the self once and for all. Or at least so claim leading neuroscientists. Some argue the reality we perceive is a controlled hallucination as a best guess to how the world really is. Others that quantum mechanics or multiple levels of brain organisation are responsible for consciousness. But critics maintain these don't get to the heart of the problem: how the material stuff of the brain is responsible for the immaterial stuff of experience.

Should we see the 'new science of consciousness' as marketing hype? Might we alternatively need to give up our very notion of reality? Or could science be about to crack the ancient problem of the self once and for all?

Legendary theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli, ground breaking metaphysical idealist Bernardo Kastrup, godmother of neurophilosophy Patricia Churchland lock horns over the New Science of Consciousness.

Robert Lawrence Kuhn Hosts.

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Mazes of the mind: The philosophy of neuroscience | Iain McGilchrist, Colin Blakemore, Bryan Appleyard

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Over the past decades, neuroscience has blossomed, positioning itself as a kind of master discipline over everything else. For who understands the brain surely understands all of human activity and creation? Or not?

Neuroscience's reach has extended past its scientific remit and into the world of philosophy and its major questions. What is a human? What is consciousness? Are we free? And so on. Yet its utility in this field, and in general, is still being fiercely debated, with its proponents and detractors arguing on the one side that it is the key to the universe, and on the other that it is a bunch of garbage.

Join this engaging conversation from 2011 where Iain McGilchrist, famous psychologist and researcher of the brain, the late neuroscientist and neurobiologist Colin Blakemore, and journalist Bryan Appleyard delve into the nitty-gritty of neuroscience and what it has to say on major philosophical questions. Post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson hosts.

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Is analytic philosophy's fixation on language holding us back? | Barry Smith, Maria Balaska, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Is it time for the English-speaking world to move on from analytic philosophy?

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Focusing on logic and the meaning of words, analytic philosophy sought to put philosophy on a scientific footing. Yet a century on and critics argue the core questions about the relationship between language and the world have been largely abandoned as insoluble, while the focus on logic and the aping of science is out of sync with the contemporary environment.

Should we see analytic philosophy as the high point of an enlightenment scientism that has been in retreat almost since its inception and which is no longer relevant? Or can it be revived by applying its focus on rationality and the logic of words to the divisive and emotional disputes that beset current culture?

Distinguished philosopher of language and the senses Barry Smith, Wittgensteinian expert Maria Balaska and maverick post-post modern philosopher Hilary Lawson lock horns over whether philosophy's fixation on language has held us back. Rufus Duits hosts.

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The Promise of Psychedelics | David Nutt, Amanda Feilding, Stephen Reid

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 10:28:26 GMT

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Besides being illegal, LSD has not had good press, associated with bad trips and psychological breakdown. But with a new craze for microdosing acid amongst Silicon Valley whizz kids and management gurus, and respected scientists claiming antidepressant benefits, might we have been too quick to ban psychedelics? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Pharmacologist and former Home Office drugs advisor David Nutt, drugs reformer and director of the Beckley Foundation Amanda Feilding and founder of the Psychedelic Society Stephen Reid explore the promise of psychedelics.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Weird and the Wonderful: Eileen Barker, Ariane Sherine, Phil Rickman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:48:35 GMT

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In Europe, belief in organised religion continues to decline as science advances. Yet strangely interest in everything from ley lines to solstice rituals is on the rise. Should we dismiss this as empty fantasy? Or is there in nature something essential to ourselves, beyond science and beyond monotheistic religion? Sociologist Eileen Barker, comedian and Dawkins collaborator Ariane Sherine, and fantasy novelist Phil Rickman find meaning in spirituality.

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Panpsychism vs physics | Philip Goff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:06:16 GMT

How does panpsychism clash with fundamental physics? Does it? Can we find a theory that supports science AND philosophy to finally explain consciousness?

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In this episode Philip Goff responds to recent critiques of panpsychism by theoretical physicists Sean Carroll and Sabine Hossenfelder, and then explores some implications for the science of consciousness.

Philip Goff is a philosopher of consciousness at Durham University. His research focuses on integrating consciousness into our scientific worldview. His 2019 book Galileo's Error sets out his defence of panpsychism rooted in an analysis of the work of Arthur Eddington and Bertrand Russell.

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Consciousness Beyond Time | Laura Mersini-Houghton, Paul Davies, Craig Callender, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:33:52 GMT

Might consciousness operate in an entirely different sphere, outside of the world of space and time?

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We imagine ourselves as existing within time and space. Yet, we only ever experience the present moment. It is all we have. And within the present moment there is no direct experience of past or future. Nor is the present moment located anywhere, since it is everything for us. In short, there is no map reference for being or consciousness. No time zone or hour.

Renowned multiverse theorist Laura Mersini-Houghton, legendary physicist, writer and broadcaster Paul Davies, post postmodern philosopher and Closure theorist Hilary Lawson and philosopher of science Craig Callender lock horns over the arrows of time. Sara Walker hosts.

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Does language make us uniquely human? | Ray Tallis, Joanna Kavenna and Jennifer Ackerman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 13:41:15 GMT

Have you ever wondered if birds talk to each other like we do? Listen in to find out whether we are really all that different.

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Many think language makes us uniquely human. Are humans no different in principle from other animals and plants? Or is language profoundly different from all other forms of communication and the enabler of consciousness itself?

Joining us to debate the uniqueness of human language are bestselling author of The Genius of Birds Jennifer Ackerman, philosopher and cultural critic Ray Tallis, and author of A Field Guide to Reality and Zed Joanna Kavenna.

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Necessity and lies | Rebecca Roache, Simon Baron-Cohen, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:34:44 GMT

Is it ever right to lie? Is honesty ever wrong?

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Honesty is upheld as an age-old virtue of civilisation. Yet there are many instances where we deem lying desirable. Few would think it right for parents to be honest with their offspring about their favourite child, or to be honest about talents or abilities if it is likely to be hurtful for a relative, colleague or friend. Nor are we critical of Churchill for his rousing wartime speeches even if we now know he did not always believe them himself.

Should we recognise that lying can be valuable, and sometimes necessary, for ourselves and those in power? Or is honesty not only essential in public life but vital in all aspects of our everyday life as well? Alternatively, is the mistake to see honesty as a virtue and instead recognise it as an act that can be both good and ill.

Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, Rebecca Roache, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at Cambridge University, Simon Baron-Cohen, and non-realist philosopher, Hilary Lawson join Samira Shackle to scrutinize honesty and deception.

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Postmodernism in the dock | Julian Baggini, Mina Salami, Hilary Lawson and Julie Bindel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Are we right to abandon objective truth?

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It has been forty years since postmodernism swept through the academy changing the character of the arts and social sciences, impacting everything from literary criticism to anthropology, art history to sociology. Soon after it invaded culture generally and technical terms such as 'deconstruction' became widespread. Yet now its critics, including members of the British Cabinet, argue it ushered in an era of tribal conflict, woke culture, and populist deception and is at the source of a pernicious decline in reason and objective truth.

Should we seek to reverse the changes that postmodernism brought about and overturn its attack on the intellectual tradition of the West? Or was postmodernism a progressive force whose insights were largely correct? Or, do we need a new radical approach altogether?

Co-founder and editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine Julian Baggini, award-winning journalist Minna Salami, radical philosopher Hilary Lawson and boundary pushing feminist Julie Bindel line up as prosecution and defence with postmodernism in the dock. Hosted by journalist and author David Aaronovitch.

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Utopia and human nature | Paul Bloom

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Human nature and the possibility of utopia

The idea of utopia - of a perfect society devoid of suffering and inequality - is planted firmly in the human imagination and psyche. From pre-biblical times to Thomas More and communism and beyond, widely disparate groups have attempted to plan or create a utopia.

But is it achievable? And if not, why not?

Join unconventional psychologist Paul Bloom as he makes the case for the impossibility of utopia given certain key features of human nature. We are not meant, he argues, for perfect harmony and equality. Paul Bloom is a researcher of perversion and suffering, so his perspective brings interesting insights on the question.

But what do you think? Can we ever achieve utopia? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

For the video mentioned in the talk (Woman throws cat into wheelie bin): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYdUZdan5i8

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Did consciousness evolve? | Donald Hoffman, Iain McGilchrist, Eva Jablonka and Michelle Montague

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 15:30:00 GMT

How did consciousness come into existence?

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'Steven Pinker and Sam Harris have argued "the emergence of consciousness is simply incomprehensible". While recent neuroscientists have concluded "there is no convincing function to be found for consciousness". But if so, why are we conscious? Is consciousness an accurate description of what's happening to us, a sort of internal dashboard of the current state of affairs? Or is it a construction made to achieve certain outcomes?

Has evolution got something seriously wrong if consciousness is a mere by-product of being human? Do we need a new account of consciousness and how it fits into our model of the universe? Is it possible that consciousness itself is leading us astray?

Famed cognitive psychologist Donald Hoffman, celebrated psychiatrist and former literary scholar Iain McGilchrist, trailblazing evolutionary theorist and geneticist Eva Jablonka and pioneering philosopher of consciousness Michelle Montague lock horns over whether consciousness evolved. Robert Lawrence Kuhn hosts.

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Do we need technological progress? | Kenneth Cukier, Nolen Gertz, Caitjan Gainty

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Is technology holding us back?

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From work to entertainment, communication to travel, technology has shaped every aspect of our lives. We think technological progress is relentless and inevitable. But Aldous Huxley argued "technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards".

Should we give up the idea that technology is the way to make our lives better altogether? Or is technological progress the only way forward? In this exciting debate, Economist deputy editor Kenneth Cukier, historian Caitjan Gainty and nihilist philosopher Nolan Gertz put their dreams to the test. Jess Wade hosts.

Kenneth Cukier is a renowned American journalist and coauthor of the NYT Bestselling book “Big Data”. Caitjan Gainty is an established historian of 20th century health and co-runs the Healthy Scepticism project, Nolan Gertz is a philosopher of applied ethics, and author of the cutting-edge book "Nihilism and Technology". Our host, Jess Wade, is a well-loved British physicist, researcher and advocate for women in STEM.

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Truth and Scientific Progress | Nancy Cartwright

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 12:01:26 GMT

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How important is trust and authority to the healthy production of modern science? At a time of uncertainty and doubt, many of us look to science to provide the answers. But does science deserve the authority we give it? And does our trust help, or are challenge and criticism better drivers of progress?

A former mathematician turned philosopher of science, Nancy Cartwright breaks down the importance of evidence and trust in the processes of science.

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Doing Wrong To Do Right | Stephen de Wijze

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 11:59:07 GMT

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Is it possible to do a morally wrong action in order to do what is morally required? To help us answer this question we're joined by political philosopher and author Stephen de Wijze who explores the 'dirty hands' idea.

Stephen de Wijze is senior lecturer in political theory at the University of Manchester. His work is concerned with the interface between ethical constraints and effective political action. He co-edited (with Eve Garrard) Thinking Towards Humanity: Themes from Norman Geras in 2012.

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Consciousness - a science or a philosophy? | Avshalom Elitzur

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Why has the concept of consciousness stumped scientists forever? Is there a way of overcoming this impasse?

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Join physicist and philosopher Avshalom Elitzur as he fearlessly accompanies physics to its logical limitations - the understanding of our lived experiences and, most importantly, our consciousness. Elitzur takes Leibniz' challenge to scientists as his starting point and ends by defending what some may term a more mystical interpretation of material reality.

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The philosophy of literature SPECIAL | George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Aldous Huxley, and more

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 08:00:00 GMT

How literature helps us to understand morality, totalitarian politics, and the life of Jesus Christ.

Join the team at the IAI for four articles about great, classic literature, covering world-renowned authors such as George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Clarice Lispector, to name but a few.

These articles were written by Michael Marder, Emrah Atasoy, John Givens, and Dana Dragunoiu.

Michael Marder is Ikerbasque Research Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Emrah Atasoy is a professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Warwick. John Givens is a professor of Russian at the University of Rochester and the author of 'The Image of Christ in Russian Literature: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Bulgakov, Pasternak'. Dana Dragunoiu the author of 'Vladimir Nabokov and the Art of Moral Acts' and 'Simply Nabokov'.

And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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Being mindful in a mindless world | Ellen Langer

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The mindful body with Ellen Langer

Can mindfulness be contagious?

Ellen Langer's research certainly seems to suggest that's the case. As Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and the author of 'The Mindful Body', Ellen has racked up decades of experience and numerous awards during her investigations into the impact of mindful living.

In this interview, Ellen discusses the transformative power of mindfulness in our daily lives, exploring how most of us operate mindlessly and therefore miss out on the incredible benefits that mindful practices can bring to our physical and mental health.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

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On the nature of reality | Iain McGilchrist and Rowan Williams

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 17:17:10 GMT

Who are we? Why are we here? Does life have a meaning beyond itself?

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Join former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and ground-breaking psychiatrist, literary scholar and author of 'The Matter with Things', Iain McGilchrist, to explore the nature of meaning, and why we should move beyond the assumptions of a materialist worldview from radically divergent perspectives.

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The Problem with Love | Mark Salter, Helen-Ann Hartley, Phillip Blond

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 08:58:53 GMT

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'Love conquers all' is a motto central to our culture and its Christian heritage. Yet Buddhists think love an obstacle to enlightenment. Nietzsche went further and called love barbaric ‘for it is practised at the expense of all others’. Is love for all an illusion? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, consultant psychiatrist Mark Salter, Anglican Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley and Political Philosopher Phillip Blond debate the darker sides of the most powerful emotion.

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The End Of All Things | John Dupré, Subir Sarkar, Nancy Cartwright

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 08:53:01 GMT

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We tend to think of physical, material things as the ultimate stuff of the universe. Yet contemporary physics has largely abandoned physical things in favour of energy and fields. Should we give up on our conviction that physical stuff is the bedrock of the world, or is such talk ivory tower nonsense? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, John Dupré, Subir Sarkar, and Nancy Cartwright debate the materialist view of the universe.

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Love Incorporated | Catherine Hakim, Mark Salter, Richard Coles

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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As Romeo and Juliet showed, love is a wild and unpredictable force even when faced with reason and control. But we join online dating sites to increase our probability of finding it. Are emotions and intimacy rational choices that can be measured and explained, or is this the sort of reductionist thinking that love seeks to escape?

Broadcaster and priest Richard Coles, Erotic Capital theorist Catherine Hakim and consultant psychiatrist Mark Salter investigate love.

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/love-incorporated

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The philosophy of who we are | Kwame Anthony Appiah

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:04:24 GMT

Who are we really?

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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: Ethics in a World of Strangers.'

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The good and the evil│Tommy Curry, Massimo Pigliucci, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 May 2023 16:30:00 GMT

Can we make ultimate moral judgements?

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For a couple of millenia in the West we have judged people and their actions by the standards of good and evil. But, from Mother Theresa to Winston Churchill the notion that an individual is simply good is hard to sustain. Almost all claim to be good. Even the Nazis believed they were on a moral crusade against the evils of corruption and deceit, managing to enlist the Catholic church in support. And, from the Crusades to 9/11, seeing oneself and one's cause as good has a habit of intensifying dispute and conflict.

Should we conclude that dividing the world into good and bad is not just misguided but actually dangerous? Should we adopt a Roman approach to human qualities and actions where kindness and brutality could both be valued in the same one individual. Or is the distinction between good and bad essential to social well being, public order, and individual growth?

Fearless thinker, Tommy Curry, esteemed philosopher, Massimo Pigliucci, and author of Zed, Joanna Kavenna, explore whether 'good' and 'evil' are just categories used for coercion. Hosted by Myriam Francois.

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Can art uncover the essence of the world? | Janne Teller, Isy Suttie, Paul Muldoon, James Tartaglia

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Should we see art as a means of getting closer to the essence of what it is to be alive?

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Art is most often seen as an adornment to everyday life. An entertainment, a delightful distraction perhaps, but not an uncovering of the essential character of the world. To uncover reality, we instead focus on accurate description and the discovery of facts. Yet these descriptions frequently do not settle the matter and can often lead to conflict and dispute, and all the while we are no closer to agreement on the essential nature of reality.

Could we successfully refocus culture so that art was the primary means of making sense of ourselves and our reality? Or is this an empty romantic illusion that would leave us poorer, less productive and less able to fend for ourselves in the world?

Critically acclaimed writer Janne Teller, musical comedian and writer Isy Suttie, British philosopher James Tartaglia and Pulitzer prize poet Paul Muldoon as they debate whether art can uncover the essence of the world. Hosted by acclaimed author, Joanna Kavenna.

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The trauma of the everyday | Joanna Kavenna, Ian Parker, Sarah Garfinkel, Mark Salter

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 13:18:27 GMT

Have mundane setbacks become catastrophic? Our experts discuss.

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Trauma was traditionally associated with events such as war, assault and natural disasters. Now it is increasingly used to describe everyday experiences like personal criticism or romantic rejection, and of becoming an empty therapeutic buzzword. Some psychologists argue that we risk undermining diagnoses of serious disorders by treating the mundane as the catastrophic, at the same time as making us less resilient.

Should we stop describing everyday setbacks as trauma? Or is a looser understanding of trauma to be encouraged so that individuals can come to terms with their suffering? Or is this all a symptom of a broader cultural focus on our emotional lives which once promised better mental health, but which has now turned out to have undermined an entire generation?

Neuroscientist Sarah Garfinkel, bestselling author of Zed Joanna Kavenna and fearless psychoanalyst Ian Parker explore modern trauma and what we can do about it.

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Evolution After Darwin | Massimo Pigliucci, Zanna Clay, Tim Lewens

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 11:39:16 GMT

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The brutal mechanism of natural selection gave rise to all life on our planet. Or so the Darwinian story goes. But from mice to great whales, it now appears that animals inherit socially acquired characteristics. Is the theory of natural selection a Victorian relic, about to be replaced by a new science of cultural evolution? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, philosopher of science Massimo Pigliucci, psychologist and primatologist Zanna Clay and professor of philosophy Tim Lewens ask if there is more to evolution than we might think.

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Why the neoclassical philosophy of economics is fundamentally flawed | Abby Innes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

What do the Soviet Union and the current British economy have in common? What can studying the philosophy of science reveal about our economic systems? Is the depoliticisation of economics a dangerous pipe dream?

Join political economist Abby Innes as she argues that treating society as a closed system that can be controlled and regulated ignores man's unrelenting capacity for new ideas and technologies. Abby Innes is Associate Professor of Political Economy in the European Institute at the LSE.

To see your favourite thinkers tackle philosophy's most current issues, buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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Perception as a fantasy | Donald Hoffman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:23:58 GMT

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

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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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The Rise and Fall of Ideologies | Rory Stewart, Grace Blakeley, Michael Sandel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:58:37 GMT

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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 we’re joined remotely by three leading thinkers Former Conservative MP Rory Stewart, economist Grace Blakeley, and Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel.

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The Secrets of Consciousness | Interview with Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 18:24:50 GMT

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Rupert Sheldrake is a renowned author and biologist, known for his research into parapsychology. In this exclusive interview, Rupert shares with us the secrets of consciousness, putting forward a panpsychist view of what it is to be conscious and debunking why materialism has failed.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Science, Sex and Stereotypes | Helena Cronin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 12:15:19 GMT

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Darwinian philosopher Helena Cronin breaks a 21st century taboo: Did men and women evolve differently?

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The Vital Statistics | Helena Cronin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 17:32:57 GMT

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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

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Dancing With The Devil | Simon Baron-Cohen, Rebecca Roache, Peter Dews

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We think we've grown out of the belief in evil. It's not in our genes and people don't get possessed. But across media and culture, from Star Wars to Isis, evil still holds us strangely captive. Why does the devil seem to have the best tunes? Is the battle between good and evil an essential part of being human after all?

Cambridge psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen joins philosopher Rebecca Roache and The Idea of Evil author Peter Dews to investigate the strangeness of evil.

In association with the British Humanist Association

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Free will is not an illusion | Denis Noble

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 18:42:23 GMT

Biology against determinism!

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We all feel like we have free will. That our decisions are our own and that we could have chosen otherwise. But today, many prominent figures argue free will is an illusion. Join groundbreaking biologist Denis Noble as he argues that, in fact, our bodies hold the key to our freedom.

Denis Noble is a renowned physiologist and one of the pioneers of Systems Biology. He is Emeritus Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology at Oxford University. Noble is known in his field for developing the first viable mathematical model of the working heart in 1960.

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Big Bang Creation Myths | Sean Carroll, Roger Penrose, Laura Mersini-Houghton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 10:50:56 GMT

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The big bang theory won out over the Steady State alternative 50 years ago because we discovered the universe was expanding. But now we know that the universe is in fact accelerating away from us. Might the whole big bang theory be mistaken? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, eminent mathematician Roger Penrose, CalTech physicist and author of From Eternity to Here Sean Carroll and multiverse cosmologist Laura Mersini-Houghton look at the story of creation once again.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Cities of the future | Lucelia Rodrigues

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:30:00 GMT

What is the architecture of a sustainable world?

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We are living in environmental crisis. But the solution might be closer to home than we think. Join Nottingham University Professor Lucelia Rodriguez as she sets out her vision for the cities of the future.

In association with University of Nottingham.

Lucelia Rodrigues is one of the world’s foremost experts on sustainability. She is Chair of Sustainable and Resilient Cities in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham.

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Where language fails us | Kehinde Andrews, John McWhorter and Laurie Ann Paul

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:12:06 GMT

Is language capable of communicating experience?

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We think sharing experience is essential to being human. At an individual level, we share experiences to get to know others and understand them. Yet from the taste of an apple to giving birth, we know we cannot fully describe the experience to someone who has not already had it. Many now also maintain that it is impossible to communicate the experience of discrimination, and other cultures can only be understood by those who have experienced it. But even if it remains an impossible task - for language to truly bridge our separate realities - should it nevertheless remain something that is continually strived for?

Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University Kehinde Andrews, linguist and Associate Professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University John McWhorter, and Professor of philosophy and cognitive science at Yale University Laurie Ann Paul discuss whether or not language is capable of communicating lived experience. Mary-Jane Rubenstein hosts.

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Is Reality Necessary? | Chiara Marletto, Gerard t'Hooft, Christopher Timpson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:07:57 GMT

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We think that lightning strikes, and waves crash, even if there is no one to see them. Yet according to quantum physics, the observer is critical to reality. Theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg even argued that, in contemporary physics 'objective reality has evaporated'. Is a world independent of the observer an illusion? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Nobel prize winning Gerard t'Hooft, constructor theorist Chiara Marletto and Oxford quantum philosopher Christopher Timpson debate the mysteries of reality.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Truth, Science and the Universe | Peter Atkins, Sophia Roosth, Tim Lewens

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 10:17:55 GMT

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Where once we made sense of the world using the idea of God, most of us now believe in a more scientific story, of an unfolding universe and evolution. Yet scientists increasingly see their theories as useful models rather than ultimate accounts. Is science then just another human description limited by language, culture and circumstance? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, author of Conjuring the Universe Peter Atkins, Harvard historian of science Sophie Roosth and Cambridge philosopher and author of the Meaning of Science Tim Lewens scrutinise the limits and possibilities of science.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Rethinking the Enlightenment | Historian Aviva Chomsky

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 07 May 2025 11:49:51 GMT

The spectre of the Enlightenment

What the Enlightenment a net positive or a net negative? Or is that the wrong question, and should we look at it simply as a historical period?

Join Professor of History Aviva Chomsky as she dissects one of the most important periods in modern history from the lens of a critical historian. The Enlightenment was not just a period that produced thoughts and ideas - it was an excuse and a reordering of world hierarchies.

Do you agree with her conclusions? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Are we hallucinating ourselves? | Anil Seth

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 13:48:38 GMT

Is consciousness independent from our bodies? Or is it just a hallucination? Listen to find out.

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Somehow, within each of our brains, billions of neurons work to create our conscious experience. How does this happen? Why do we experience life in the first person? After over twenty years researching the brain, world-renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth puts forward a radical new theory of consciousness and the self.

Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. His TED Talk on the brain has had close to 12 million views and he is the author of multiple books alongside his blog, NeuroBanter.

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A radical plan to save education | Michael Hrebeniak, Isabelle McNeill

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 15:55:07 GMT

There is hope for academia after all.

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We need a revolution. Universities are turning into corporations, students, academics and the culture at large is damaged as a result. Cambridge academics Michael Hrebeniak and Isabelle McNeill lay out their vision of how to revolutionise education by removing neo-liberal "outputs" culture and democratising the university once again.

Michael Hrebeniak is a polymath: an academic, author, film-maker, ex-jazz musician, and journalist. He is Director of Studies in English at Wolfson College and Lecturer in English at Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Isabelle McNeill is Philomathia Fellow in French at Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge, where she teaches French literature and cinema.

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The Rise and Fall of Sex | Daphna Joel, Barry Barnes, Stuart Ritchie

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:35:06 GMT

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Although most of us are critical of gender stereotypes, few deny the existence of two discrete biological sexes. Yet biology itself shows dozens of combinations of human sex chromosomes. Could biological sex itself then be an illusion, constructed from human categories? Or is this a futile attempt to deny the reality of two biological sexes? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Head of Psychobiology at Tel Aviv University Daphna Joel, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatrist at KCL Stuart Ritchie and sociologist of science Barry Barnes rethink sex and gender.

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Why artists shouldn't fear AI | Jaron Lanier

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

What does originality mean in the age of AI? Why should artists resist the temptation to fear AI? What role will human creativity play in the future we're building?

Jaron Lanier, a visionary computer scientist, artist, composer, futurist, and writer, discusses his latest artistic ventures and the importance of originality in art. Lanier shares insights into how technology intersects with creativity, the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a digital age, and the evolving role of the artist in shaping the future. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the most forward-thinking minds of our time as he reflects on the future of art and innovation.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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How To Traverse Time | Peter Sjöstedt-H

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:43:18 GMT

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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.

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The Word And The World | Paul Boghossian, Joanna Kavenna, Ray Monk

Institute of Art and Ideas — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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The power of words is a wonder, and language perhaps our greatest skill. Yet the gap between the sound of a bell and its description is huge. Are the limits to language so profound that the big questions of science and philosophy are beyond us? Or can everything be said if we try hard enough?

Director of the New York Institute of Philosophy Paul Boghossian, Wittgenstein biographer and philosopher Ray Monk, and award winning novelist Joanna Kavenna debate the limits of language.

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/the-word-and-the-world

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Writing the self | Meg Rosoff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 17:30:00 GMT

How do we know if a story is worth telling?

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In this interview, award-winning writer and author of 'How I Live Now', Meg Rosoff, provides an insight into her writing philosophy. She discusses her origins in advertising, why the theme of adolescence fascinates her, and how a passion for horse-riding inspired the idea of 'throughness' which encapsualtes the relationship between the conscious and unconscious mind.

Meg Rosoff is an award-winning writer. She is perhaps best known for the novels 'How I Live Now' which won the Guardian Prize, and 'Just In Case, for which she was awarded the Carnegie medal. Her most recent novel, 'The Great Godden' is a coming-of-age novel which was nominated for the Costa Book Award in 2020.

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Compassion and Community | Dan Zahavi

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:39:58 GMT

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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.

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The danger of self reflection | John Vervaeke, Isabel Millar, Frank Furedi and Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:53:41 GMT

In search of oneself

Should we see self-knowledge as an aim not only misguided, but actively dangerous? Is self-knowledge in fact impossible for as Nietzsche argued we have to use the self to uncover the self? Or is self-reflection a vital and rewarding activity that uncovers meaning and improves our ability to act well in the world?

Joanna Kavenna hosts this debate on how our contemporary culture is influenced, shaped and potentially misinformed by our most recent self-help culture. Joining her are Frank Furedi, an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, John Vervaeke, an award-winning professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, and Isabel Millar, an associate resercher at Newcastle University.

For hundreds more podcasts, talks and articles, visit https://iai.tv/

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Challenging Peter Singer's Ethics

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:52:22 GMT

Can morality be objective?

Whether or not moral ideas can be objectively true has divided philosophers for centuries. But can we ever find moral truths? How would we find them? And what can these truths tell us about the world? In this challenging interview, Peter Singer defends his turn to objectivity and argues morality doesn't need religion, that we should resist our intuitions and that the future of the Effective Altruism movement isn't as bleak as it may appear.

Peter Singer is a prominent philosopher, author and academic. He a professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and specialises in practical ethics. His is best known for his work on global poverty and animal ethics. His book Animal Liberation was a key to the early environmental movement. Interviewed by Senior Producer at the IAI Charlie Barnett.

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Truth, delusion, and psychedelic reality | Eileen Hall, Julian Baggini, James Rucker

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 13:47:39 GMT

Are psychedelics the lens to reality or the key to delusion?

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With a resurgence in the cultural zeitgeist, psychedelics are now at the forefront of debates about mental health treatments. Critics challenge the efficacy of these substances, but are they missing a broader truth? Join Anne Katrin Schlag, Julian Baggini, and James Rucker as they grapple with the nature of psychedelic experiences and the fabric of reality.

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Philosophy's psychedelic renaissance |Rupert Sheldrake, Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 May 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Are you ready for a different kind of 'trip'?

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

We have a very special episode for you today, a truly fascinating (and at times even funky) philosophical discussion.

From Silicon Valley to the treatment of depression, psychedelics have entered the mainstream. And with them come new political, economic and philosophical horizons. Join us as scientist Rupert Sheldrake and philosopher Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes discuss the past, present and future of the mind.

Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist whose research led to the theory of morphic resonance and nature's memory. In his book Ways To Go Beyond he explores states of altered consciousness and their implication on the mind.

Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes is a philosopher of mind, described as "a psychedelic Nietzsche". He is a Research Fellow and Associate Lecturer in University of Exeter's Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology Department, who specialises in altered states of sentience.

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Bonus Episode: The Philosophy of Action

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 17:46:26 GMT

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Can philosophy help us make real life decisions? Can actions speak louder than words? Our producer interviews philosophers Bence Nanay, Angie Hobbs, Christopher Hamilton, Barry Smith, Shahidha Bari, and performance artist Emma Sulkowicz about the power of ideas in their lives.

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Our delusions about reality | Iain McGilchrist

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:02:53 GMT

How our brains lie to us and science follows.

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With a background in psychiatry, neuroimaging, and philosophy, Iain McGilchrist has a unique perspective on the world, the mind, and everything in between. Here, he discusses his new book, The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions, and the Unmaking of the World.

Iain McGilchrist is psychiatrist, writer, and former Oxford literary scholar. He is committed to the idea that the mind and brain can be understood only by seeing them in the broadest possible context, a notion which is fundamental to his two most famous works: The Master and his Emissary, and The Matter With Things

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Matter And Mind | Markus Gabriel, Ray Brassier, Eva Jablonka

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Neuroscience has enabled us to explain how the brain affects the body. Yet there is no theory to explain how the matter of the brain creates thought and experience. Is consciousness inexplicable because it is not part of the material world? Or is it somehow physical after all and within our grasp?

German philosopher Markus Gabriel, philosopher and author of Nihil Unbound Ray Brassier, and evolutionary biologist Eva Jablonka seek answers. Prize winning novelist Joanna Kavenna hosts.

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/matter-and-mind

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Romancing Opiates | Theodore Dalrymple

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 09:41:57 GMT

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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

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Consciousness begins in the body | Antonio Damasio

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:39:36 GMT

We tend to believe consciousness is purely mental. And since Descartes' "I think therefore I am", we've privileged the mind as the centrepiece of thought and consciousness. But such a view is mistaken argues award-winning neuroscientist Antonio Damasio.

Feelings, long dismissed as secondary to thinking, are where consciousness begins, and are deeply rooted in the body and its physical processes. Join Damasio as he presents a new theory of consciousness and undoes the philosophical separation between mind and body posed by Descartes.

Antonio Damasio is an award-winning neuroscientist known for his pioneering work on emotions, intuitions and the biological origins of consciousness.

He is the author of several books including Descartes' Error and The Strange Order of Things. His most recent book Feeling & Knowing: Making Minds Conscious explores the origin and evolution of consciousness.

And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

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Defending panpsychism | Philosophers Philip Goff and Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 12:32:34 GMT

Metaphysics vs consciousness

Panpsychism has recently become something of a household term in philosophical and scientific conversations alike. Deceivingly simple, it defends the view that consciousness is the primary 'stuff' of reality, and that all things have mind-like qualities.

Join philosopher Philip Goff, one of the world's leading defenders of panpsychism, in this conversation with philosopher Hilary Lawson, a post-realist. Goff is humble in his approach, open to scientific progress and discovery, but also philosophically committed to finding purpose and meaning in the world around him.

To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode! Does panpsychism grasp at some fundamental truth about reality?

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Is moral responsibility an illusion? | Galen Strawson, Massimo Pigliucci, Sarah Garfinkel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:39:55 GMT

Are we incarcerating the innocent?

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Note: this episode was recorded live at our philosophy festival HowTheLightGetsIn.

Some argue behaviour is a product of our genes. Others that upbringing and environment play the primary role in determining who we are. So do we carry no responsibility for our actions? Courts have on occasion made judgments in this light. In 2006 Bradley Waldroup was acquitted of murder because he was found to have an unusual variant of a 'warrior gene' and to have been abused as a child.

Is responsibility for our actions an illusion? And should we as a result abandon moral responsibility to build a fairer world? Or is the notion that our actions are determined by our genes, our upbringing or some combination a dangerous mistake? Many want to have it both ways: we are the outcome of our genes and upbringing but also responsible for our actions, but how is this possible?

Eminent philosopher and literary critic Galen Strawson, stoic philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, and neuroscientist Sarah Garfinkel debate the essence of innocence and guilt. Hosted by novelist Joanna Kavenna.

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Green Growth | Natalie Bennett

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 15:55:39 GMT

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The dogma of development has left a society divided and a planet endangered. Former UK Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett envisions a radical new future.

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In Search of Freedom | Julian Baggini, Paul Broks, Hilary Lawson, Hannah Dawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 12:58:25 GMT

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Constrained by our genes, manipulated by technology and the cultural zeitgeist, there seems little space left for individual freedom. Should we conclude that the very idea of freedom was a mistake? Or is this a madness that threatens our personal lives and the culture on which the West was built? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Julian Baggini, Paul Broks, Hilary Lawson and Hannah Dawson go in search of freedom.

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The world after reality | Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:28:13 GMT

Is it time to abandon the search for reality?

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Nietzsche famously declared 'God is dead' in the late nineteenth century. Outspoken critic of philosophical realism Hilary Lawson observes that today we have replaced God with ‘reality’. He urges us to abandon this elusive and unattainable concept, offering an alternative view which embraces observation and reason while abandoning reality for good.

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A world of illusions | James Ladyman, Peter Atkins, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 14:09:16 GMT

Can we be sure there is a physical reality? Our philosophers and scientists debate.

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No-one who has ever stepped on a Lego brick could doubt the reality of physical objects. Yet from Heraclitus to George Berkeley, many philosophers claimed to have disproven the existence of things. Now even high-energy particle physicists are inclined to agree and describe material stuff as energy, or even as mathematical constructs. Could the world truly be made up of fields and processes, rather than physical stuff? Or is science trapped in a philosophical fantasy from which it needs to escape?

Chemist and Fellow of Lincoln College Peter Atkins, Philosopher of Science at the University of Bristol James Ladyman and author of A Field Guide to Reality Joanna Kavenna debate whether the everyday objects that surround us are an illusion. Julian Baggini hosts.

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The story of reality | Sophie Fiennes, Betty Sue Flowers, Noel Carroll

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:44:46 GMT

Should narratives reflect or escape reality? Our panellists discuss.

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From fairy tales to Harry Potter, from Avatar to James Bond, we love fantasy and expect our books and films to take us there. Yet at the same time we want our poems and plays, novels and movies, to reflect life and reality.

Should our narratives be seeking to uncover reality or be seeking escape from it? Or are both goals impossible? Are we on the one hand unable to create a narrative that tells it how it is, and on the other incapable of making a fantasy that does not reflect our current circumstances? And if so, why?

Director and producer of The Pervert's Guide to Cinema Sophie Fiennes, leading figure in contemporary philosophy of art Noël Carroll and myths expert Betty Sue Flowers explore whether narratives should reflect reality, or escape it. Mark Salter hosts.

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The world beyond what we see | Hilary Lawson, Hannah Dawson and Matthew D'Ancona

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:30:00 GMT

Is there more?

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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?

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Tale of Love and Hate | Rowan Williams, Renata Salecl, Robert Rowland Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:29:24 GMT

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We think love an indisputable force for good. Yet from Jihadi John to Anders Breivik, extremists often cite love of creed or country to justify atrocities. Might love of a person or group also be the origin of prejudice and hatred towards others? Are love and hatred forever entwined, as Freud suggested? Or can we imagine a society built on love but free from tribalism?

Former Archbishop of Cantebury Rowan Williams, sociologist and author of Perversions of Love and Hate Renata Salecl and philosopher Robert Rowland Smith debate the dark side of love. Michael Crick hosts.

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Bonus Episode: Tribute to Mary Midgley

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 15:57:12 GMT

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We are paying tribute to philosopher Mary Midgley who passed away last week at the age of 99 by revisiting our episode 'Are you an illusion?' in which Midgley investigates the self with fellow philosopher Simon Blackburn and neuroscientist Colin Blakemore.

(With special thanks to the In Parenthesis project for interview excerpts - http://www.womeninparenthesis.co.uk/)

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The Shame Game | Robin Ince, John Milbank, Helen Croydon

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 12:40:21 GMT

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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 collaborator John Milbank uncover the strangeness of shame.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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The God desire| David Baddiel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:34:12 GMT

Does our very need for God point to the fact that he (or perhaps she, they) does not exist?

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Join well-known comedian and author David Baddiel in this honest (and funny!) conversation about humanity's deepest fears and desires with Chine McDonald, Director of Theos. Baddiel reads and cites from his 2023 book - 'The God desire: On being a reluctant atheist'. Can those of us who are atheists admit that, at some level, we also really love God?

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Should we free ourselves of objects and clutter? | Paul Dolan, Mary-Ann Ochota and Steve Taylor

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Should we all engage in a radical cull? Listen to find out.

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We are attached to things. Our dwellings are packed with items we rarely throw out. Things have traditionally given us comfort but they also give us status. The wealthy often collect things for no other purpose than to own them. But in an age when the great majority of us have too much, when cupboards are full of clothes we do not wear, shelves with books we do not read, is it not time to end this obsession? Might the status of the future come from being free of objects and clutter, focusing instead on experience and the natural world? Or are things our only link with the past, and a necessary part of who we are?

Behavioural scientist Paul Dolan, senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University Steve Taylor and British broadcaster and anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota debate the status of things. Eliane Glaser hosts.

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Does ultimate truth exist? | Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor, Peter Atkins, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 11:16:27 GMT

Are scientific metaphors a real description of reality? A discussion between our scientists and philosophers.

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From string theory to the Big Bang, black holes to dark matter, our big scientific theories are increasingly conveyed through metaphor. Yet from Newton to the latest theories, science is largely founded on mathematics.

Could Newton have chosen to call forces 'spirits' and Einstein have called fields 'matrices'? And if so would our understanding of reality have been profoundly different?

Fellow at the Francis Crick Institute Güneş Taylor, scientist and author Rupert Sheldrake, chemist and author of popular works of science Peter Atkins and post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson debate whether scientific metaphors can be considered real descriptions of an underlying universe. Joanna Kavenna hosts.

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Playing with fire | Beverly Taylor, Ella Whelan and Lawrence Phillips

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:43:49 GMT

How much risk is too much? Listen to find out!

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

In a Covid world we have been focused on safety. Yet almost all of us choose to engage in activities, from swimming in the sea to driving a car or having a bottle of wine, that carry risks. In fact, more died globally last year from alcohol than Covid. So how do we assess what risks to take and how much time and resource to protect ourselves from future risk?

While it looks as if vaccines will bring the Covid pandemic under control, the next pandemic is potentially just a virus away. Must we act urgently now to safeguard the world from a further catastrophe? Or should we assess against other global risks and the cost and resource involved? Is our ultimate goal to eradicate risk or must we accept risk is unavoidable?

In association with Seqirus.

Head of Influenza Scientific Affairs at Seqirus Beverly Taylor, political commentator Ella Whelan and Emeritus Professor of Decision Sciences at LSE Lawrence Phillips debate playing with fire. Mary Ann Sieghart hosts.

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Gravity | Laura Mersini-Houghton, Erik Verlinde, Frank Wilczek

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 19:45:07 GMT

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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 Verlinde examine the enigma of gravity.

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The Dance Of Life | David Chalmers, Susana Martinez-Conde, Peter Hacker

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Our life is made up of experiences. But what experience is remains a mystery. Heidegger thought it inexplicable and neuroscientists cannot find its location. Do we just need a better theory to uncover its secrets? Or is experience somehow both all that we have and yet not part of this world?

Formulator of the hard problem of consciousness David Chalmers, Oxford philosopher Peter Hacker and New York neuroscientist Susana Martinez-Conde debate the mystery of experience.

In association with New Philosopher

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/the-dance-of-life

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The mind is not a machine | Iain McGilchrist

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT

For most scientists, the mind is little more than a machine. With the rise of AI, some now claim that computers may themselves become conscious. For acclaimed neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and philosopher Iain McGilchrist, this is a profound mistake. The attempt to explain the mind in purely mechanistic terms reflects the flawed assumptions of materialism and reductionism – both symptoms of a civilisation dangerously dominated by left-hemisphere thinking. To understand mind and matter, he argues, we need to restore the right hemisphere to its rightful primacy and move beyond materialism.

Iain McGilchrist is a distinguished British neuroscientist, psychiatrist and philosopher. A former Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, Iain McGilchrist also worked as a consulting psychiatrist, and is known for his influential work on the relationship between the structure of our brains, human cultures and our understanding of the world.

Oliver Adelson is Philosophy Desk Lead at the Institute of Art and Ideas. He is also Head of Speaker Booking for the IAI's HowTheLightGetsIn Festival.

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Analytic or Continental philosophy | Christoph Schuringa, Genia Schönbaumsfeld, Babette Babich

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The future of European thought

What is analytic philosophy and what is continental philosophy? And, perhaps most importantly, does this distinction make any sense?

The division between these two branches has divided Western philosophy for decades now, with the Anglo-Saxon world largely associated with the analytical school, and the European continent with the, well, continental one.

In this panel, our speakers discuss the future of thought for Western philosophy and Europe. Is the division between these schools obsolete? Are they both under threat? What can we expect?

Join our three philosophy professors, Christoph Schuringa, Genia Schönbaumsfeld, and Babette Babich to discuss these themes. Hosted by Danielle Sands.

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The illusion of separation | Jessica Frazier on the Monism of Hindu philosophy

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Indian philosophy and the search for unity

In our everyday lives we act as though we are all separate individuals, but is this really the case?

Jessica Frazer argues that reality is ultimately unified, and that this shift in perspective can change the way we live our lives. It can help you lose your isolated ego and escape feelings of alienation from nature and the universe. You can start to see that you are living out a strange, larger pattern of mysterious provenance and immense creative power that's generating everything you've ever seen.

Jessica Frazier is a professor of theology and religion at Trinity College, Oxford, as well as a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Hindu studies. During her academic career, she has explored key philosophical themes across various cultures, ranging from Indian concepts of 'Being' to 20th century phenomenology. In addition, Frazier is the founding editor of the 'Journal of Hindu Studies' and a frequent contributor to BBC radio.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Head to Head: Philosophy vs Science | Marika Taylor, Julian Baggini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:48:29 GMT

In a fascinating conversation, renowned theoretical physicist Marika Taylor and acclaimed philosopher Julian Baggini explore the history and evolving relationship between these two disciplines. Listen in as they delve into the intricacies of how science and philosophy have been intertwined, only to diverge since the Enlightenment. Can they be reconciled?

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Joining the debate are Professor Marika Taylor, the Head of School within Mathematical Sciences at University of Southampton with a focus on string theory, quantum field theory, and gravitational physics, and Julian Baggini, a celebrated philosopher, journalist, and the co-founder of The Philosopher's Magazine. The conversation is expertly hosted by Güneş Taylor.

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Rational Animals | Steven Pinker, Daniel Kahneman, Shami Chakrabarti

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:49:23 GMT

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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.

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Bonus Episode: Q&A With David Nutt | LSD, Cannabis and Mental Health

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:34:51 GMT

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It's Philosophy Fest! A week of bonus content to celebrate our hundredth episode of Philosophy For Our Times. Today's bonus content is an audience Q&A with psychiatrist David Nutt, which followed on from his talk, The Science of Psychedelics. David fields questions on synthetic cannabis in prisons, whether LSD can make you a genius, and treating addiction with psychedelic drugs. We released the talk as episode 97 if you'd like to take a listen to that first.

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Was Karl Marx misunderstood? | Terry Eagleton on the forgotten ideals of Marxism

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 02 May 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Why Marx was right

Having fallen out of favour around the turn of the century, Marxism is now back in fashion, often playing the role of an alternative to the increasingly right-wing politics of the modern world. Once the guiding ideology of Korean guerillas and Hampstead screenwriters alike, Marxism is back and taking universities and intellectual circles by storm, capturing the minds of students and teachers alike. In a time of Brexit, billionaires, and MAGA, Terry Eagleton defends the Marxist alternative, challenging the standard critiques and explaining why the German philosopher's thoughts remain as relevant as ever.

Terry Eagleton is one of the world’s most influential literary theorists and critics. He is Professor of English Literature at the University of Lancaster, and also the author of more than 40 books, including "Literary Theory: An Introduction" (1983) and "Why Marx Was Right" (2011).

And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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What Is The Meaning Of Life? | Mark Rowlands

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 12:17:31 GMT

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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.

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Diversity and Power | Sophie Walker

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 09:57:58 GMT

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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

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Space Hacks | Patricia Lewis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 09:50:57 GMT

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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.

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The Universe Code | Peter Atkins, Chiara Marletto, James Ladyman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 09:34:52 GMT

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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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The Mystery of Life | Nick Lane, Monica Grady, Ralph Cordey

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 09:56:43 GMT

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As we explore the planets of the solar system and look out at those beyond, researchers hope they will find evidence of life. But would it be like life on earth? Or is the wish to find other life forms a science fiction fantasy that serves Hollywood well but has little to do with reality? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Biochemist and author of The Vital Question Nick Lane, Head of Future Missions at Airbus Ralph Cordey, and leading British space scientist Monica Grady grapple with the mysterious puzzles of life.

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Why liberalism has failed | John Gray on civilisation, morality, and the illusion of progress

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Why is the world moving away from liberalism and towards conservatism?

One of Britain’s most provocative thinkers, John Gray is a political philosopher known for dismantling liberalism and exposing the illusions of human progress. Former Professor of European Thought at the London School of Economics, Gray has challenged orthodoxy across the political spectrum with a body of work that ranges from critiques of Enlightenment rationalism to meditations on the limits of secular humanism.

He is the bestselling author of Straw Dogs, The Silence of Animals, and Seven Types of Atheism as well as a frequent contributor to The Guardian, New Statesman, and The Times Literary Supplement. Gray’s sharp insights and contrarian stance continue to shape contemporary debates on ethics, politics, and the future of humanity.

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Longtermism SPECIAL: The next stage of effective altruism

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Should we sacrifice the present for a better future?

Join the team at the IAI for three articles about effective altruism, longtermism, and the complex evolution of moral thought. Written by William MacAskill, James W. Lenman, and Ben Chugg, these three articles pick apart the ethical movement started by Peter Singer, analysing its strengths and weaknesses for both individuals and societies.

William MacAskill is a Scottish philosopher and author, best known for writing 2022's "What We Owe the Future." James W. Lenman is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, as well as the former president of the British Society for Ethical Theory. Ben Chugg is a BPhD student in the machine learning department at Carnegie Mellon University. He also co-hosts the Increments podcast.

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Neoliberalism: A Soviet nightmare | Abby Innes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 16 May 2025 10:30:00 GMT

There is an old Soviet joke, ‘Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. Communism is its exact opposite.’ On the surface, neoliberalism, with its emphasis on free markets, competition and privatisation, is as far removed as possible from the Soviet Union. But behind the policies, could they be guided by the same false utopianism? Abby Innes, professor of Political Economy at the LSE, argues that the utopianism that guided the Soviet Union to disaster is eerily similar to the decline of our modern politics, and for Western states to succeed they need to throw off the shackles of utopianism and rediscover the scientific method.

Dr Abby Innes weaves political analysis with the scientific method to expose the ironic similarities between our current politics and the Soviet Union. She is an Associate Professor of Political Economy at the European Institute at the LSE. Her work focuses on party-state development, the transition from the Soviet system in Eastern Europe and the modern neoliberal state.

Do you think we are living in a Soviet dystopia? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts on the episode!

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On Air with Annie Nightingale

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 17:54:45 GMT

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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

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God, science, and the natural world PART 2 | Philosopher Fiona Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The metaphysics of naturalism - PART TWO

Have we completely abandoned the idea of the supernatural? Could there still be important truths that lie outside of the natural world?

Join philosopher Fiona Ellis as she explains her version of naturalism, arguing that there is still some middle ground to be found between the world of the natural and the realm of the supernatural.

Fiona is professor of Philosophy and Religion at University of Roehampton, and also the former president of the British Society for Philosophy of Religion. Her work focuses on the relationship between experience and physical things, as we;; as the nature of value. She rejects the narrow limits of experience that have been brought about by the monopoly of science on reality.

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The relationship between morality and power | Philosophers Tommy Curry, Michael Huemer, Melis Erdur

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 12:06:42 GMT

Morality and prejudice

Is there such a thing as morality? And, if so, can we know what it is and act on it? Or is morality rather a shield for the powerful and a defence of their interest? The answer may have life-changing consequences...

Join a heated debate between three philosophers with three different perspectives on the meaning of morality and the role it should play in our lives: Tommy Curry, Chair of Africana philosophy at Edinburgh and a moral sceptic; Michael Huemer, Professor of Philosophy at Boulder and a moral realist; and Melis Erdur, Professor at the Open University of Israel and representing a compromise between realism and scepticism on morality. The debate is inconclusive, but opens important questions on how we should relate to morality and ethics.

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The Fantasy Of Money | Nigel Dodd, Sarah Bird, Izabella Kaminska

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 11:17:14 GMT

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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 Times Izabella Kaminska and The Social Life of Money author Nigel Dodd to explore the alternatives to money.

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Love Me Tinder| Christopher Hamilton, Steve Carter, Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 31 May 2017 15:56:59 GMT

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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 Anders Sandberg tackle technology’s impact on our relationships.

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Ancient solutions for modern problems | Stoicism Series PART 2 | Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 12:00:00 GMT

How to be a Stoic

What can Zeno of Citium teach you about going to the movie theatre?

Join philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci for part two of a series on the ancient practice of Stoicism, exploring and analysing ideas from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Zeno of Citium.

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The puzzle of artistic greatness | Minna Salami, Stanley Fish, Meg Rosoff, Janne Teller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 10:25:09 GMT

Should the origins of ideas matter as much as their substance? Our experts discuss.

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There has always been dispute over which ideas are most significant. But at least there used to be broad agreement about the hallmarks of quality and the great works in each field. Now, from literature to the social sciences, there are claims that previous standards were structures of prejudice and oppression, and calls are heard for greater inclusion.

How do we navigate this new space where there is so little agreement on merit? Should we abandon the notion of 'great works' altogether, or would this threaten the very survival of our culture and much that we hold to be valuable?

Literary theorist Stanley Fish, author of How I Live Now, Meg Rosoff, journalist and editor of MsAfropolitan, Minna Salami and writer and essayist Janne Teller rethink what makes a great work of art. Hosted by BBC Parliamentary Correspondent, Sean Curran.

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Is Oppression The Key To Creativity? | Lowkey, Joanna Kavenna, Andrew Motion

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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Freedom is often seen as the vital oxygen of creativity. Yet Shakespeare worked within a framework of censorship, Don Quixote was written from prison and Leonardo argued that at 'lives on constraint and dies of freedom'. Can oppression help produce masterpieces or do the free always write the greatest poetry? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, Novelist and Author Joanna Kavenna and hip hop artist Lowkey debate creativity and constraint.

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Philosophy Vs Authority | Noam Chomsky, Deirdre McCloskey, Mark Lilla

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 14:19:03 GMT

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We know authority is dangerous yet we assume it is necessary for society to work. Should we dream of a free and flourishing world without leadership and rules? Or do we want and need leaders and authority to feed our hopes and dreams?

Philosopher Noam Chomsky, political scientist Mark Lilla and professor of economics Deirdre McCloskey ask whether we need authority at all.

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Is Sexuality a Vehicle For Power? | Minna Salami, Rowan Pelling, Julia Long

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 04:00:03 GMT

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From Cleopatra to Beyoncé, women have used sexuality to increase their power and influence. But many feminists warn that it is undermining to be seen as a sex object, and some in the #MeToo movement propose culture should banish such behaviour. In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Minna Salami, Rowan Pelling, and Julia Long debate whether sexuality is a vehicle for power or for subservience.

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Out of the apocalypse | Sophie Fiennes, Patricia MacCormack, Robert Rowland Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 14:09:08 GMT

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Our obsession with the apocalypse is everywhere from fiction stories to news headlines. Is the belief that the end is nigh rooted in the changing reality around us, or is it just a story that sells?

On our panel to discuss this question is philosopher and author of Breakfast with Socrates Robert Rowland Smith, Professor of Continental Philosophy at Anglia Ruskin University Patricia MacCormack and Director of the Pervert's Guide to Cinema Sophie Fiennes. Danielle Sands hosts.

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The search for higher states of consciousness | Philosopher Jessica Frazier

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Are we living in the moment? Are we really free? How can we transcend the constant anxieties of our mind?

Throughout history, certain people in the West and the East have claimed that the human mind could reach states of so-called higher consciousness. In the twentieth century, several thinkers like Heidegger and Nietzsche returned to this possibility, trying to find the higher regions of the mind. Join Oxford philosopher Jessica Frazier as she explores tales of higher states of mind, and debates whether these experiences are scientific, spiritual, or pure esoteric imagination.

Please do email us at podcast@iai.tv with any of your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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On the edges of knowledge | Michael Shermer vs Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 12:00:00 GMT

How do we assess claims to scientific knowledge?

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What is it possible to know? Is the physical universe all there is, or is the immaterial part of reality too? Join radical scientist, Rupert Sheldrake, and world-leading sceptic, Michael Shermer, as they go head-to-head on where the edges of knowledge lie. Güneş Taylor hosts.

Michael Shermer is a famous science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and editor-in-chief of its magazine 'Skeptic'.

Rupert Sheldrake is an English scientist whose research into parapsychology and evolution led to the theory of morphic resonance, expounded in the book A New Science of Life. The theory posits that "memory is inherent in nature" which makes it possible for "telepathy-type interconnections between organisms." Other topics he has written and spoken on include precognition, the relationships between spirituality and science and the psychic staring effect. Sheldrake's most recent book is Science and Spiritual Practices (2017).

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The new renaissance | Sophie Scott-Brown, David Aaronovitch, John Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 15:30:00 GMT

Is the academy and our culture as a whole in need of newer, bigger ideas?

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In the first half of the twentieth century radical thinkers, from Einstein to Schrödinger, Russell to Wittgenstein, Woolf to de Beauvoir, were transforming ideas. But many wonder where the equivalents are today and point to a deep seated flaw. Universities and research labs have become increasingly specialised and focus on small 'piecemeal advance' leaving little room for originality and big thinking. Studies confirm a bias against publishing novel research and 90% of papers remain uncited, possibly unread by anyone.

Should we encourage a less specialised and broader approach to create the breakthroughs and radical ideas of the future? Do we need to change the way university appointments are made and articles reviewed to escape conventional set thinking? Or have the big theories largely been found already and have we now only to fill in the gaps?

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The Reality Illusion | Donald Hoffman, Maria Baghramian, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 08:59:31 GMT

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Seeing is believing, yet cognitive scientists seem to have uncovered these views as incorrect. Evolution led us to perceive what is best for survival and it turns out this has little to do with what we call 'reality'. Is reality then a creative construct that helps us to live but doesn't reflect the world? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, cognitive psychologist and author Donald Hoffman, philosopher Maria Baghramian and post-realist Hilary Lawson embark on a radical rethink of reality.

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The Sex Myth | Interview with Brooke Magnanti

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 13:40:22 GMT

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Brooke Magnanti is best known by her pen name Belle de Jour, from the blog behind Secret Diary of a Call Girl. In this exclusive interview, Brooke explains how we should free ourselves from the shackles surrounding sex from shame, to guilt and toxic femininity.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Blind Data | Steve Carter

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 May 2017 10:15:12 GMT

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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)

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Unnatural Laws | Nancy Cartwright, John Ellis, Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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From Newton's laws to E=mc2, we think we have uncovered the secrets of the universe. But some claim these laws evolve and others point to their human and cultural origins. Might eternal natural laws be human hubris? Or is the mind of God in our grasp?

CERN physicist and coiner of the term "Theory of Everything" John Ellis, author of The Science Delusion Rupert Sheldrake and American philosopher of physics Nancy Cartwright debate the sacred assumptions of science.

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/unnatural-laws

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Humans' tendency for irrationality | Dan Ariely

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 17:40:13 GMT

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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The limits of knowledge | Rupert Sheldrake, Suchitra Sebastian, Tommy Curry

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:01:15 GMT

Have we entered a post-knowledge era? Or was the idea that we can attain knowledge misleading in the first place?

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The acquisition of knowledge has been a central factor driving advance. And since Descartes, Western thought has placed the question of what we know, and how we know what we know, at the centre of philosophy. But might this focus on knowledge be a mistake? Feminist and postmodernist critics argue that in seeking to validate knowledge philosophers have merely sought to justify their own interests and prejudices. Instead they argue all knowledge is limited by perspective whether by culture, class, gender, race or the many other factors that influence understanding.

Should we give up the idea that our beliefs can provide us with objective knowledge? Should we reject epistemology as an attempt to elevate and make undeniable our particular perspective, interests and prejudices and focus instead on the consequences of adopting a given framework of belief? Or is knowledge essential to culture and the notion that beliefs might be definitively true vital to progress?

Philosopher of race Tommy Curry, theoretical physicist Suchitra Sebastian and outspoken scientist Rupert Sheldrake debate the limits of what we can know. Hosted by Joanna Kavenna.

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Taking leave of reason | Joanna Kavenna, Rory Sutherland, Rebecca Roache

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 13:35:02 GMT

Is rationality as vital as we think?

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Philosophers from Spinoza and Hegel to Bertrand Russell argued that logic and reason are the key to understanding the world. But is this a fundamental error? After all, recent studies show that reason does not lead to more successful outcomes in business or personal relationships. Should we abandon the idea that reason is the key either to truth or successful action? Or should we see reason as vital to follow through the consequences of our beliefs? In an increasingly chaotic intellectual age, do we need reason more than ever to contain conflict, or is reason no more than a justification of prejudice?

Award-winning English novelist Joanna Kavenna, renowned public intellectual Rory Sutherland, philosopher and senior Lecturer Rebecca Roache debate whether we need reason as much as we think we do in an increasingly chaotic modern age. Bahar Gholipour hosts.

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The seduction of thought | Miranda Keeling, Steve Taylor, Andy West

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Is thought a distraction from reality?

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From the birth of reason to Descartes' "I think, therefore I am"; Western culture has placed thought at the centre of what it is to be human. We spend much of our time planning the future, reflecting on the past, puzzling about what to do, and talking about it with others. But might this be a mistake? Should culture, as Nietzsche proposes, 'free itself from the seduction of words and thought'? Should we focus on experience, and live a bit more? Or is this romantic nonsense?

Bestselling author Miranda Keeling, psychologist Steve Taylor and prison philosopher Andy West decide: to think, or not to think? Janne Teller hosts.

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A world by any other name | Arif Ahmed, Ruth Kempson, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:55:48 GMT

Is language a flawed prism standing in the way of our understanding of the world?

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For much of the 20th century language was seen as central to our understanding of the world. 'The limits of my language mean the limits of my world', argued Wittgenstein. 'There is nothing outside of the text' claimed Derrida. But now it seems language is being jettisoned by philosophers as either containing puzzles that are insoluble, or irrelevant to the real issues facing us. The American philosopher, Hilary Putman, went as far as to say "the project to describe the relationship between language and the world is a shambles".

Should we conclude that the puzzle of language and its relation to the world is not solvable? Or is it essential we crack the problem and not give up? Or should we focus, not on the medium but, on the message and return to an era before the so-called 'linguistic turn' when language was largely seen as a transparent vehicle of our beliefs?

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Does emotion rule over reason? | Tommy Curry, Güneş Taylor, Julian Baggini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:32:03 GMT

Philosopher and acclaimed author, Julian Baggini, leading molecular biologist, Güneş Taylor, and critical race theorist, Tommy Curry, debate the relationship between reason and emotion.

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For centuries we have assumed reason to be ruthlessly independent of passion or emotion. Yet Nietzsche argued that reason is an emotional experience, and now neuroscientists have shown sad moods can trigger systematic and logical thinking. Furthermore, studies have shown that emotion plays a crucial part in grounding reason in reality, essential to our being able to make decisions.

Is it a mistake to think reason and emotion are quite separate, and instead conclude they are deeply connected? Does this threaten the calm and considered assessment of events required for social wellbeing and decision making? Or does it liberate us to think afresh knowing that there isn't only one rational way to think?

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How to be a sceptic | Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 May 2023 21:00:00 GMT

Do we believe things because they are true or because they are convenient?

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Massimo Pigliucci argues that adopting the principles of scientific and ethical scepticism can lead us to think and live better.

We all like to think of ourselves as discerning people. But research shows that many of our firmly-held beliefs are in fact false. It's not enough to simply decry others' beliefs as nonsense, we must be just as sceptical about our own. Join renowned philosopher Massimo Pigliucci to explore how to truly live the life of a sceptic.

Massimo Pigliucci is a philosophy professor at City College New York and one of the world's leading thinkers in the study of Ancient Stoicism. His most recent books include The Quest for Character and Think like a Stoic.

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The AI hoax | Mazviita Chirimuuta

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:26:03 GMT

Is human-like AI a pipe dream?

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A future with human-like AI is no longer limited to the pages of sci-fi, it’s now the dream of Big Tech too. But is this just a pipe dream? Join philosopher of perception Mazviita Chirimuuta as she argues that human-like AI is and will remain a fantasy.

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The quest for freedom | Katarina Schwarz

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:08:24 GMT

What does modern-day slavery look like?

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The past centuries have seen rapid improvements in health, poverty, literacy and violence. Yet despite this progress, few are aware that 50 million globally still live in modern slavery, the largest group ever in human history. Join fearless professor Katarina Schwarz as she explores how we can free the oppressed of our world. In partnership with Nottingham University.

As the leader of the Rights Lab's Law and Policy Programme at the University of Nottingham, Dr. Katarina Schwarz is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the legal and policy frameworks that govern anti-slavery efforts worldwide.

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If it doesn't kill you | Susie Orbach, Anders Sandberg, and Havl Carel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 15:30:00 GMT

Do we need suffering to lead a meaningful life?

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From the plots of Hollywood movies to the roots of Christianity, many see value in adversity and suffering. Be it in character building boot camps or overcoming the trials of a difficult childhood or adult life. Yet the great majority of us do our very best to avoid suffering in our own lives.

Should we conclude that the value of adversity and suffering is an illusion? A hangover from Christianity that modernity needs to excise? Or is it a vital and critical element in building personality and enabling a meaningful, fulfilling and significant life?

Britain’s most beloved psychotherapist and author of “Fat is a Feminist Issue” Susie Orbach, renowned transhumanist Anders Sandberg, and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bristol Havi Carel explore the significance of suffering in modern society. Hosted by philosopher Julian Baggini.

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Monsters of pantheism| Mary-Jane Rubenstein

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 17:25:22 GMT

Is pantheism more radical than atheism?

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Pantheism is the radical belief that reality and god are one and the same thing. Why has it been so feared for 400 years? Philosopher and author of Strange Wonder, Mary-Jane Rubenstein shows how the idea threatens much more than just religion.

Mary-Jane Rubenstein is Professor of Religion at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, USA. Her book Worlds Without End: The Many Lives of the Universe examines cosmological models throughout history, from the world-views of the Ancient Greeks through to the well-respected multiverse theory in modern science. She links contemporary models of the universe to their forerunners and explores the reason for their recent resurgence.

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When science meets philosophy | Philip Goff, Julian Baggini, Peter Atkins, Güneş Taylor

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 May 2022 10:23:15 GMT

Has science become the philosophical belief of our time? Leading scientists and philosophers discuss.

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In less than a lifetime, the first half of the twentieth century brought a series of life changing inventions. In combination with the all encompassing new stories of physics, science, once a branch of philosophy, became the philosophical belief of our time. Some claimed philosophy was over.

Yet in the last half century, technology has become more contentious and big scientific theory has seemingly stalled. Might philosophy once again find itself centre stage at a time when knowledge and progress are in question? Or is science still the only credible way to improve our circumstances and make sense of the world?

Co-founder and editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine, Julian Baggini, chemist Peter Atkins, Crick Institute Researcher Güneş Taylor, and consciousness philosopher Philip Goff argue over life, the universe and everything. Hosted by researcher and author, Melanie Challenger.

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What does data really tell us? | Donald Hoffman, Tim Maudlin, Lisa Randall

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:41:16 GMT

Is our obsession with data healthy or dangerous? Our specialists discuss.

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Look to the science' was the call from politicians and the public alike throughout the pandemic. As if science has a single definitive view, and the data one interpretation. Yet science is full of competing and sometimes contradictory views particularly at the edge of current understanding. And increasingly scientists see themselves as operating with models of reality. Ultimate final accounts being perhaps more typical of religion than the exploratory and sceptical approach at the core of science.

Should we abandon the idea that science provides absolute answers? Should scientists and politicians avoid giving the impression that there is a single definitive account? Or do we need to cut through the complexity of competing outlooks and commit to a truth in order to drive action and change?

Pioneering American physicist Lisa Randall, renowned philosopher of science Tim Maudlin and legendary cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman argue over the fundamental nature of science. Biologist Güneş Taylor hosts.

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Has philosophy lost its stories? | Galen Strawson, Patricia Churchland, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:44:13 GMT

Is metaphysics back in fashion? Or is philosophy getting increasingly lost?

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The twentieth century began with a revolutionary new approach to philosophy. The great arguments about the nature of reality and human experience were deemed empty and meaningless. A new philosophical broom, in the form of analytic philosophy, claimed to sweep away vacuous grand theories and replace them with hard logic and analysis and a close attention to the meaning of the words. Yet, a hundred years on metaphysics is back. Theories of consciousness and the character of reality are once again the topic of debate.

Should we welcome this return to stories about the ultimate character of the world? Or do they risk being empty, conveying little other than the prejudices and desires of their authors? Are grand metaphysical theories about the nature of reality and consciousness vital topics of debate or a set of fairy tales?

Legendary Neurophilosophy pioneer Patricia Churchland, Closure theorist Hilary Lawson and analytic philosopher Galen Strawson lock horns over the future of metaphysics.

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What it means to be human | Raymond Tallis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 12:48:33 GMT

Are humans beyond nature?

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Humans are unlike anything else in the universe. We're the only part of existence that can observe and reflect on being itself, that can choose to destroy or repair our own habitat. Or so Raymond Tallis argues in this deep dive interview into what it means to be human. Watch to find out how we came to be so unique, what it means for our relationship to nature, and what Parmenides has to do with all this.

Physician, philosopher, poet and novelist Raymond Tallis is ‘one of the world’s greatest living polymaths’ (Intelligent Life). He is the author of such wide-ranging books as The Enduring Significance of Parmenides, The Kingdom of Infinite Space and Aping Mankind.

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Can wireheading cause real pleasure | Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 11:54:48 GMT

Sci-fi dream or reality? Listen to find out!

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The practice of putting electrodes in the pleasure centres of the brain - otherwise known as 'wireheading' - has been a sci-fi dream for decades. Oxford professor and transhumanist Anders Sandberg, explores the history and modern impact of the idea. Anders takes us on a journey from Rosseau’s critique of civilisation via Victorian parasitologists to weird 70s science and all the way to cutting edge AI research today.

Anders Sandberg is a research fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford, where his research concerns the societal and ethical issues surrounding human enhancement and new technologies. He is also research associate to the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics.

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The infidelity of beliefs | Graham Harman, Hilary Lawson, Anandi Hattiangadi

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 11:40:10 GMT

Are we cheating ourselves?

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In our post truth age it seems that we can collect beliefs on a whim or a tribal fashion. And many are happy to hold contradictory views to suit their temporary desires.

Is this a dangerous approach that threatens not only the coherence of our own outlook but the stability and success of culture and society as whole? Do we need to apply reason to sort wild opinion from truth, eradicate our hypocrisies and build a better society? Or is the era of enlightenment reason over, and time to see its assertions as the prejudiced theories of a privileged class who used logic to promote a particular world view.

Distinguished philosophy professor Graham Harman, author of Oughts and Thoughts Anandi Hattiangadi and post-post-realist Hilary Lawson explore the difference between opinion and truth. Hannah Dawson hosts.

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Panpsychism to the rescue | Philip Goff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 12:58:56 GMT

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Is it possible for all matter in the universe to hold consciousness? And can the theory of panpsychism be the solution to the problems of materialism and dualism?

To help us explore realms of panpsychism we’re joined by author and professor of philosophy at the university of Durham, Phillip Goff.

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Power and Philosophy: East vs West |Julian Baggini, Jamie Whyte, Vivienne Shue

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 12:38:04 GMT

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Is the sun setting on Western ideas as well as Western economies? Or is Western thought, essential to growth and progress, already embedded in China's success? On this week’s episode we’re discussing the influence of the Eastern and Western worlds of philosophy on the modern global stage.

Author of How the World Thinks Julian Baggini, political philosopher Jamie Whyte, and Oxford Professor of China Studies Vivienne Shue consider China's influence on the future of ideas. Journalist and broadcaster Isabel Hilton hosts.

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Unpacking The Ethics of Covid-19 |Susan Neiman, Peter Hitchens, Patricia Churchland

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 11:30:24 GMT

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When it comes to making risk-reducing decisions how does one strive for ethical and responsible outcomes? And how do we make any choice, if saving one group of vulnerable people has a disastrous impact on another?

To help us explore the ethics of the pandemic we are joined by moral philosopher Susan Neiman, analytical philosopher Patricia Churchland and conservative journalist Peter Hitchens.

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The Myth of the Self | Julian Baggini, Angie Hobbs, John Milbank

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:55:48 GMT

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It is said that Mother Theresa allowed many to die unnecessarily and glorified suffering. While Stalin was a loving son to his parents, and Hitler - a vegetarian who adored his dog. Are we wrong to assume that there is a single self behind our actions? Are people not good or bad but only individual actions? Should we accept that we are inconsistent and unpredictable? Or is consistency and integrity the cornerstone of what it is to be human?

Professor of religion, politics and ethics John Millbank, co-founder of The Philosophers' Magazine Julian Baggini and Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy Angie Hobbs explore our multiple selves.

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Thinking Across the World | Julian Baggini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 13:32:48 GMT

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How have ideas across the world shaped the places from which they emerged? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, author and philosopher Julian Baggini explores global thinking and its varied influence on our cultures, our ideals and how we see ourselves.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Innocence and Punishment | Ritula Shah, Emma Sulkowicz, David Aaronovitch, Sarah Langford

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 12:42:13 GMT

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'Innocent until proven guilty' is a core principle of democracy. Yet from the BBC's coverage of the Cliff Richard raid to the social media storms around MeToo, it seems we are increasingly happy to destroy reputations and careers before the proof is in. Can trial by media be more effective than the legal system? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Times columnist David Aaronovitch, performance artist dubbed as 'Mattress Girl' Emma Sulkowicz and criminal barrister and author of In Your Defence Sarah Langford debate how justice gets made.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Back from the end of time | Erik Verlinde, Huw Price, Alison Fernandez

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 10:26:41 GMT

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Isn’t it funny that a day at the office seems to drag by so slowly, and yet a day in the park is over in a flash? Is time, and the way it passes something that actually exists in the physical world? Or is it something that only humans perceive? In this debate Back from the End of Time, we’ve brought you a world leading Physicist Erik Verlinde, a world leading philosophers Huw Price, and Alison Fernandez to debate the nature of time.

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Bonus Episode | The Death Of God And The War On Terror | Terry Eagleton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 10:17:41 GMT

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Outspoken critic of Richard Dawkins, and renowned Professor of English Literature Terry Eagleton launches himself heroically at the twin hornet’s nests of modern religious apathy & radicalism. Where should the unreligious look for answers? What has caused the recent growth in radicalism?

Supported by Routledge - Associate Academic Partner of the IAI.

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How To Live In The Moment | Robert Eaglestone, Sam Roddick, Peter York

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:16:52 GMT

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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 Con Peter York discuss.

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Beware Bankers Bearing Gifts: Is Debt Good? | Anatole Kaletsky, Stephen King, Laura Bear

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 12:09:25 GMT

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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 Adviser at HSBC Stephen King and LSE anthropologist Laura Bear dispute morality and money.

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Real Men | Julie Bindel, Diane Abbott, Rowan Pelling, Serena Kutchinsky

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 11:00:48 GMT

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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 Bindel, who both argue that male stereotypes should be relegated to history, as well as Erotic Review founder Rowan Pelling and BBC journalist Serena Kutchinsky, who argue that there is still a place for the Real Man in the modern world.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License.

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The Illusion of Sense | Hilary Lawson, Rupert Read, Ophelia Deroy

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:54:59 GMT

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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 Rupert Read, and closure theorist Hilary Lawson confront the limits of perception.

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Thinking Dangerously, Living Differently | Angie Hobbs, Adrian Moore, Mark Vernon

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 10:44:44 GMT

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Philosophy as therapy is an ancient idea. Endorsed by Wittgenstein and popularized by self-help books. But isn't philosophy about understanding even if the insights are uncomfortable? Can philosophy be a dynamic force changing how we think and what we can do? Or does it serve only as a guide to everyday life?

Oxford philosopher Adrian Moore, former priest and author of Wellbeing Mark Vernon and Plato Scholar Angie Hobbs consider the purpose of philosophy.

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The Dark Side of the Universe | Erik Verlinde, Michael Duff, Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 11:08:41 GMT

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Nearly twenty years have passed since scientists first proposed a mysterious force, Dark Energy, pushing our universe apart. Yet there is no direct evidence for it or any idea what it might be. Might our theories of the universe be profoundly mistaken or is an explanation of Dark Energy around the corner?

M-Theorist Michael Duff, Philosopher Massimo Pigliucci and String Theorist Erik Verlinde chase shadows in the cosmos.

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Taking down the cultural elite | Catherine Liu

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT

What is managerialism? Why is the meritocracy sliding into technocracy? Does suffering make us seem more pure?

We tend to think that today’s progressive politics advances equality through moral awareness and identity. But Catherine Liu argues that it has been captured by the professional managerial class, which replaces material redistribution with virtue signalling and cultural status. In this interview, Liu examines how universities, identity politics and trauma culture can obscure class struggle and what a renewed working-class politics might look like.

Catherine Liu is an American cultural theorist, critic, and professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Irvine. A sharp public intellectual, Liu is best known for her incisive critiques of elite liberalism, academic hypocrisy, and the commodification of virtue. She brings together Marxist cultural analysis with polemic flair, offering a compelling—and at times confrontational—challenge to the moral self-image of the contemporary professional class.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Reflections on mental health today | Interview | Susie Orbach

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:15:25 GMT

The dark side of 'mental health' with Susie Orbach

Why are psychotherapy, psychology, psychoanalysis, therapy so popular today? Do these respond to a new need in our society or are they evolutions of age-old human approaches to resolution and knowing oneself?

Join psychotherapist and psychoanalyst (famously Princess Diana's therapist!) Susie Orbach as she delves into her relationship with her profession and why it so necessary for humans to sit, talk, and explore body and mind.

And please email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode! What do you think about the state of mental health today?

To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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Consciousness beyond the brain | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Re-thinking the limits of the mind

Most scientists think that consciousness is created by the brain. After all, most assume consciousness vanishes if the brain is destroyed. But what if this consensus view is radically mistaken? Join distinguished scientist Rupert Sheldrake as he argues that the mind extends beyond the brain and explores the radical implications of this account.

Rupert Sheldrake is a preeminent biologist and author best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. His books include Science and Spiritual Practices, Ways to Go Beyond And Why They Work and The Science Delusion. Furthermore, he was ranked in the top 100 thought leaders for 2013 by the Duttweiler Institute, Switzerland's leading think tank, and has been recognised as one of the 'most spiritually influential living people' by Watkins' Mind Body Spirit Magazine.

To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/

You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

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Conspiracy and belief | Michael Shermer

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 May 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?

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In this intimate interview, Michael Shermer explores how conspiracy theories undermine objective truth or the generally accepted scientific, materialist paradigm. He covers everything from his most recent work to why conspiracy theories are so good at creating cult followings and what objective truth might look like.

Michael Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, executive director of The Skeptics Society, and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a publication focused on investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims. The author of over a dozen books, Shermer is known for engaging in debates on pseudoscience and religion in which he emphasizes scientific scepticism.

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The Perception Bias | Daniel Kahneman, Ellen Langer, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT

What does it mean to perceive, and can we ever truly know the world around us?

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Join the diverse trio of cognitive scientist Daniel Kahneman, psychologist Ellen Langer, and philosopher Hilary Lawson as they knock heads on what it means to ever know the world, if we can trust ourselves in the pursuit, and if such knowledge even matters. Our understanding of truth also enters the conversation. It is a lively discussion on an age-old topic.

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 May 2024 13:00:00 GMT

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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Embracing solidarity in our secular age | Interview with Rowan Williams

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:31:32 GMT

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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Material girls - philosophies of gender | Kathleen Stock

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:43:45 GMT

What is behind the polarising debate on gender? How can we navigate the new politics of gender identity... if at all?

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Gender identity is the hot topic, but many argue that we must remain grounded in biological sex. Join philosopher Kathleen Stock as she seeks collaboration between trans rights activists and feminists to move towards less polarised future.

Kathleen Mary Linn Stock OBE is a British philosopher and writer. She was a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex until 2021. She has published academic work on aesthetics, fiction, imagination, sexual objectification, and sexual orientation.

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The new 10 commandments | Massimo Pigliucci, Simon Baron-Cohen, Sophie Grace Chapel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:12:23 GMT

Are we bound by traditional rules for life or is it time for a new playbook? Tune in to find out!

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In this thought-provoking discussion, our distinguished panelists delve into the foundations of moral codes and rules for living. Sophie-Grace Chappell, Professor of Philosophy at the Open University, Massimo Pigliucci, Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, and Simon Baron-Cohen, Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, wrestle with the question: Can life be reduced to a rulebook? They debate the influence of religious commandments, the rise of self-help books like Jordan Peterson's 'The 12 Rules for Life', and whether such codes are inherently flawed. Our panelists also ponder the role of these frameworks in upholding social order and institutions. This insightful conversation is moderated by journalist and broadcaster Myriam François.

The Panel

Sophie-Grace Chappell, Massimo Pigliucci, and Simon Baron-Cohen, all respected philosophers and psychologists, bring their deep insights to this critical discussion, posing thought-provoking questions about the nature of life's rules and moral codes. Myriam François, a seasoned journalist and broadcaster, expertly guides the conversation.

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Free will, the self and other illusions | Galen Strawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 13:29:46 GMT

Free will? Nah...

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Do we have free will? Are we exercising our agency or following our predetermined destiny? How would we structure our society if we believed that individuals are not responsible for their actions? Or maybe we already do?

In this interview analytic philosopher Galen Strawson discusses free will, ultimate moral responsibility and the thin veneer of our own rationality. Strawson probes at how the narratives we require in order to have an idea of the 'self' allow us to follow misguided illusions.

Galen John Strawson is an acclaimed British analytic philosopher and literary critic who works primarily on philosophy of mind and metaphysics. His work covers free will, panpsychism, the mind-body problem, and the self. He has been a consultant editor at The Times Literary Supplement for many years, and a regular book reviewer for The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Independent, the Financial Times and The Guardian. He is the son of philosopher P. F. Strawson.

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How Men And Women Think | Gina Rippon, Simon Baron-Cohen, Helena Cronin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Many neuroscientists believe disorders of the mind will be solved when we understand the differences between the male and female brain. Yet is is frequently argued that men and women are not born but made. Are mental differences between the sexes real? Or is this just sexism dressed up as science?

Cambridge psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen, Darwinian philosopher Helena Cronin and eminent neuroscientist Gina Rippon investigate.

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Can experiments settle the free will debate? | Julian Baggini, Peter Godfrey-Smith, Sarah Garfinkel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 May 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Does science have anything to say about our freedom of choice?

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A famed experiment, by Libet in the 1980s, led many scientists and philosophers to argue that free will was an illusion. Despite the experiment being challenged at the time and in recent studies, its legacy persists. Many materialists still contend that free will has been shown to be illusory, supporting their belief that humans are merely biological machines. We often imagine that experiment settles the matter, but should we instead conclude that our interpretation of experiment is a function of our desire to believe its outcome? Or can empiricism really determine the existence or non-existence of free will?

Prolific British writer, philosopher and co-founder of The Philosophers’ Magazine, Julian Baggini, renowned Australian philosopher of science, Peter Godfrey-Smith, and leading British neuroscientist and UCL professor, Sarah Garfinkel, argue about empiricism and its role in determining the existence of free will. Alex O'Connor hosts.

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The good, the bad and the ignored | Peter Singer, Julian Baggini, Sophie Scott-Brown

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:20:50 GMT

Is human agency a fantasy?

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We may not always agree on questions of morality, but whatever standards we adopt we apply them to human action. We are less inclined to take a moral stance on human inaction and failure to act. Many would argue that Putin's attack on the Ukrainian people is morally evil, but there is less outrage that we fail to save any of the estimated 5.4 million children under five who died last year from preventable causes.

Is our moral emphasis on human agency a mistake? If we applied morality equally to inaction would it help to mark a shift to a more caring and socially responsible society? Or is the application of morality to inaction an impossible burden for us to carry, and one that risks undermining morality as a whole as we all become culpable all of the time?

Legendary moral philosopher Peter Singer (joining us live from Australia), eminent philosopher Julian Baggini and provocative biographer Sophie Scott-Brown clash over morality. Hosted by author Robert Rowland Smith.

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How philosophy got lost | Slavoj Zizek

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Should we seek to fulfill our needs with multiple partners? Does dissecting a rat brain count as philosophy? Are we entering the age of corporate authoritarianism? Listen as Zizek guides us through these and other major questions of our time.

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Slavoj Žižek provides a Hegelian insight into historical and current political crises. The dialectical repetition of history is not inevitable, and the recent trend away from continental 'transcendental historicism' will allow the continental tradition to shed new light on the world. Slavoj takes us on a whirlwind tour of continental philosophy from the pandemic to how philosophy is like falling in love.

Slavoj Žižek is a globally renowned philosopher and cultural critic. He is international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London, visiting professor at New York University and a senior researcher at the University of Ljubljana's Department of Philosophy. He is the author of several books, including The Sublime Object of Ideology, The Parallax View, Living in the End Times and Heaven in Disorder.

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Morality Before Metaphysics | Simon Blackburn, Raymond Tallis, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 13:01:28 GMT

Should we prioritize morality over scientific research? Our experts discuss.

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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 morality we’re joined remotely by cultural critic and polymath Raymond Tallis, award-winning novelist Joanna Kavenna and renowned philosopher and ethicist Simon Blackburn investigate the relationship between metaphysics and morality. Hilary Lawson hosts.

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Finding transcendence in a secular world | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:00:00 GMT

Why should we rebuild our relationship with holy places?

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We live in a secular age, but we seem to be looking for the transcendent more than ever, whether it's through yoga, meditation or psychedelics. Join radical scientist Rupert Sheldrake as he explores our holy places in a secular age.

Rupert Sheldrake is a preeminent biologist and author, best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. His books include Science and Spiritual Practices, Ways to Go Beyond And Why They Work, and The Science Delusion. Furthermore, he was ranked in the top 100 thought leaders for 2013 by the Duttweiler Institute, Switzerland's leading think tank, and has been recognised as one of the 'most spiritually influential living people' by Watkins' Mind Body Spirit Magazine.

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A World of Illusions | Jan Westerhoff

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 12:58:40 GMT

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Should we trust our senses? And how can we know that the waking world is real but the dreaming world is not?

On this week’s episode we are interviewing Professor of Buddhist Philosophy at Oxford University, Jan Westerhoff. Westerhoff discusses the philosophy of illusions, dreams and outlines his theory of an external world whose fundamental constituents are bits of mind, not bits of matter.

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Is the biological self a delusion? | JohnJoe McFadden, Ane Ogbe, Peter Brodin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:30:00 GMT

Must we give up on our current ideas of the self and identity? Listen to find out!

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We laugh at the medieval view that disease is due to an imbalance in the four humours. Instead we see infectious illness as an attack by something external. But this can't be the whole story. After all, not everyone got Covid or suffered from it equally.

There are mounting challenges to the standard attack-defence account of disease. Critics argue It relies on our being able to distinguish self and non-self and there is no such mechanism. Instead they argue radical collective and ecological frameworks provide a better and more effective account.

Can the new paradigms of danger theory or adaptation help crack disease? Might immunology proves to be the key to the deep philosophical question of what makes us who we are?

Quantum biologist JohnJoe McFadden, distinguished immunologist Ane Ogbe and Professor of Paediatric Immunology Petter Brodin debate the self and the non-self. Gunes Taylor hosts.

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Are we predisposed to catastrophise? | Elise Valmorbida, Meg Rosoff and Nick Zangwill

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Is it bad if we are?

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From the evening news to the latest films and novels - we are attracted to crises and the trials and tribulations of life. The pandemic brought stories of human suffering, whether from illness, isolation or joblessness, which we readily consumed. But the healthiness of this fascination with misery is questionable, potentially leaving us with a distorted picture of the state of affairs and low expectations for our happiness. Is this focus on negative human experiences universal, a hangover from our evolutionary past and originally a survival technique? Or is it a symptom of a culture in decline? Should we seek to snap out of this pessimistic cultural focus and instead celebrate success stories and look positively to the future?

Award-winning authors Elise Valmorbida and Meg Rosoff and philosopher and an honorary professor at UCL Nick Zangwill discuss the call of the catastrophe and calamity. Mary Ann Sieghart hosts.

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The quest for reason | Alister McGrath

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:30:00 GMT

Can science and religion coexist? Listen to find out!

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In this interview, Alister McGrath, the Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford, explores the relationship between science and certainty. He charts his path from atheism to Christianity, and discusses how his faith is consistent with his scientific beliefs. McGrath asserts that reason is not a universal concept, but rather only a culturally contingent framework. He argues that a cross-cultural framework of reason is an essential tool that must be developed to ensure greater harmony between nations and cultures.

Alister McGrath is a theologian, intellectual historian, scientist, and public intellectual. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion, at the University of Oxford, McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology and the relationship between science and religion.

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The post-natural world of tomorrow | Yuval Noah Harari, Slavoj Žižek

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:32:34 GMT

Does nature always know best? Yuval Noah Harari and Slavoj Žižek debate.

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Most think of nature as good, while humans and human interventions are often seen as problematic and even on occasion evil. From eradicating e-numbers from our diets to refusing vaccines, many are motivated by the idea that nature knows best.

Yet malaria is natural, the malaria vaccine is not. Crop failure, hurricanes, tsunamis - all are deadly, and all natural. Human actions are essential to extend and save lives from natural calamity.

Is our attachment to nature undermining belief in ourselves? Should we have more faith in the human and less trust in nature? Or, are we right to be sceptical of human intervention and should we see the renewed reverence for nature as a positive return to an ancient and essential belief? Then again, should we accept that we are part of the natural world, and give up on the false distinction between real and artificial, natural and unnatural?

World-famous intellectual Yuval Noah Harari and firebrand philosopher Slavoj Žižek debate whether nature is friend or foe. Hosted by scientist Güneş Taylor.

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Ancient traits in a modern world | Sunetra Gupta, Anders Sandberg, Subrena Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Is our neurobiology at odds with the modern world?

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We see the remarkable evolution of the human brain as one of the driving factors behind our success as a species. Our neurobiology evolved though to solve challenges in a drastically different world than we find ourselves in today. Might our evolved traits, once advantageous, now be our Achilles heel? For human aggression, inventiveness and a determination to overcome enemies, once evolutionarily effective now risk resource, technology, and nuclear crises each with the potential to bring our species to an end. Can we find ways to change our behaviour before it is too late?

Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology at the University of Oxford Sunetra Gupta, research fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford Anders Sandberg and philosopher of biology Subrena Smith debate whether or not our neurobiology inadequate to deal with the challenges of the 21st century. Güneş Taylor hosts.

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The search for certainty | Simon Blackburn, Hilary Lawson, Ruth Chang

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 16:30:00 GMT

Should we give up the dream of certainty?

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We look for certainty to know where we are, to feel safe. Descartes founded modern Western philosophy on the search for certainty. And in our daily lives we have institutions to create the illusion of certainty, marriage in the precarious world of relationships, schools and universities in the world of knowledge. For psychologists tell us that uncertainty is one of the strongest predictors of distress. Yet certainty is also the enemy of progress and change, and as Eric Fromm argued 'The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning'. To be certain is to have ended enquiry, to have called a halt to the new and the original, to have in a sense already died.

Should we recognise the pursuit of certainty in our personal lives, in our pursuit of knowledge, and in religion and philosophy is destined to fail? Should we instead welcome, even encourage, the uncertain and the unknown as a vehicle for growth and potential? Or without the safety of the known are we all lost?

Distinguished philosophy professor Simon Blackburn, maverick post post-modern philosopher Hilary Lawson and ground-breaking philosopher of value Ruth Chang question whether we can be certain about anything. Maria Balaska hosts.

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Islands and the Anthropocene | David Chandler

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:39:35 GMT

Could this be the end of modernity?

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Whether it's the discussion on rising sea levels or nuclear waste, islands have gravitated to the epicentre of the geopolitical zeitgeist. But why are we more interested in islands than ever before? Professor at the Centre for the Study of Democracy, David Chandler explores the importance of islands in the Anthropocene.

David Chandler is Professor of International Relations at the University of Westminster, and edits the journal Anthropocenes: Human, Inhuman, Posthuman and the book series Routledge Studies in Resilience. His most recent monograph is Ontopolitics in the Anthropocene: An Introduction to Mapping, Sensing and Hacking (2018).

Chandler’s long-term research focus is on new forms of subjectivity, shaped by both a retreat from the human as subject and the world as object.

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Computing the mind | Kenneth Cukier, Joanna Bryson, Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 May 2022 12:41:58 GMT

Is the brain just a computer? Are AI conscious? Or could they be? Our experts debate.

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The idea of the brain as a computer is everywhere. So much so we have forgotten it is a model and not the reality. It’s a metaphor that has lead some to believe that in the future they'll be uploaded to the digital ether and thereby achieve immortality. It’s also a metaphor that garners billions of dollars in research funding every year. Yet researchers argue that when we dig down into our grey matter our biology is anything but algorithmic. And increasingly, critics contend that the model of the brain as computer is sending scientists (and their resources) nowhere fast.

Is our attraction to the idea of the brain as computer an accident of current human technology? Can we find a better metaphor that might lead to a new paradigm? Is there something about computers that has indeed identified the very same processes that are operating in our brains, or is it a profound mistake to imagine the organic can be reduced to technology?

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Everyday philosophy, Extraordinary life | Timothy Williamson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:10:53 GMT

Does philosophy really have an impact on our daily life? Timothy Williamson explains.

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In this interview, professor of Logic at the University of Oxford, Timothy Williamson examines how common sense can sometimes not be fully self-consistent and can even lead us into certain logical paradoxes. The philosopher discusses in what ways philosophy is comparable to the natural sciences and how language is ill-equipped to describe people's experiences of reality. In this discussion, Williamson also touches on the arbitrariness of disciplinary boundaries when it comes to understanding life's fundamental questions.

Timothy Williamson is the Wykeham Professor of Logic at the University of Oxford and a fellow of New College, Oxford. His main research areas are philosophy of logic, philosophy of language, epistemology and metaphysics. He is the author of the widely translated Knowledge and Its Limits and The Philosophy of Philosophy.

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The knowledge delusion | Santiago Zabala, Corine Besson, Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:34:38 GMT

Beyond right and wrong?

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Politicians, scientists, experts, specialists and even philosophers frequently claim to be right and to have understood how things ultimately are. Yet at the same time they know this can't plausibly be the case. In the history of humankind there is no theory that has been shown to be definitive, no claim that cannot be disputed. Nor can we imagine a time when such dispute will come to an end.

Should we give up the very idea that it is possible to be definitively right? Would this usher in a new era of compromise? Or is the possibility of being right essential to progress and culture, without which we risk violence and conflict?

Author of Freedom in Age of Alternative Facts Santiago Zabala, pragmatic epistemologist Corine Besson and expert of Indian thought Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad clash over whether it is ever possible to be definitely right about anything.

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The Evolution of Suicide | Nicholas Humphreys

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 12:41:37 GMT

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Suicide is a terrible but commonplace event amongst all societies within the human race. But at what point in our evolution did suicide come into being, and for what purpose? Can suicide be explained, and if so, can we provide an answer to those who become so desperate? Neuropsychologist and author of A History of the Mind Nicholas Humphrey answers these questions.

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The truth about consciousness | Anil Seth

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:54:28 GMT

How wrong was Descartes exactly? Listen to find out!

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Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Anil Seth explores the ultimate mystery of our consciousness experience. In this interview, Seth discusses the misconceptions surrounding the difference between consciousness and intelligence, the link between consciousness and self-consciousness and why consciousness can be seen as similar to a controlled hallucination. Seth also considers whether or not he thinks science will ultimately dissolve the sense of mystery surrounding what consciousness really is.

Anil Seth is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex and author of Being You: A New Science of Consciousness. He is also Co-Director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science and Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness. He is also a regular contributor to the New Scientist, The Guardian, and BBC, and writes the blog NeuroBanter.

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Overwhelmed By Choice | Renata Salecl

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:01:19 GMT

How tied are mental health and choice? Listen to find out!

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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 Criminology at the University of Ljubljana.

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How to navigate the hidden gems of philosophy | Maria Balaska

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:54:45 GMT

Is there a connection between philosophy and psychoanalysis? A place for discussing children in philosophy? Listen to find out.

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Psychoanalysis and philosophy share a deep interest in what it means to be human and what it means to be in the world. At the heart of both philosophical and psychological investigations lies three questions: What can I know? What ought I do? And what can I hope for?

Dr Maria Balaska discusses the connection between our psychological understanding of ourselves, and our philosophical understanding of the world around us.

Maria Balaska is a philosopher at the University of Hertfordshire. Her book Wittgenstein and Lacan at the Limit: Meaning and Astonishment brings together philosophy and psychoanalysis on the significance and the challenges of experiences of astonishment.

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How the universe learns | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 13:36:37 GMT

Sounds impossible? Listen to find out!

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Are the laws of nature nothing more than habits that natural systems have learned to repeat over time? While it might sound impossible, Rupert Sheldrake will be explaining the phenomenon in this episode. Rupert Sheldrake is a scientist, author, and parapsychology researcher. Best known for his 2012 book The Science Delusion and the controversial, viral TED talk he gave which was banned by the organisation.

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Do we really experience reality? | Graham Harman, Donald Hoffman & Mazviita Chirimuuta

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 May 2021 10:53:12 GMT

Is your experience of this episode even real?

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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 possibility that we experience an accurate and true account of reality.

Should we conclude that while our biology enables us to successfully function in the world, our experiences and theories are illusions rather than truths? Is the theory of evolution itself flawed, unable to account for the truth of the theory itself? Or can we fashion a new account of ourselves that would give us a better way to understand both who we are, the process of evolution, and our relationship to reality?

Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Graham Harman, Associate Professor of History and Philosophy of Science Mazviita Chirimuuta, and cognitive psychologist Donald Hoffman debate the survival paradox. Hosted by documentary film-maker David Malone.

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Why do we want to be good? | Ece Temelkuran, Alison Milbank, Peter Sjöstedt-H

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 10:28:53 GMT

What would you feel if you found out you are bad? Why?

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In our largely secular world, most think there is no afterlife, no reward or punishment in the hereafter. Yet most still wish to act morally and even ascetically, delaying or refusing gratification in favour of some higher ideal. Even though, without God or an afterlife, there is no-one watching and judging us, and 'right and wrong' are seen as merely human creations.

Are we living in the long shadow of a dead God, as Nietzsche suggested, and would we be better to break free? Is moral constraint a means of maintaining social order essential to the smooth running of society? Or can a merely human morality also be transcendent and ultimate?

Turkish journalist, author and activist Ece Temelkuran, Anglican priest and scholar Alison Milbank and philosopher of mind Peter Sjöstedt-H debate the existence of a secular morality. Mark Salter hosts.

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More than a theory | Sabine Hossenfelder, Bjørn Ekeberg, Sam Henry

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 16:47:30 GMT

Is it time to shift our perception of the universe? Listen to what the experts have to say.

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Since the 1970s we have understood the world through the lens of the Standard Model and its account of the forces and particles that make up the universe. But a series of deep puzzles have emerged. And now, even more significantly, a new force has been discovered throwing the whole theory into question.

Can the Standard Model be modified to answer the increasing number of challenges it faces? Or is the Standard Model fatally flawed - and time for the next great paradigm shift to a radically different account of the universe? Alternatively, should we conclude that all theories have limitations and not worry about the flaws, however profound they might be?

CERN research scientist Sam Henry, renowned author and theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder, and distinguished philosopher of science Bjørn Ekeberg discuss whether it is time to move past the standard model of particle physics. Acclaimed science writer Philip Ball hosts.

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The dangers of morality | Rebecca Roache, Matthew Taylor and Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:33:26 GMT

Can morality lead society down dangerous roads? Listen to how our speakers deconstruct our idea of right and wrong.

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Many would argue that for at least a century we have been moving away from the moral certainties of traditional Christianity. Yet, a new form of moral certainty is now reappearing, with much of our culture seemingly gripped by a focus on virtue and a tightly policed sense of right and wrong.

Should we welcome this return to virtue and embrace a moralism that will purge society of its newly found sins? Or are these certainties a new prejudice and the intolerant assertion of tribal attachments? Is our culture morally bankrupt in need of greater virtue, or could we be in the early stages of a Salem witch trial?

Chief Executive of The RSA and former head of the No. 10 Policy Unit Matthew Taylor, ethicist Rebecca Roache and philosopher and Closure theorist Hilary Lawson ask whether it's time to move beyond our fixation on morality is misguided. Author Danielle Sands hosts.

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The Future of Pornography | Brooke Magnanti, Finn Mackay, Rowan Pelling, Peter Tatchell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:34:31 GMT

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Many believe that porn's dark fantasies risk corrupting relationships and society. Has this arisen because pornography is largely created by men? Or is porn fundamentally incompatible with intimacy and a problem for all of us until its abolished? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, feminist thinker Finn Mackay, author of Belle de Jour: Diary of a London Call Girl Brooke Magnanti, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and Erotic Review editor Rowan Pelling imagine the future of pornography. In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD This debate references adult content.

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How to make the right decision | Bence Nanay, Naomi Goulder, Barry C. Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 11:09:07 GMT

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From quitting a job or relationship in the heat of an argument to taking on a new project in a flush of excitement, we think emotional decisions are often bad decisions. But might it be that emotion is the best guide to action and, as Hume thought, reason is and should be the slave of the passions? Or is this a quick route to chaos and conflict? Philosophers Bence Nanay, Naomi Goulder and Barry C. Smith debate what it means to be on the right path.

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The paradox of moral codes | David Friedman, Timothy Williamson and Maria Baghramian

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Is there a universal moral code? Or are we lying to ourselves? Listen to find out.

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Absolute moral claims are making a resurgence along with demands for action in response. Yet at the same time many proclaim the value and importance of upholding diverse cultural outlooks with sometimes radically different moral codes.

To avoid this hypocrisy should we give up belief in a universal moral code, and see morality, as Nietzsche argued, as the product of a monotheistic culture which over the centuries has often led to violence and warfare? Or should we reassert confidence in our moral framework and deny alternative accounts? Is a 'universal moral code' a guise for the tyranny of western, Christian ethics, or is it the cornerstone of a fair and just society in any culture and at any time?

Infamous anarcho-capitalist David Friedman, leading analytic philosopher Timothy Williamson and morality specialist Maria Baghramian dig into the true nature of morality. Robert Rowland Smith hosts.

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Does life have meaning? PART 3: Nolen Gertz on nihilism part two

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT

PART 3 of Does life have meaning Series: How do we find meaning (and happiness) in the contemporary age?

Nihilism, the abandonment of all fundamental beliefs, may appear a hopeless outlook. Yet perhaps it also has potential. Join philosopher Nolen Gertz as he explores the history of nihilism to give us a complex image of it as something we can learn to live with in our technological age.

Nolen Gertz is Associate Professor of Applied Philosophy at the University of Twente, the Coordinator of the Human Condition Research Line of ESDIT, and a Senior Researcher of the 4TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology. His research focuses primarily on the intersection of political philosophy, existential phenomenology, and philosophy of technology.

Our London festival is coming up on 21-22 September at Hampstead Heath! Make sure to book your tickets while they are available here: https://howthelightgetsin.org/.

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Martyrdom and Sacrifice |Terry Eagleton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 07:52:41 GMT

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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 published over forty books on topics ranging from Samuel Richardson to banality of evil in his On Evil.

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Surviving and Thriving On Curiosity | Garrick Jones

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:00:00 GMT

What are the benefits of curiosity? Listen to find out!

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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, Garrick Jones, who takes us through the 7 C’s of curiosity.

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Understanding Consciousness | Bernardo Kastrup, Susan Blackmore, Tim Crane

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 10:52:49 GMT

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Should we conclude that consciousness cannot be explained in terms of the physical? But if so what is the alternative? Or is it just a matter of time, and one day an AI machine will miraculously find itself experiencing the world, and its mere components will have soul?

Philosopher of mind Tim Crane, metaphysical idealist Bernardo Kastrup and consciousness specialist Susan Blackmore debate the miracle of mind. Closure theorist Hilary Lawson hosts.

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Philosophy for emergencies | Santiago Zabala

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 10:52:23 GMT

Don't look up?

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In this interview, philosopher Santiago Zabala details why the greatest emergency is the absence of emergency itself, the problem with freedom and our perception of postmodernism, and why we need to take warnings of emergencies far more seriously.

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Materialism Deconstructed| Bernardo Kastrup, Nancy Cartwright, Peter Atkins

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 12:11:23 GMT

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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 for the Study of the Senses Barry C. Smith hosts.

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Understanding String Theory | James Ladyman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 10:49:02 GMT

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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

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What we Cannot Know | Marcus du Sautoy

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:08:52 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License

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How dangerous are your beliefs? | George Ellis, Carlo Rovelli, Philip Goff and Shami Chakrabarti

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 10:35:01 GMT

Do your beliefs control you?

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Once faith was revered. Now in a secular age, it is seen by many as an irrational dedication to an unproven belief. Yet science, Marxism, and liberalism, all rely on core beliefs that are unprovable. And to live without belief in anything at all would be considered empty and meaningless.

Should we accept that an element of faith is required whatever our perspective, and embrace the comfort and purpose that stems from unqualified belief? Or is this to undermine the very idea of knowledge and progress, heralding a world where evidence means nothing and only rhetoric matters?

Former Director of Human Rights NGO Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, groundbreaking physicist Carlo Rovelli, Consciousness expert Philip Goff, and world leader in relativity and cosmology George Ellis discuss the necessity and danger of belief. Isabel Hilton hosts.

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Free Will Worth Wanting |Daniel Dennett, Helen Steward, Patrick Haggard

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 11:58:55 GMT

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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 Steward deliberate over the existence of free will. Mark Linsenmayer hosts.

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The Skeptic’s Case for Free Speech | Michael Shermer

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 May 2021 09:30:00 GMT

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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 University, where he teaches Skepticism 101.

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The Limits of Freedom | Claire Fox, Julian Le Grand, Theodore Dalrymple

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 14:24:31 GMT

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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 and author of I Find That Offensive Claire Fox interrogate choice.

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Reaching for Truth | David Aaronovitch, Asa Wikforss, Santiago Zabala

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 04 May 2021 09:16:37 GMT

Is it possible to tell the truth? Or is it time to accept that lying has a central role in all social discourse?

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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.

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The Value of Ethics | Bart Streumer

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 10:59:28 GMT

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Can an action that is 'right' become 'wrong' without any other change taking place in the world? And do we need to apply ethics to real-world issues to feel that these theories matter? Bart Streumer unpacks these questions and more in this in-depth interview, before making the case that we should understand philosophy as a cooperative enterprise, in which debate, learning what others have to say, and changing your own mind, is crucial.

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A Philosopher's Guide to Being Happy | David Pearce

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 10:02:45 GMT

Can we crack to key to happiness once and for all?

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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, and co-founder of Humanity+, an international organisation which advocates for the technological enhancement of the human species. He envisions a future completely free of suffering for both humans and non-human animals, a pain-free paradise in which all thought, feeling, and experience is sublimated into what he calls "gradients of bliss". The abolition of suffering is for David an ethical necessity, elaborated in his manifesto, The Hedonistic Imperative.

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Humans and other animals | Ray Tallis, Melanie Challenger, Jamie Blackett and Kay Peggs

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 09:30:00 GMT

When did we become MORE THAN...? And why?

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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.

Should we end this hypocrisy by treating animal species equally, however difficult this might be? Should biodiversity be an end in itself and the basis for intervention? Or are we right to make distinctions based on the value we attach to the species along with the accident of human desire, fashion and aesthetics?

Philosopher, cultural critic and author of Aping Mankind Ray Tallis, writer, poet and podcaster Melanie Challenger, farmer, author, politician Jamie Blackett and Professor of Sociology at Kingston University Kay Peggs debate the hypocrisy of the way we treat animals. Myriam Francois hosts.

In association with Future Normal.

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How To Overcome Wilful Blindness | Margaret Heffernan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:22:04 GMT

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How can we protect ourselves from the dangers we wilfully don't see? Businesswoman and author of Wilful Blindness Margaret Heffernan puts forward her theory and outlines how and why institutions and individuals need to open their eyes to information they do not want to know.

An entrepreneur, CEO and author, Heffernan's book Wilful Blindness was chosen as one of Financial Times' business books of the decade.

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Consciousness and the limits of science PART 2 | Sean Carroll, Ellen Langer, and Tamar Gendler

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Mind, matter, and everything - PART TWO

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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Corruption and Climate Change | Piers Corbyn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Is science more sinister than an honest pursuit of the truth? Is there enough evidence to support man-made climate change? Usually, we associate climate change critics with the right but this time the counter-narrative comes from outspoken astrophysicist Piers Corbyn, who situates himself even further on the left than his brother, UK's Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

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How to Save Conscious Life on Earth | Susan Schneider

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:30:11 GMT

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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.

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In Search of Freedom | Paul Broks, Julian Baggini, Hannah Dawson, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 May 2020 13:09:29 GMT

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Is there space left for individual autonomy when we are constrained by our genes, manipulated by technology and shaped by the cultural zeitgeist? Should we conclude that the very idea of freedom was a mistake, which once abandoned will enable us to reframe human behaviour and success and create a more equal society?

Historian of ideas and author of Life Lessons from Hobbes Hannah Dawson, post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson, neuropsychologist and science writer Paul Broks and author of Freedom Regained Julian Baggini ask who's really in control. David Aaronovitch hosts.

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Is Morality Rooted In Culture? | Joel Robbins

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 12:05:30 GMT

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From remote groups in Papua New Guinea to Pentecostal Christians, what can values and desires around the world tell us about the nature of morality? Cambridge anthropologist Joel Robbins tours the globe in search of the good.

Joel Robbins is the Sigrid Rausing Professor of Social Anthropology at Cambridge University and author of Becoming Sinners. He specialises in the anthropology of religion and anthropological theory.

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Beyond Us: Growth with Mo Gawdat

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 11:59:47 GMT

Today we bring you the fourth episode of Beyond Us, an IAI mini-series made in association with Essentia Foundation.

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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

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The Dark and the Digital | Nigel Inkster, Ella Whelan, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Janne Teller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 04:00:03 GMT

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The anonymity of the internet has enabled an epidemic of abuse. Was Hobbes right after all, and humankind are at core wicked and requiring constraint? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, former director at MI6 Nigel Inkster, assistant editor at Spiked Ella Whelan, renowned journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, and novelist Janne Teller ask should we abolish online anonymity to create a better world?

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Everything We Cannot Know | Henry Gee

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 12:06:45 GMT

How much can we possibly know about the universe? And where do the boundaries of scientific knowledge lie? Listen to find out!

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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 Nature Henry Gee who dares us to consider everything we cannot know.

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Greater than Equal | Theodore Dalrymple, Sophie Walker, Helena Cronin

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 12:23:13 GMT

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In today’s debate Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality Party faces Helena Cronin, Darwinian philosopher and a strong believer in natural sex differences. Joined by Psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple, they debate the pros, cons and possibilities of equality.

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What is the Future of Art? | Don Paterson, Dylan Evans, Julian Stallabrass

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 15 May 2018 11:23:22 GMT

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Many of us intuitively believe that art, philosophy and culture, from the evolution of cinema to the rise of performance poetry, is trying to constantly progress towards something better. But is this a myth? In art and philosophy, is the best yet to come? Or, as Eliot said, 'is there only the fight to recover what has been lost and found and lost again'? Critic and author of Con Art Julian Spalding, TS Eliot prize-winning poet and musician Don Paterson, and author of The Utopia Experiment Dylan Evans revisit the future of art.

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Beyond Experience | Tara Shears, Hilary Lawson, Alison Milbank

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:31:14 GMT

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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 theologian Alison Milbank question reality beyond experience.

In association with Philosophy Now.

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Beyond Us: Competition with Donald Hoffman

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 13:12:00 GMT

Today we bring you the second episode of Beyond Us, an all-new series made in association with Essentia Foundation.

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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 that drive competitive behaviour still serve us? And what, in any case, are the alternatives.

Series hosts Bernardo Kastrup and Fred Matser discuss the fascinating topic of competition with the American evolutionary psychologist, Donald Hoffman.

In association with Essentia Foundation

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The Science of Psychedelics | David Nutt

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:23:03 GMT

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Is our attitude to drugs harming mental health patients? Imperial College psychiatrist and former UK government drugs adviser David Nutt argues for an evidence based revolution in drugs policy.

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The philosophy of performance | Michelle Terry

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:30:00 GMT

How can taking on the role of someone else help us to understand ourselves? Does the hermit know himself better than the socialite? And where is the line between our true, authentic selves and the multitude of characters we all play each and every day?

Join actress and Creative Director of Shakespeare's Globe, Michelle Terry, as she draws on her experience as a performer to explore how acting can help us to understand the self.

Please feel free to email us at podcast@iai.tv with any of your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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The New Moralism | Matthew Taylor, Rebecca Roache, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 03:00:02 GMT

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Many would argue that for at least a century we have been moving away from the moral certainties of traditional Christianity. Yet now a new form of moral certainty is reappearing, with much of our culture seemingly gripped by a focus on virtue and a tightly policed sense of right and wrong. Should we welcome this return to virtue and embrace a new moralism that will purge society of its newly found sins? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Matthew Taylor, Rebecca Roache and Hilary Lawson grapple with the new moralism.

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Beyond Us: Language with Jennifer Hornsby

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:48:01 GMT

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

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Ditching Selfish Ideologies | John Milbank

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 17:58:53 GMT

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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.

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Beyond Us: Knowledge with Rebecca Goldstein

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:20:14 GMT

Today 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 knowledge based on reason and disparages feelings and intuitions. But what might we have lost (as well as gained), from this epistemic hierarchy, and how should knowledge be made and managed to produce the best possible outcomes?

Series hosts Bernardo Kastrup and Fred Matser discuss the fascinating topic of knowledge with Canadian philosopher and champion of the enlightenment project, Rebecca Goldstein.

In association with Essentia Foundation.

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A Tribal World | Julie Bindel, Brendan O'Neill, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Simon Glendinning

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 10:52:28 GMT

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We see community and society as good. Yet communities are also fortresses of privilege and conformity, as migrants know only too well. Is the tribe, from the football team to the nation, to be feared and contained? Or is finding our place in a larger group the core of what it is to be human?

Author of Exotic England Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, editor of Spiked Brendan O'Neill, journalist Julie Bindel and director of the Forum for European Philosophy, Simon Glendinning, seek the truth about the tribe.

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The World That Disappeared | Peter Atkins, James Ladyman, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:35:25 GMT

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No-one who has ever stepped on a Lego brick could doubt the reality of physical objects. Yet from Heraclitus to George Berkeley, many philosophers claimed to have disproven the existence of things. Could the world truly be made up of fields and processes, rather than physical stuff? Are the everyday objects that surround us an illusion?

To help us discuss the existence of things we are joined by three leading thinkers: chemist Peter Atkins, philosopher of science, James Ladyman and novelist Joanna Kavenna.

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The secret history of cool | Joel Dinerstein

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Who was the first person to be cool? What connects the civil rights movement and Albert Camus' 'The Rebel'? How has the coopting of black terminology impacted American society more broadly?

From James Dean to Kate Moss, we know cool when we see it. But its history goes back to jazz music and the civil rights movement. Academic Joel Dinerstein reveals the forgotten history of this elusive concept. "Entertaining and insightful" - New York Times

Joel Dinerstein is the author of The Origins of Cool in Postwar America (University of Chicago, 2017) and Clark Chair of American Civilisation at Tulane University and writes about race, cool, and popular music.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such talks live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

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The Tyranny of Meritocracy | Michael Sandel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 13:20:30 GMT

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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 his vision of an alternative way of thinking about success - more attentive to the role of luck in human affairs, more conducive to an ethic of humility and solidarity, and more affirming of the dignity of work.

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Does Universal Morality Exist? | Stanley Fish, Myriam Francois, Phillip Collins

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 11:08:56 GMT

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Is there a universal morality, and if not, are moral beliefs actually the cause of some of the greatest human suffering? To debate this issue, we have on our panel literary theorist Stanley Fish, writer, broadcaster and SOAS researcher Myriam Francois, and journalist and former speech-writer to Tony Blair Phillip Collins.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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Imagining Imaginations | Terry Eagleton, Paul Boghossian, Joanne Harris

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 11:33:06 GMT

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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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Time, Space And Being | Michela Massimi, Julian Barbour, Huw Price

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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We think space and time are the structure of the universe. Yet Einstein argued 'space and time are modes by which we think and not conditions in which we live'. And philosophers, Kant and Heidegger, saw space and time as the framework of thought not the world. Are space and time just a human fantasy?

Physicist and author of The End of Time Julian Barbour, Cambridge metaphysician Huw Price and philosopher of science Michela Massimi think outside space and time.

Watch the debate here: https://iai.tv/video/time-space-and-being

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Tribal Identity and Tribal Conflict | David Blunkett, Dawn Butler, Phillip Blond

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 10:33:02 GMT

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Identity politics has become ever more influential. Does our desire to belong to one tribe or another make conflict with others inevitable? Could we do away with tribal allegiances and see ourselves as part of the same human family? Or are group identities based on class, race, sexuality or nationality the only effective vehicles for political change? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, David Blunkett, Dawn Butler and Phillip Blond dispute the politics and perils of identity.

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The Fractured Mind | Bence Nanay

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 17:32:18 GMT

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Is it better for us to resist temptations or avoid them altogether? Philosopher of perception and action Bence Nanay argues that our ability to say no is connected with the fragmentation of our minds.

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New Gods | Myriam François, Peter Atkins, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:27:21 GMT

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As our churches have emptied our belief in progress, science and reason has also begun to falter, and we find ourselves in a new space in which all beliefs are challenged, and perspectives jostle in a relative world. Might religion, in the form of shared rituals and values, once again have a role to play?

To discuss the role of religion we are joined by three leading thinkers: acclaimed chemist Peter Atkins, writer and broadcaster Myriam Francois and philosopher Hilary Lawson.

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Philosophers vs Post-Truth | Homi Bhabha, Rebecca Goldstein, Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 12:00:10 GMT

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In a post-truth world, tribal agreement seems to have replaced reason and evidence. But is a world where our truths are tribal sustainable? Don't we need a shared framework of thought to prevent fragmentation and confrontation? Can we rely on evidence and reason whilst abandoning absolute truth, or do we need reality after all?

Philosopher and novelist Rebecca Goldstein, post-colonial theorist Homi Bhabha and post-postmodern metaphysician Hilary Lawson confront the future of the post-truth world.

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Reason And The Gods | Myriam Francois, Anthony Gottlieb, Linda Woodhead

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 08:54:16 GMT

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Belief in the Gods once filled lives with purpose and a vision of truth. Now many in the secular West dismiss the divine yet also rue the loss of meaning and belief. Is this because evidence and reason are not sufficient to make sense of the world? Is there something about the world that is deeply strange and justifies spirituality? Or is the worldwide flourishing of religion a temporary blip in human history? Sociologist of religion Linda Woodhead, former executive editor of The Economist and author of The Dream of the Enlightenment Anthony Gottlieb, TV presenter and Research Associate at SOAS Centre for Islamic Studies Myriam Francois explore the link between reason and religion. Julian Baggini hosts.

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Bonus Episode: In Conversation with Saul Kripke and Timothy Williamson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 10:01:19 GMT

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In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Saul Kripke and Timothy Williamson discuss why language has come to dominate their field, why logic matters, and what the future for the Anglo-American tradition looks like.

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Modern Crises and Ancient Gods | David King, Sister Jayanti, Natalie Bennett

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 10:17:57 GMT

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For much of human history, nature was our god. Yet now science and technology, which once we used to tame nature, are increasingly seen as plundering the planet and wrecking the climate. Were the ancients right, and nature the source of all things and that which we should guard most closely? Or should we instead renew our belief in progress and human ingenuity to solve our current problems? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, David King, Sister Jayanti and Natalie Bennett tackle modern crises with ancient gods.

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Should We Live Forever? | Patricia MacCormack, Anders Sandberg, Janne Teller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 12:19:01 GMT

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From gene therapy and fad diets to cryonically frozen corpses, many still hope to find a way to live forever. But Heidegger famously thought life's transience gave it meaning. So should science one day banish death's shadow? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Philosopher and author of 'Post-Human Ethics' Patricia MacCormack, Oxford transhumanist Anders Sandberg and author and novelist Janne Teller imagine a life without end.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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What's It All For? | Helen Lederer, Julian Baggini, Susan Neiman, Janne Teller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 09:59:35 GMT

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We admire achievers, from James Watt to Mandela, Marie Curie to Emmeline Pankhurst. Yet many spend their lives waiting for weekends and holidays. And does not play, both as sex, drugs and rock and roll, and as creative and physical endeavour provide us with the most memorable events in life? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Helen Lederer, Julian Baggini and Susan Neiman debate what it's all for.

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The Tyranny of Evidence | Rupert Read

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 09:35:25 GMT

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In a post-truth world, the evidence of experts is constantly being called into question. But is abandoning the expertise of learned folk a little extreme? Green Party politician and philosopher Rupert Read takes us through the tyranny of evidence.

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Bonus Episode: The Philosophy Of Being A Woman | International Women's Day 2018

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 12:31:15 GMT

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Assistant Producer at the IAI, Bridey Addison-Child, speaks to some of our female speakers from our HowTheLightGetsIn Festival to find out what being a woman means in today's society, and explore some of the philosophical issues raised when we talk about womanhood.

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What Is Beauty? From Plato to Kim Kardashian | Bence Nanay, Justine Kolata, Sam Roddick

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 May 2019 14:55:49 GMT

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Once beauty was about goodness and truth, now we think it means little more than models, products and outdated art. Have practical concerns and the economy of desire made beauty trivial and expendable? Is there a difference in the feeling of pleasure one gets from looking at a Magritte painting, or at Kim Kardashian's bum? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Philosopher Bence Nanay, activist Sam Roddick and Public Sphere Salons founder Justien Kolata explore beauty and pleasure.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Neuroscience of Consciousness | Raymond Tallis, Susana Martinez-Conde, Markus Gabriel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 20 May 2019 17:29:53 GMT

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Neuroscientists believe that our minds and consciousness are no more than matter and mechanism. But if they are right, is all meaning, purpose and feeling illusory? Or do the secrets of experience lie beyond neuroscience's grasp? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Raymond Tallis, Susana Martinez-Conde and Markus Gabriel explore the latest in the neuroscience of consciousness.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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More choice means less freedom | Psychologist Barry Schwartz

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Why more is less

We're surrounded by choice - an endless sea of possible paths we might take. However, does the overwhelming range of choices leave us better off or worse? In general, we tend to think that more is better, but Barry Schwartz, author of the ground-breaking book 'The Paradox of Choice', argues that this view is mistaken. More can lead us to be psychologically overloaded, unsatisfied, and tyrannised by the burden of choices that present themselves to us.

Barry is an American psychologist and the Dorwin Cartwright Emeritus Professor of Social Theory and Social Action at Swarthmore College. He is author of several famous books including 'Why We Work' and 'The Paradox of Choice'.

Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/

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Against Meritocracy | Kwame Anthony Appiah

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 09:24:22 GMT

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Would a meritocratic society provide a fair equality of opportunity? Can discrimination based on merit ever be justified, or should we aim to solve social inequality through equality of outcome? Kwame Anthony Appiah is a British Ghanaian philosopher at Columbia University and author of Cosmopolitanism and The Honor Code.

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The Meaning of the Multiverse | Cumrun Vafa, Mary-Jane Rubenstein, John Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 09:01:55 GMT

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Talk of other universes has become fashionable amongst physicists and string theory alike. Should we recognise ours as the only universe and give up on others as fantasy science? Or is slipping through a worm hole into another universe a credible reality rather than a Hollywood fairytale? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Cumrun Vafa, Mary-Jane Rubenstein and John Ellis go in search for the meaning of the multiverse.

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Love Is the Drug | Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 13:08:25 GMT

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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.

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Russia, China and the New World Order | Rana Mitter, Stephen King, George Galloway

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:11:49 GMT

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China may be on the way to replacing the US as the world's dominant economic power, but with Russia also growing its reach, could the future be more dangerous still? Do we face an uncontainable multipolar world with many nations vying for power? Or should we applaud a break from US global dominance and look forward to a more equal future? Mary Ann Sieghart asks Oxford historian Rana Mitter, HSBC chief economist Stephen King and politician George Galloway to envisage the world's future.

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Who's afraid of gender? | Judith Butler

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Why has gender identity become such a controversial talking point in modern politics?

Judith Butler, pioneering gender theorist whose changed the way we think about gender and sexuality, explores the topic of their most recent book, Who's Afraid of Gender? (March 2024). Butler offers a compelling and powerful diagnosis of the anxieties and fears that make up today's wars over gender. In this talk, Butler will explore how, despite 'gender' being the most fraught issue of our times, there is still cause for hope. This timely and timeless intervention continues to imagine new possibilities for freedom and solidarity.

Judith Butler is Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School and formerly the Maxine Elliot Chair in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Program of Critical Theory at the University of California, Berkeley. They are most well-known for their ground-breaking book Gender Trouble (1990) and their theory of performativity.

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Nietzsche, the birth of tragedy, and the technology trap | Babette Babich

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 29 May 2025 17:22:18 GMT

Nietzsche, the birth of tragedy, and the technology trap with Babette Babich

Babette Babich discusses Nietzsche, the importance of tragedy, and the danger of technology interfering with our judgement. Babette Babich is a world renowned Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University in New York. In this in-depth interview, she looks to Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy to explain our love of suffering and towards the trials and tribulations of living in an age of technology which is smarter than we are.

Babette Babich is a leading philosopher of technology and science. Renowned for her exploration of the philosophy, history, and sociology of science as well as studies of ecology and animal philosophy, Babich is a Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, New York City.

Her work crosses the analytic-continental divide, drawing heavily on Nietzsche, Heidegger, Adorno, and Illich. She is the director of The Nietzsche Society. Her latest book, Günther Anders’ Philosophy of Technology, explores the philosophy of isolation.

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Who We Are | Diane Abbott, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Kemi Badenoch, Richard Reeves

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 11:30:36 GMT

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Ten years ago, the US elected its first black president. Yet race-related hate crime has increased 216% in the last year. Are we wrong to suppose that racial prejudice will be overcome by equal opportunity? Should we dream of a world where race is not a basis for social identity? Or are social groupings inevitable and equality the only possible solution?

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Changing the Love Narrative | Martha Fiennes, Chris Sherwood, Shahida Bari

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 10:52:58 GMT

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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 Relate CEO Chris Sherwood and Senior Lecturer in Romanticism at QMUL Shahidha Bari to imagine new narratives for love.

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Playing Dice With The Universe | Chiara Marletto, Michael Duff, Peter Cameron

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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'God does not play dice with the universe' Einstein famously argued. Yet contemporary physics embeds just such dice playing at the core of its account. Is the universe really unknowable even to itself? Or as Einstein implied is this misguided and its secrets remain to be uncovered?

Oxford Constructor theorist Chiara Marletto, mathematician Peter Cameron and string theorist Michael Duff untangle cause and effect.

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Running The World Differently | Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Margaret Hodge, Ritula Shah

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 11:41:19 GMT

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A world where men and women shared power equally is thought desirable. Yet from Angela Merkel and Mrs Thatcher, to Marissa Mayer and Sheryl Sandberg, leading women often appear to behave similarly to men. Would a world run by women actually be fundamentally different? Orwell Award-winning journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Labour politician Margaret Hodge and BBC broadcaster Ritula Shah envisage a more equal world.

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Could the Universal Basic Income work? | Guy Standing vs Deirdre McCloskey

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 09:04:21 GMT

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Once dismissed as a utopian fantasy, universal income has now hit the mainstream. With new technologies, support from across the political spectrum, and advocates from Stephen Hawking to Mark Zuckerberg, it’s no surprise people have begun to take the idea seriously. In a combative head-to-head debate, author of Basic Income: And How We Can Make It Happen Guy Standing goes head to head with leading libertarian economist Deirdre McCloskey.

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The nature of evil PART ONE | Mike Figgis, Robert Eaglestone, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Can art vanquish evil?

In a largely secular culture what are we to make of evil? In a rational and relativistic climate without superstitutions, have we lost a cultural space in which to engage with evil? Should we abandon the notion altogether as anachronistic or is it essential in the fight for a better world?

Filmmaker Mike Figgis, Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith, Sean Holmes, and philosopher Robert Eaglestone explore the nature of evil and our response to it.

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Why Are Humans Monogamous? | Kit Opie

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 11:20:20 GMT

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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

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The Crisis of the West | Gita Sahgal, Philip Collins, Kwasi Kwarteng

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Western values have been extraordinarily successful. Yet now we seem on the back foot, unsure of ourselves and sometimes embarrassed at our own past. Beset with postmodern doubts, do we need to revive belief in the values and importance of our ideals? Or is the age of the West at an end?

Eminent Indian activist Gita Sahgal, Tony Blair's former Chief Speechwriter Philip Collins, and Conservative politician and author of Ghosts of Empire Kwasi Kwarteng dispute the world's future.

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Power, Status And Sexuality | Catherine Hakim, Doon Mackichan, Peter Tatchell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 11:09:55 GMT

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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 activist Peter Tatchell confront sexuality.

Supported by Routledge - Associate Academic Partner of the IAI. To learn more, and for exclusive discounts and prizes visit: http://bit.ly/2huBNRx

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A landscape of consciousness | Robert Lawrence Kuhn and Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Will we ever reach a conclusive, agreed-upon theory of consciousness?

Over the millennia of recorded history, countless stories, theories, and arguments have emerged to explain the origins of consciousness. And yet, here we are in 2025 - post-Plato, post-Descartes, post-scientific revolution - and still we don't understand the phenomenon of conscious, subjective experience. Which begs the question: will we ever truly know what consciousness is, and how it functions?

Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the co-creator, executive producer, writer, and host of 'Closer To Truth', the PBS/public television series on cosmos, life, mind, and meaning that presents leading scientists, philosophers, and creative thinkers discussing the fundamental questions of existence. Join him in conversation with post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson as they cast their eyes over the hundreds of different theories of consciousness.

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Bonus Episode: The Struggle for Social Justice | Angela Eagle

Institute of Art and Ideas — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 10:12:14 GMT

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Britain is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, so why do so many feel short-changed? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Labour MP and former minister Angela Eagle sees an urgent need to protect social cohesion and makes a case for radical economic reform.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: www.nchlondon.ac.uk

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A Philosophy of Confidence | Rowland Manthorpe

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:17:01 GMT

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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.

Music: Apache Force by Little Glass Men available under an Attribution Creative Commons License.

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Love Story | Helen Croydon, Naomi Goulder and Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 19:05:53 GMT

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We want "I love you" to mean forever. But neuroscientists claim three years into a relationship and romantic activity in the brain has ceased. Can love only be known in short doses? Should we accept romance as fleeting and abandon long term commitments, or can we outwit evolution and make love last?

Screw the Fairytale author Helen Croydon joins Oxford transhumanist Anders Sandberg and Philosopher Naomi Goulder.

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The limits of nothingness | Peter van Inwagen

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

From philosophy to science, metaphysics to psychology, the idea of 'nothing' is central to the universe, existence and experience as a whole. But the nature of 'nothing' is even more bewildering than we might first imagine. Parmenides argued that non-being is impossible because thinking about nothing is still something. Join philosopher Peter van Inwagen in this talk as he explores the metaphysics of 'nothing'.

Peter van Inwagen is one of the leading figures in contemporary philosophy. Known for his thought-provoking contributions to metaphysics, the philosophy of religion, and the free will debate, van Inwagen has shaped modern discussions around determinism, the problem of evil, and the existence of God. With key works like An Essay on Free Will and Material Beings, his ideas continue to influence both scholars and curious thinkers.

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What Is Justice? | Sarah Langford

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 17:21:56 GMT

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Can our legal system ever keep its promise of justice? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, author of ‘In Your Defence’ Sarah Langford tells her story of a life in the courtroom, and shows us how our attitudes and actions can shape not only the outcome of a case, but the legal system itself.

In association with the New College of the Humanities. bit.ly/2FdPgLD

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The Future of Human Enhancement | Anders Sandberg, Richard Morgan, Nicky Ashwell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 14:24:39 GMT

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Designer babies and human enhancement were once confined to fiction. Now biotechnology allows designer genetics, and many already choose the sex of their children. Where will this technology lead the human race? Should we be nervous of the ability to enhance ourselves or embrace an exciting new future for humankind?

Science fiction author Richard Morgan, founder of Humanity+ David Pearce, and bebionic hand user Nicky Ashwell debate the future of humanity.

In collaboration with Motherboard.

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Owning our Bodies | Anne Phillips, John Harris, Brooke Magnanti

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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If we have rights and ownership of anything it is surely of our own body. Yet we cannot dispose of it as we please, intoxicants are outlawed, and selling our body for sexual pleasure or organ donation is restricted. Is our body strangely not our own after all? Should we insist on our rights and freedom or do we need to be protected from ourselves?

During this panel Belle de Jour blogger Brooke Magnanti, bioethicist John Harris, and author of Our Bodies, Whose Property? Anne Phillips interrogate ownership.

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Slavoj Žižek on chaos and the modern world - PART 2

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 10:00:00 GMT

Heaven in disorder

What does the future hold for capitalism and our society? Where will our modern ideals, perspectives, and philosophies lead us? Join Slavoj Zizek as he explores the current state of the world, focusing on the decay of our social and political institutions and ideologies.

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The lost art of pilgrimage: PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM | Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Ways to go beyond: Why spiritual journeys draw non-religious people

Did pilgrimage go out of fashion or did it simply take on a new form?

Join biologist and psychic phenomena researcher Rupert Sheldrake as he analyses the history of pilgrimage, going all the way from its ancient roots in religious ceremony to its modern incarnation of tourism.

Rupert Sheldrake is an English scientist whose research into parapsychology and evolution led to the theory of morphic resonance, expounded in the book 'A New Science of Life'. The theory posits that "memory is inherent in nature" which makes it possible for "telepathy-type interconnections between organisms." Other topics he has written and spoken on include precognition, the relationships between spirituality and science and the psychic staring effect. Sheldrake's most recent book is 'Science and Spiritual Practices'.

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Madness and Wisdom | Richard Bentall, Patricia Casey, Robert-Rowland Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 10:04:26 GMT

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Madness is understood as the opposite of reason. Yet as Van Gogh and Nietzsche attest, madness can also be an inexplicable source of insight. Might madness be a strange form of wisdom rather than its diseased opposite? Or is this to make light of a condition that requires treatment?

Author of Madness Explained Richard Bentall, psychiatrist Patricia Casey, and philosopher and author of Death Drive Robert-Rowland Smith dispute meaning and madness.

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Slavoj Žižek on chaos and the modern world - PART 1

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:08:16 GMT

Heaven in disorder

What does Russia's war in Ukraine reveal about our modern world? Is there an inconvenient truth hidden behind our reactions to the conflict? Join Slavoj Zizek as he explores the current state of the world, focusing on the decay of our social and political institutions and ideologies.

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The Emperor's New Genes | Dennis Noble, Anne Bowcock, Rupert Sheldrake

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 18:23:51 GMT

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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 of The Music Of Life, Denis Noble, look beyond the genome.

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What is consciousness? PART 1 | Iain Mcgilchrist, Roger Penrose and Steve Fuller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 12:03:45 GMT

Being conscious

Do you think you know what consciousness is? Does it exist out there in the world or only in our thoughts?

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Human perception is imagination | Nadine Dijkstra

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Nadine Dijkstra is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Neurology at UCL. Her research in Imaging Neuroscience explores how the brain generates mental images and differentiates them from actual perception. Utilizing neuroimaging, psychophysics, machine learning, and computational modeling, Dijkstra addresses fundamental questions about the overlap between perception and imagery.

Recently, Dijkstra has been leading the Imagine Reality Lab at UCL's Department of Imaging Neuroscience, focusing on the intersection of imagination and reality. Dijkstra's 2023 paper in Nature Communications showed the brain evaluates images against a 'reality threshold' to distinguish between images and perception. Her work also investigates how changes in these neural processes could impact mental health.

Check out our new series, Ideas for Our Time: https://youtu.be/nYS4FylZJ2Q

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The strange search for knowledge in the age of post-truth | Steve Fuller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

How do we acquire knowledge?

We tend to think that knowledge is produced by experts through established institutions, progressing over time towards a single truth. But Steve Fuller challenges this view, arguing that our contemporary "post-truth" order correctly recognises that the pursuit of knowledge is a socially dependent process, shaped by the communities that produce it.

Steve Fuller is Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick, and a founding figure in the field of social epistemology. He has authored dozens of books, including "Post-Truth: Knowledge as a Power Game".

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On the 'demons' of science | Jimena Canales interview

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 17:30:30 GMT

Have you heard of Descartes' 'demon'? How can a mythical creature inform scientific progress? What is real?

Listen in to find out!

Join award-winning science historian Jimena Canales in this studio interview as she discusses the process of discovery and the nature of the unknown in science.

Jimena Canales is a pioneering historian of science and an expert in 19th and 20th century history of the physical sciences. She is currently Vice-President of the Board of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).

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Halloween SPECIAL | The philosophy of the apocalypse

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Why are we fascinated by apocalyptic stories?

Join the team at the IAI for a reading of four Halloween-themed articles, written by historian and philosopher Natalie Lawrence, professor of political philosophy Matthew Festenstein, and professor of comparative literature Florian Mussgnug. From the allure of the end times to the symbolic value of monsters, this episode is a spooky journey through all things macabre.

Natalie Lawrence is a researcher in history and the philosophy of science at the University of Cambridge, specialising in the natural histories of exotic monsters. Matthew Festenstein is a professor of political philosophy at the University of York where he is the former director of the Morrell Centre for Toleration and head of the politics department. Florian Mussgnug is professor of comparative literature and Vice Dean International for Arts and Humanities at University College London.

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The philosophy of extinction (or of the end of the world)| Philosopher Ben Ware

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:49:05 GMT

Philosophy at the end of the world

Is humanity looking at its demise in the face? Has it always been? And how can philosophy help us?

Join philosopher Ben Ware, Co-Director of the Centre for Philosophy and Art at King’s College London, as he interrogates how to philosophically, and humanly, confront the end of the world. Ware traces the idea of extinction across many authors - philosophers, writers and the scientists who influenced them - to chart a path to his own ideas of how we can cope with the possibility of the End, of extinction. Without defeatism or denial or excitement, but with strength and possibility.

Read more about Ben's 2024 book On Extinction: Beginning Again at the End here: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/2604-on-extinction.

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Rebalancing the global order | Kishore Mahbubani

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Is it truly the beginning of the end of Western dominance? Where did it all go wrong? And is this more than just an upheaval of the status quo?

For centuries, Western powers dominated the global order and mistook that moment for permanence. Join Former President of the UN Security Council. Kishore Mahbubani, who argues the shift now underway is not upheaval but historical rebalancing. Asian and other non-Western societies are not “rising” but returning to their natural weight in world affairs. The danger lies in Western refusal to accept this reality. The West's clinging to primacy is distorting policy and fueling conflict.

"Arguably Asia's most influential thinker." - Martin Wolf

Kishore Mahbubani is a Singaporean diplomat and scholar. A former President of the UN Security Council, his work examines the geopolitics of Asia's return to the global centre stage.

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The unconscious mind: Is the unconscious real?

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The unconscious has become a well-known feature of our human lived experience since Freud. We often refer to unwanted impulses, suppressed thoughts, unconscious desires, and the like.

But what IS the unconscious? Is it just an easy excuse for our behaviour? Or is it a necessary piece of what it means to be human?

Join our diverse and rich panel as they discuss, and disagree, over this question: Josh Cohen is a literature professor and psychoanalyst, Barbara Tversky is a professor of psychology, and Edward Harcourt is a philosopher.

What do you think? Can the unconscious explain things? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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Does life have meaning? PART 3: Nolen Gertz on nihilism part one

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT

PART 3 of Does life have meaning Series: How do we find meaning (and happiness) in the contemporary age?

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

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 May 2024 11:41:14 GMT

Is it time to abandon the Golden Rule?

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Epiphanies in philosophy PART 2 | Philosopher Sophie-Grace Chappell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:30:00 GMT

What should guide our actions?

Sophie-Grace Chappell is a Professor of Philosophy at the Open University who writes about ethics, politics, feminism and epistemology. She argues that we should allow our epiphanies to guide us.

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The challenge to optimism | Angus Deaton

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 15:17:07 GMT

The economy is a vital part of the way we understand our lives and our politics more generally. But after years of growth, development, and progress, on the surface everything is rosy. But as Nobel Laureate Angus Deaton argues, behind the big picture many people have been left behind by the modern economy, and this is precisely because of the blindspots of modern economics. Join Deaton as he explores the ways economics needs to take from philosophy. Interviewed by the FT's Gillian Tett.

Sir Angus Deaton is the Senior Scholar and Professor of Economics at the Princeton School of Public Affair and a Nobel prize-winner.

Gillian Tett is an award-winning author, journalist, Provost of King's College Cambridge, and U.S. editor at large at the Financial Times.

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God, science, and the natural world PART 1 | Philosopher Fiona Ellis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 13:30:00 GMT

The metaphysics of naturalism - PART ONE

Have we completely abandoned the idea of the supernatural? Could there still be important truths that lie outside of the natural world?

Join philosopher Fiona Ellis as she explains her version of naturalism, arguing that there is still some middle ground to be found between the world of the natural and the realm of the supernatural.

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Passion in ancient philosophy and religion | Former Archbishop Rowan Williams

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 11:10:45 GMT

What both religion and stoicism misunderstood

Philosophy and religion appear alternatively dry and ascetic. But is that our misunderstanding? What role do the passions play in our intellectual and mystical life? Can it ever be removed?

Join former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams (a deeply thoughtful theologian, writer, and poet) as he faces these questions head on, guiding us through his 2024 book Passions of the Soul, which focuses on the Eastern Christian tradition to help illuminate the role of passion, and the body, in early Christian teachings and in philosophy and religion more broadly. He is interviewed by public philosopher Angie Hobbes, who shares his fascination for ancient and medieval wisdom.

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The beautiful in philosophy | Babette Babich, Paul Ernest, Ankhi Mukherjee, Sarah Wilson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The good, the bad, and the beautiful

What is beauty? Why are we so drawn to it? And should we be - or is it a distraction?

The philosophy of aesthetics and beauty has a long and fascinating history. Over the millennia, while we mostly agree on the essential nature of this ephemeral thing, "beauty", we disagree on the reasons why it is important, on its very definition, and sometimes if we should value it at all. Join our four diverse speakers - Nietzschean philosopher Babette Babich, mathematician Paul Ernest, Professor of English and World Literatures Ankhi Mukherjee, and journalist and best-selling author Sarah Wilson - as they dive into the notion of beauty and, mostly, defend it from their different perspectives.

What do you think - how important is beauty? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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The philosophy of fun | Myriam François, Freya India, James Tartaglia

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 May 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The essential philosophy of fun

Do we need to have fun or is it an unnecessary excess? Are we living in an age of fun's decline, what with the moralism and strictures of Gen Z, or is there something else going on?

On this panel, our three guests - philosopher James Tartaglia, film-maker Myriam François, and writer Freya India - dive into the idea of fun: its philosophy, from Plato to the modern day; its politics, what with Gen Z being in the spotlight; its economics, how much of it we can afford; and more. If having fun - or avoiding it - is important to you, have a listen for some ideas on where to situate fun in your life and going forward. Or if meaning and purpose are what ultimately matters.

How important is fun? Email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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How important is rationality to humans? PART 2 | Stuart Hameroff, Subrena Smith, Paul Bloom

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Thinking set free

Look for part 1 of this episode from earlier this week! Join our panel of speakers (consciousness researcher Stuart Hameroff, evolutionary critic Subrena Smith, and psychologist Paul Bloom) as they explore the limits of rationality, while still defending its importance to how we think and live in the world.

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The nature of evil PART TWO | Mike Figgis, Robert Eaglestone, Joanna Kavenna

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Can art vanquish evil?

Filmmaker Mike Figgis, Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith, Sean Holmes, and philosopher Robert Eaglestone explore the nature of evil and our response to it.

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The philosophy of geopolitics SPECIAL | Donald Trump, Homer's Odyssey, and Korean Web Novels

Institute of Art and Ideas — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT

What do Friedrich Nietzsche, the Korean War, and Homer's Odyssey have in common?

Join the team at the IAI for four articles about the history and philosophy of geopolitics, ranging from Nietzsche's impact on Russia's imperialist strategies to the importance of Ancient Greek tragedies during the decline of the West. Written by Slavoj Žižek, John Milbank, Stathis Kalyvas, and Andy Owen, these four articles offer a deep and wide-ranging analysis of the philosophies that are shaping the modern world of politics.

Slavoj Žižek is a Hegelian philosopher, a Lacanian psychoanalyst, and a Communist. He is the author of 'Christian Atheism: How to Be a Real Materialist'. John Milbank is a theologian and founder of Radical Orthodoxy. His books include 'The Monstrosity of Christ', co-authored with Slavoj Žižek. Stathis Kalyvas is Gladstone Professor of government and fellow of All Souls College at the University of Oxford. Andy Owen is an author and former intelligence officer in the British Army.

And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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The Future of Mind Control | Rupert Sheldrake, Susan Schneider, Natasha Vita-More

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 12:42:32 GMT

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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 mind alone?

Joining us remotely to discuss mind control is panpsychism researcher Rupert Sheldrake, artificial intelligence expert professor Susan Schneider and chairman of Humanity+ Natasha Vita-More.

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Beyond truth | Hilary Lawson

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 13:38:46 GMT

What is wrong with truth? Can we find a solution? Listen to find out.

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There are many varied voices who see the attack on objective truth as the root cause of all that is wrong in today’s society, including recently Tom Stoppard, UK Cabinet member Liz Truss, and Pope Benedict. But philosopher and renowned critic of philosophical realism Hilary Lawson warns this is a dangerous and mistaken response. Instead we need a radical new way of looking at the world.

Hilary Lawson is a post-postmodern philosopher and is best known for his theory of 'Closure' which calls for a post-analytic return to metaphysics.

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What do we really know? | Renata Salecl, Philip Goff & Simon Blackburn

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 20:14:35 GMT

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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 only now recognising the limitations of the human condition, which our hubris once obscured or denied? Or must we escape from being lost - even if it means adopting illusory certainties - in order to provide social identity, personal well being and purpose?

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The Importance of Identity and Belonging | Homi Bhabha, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, David Miller

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 15:39:32 GMT

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Many take pride in their family, ancestors and social origins, and we think it wrong to forget our roots, and where we came from. But can we justify these tribal allegiances, or are they a source of conflict and division? Should we all see ourselves as members of the human family and have done with tribal identities? Or is where we come from essential not only to our culture, but to knowing who we really are?

Post-colonial theorist Homi Bhabha, activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied and political theorist David Miller debate tribal division.

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Are we moral hypocrites? | Julian Baggini, David Chandler, Ece Temelkuran

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 13:44:17 GMT

Have you ever wondered if you are a "good" person? Are any of us actually morally good? Listen in to find out.

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From fervent socialists to devout Christians, many have sought to live by a strict moral code. Yet from the gulags to the Inquisition it has often been those with the strictest codes who have perpetrated the greatest crimes. Is this just accidental, or is there something about a strict morality than makes hypocrisy unavoidable?

Professor of International Relations David Chandler, award-winning journalist Ece Temelkuran, and esteemed philosopher Julian Baggini debate the hypocrisy of the good. Myriam Francois hosts.

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Being ourselves and being with others | Janne Teller, Stefan Priebe, Sophie Ward

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:20:44 GMT

In a world that places a premium on independence, are we undervaluing the power of community?

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In this engrossing debate, we examine the societal shift towards solo living and ask critical questions about its impacts. Has our pursuit of independence led to a higher incidence of depression? Have we sidelined the significance of community, and in turn, our inherent need for interconnectedness?

We navigate the merits and potential pitfalls of intergenerational living and the rise of co-living spaces as modern answers to societal disconnection. However, the risk of oppressive and stifling hierarchies in these close-knit communities is not overlooked.

Join us as we unravel the complexities of independence versus community and reconsider the societal norms that we've come to accept.

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The AI Revolution | Nigel Shadbolt

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 09:13:30 GMT

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In a world with artificial intelligence, how will we maintain control? Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Open Data Institute co-founder and researcher at Oxford University, examines how AI looks set to reshape our lives and society.

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The Secrets Of Consciousness | Philip Goff, Nicholas Humphrey, Susan Blackmore

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 12:06:01 GMT

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Consciousness is one of the unresolved philosophical questions. There was hope that neuroscience might find some answers. But we still have no explanation for where brain activity ends and experience begins. Is it a mistake to think we can explain consciousness by examining the brain? Should we look elsewhere to our evolutionary roots perhaps? Or might neuroscience pull the cat from the bag after all? Psychologist and author of Seeing Myself Susan Blackmore, panpsychist and author of Consciousness and Fundamental Reality Philip Goff, and psychologist Nicholas Humphrey, whose books include The Mind Made Flesh and Soul Dust: The Magic of Consciousness, explore the unknown corners of our minds and lives.

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Knowing Others And Knowing Oneself | Robert Eaglestone, Anita Avramides, Nicholas Humphrey

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 10:19:12 GMT

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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.

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Beyond the boundary | Lisa Miller, Nick Lane, Paul Bickley

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Are we overlooking the profound mystery of life and death in a secular age?

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In a scientific, secular age, narratives of the afterlife often appear to many as empty and anachronistic wish fulfillment. However, this podcast episode invites listeners to delve deeper into this topic, pondering the unexplained phenomenon of consciousness and the potential limitations of a physical machinery to harbor thought, consciousness, and life. Could there be more to life and death than the prosaic, earthly experiences, and the belief that everything ends upon death? Philosophers and scientists Lisa Miller, Nick Lane, and Paul Bickley embark on an exploration of these profound questions, shedding light on the mystery encompassing life, death, and the possibility of an afterlife.

Lisa Miller is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child, a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University and the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute.

Paul Bickley is a researcher, media commentator and author on politics, religion and culture. He is the Acting Head of Research at Theos, the UK’s leading religion and society think tank.

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Is nature the new god? | Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, Tim Palmer and Melanie Challenger

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:55:23 GMT

Should we see nature as a divine source, or will doing so lead to self-annihilation?

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From Greece’s Gaia to the Hindu Prithvi, many cultures have seen the Earth as a divine being. Christianity and Western culture however removed god from nature deriding such outlooks as 'pagan'. The earth was recast as a resource for humans, to be conquered, settled and tamed. Now it seems the tides may be changing again. Rivers and rainforests are being given legal rights and some philosophers go further arguing that the planets of the solar system should too. Nature it would seem is the new god.

Might re-embracing Mother Earth be just what we need to prevent environmental catastrophe and destruction of society? Or is the return to the gods of nature a dangerous step that undermines human goals and values and threatens a return to superstition and fate?

Psychedelic philosopher Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, internationally-renowned climate scientist Tim Palmer, and author-broadcaster-podcaster Melanie Challenger test each other's beliefs about nature and god. Hosted by philosopher Hilary Lawson

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The ignorance of experts |Julian Baggini, Ellen Clarke, Ben Burgis

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 20:51:25 GMT

Can we rely on science for the answers?

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Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts' argued Richard Feynman. He held that the best science respects no authority and is not a learnt set of facts, but a rigorous method of questioning in search of a better account. Yet in the pandemic governments and commentators propounded the opposite, that experts should be followed without question. Feynman proposed that good science guesses at theories and then looks to see whether they are supported by the data. But in public debate there is rarely clarity about the theory and little focus on the data.

Should we see science not as an agreed body of knowledge but a method to improve our account of the world? Should science never have been seen as an authority? Or are authorities necessary since we cannot all test all of the theories all of the time?

Author of How The World Thinks Julian Baggini, philosopher of biology Ellen Clarke, and radical philosopher Ben Burgis tackle our diminishing trust in experts and what to do about it. Hosted by Güneş Taylor.

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Demons of materialism | James Tartaglia

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:54:39 GMT

The case for nihilism, demons of materialism, and jazz?! Join us for a fascinating discussion.

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On this week’s episode we are joined by Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Keele University, James Tartaglia, to discuss the meaning of life and common misconceptions surrounding nihilism. We dive into a fascinating conversation about the role of materialism in our contemporary experience of the world, and James puts forward an appealing argument for the return to idealism, while encouraging us to chuck out determinism. To top it all, he shares how and why he combines jazz music with philosophy in his personal life.

James Tartaglia is a British philosopher and the author of Philosophy in a Meaningless Life and Philosophy in a Technological World: Gods and Titans. James also leads a Jazz-Philosophy fusion band called 'Continuum of Selves'.

This interview was recorded at our philosophy and music festival HowTheLightGetsIn. If you want to check out the video footage click here.

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Masters of the Universe | Natalie Kofler, Steve Fuller, Angela Saini

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 17:25:07 GMT

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Ever since the discovery of DNA, we have fanstasised about creating new species of animals, or even 'improved' humans. But it is only in the last few years that a new gene editing technology, CRISPR, has made this a reality. Many claim it is already unstoppable, that we will always demand solutions to diseases if they are possible. Is CRISPR the key to improving health and defeating ageing? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Natalie Kofler, Steve Fuller and Angela Saini ask if we are now the masters of the universe.

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Kafka vs Camus | Emma Sulkowicz, Andrea Elliott, Paul Muldoon

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 18:33:05 GMT

Can we change the world?

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Camus and Kafka have both been central to 20th century writing and thought. Both wrote about the relationship of the individual to society. But they had very different visions. Camus saw the individual as having the power to change and influence society. While Kafka honed in on the limitations of the individual to change anything and the power of the state and social organisation.

Who got it right? Should we follow Camus and see freedom and the ability to change the world as essential to the human condition? Or is this an illusion, and instead recognise that we are limited by culture, upbringing, and organisation, so that there is no room left for the lone individual to alter and change the character of society or the course of their lives?

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Choosing virtual reality | David Chalmers

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Are we living in a simulation?

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Modern technology has ushered in a new era of augmented reality - one so sophisticated that some argue within a century we will be unable to distinguish the 'real' from the 'virtual'. Yet with increasing concerns that virtual reality is simply a flawed escapism, could we imagine ourselves living meaningful lives inside a virtual world? World-renowned philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers outlines his highly original take on the matter.

David Chalmers is an Australian philosopher and cognitive scientist who specialises in the philosophy of mind, language and more recently, virtual reality. He is a Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science at New York University, as well as co-director of NYU's Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness.

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Can we make sense of the cosmos? | Iain McGilchrist and Hilary Lawson in conversation

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Getting to Truth...

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Join groundbreaking psychiatrist, writer, philosopher, and literary scholar Iain McGilchrist in this exclusive studio interview with post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson. The two thinkers explore McGilchrist's early introduction to philosophy, the nature of truth and the cosmos, and the danger of delusional thinking from the left brain.

Iain McGilchrist is an Oxford scholar and polymath whose 'clarity, lucidity and almost hypnotically compelling style' has seen him rise to prominence as a world-wide lecturer and public intellectual.

Hilary Lawson is a philosopher and award-winning broadcaster who has been hosting IAI TV’s philosophy and global politics debate strands since 2010. Find out more at https://www.hilarylawson.com.

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Mind-body dualism and being transgender | Sophie Grace Chappell

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:00:00 GMT

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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Public policies in pursuit of happiness | Paul Dolan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 14:25:41 GMT

Is government responsible for people's happiness? Paul Dolan tells us how to reach happiness and how public policy could get involved.

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From ancient philosophers to modern scientists we have been perplexed by happiness. In this interview, Professor of Behavioural Science at the LSE, Paul Dolan, discusses what happiness is and whether it should affect public policy. He engages with purpose vs happiness and how we, as a society, can find ways to promote happiness via public policy.

Paul Dolan's main research interests are human behaviour and happiness, and the relationships between them, particularly as they apply to policy. He is author of the bestselling books Happiness by Design and Happy Ever After. He is also host of the Duck / Rabbit podcast about the polarisation problem in our society.

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A Mad World | Richard Bentall, Ann John, Lucy Johnstone

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:04:12 GMT

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An ever growing number of people are being treated for mental illness. Some blame the modern world, yet critics warn that psychiatrists and big pharma have an interest in describing normal human behaviour as an illness or disorder. Might we do better to give up the notion that mental distress implies illness? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, author of Madness Explained Richard Bentall, clinical psychologist Lucy Johnstone, and consultant for Public Health Wales and Swansea Professor of Medicine Ann John examine the evidence.

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Bonus Episode: In Search Of Safety | Finn Mackay, Brendan O'Neill, Chris Bryant

Institute of Art and Ideas — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 18:58:13 GMT

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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 risk.

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Dostoevsky vs Nietzsche | Kathleen Higgins, Janne Teller, Oliver Ready

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Doestoevsky vs Nietzsche - where do we find meaning in life?

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Dostoevsky and Nietzsche both regarded the creeping nihilism and meaninglessness of their time as a fundamental threat to humanity. While both were critical of modernity and rationalism, their solutions were radically opposed. Dostoevsky looked towards transcendence for an answer and found, in love and compassion, 'the chief law of human existence'. While Nietzsche declared God dead and found meaning in human nature and the assertion of human creativity.

Is Dostoevsky, as some have argued, a denial of all that is human and an acceptance of authority and oppression, or is it Nietzsche who is most dangerous in his endorsement of human desire and the will to power? Can meaning only be found outside of ourselves, in the love of others and in God's love for us? Or should we follow Nietzsche and see human will and desire as the means to create meaning?

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On humans and animals | Peter Singer, Mary Midgley

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:33:22 GMT

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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How to be a Stoic | Massimo Pigliucci

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 13:19:49 GMT

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We all want to lead a good life. But that goal seems always elusive. What can we learn from the ancient Stoics? Hear philosopher of science and author of How to be a Stoic Massimo Pigliucci explain how the philosophy that inspired the great emperor Marcus Aurelius can help us focus on what really matters, and confront the challenges of modern life.

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Bonus Episode: The Rojava Revolution | Elif Sarican

Institute of Art and Ideas — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 17:35:46 GMT

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To celebrate our 100th episode of Philosophy for Our Times, we're treating you to a week of bonus content. To kick off, here's an interview with Elif Sarican, a Kurdish rights activist, about the experiment in direct democracy currently taking place in Northern Syria.

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Are You An Illusion? | Julian Baggini, Joanna Kavenna, Jan Westerhoff, Silvia Jonas

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 08:58:36 GMT

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The self is an illusion, our passions a by-product of the brain. Or so neuroscientists and philosophers would have us believe. Is dismissing the self a mistake driven by the desire to uphold a purely material universe? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, author of A Field Guide to Reality Joanna Kavenna, Oxford University metaphysician Jan Westerhoff, philosopher Silvia Jonas and author of The Ego Trick Julian Baggini set out in search of the self.

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Mysteries of the Mind | Markus Gabriel

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 12 May 2020 11:11:45 GMT

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Is the brain a conscious control centre? Where is my mind? Many believe the mystery of consciousness will be solved once we understand the physical brain. Philosopher and author of I Am Not A Brain Markus Gabriel challenges scientific complacency and argues for a different view of the self, the mind and human freedom.

Markus Gabriel is a German philosopher and author at the University of Bonn.

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The Necessity of Morality | Justin Smith, Jason Alexander McKenzie, Barry C. Smith

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 09:02:06 GMT

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Many philosophers have concluded that morality is a subjective human invention. Should we then simply encourage and argue for acts we support and do without morality altogether? Or is the authority of morality the tenuous thread that holds society together? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Justin Smith, Jason Alexander McKenzie and Barry C. Smith question the necessity of morality.

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Why Philosophy Won't Go Away | Rebecca Goldstein

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 12:00:11 GMT

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Has science killed philosophy as Hawking famously claimed? What would Plato make of the debates between psychoanalysts and tiger mums, atheists and the religious, or search engines like Google? In this episode of Philosophy for Our Times, philosopher Rebecca Goldstein returns to philosophy's roots and makes her case for why humanity can't thrive without it.

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How to find and make sense of happiness | Paul Dolan

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:21:33 GMT

Want lasting happiness? Paul Dolan reveals the secret: it's all about where you direct your attention to on a daily basis.

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Happiness isn't about what you think, it's about what you do. And you're more in control than you'd imagine. Join happiness expert and LSE Professor of Behavioural Science, Paul Dolan, as he explains how to create a happy life by your own design.

Paul Dolan is Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Professor Dolan's research focusses on the measurement of happiness, its causes and consequences, and the implications for public policy. He is the author of books: Happiness by Design and Happy Ever After.

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Copying consciousness: the future of mind uploading | Anders Sandberg

Institute of Art and Ideas — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

What makes you 'you'? If scientists made a digital replica of your mind, would this new 'you' be conscious? And what does this all mean for what it means to exist?

Whole-brain emulation (often called “mind uploading” in science fiction) refers to the possible future ability to scan a human brain in such detail that a digital replica could be created, capable of functioning, and perhaps even experiencing the world, like the original. While we are far away from this now (the current record is a fruit fly) an increasing number of neuroscientists and entrepreneurs are betting that we may be closer than most think. What is happening in the world of computational neuroscience, and will the world be ready for it?

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