The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast
An informal and informative philosophy podcast that aims to inspire and support students, teachers, academics, and free-thinkers worldwide. All episodes are available at thepanpsycast.com.
Episodes
Episode 160, Jack Symes vs Philip Goff
Welcome to a special Episode 160 – a conversation / debate between Jack Symes and Philip Goff. Philip Goff and Jack Symes have known each other since 2011, when Philip taught Jack's very first philosophy lecture. In the years since, they've both arrived at views that sit awkwardly between God and atheism – but in very different ways. Philip defends a God of limited powers and a form of Christiani
Episode 159, The Rowan Williams Interview
This episode brings together Jack and Rowan Williams, the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury and one of the world's most distinguished theologians. As they explore the intersection of faith, politics, and ethics, they confront Christian nationalism, the morality of war, the value of animal life, and the nature of God. A sweeping philosophical and theological exchange! We hope you enjoy the show. Links
Episode 158, Live Debate: Alex O'Connor x William Lane Craig
This episode brings together two leading voices in philosophy of religion: William Lane Craig, one of the world's foremost Christian apologists, and Alex O'Connor, one of today's most prominent atheist thinkers. As they confront the arguments for and against belief in God, they seek to break the long-standing impasse between God and atheism. Hosted by Jonny Thomson and Jack Symes – we hope you en
Episode 157, 'Jesus' Physical Appearance' with John Nelson
"Hey, it's Jack here – I'm still out in the van writing up my travel book. The wind and rain coming down hard in France, as you might hear in the background. We're recording an old-school show and another interview at the end of the month, which we're really excited to produce and share. In the meantime, I'm happy to release a one-to-one conversation with me and John Nelson – author of Jesus' Phys
Episode 156, 'Epicurus – Worst Philosopher Ever?' with Jonny Thomson
Hey everyone, it's Jack here. I'm still out in the camper van writing a travel book – I'm really excited to share more on this soon. At the same time, we've been producing live events and YouTube videos – so there's been a lot going on. We'll be sharing audio from the live shows soon, as well as recording an old school Panpsycast episode at the end of May. In the meantime, I'm excited to share an
Episode 155, 'On Veganism' with Earthling Ed
Hey, it's Jack here – I'm currently in the snowy hills of Switzerland, recording this from the back of my campervan, so forgive the audio quality. (It won't be like this beyond the introduction.) I've been busy producing new content for YouTube, with some exciting conversations coming your way – one of which, was with Ed Winters, which I'm excited to share with you today. We had a really interesti
Episode 154, 'African Philosophy of Religion' with Aribiah David Attoe (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
The meaning of life is, as Albert Camus put it, the most urgent question in philosophy – the one on which everything else depends. Yet, when Western philosophy looks to answer this question, it paces up and down the same old libraries – the same shelves filled with the same assumptions about what counts as a self, a good life, and what happens after death. African philosophy of religion has been n
Episode 154, 'African Philosophy of Religion' with Aribiah David Attoe (Part I – The Meaning of Life)
The meaning of life is, as Albert Camus put it, the most urgent question in philosophy – the one on which everything else depends. Yet, when Western philosophy looks to answer this question, it paces up and down the same old libraries – the same shelves filled with the same assumptions about what counts as a self, a good life, and what happens after death. African philosophy of religion has been n
Episode 153, 'Beautiful Veganism' with Vid Simoniti
Hello, it's Jack here! I'm excited to share that I'll soon be launching a new YouTube video series, interviewing previous guests from The Panpsycast – along with a few new faces. The series launches at the end of March. Head to www.youtube.com/@DrJackSymes – or simply search Dr Jack Symes on YouTube – and subscribe so you're ready for the first release. In the meantime, I'll be releasing a few of
Episode 152, 'God, Consciousness, and Fundamental Reality' with Philip Goff, David Godman, and Miri Albahari (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
The supreme being of classical theism is unlimited in power, knowledge, and goodness – a being distinct from the world, who creates it out of nothing and governs it from beyond. On this picture, we are not identical with God. God's consciousness is not our consciousness – and our identity is not theirs. That picture has long been challenged by schools of Hindu philosophy and, more recently, by Wes
Episode 152, 'God, Consciousness, and Fundamental Reality' with Philip Goff, David Godman, and Miri Albahari (Part I - The Debate)
The supreme being of classical theism is unlimited in power, knowledge, and goodness – a being distinct from the world, who creates it out of nothing and governs it from beyond. On this picture, we are not identical with God. God's consciousness is not our consciousness – and our identity is not theirs. That picture has long been challenged by schools of Hindu philosophy and, more recently, by Wes
Episode 151, 'Afro-Brazilian Religions' with José Eduardo Porcher (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
In the beginning, there was nothing but air. The supreme being breathed upon it, and the air became water. Air and water moved together, forming mud. Seeing its shape, the supreme being breathed again – and life began. Today, we'll be exploring this creation story – born of Afro-Brazilian philosophy – forged under conditions of extreme violence, displacement, and resistance. During the transatlant
Episode 151, 'Afro-Brazilian Religions' with José Eduardo Porcher (Part I - Candomblé)
In the beginning, there was nothing but air. The supreme being breathed upon it, and the air became water. Air and water moved together, forming mud. Seeing its shape, the supreme being breathed again – and life began. Today, we'll be exploring this creation story – born of Afro-Brazilian philosophy – forged under conditions of extreme violence, displacement, and resistance. During the transatlant
Episode 150, The World's Worst Philosopher (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Slavoj Žižek, Friedrich Nietzsche, Kehinde Andrews – the world has never been short of bad philosophers. But of all the minds who have graced, tortured, or otherwise afflicted human history, which one truly deserves the title: The World's Worst Philosopher? That's not an easy question; after all, philosophy has given us so many options. When Dan Dennett denied consciousness, was that the silliest
Episode 150, The World's Worst Philosopher (Part I - T.R.U.T.H)
Slavoj Žižek, Friedrich Nietzsche, Kehinde Andrews – the world has never been short of bad philosophers. But of all the minds who have graced, tortured, or otherwise afflicted human history, which one truly deserves the title: The World's Worst Philosopher? That's not an easy question; after all, philosophy has given us so many options. When Dan Dennett denied consciousness, was that the silliest
Episode 149, 'The Philosophy of Jainism' with Marie-Hélène Gorisse (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Jainism, along with Buddhism and Hinduism, is one of India's great dharmic traditions – though far less well known than its siblings. Emerging around the second century BCE, it is best-known for valuing ahimsa in pursuit of liberation – a devout practice of non-violence. Yet there is far more to Jain philosophy than liberation and ahimsa. Jainism offers a rich way of understanding the self, the co
Episode 149, 'The Philosophy of Jainism' with Marie-Hélène Gorisse (Part I - Liberation)
Jainism, along with Buddhism and Hinduism, is one of India's great dharmic traditions – though far less well known than its siblings. Emerging around the second century BCE, it is best-known for valuing ahimsa in pursuit of liberation – a devout practice of non-violence. Yet there is far more to Jain philosophy than liberation and ahimsa. Jainism offers a rich way of understanding the self, the co
Episode 148, 'Divine Commands' with Paul Taylor (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Most people believe in moral facts – that is, there's something about torturing and murdering innocent people that makes it wrong, which goes beyond just a feeling. Yet it's hard to locate morality anywhere in the natural world. For this reason, many have understood God to be the source and arbiter of moral truth. But can morality depend on divine decree – or would that make goodness a matter of c
Episode 148, 'Divine Commands' with Paul Taylor (Part I - The Euthyphro Dilemma)
Most people believe in moral facts – that is, there's something about torturing and murdering innocent people that makes it wrong, which goes beyond just a feeling. Yet it's hard to locate morality anywhere in the natural world. For this reason, many have understood God to be the source and arbiter of moral truth. But can morality depend on divine decree – or would that make goodness a matter of c
Episode 147, 'Creator or Cosmos' with Tim Mawson and Asha Lancaster-Thomas (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Across the world, belief in God continues to be widespread and, among philosophers, has long been considered one solution to the problems of the world's origin, fine-tuned nature, and purpose. However, in the West, very few people have considered alternative concepts of God credible. That, though, may be beginning to change. One such alternative – pantheism – tells us that the universe and God are
Episode 147, 'Creator or Cosmos' with Tim Mawson and Asha Lancaster-Thomas (Part I - The Debate)
Across the world, belief in God continues to be widespread and, among philosophers, has long been considered one solution to the problems of the world's origin, fine-tuned nature, and purpose. However, in the West, very few people have considered alternative concepts of God credible. That, though, may be beginning to change. One such alternative – pantheism – tells us that the universe and God are
Episode 146, The Philosophy of Comedy (Part III - Further Analysis and Discussion)
In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a 'career ender' – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described the Nazis' murder of thousands of 'Gypsies' as a 'positive'. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Auschwitz Memorial, and
Episode 146, The Philosophy of Comedy (Part II - The Ethics of Humour)
In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a 'career ender' – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described the Nazis' murder of thousands of 'Gypsies' as a 'positive'. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Auschwitz Memorial, and
Episode 146, The Philosophy of Comedy (Part I - The Nature of Humour)
In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a 'career ender' – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described the Nazis' murder of thousands of 'Gypsies' as a 'positive'. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Auschwitz Memorial, an
Episode 145, The Mystery of Morality: Live in London (Part II - Audience Questions)
'"Hello – it's Olly here! For Episode 145, we have another very special show for you: the recording from our live event – The Mystery of Morality – held on 12 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between four of our previous guests: Richard Swinburne, Jessica Frazier, Alex O'Connor and Peter Singer. The question at the heart of the discussion: where does mo
Episode 145, The Mystery of Morality: Live in London (Part I - The Debate)
'"Hello – it's Olly here! For Episode 145, we have another very special show for you: the recording from our live event – The Mystery of Morality – held on 12 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between four of our previous guests: Richard Swinburne, Jessica Frazier, Alex O'Connor and Peter Singer. The question at the heart of the discussion: where does mo
Episode 144, Steven Pinker x Richard Dawkins: Live in London (Part II - Audience Questions)
This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – exploring the evolution of human beings and the challenges we face in the future. Richard leads the discussion, questioning Steve a
Episode 144, Steven Pinker x Richard Dawkins: Live in London (Part I - The Future of Humanity)
Welcome to Episode 144 (Part I of II), where Richard Dawkins interviews Steven Pinker on the past and future of humanity. This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – explorin
Episode 143, 'The Philosophy of Mental Health' with Rose Cartwright (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
We're living through a mental health crisis. In Europe, use of antidepressant has more than doubled in the past twenty years, and one in five children are now living with a recognised mental health condition. These numbers are striking, and the suffering they reflect personal, and clouded in mystery. But have we always been like this? Or has something shifted – in our politics, our culture, or per
Episode 143, 'The Philosophy of Mental Health' with Rose Cartwright (Part I - The Maps We Carry)
We're living through a mental health crisis. In Europe, use of antidepressant has more than doubled in the past twenty years, and one in five children are now living with a recognised mental health condition. These numbers are striking, and the suffering they reflect personal, and clouded in mystery. But have we always been like this? Or has something shifted – in our politics, our culture, or per
Episode 142, 'The Philosophy of Food' with Julian Baggini (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Food is one of the most universal and essential parts of human life. From gourmet steaks to the everyday, humble, packet of crisps, food consumption is everywhere. But what do we actually know about how our food is grown? How is it processed? And how does it ends up on our supermarket shelves or in our restaurants and takeaways? While we may look back and think traditional food customs are more of
Episode 142, 'The Philosophy of Food' with Julian Baggini (Part I - How the World Eats)
Food is one of the most universal and essential parts of human life. From gourmet steaks to the everyday, humble, packet of crisps, food consumption is everywhere. But what do we actually know about how our food is grown? How is it processed? And how does it ends up on our supermarket shelves or in our restaurants and takeaways? While we may look back and think traditional food customs are more of
Episode 141, 'Deadly Sins' with Elizabeth Oldfield (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Much of ethics is relational: it's about how we treat other people, the world around us, and how those relationships shape who we become. In philosophy, this often gets formalised as a set of virtues to cultivate, duties to obey, or harms to avoid. But today, we rarely talk about sins – let alone the seven deadly sins. Historically rooted in the Christian tradition – pride, greed, lust, envy, glut
Episode 141, 'Deadly Sins' with Elizabeth Oldfield (Part I - Fully Alive)
Much of ethics is relational: it's about how we treat other people, the world around us, and how those relationships shape who we become. In philosophy, this often gets formalised as a set of virtues to cultivate, duties to obey, or harms to avoid. But today, we rarely talk about sins – let alone the seven deadly sins. Historically rooted in the Christian tradition – pride, greed, lust, envy, glut
Episode 140, 'Interpersonal Art' with Harry Drummond (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Reflecting on the experiences we value most, many that come to mind are those we share with others. Consider the strangers we sit alongside at the football, the romantic partners who share (or endure) our favourite television shows, the friends with whom we dance through the early morning hours. Despite the growing ease of on-demand, private aesthetic experiences, we find ourselves carving out tim
Episode 140, 'Interpersonal Art' with Harry Drummond (Part I - Collective Experience)
Reflecting on the experiences we value most, many that come to mind are those we share with others. Consider the strangers we sit alongside at the football, the romantic partners who share (or endure) our favourite television shows, the friends with whom we dance through the early morning hours. Despite the growing ease of on-demand, private aesthetic experiences, we find ourselves carving out tim
Episode 139, Unanswered Questions
A couple of weeks ago, Jack took part in a debate at Oriel College, University of Oxford, with Stephen Law on the evil-god challenge. It was a fantastic discussion, full of thought-provoking arguments and brilliant questions from the audience. It was also set to be our final episode on the topic. Unfortunately, due to Oxford's unforeseen technical issues, the audio from the debate couldn't be used
Episode 138, Plato's Symposium (Part III - The Ladder of Love)
A Christmas party is where humanity's deepest truths can be revealed. It's a space where profound questions like "How much gravy is too much gravy?" "What is partridge doing in a pear tree?" mingle seamlessly with "What is the meaning of life?" The very act of gathering to celebrate is a tribute to our existential longing for connection, love, joy, and embarrassing drunken dance moves. Plato might
Episode 138, Plato's Symposium (Part II - A Whole Lot of Love)
A Christmas party is where humanity's deepest truths can be revealed. It's a space where profound questions like "How much gravy is too much gravy?" "What is partridge doing in a pear tree?" mingle seamlessly with "What is the meaning of life?" The very act of gathering to celebrate is a tribute to our existential longing for connection, love, joy, and embarrassing drunken dance moves. Plato might
Episode 138, Plato's Symposium (Part I - The Hangover)
A Christmas party is where humanity's deepest truths can be revealed. It's a space where profound questions like "How much gravy is too much gravy?" "What is partridge doing in a pear tree?" mingle seamlessly with "What is the meaning of life?" The very act of gathering to celebrate is a tribute to our existential longing for connection, love, joy, and embarrassing drunken dance moves. Plato might
Episode 137, Between God and Atheism: Live in London (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
This is a live recording from our recent show at The Royal Institution Theatre in London. The panel includes returning guests Philip Goff (professor of philosophy at Durham) and Rowan Williams (former Archbishop of Canterbury), as well as two new panellists, Elizabeth Oldfield (the popular writer) and Alex O'Connor (the popular YouTuber). It's a very warm and good-spirited debate exploring the pro
Episode 137, Between God and Atheism: Live in London (Part I - The Debate)
This is a live recording from our recent show at The Royal Institution Theatre in London. The panel includes returning guests Philip Goff (professor of philosophy at Durham) and Rowan Williams (former Archbishop of Canterbury), as well as two new panellists, Elizabeth Oldfield (the popular writer) and Alex O'Connor (the popular YouTuber). It's a very warm and good-spirited debate exploring the pro
Episode 136, 'A World Unmade' with Peter Hitchens (Part II - A Revolution Betrayed)
The Western world faces a tidal wave of secularisation, which shows no signs of receding. In the UK, Christian self-identification has plummeted – dropping, for example, from 72% in 2001 to 47% in 2021. The secularists argue that this trend reflects a shift towards an inclusive and intellectually progressive society; their critics, however, warn that the decline of faith erodes our moral foundatio
Episode 136, 'A World Unmade' with Peter Hitchens (Part I - The Rage Against God)
The Western world faces a tidal wave of secularisation, which shows no signs of receding. In the UK, Christian self-identification has plummeted – dropping, for example, from 72% in 2001 to 47% in 2021. The secularists argue that this trend reflects a shift towards an inclusive and intellectually progressive society; their critics, however, warn that the decline of faith erodes our moral foundatio
Episode 135, 'The Philosophy of Headphones' with Jacob Kingsbury Downs (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Listening to a podcast on the morning commute, drowning out the office noise with your favourite album, getting lost in an audiobook as you walk home – for many of us, navigating the world through headphones is second nature. But is there more to these everyday experiences than listening to our favourite content? Is there more to headphone listening than meets our ears? In this episode, we'll be e
Episode 135, 'The Philosophy of Headphones' with Jacob Kingsbury Downs (Part I - There's No Sound Like Home)
Listening to a podcast on the morning commute, drowning out the office noise with your favourite album, getting lost in an audiobook as you walk home – for many of us, navigating the world through headphones is second nature. But is there more to these everyday experiences than listening to our favourite content? Is there more to headphone listening than meets our ears? In this episode, we'll be e
Episode 134, The Philosophy of War (Part III - Further Analysis and Discussion)
On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, instantly killing up to 80,000 civilians, with another 40,000 dying soon after from burns and radiation poisoning. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the surrender of the Japanese Army, marking the end of the most destructive war in history. War has been a constant throughout history. Since the dawn of agriculture, humans have
Episode 134, The Philosophy of War (Part II - In Pursuit of Power)
On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, instantly killing up to 80,000 civilians, with another 40,000 dying soon after from burns and radiation poisoning. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the surrender of the Japanese Army, marking the end of the most destructive war in history. War has been a constant throughout history. Since the dawn of agriculture, humans have
Episode 134, The Philosophy of War (Part I - The Human Condition)
On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, instantly killing up to 80,000 civilians, with another 40,000 dying soon after from burns and radiation poisoning. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the surrender of the Japanese Army, marking the end of the most destructive war in history. War has been a constant throughout history. Since the dawn of agriculture, humans have
Episode 133, 'Vulture Capitalism' with Grace Blakeley: Live at Glastonbury Festival
They say money can't buy happiness, but it can buy power, freedom, and security. The one per cent – who control nearly half of the world's wealth – understand this better than anyone. In capitalist democracies, corporations spend billions on political donations and lobbying to influence economic policies in line with their own interests. The trillions spent by governments in propping up the banks
Episode 132, 'The Concept of Beastliness' with Ellie Robson (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Philosophy is about concepts – what it is to be moral, to be in love, or belong to the human species – and these concepts pervade every aspect of our lives. Yet, what images come to mind when you think of Immanuel Kant, David Hume, or René Descartes? For many of us, we imagine Descartes in his armchair, Hume at his desk, and Kant on one of his solitary walks. We certainly don't imagine these figur
Episode 132, 'The Concept of Beastliness' with Ellie Robson (Part I - The Roots of Human Nature)
Philosophy is about concepts – what it is to be moral, to be in love, or belong to the human species – and these concepts pervade every aspect of our lives. Yet, what images come to mind when you think of Immanuel Kant, David Hume, or René Descartes? For many of us, we imagine Descartes in his armchair, Hume at his desk, and Kant on one of his solitary walks. We certainly don't imagine these figur
Episode 131, 'In Defence of God's Goodness' with Jack Symes (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Birds sing joyfully, dogs smile as they fetch their sticks, and philosophers laugh at their own jokes on podcasts. It is a happy world after all. In fact, if we ponder upon such delights for long enough, it is possible to infer – even during our darkest days – that these are gifts bestowed by a benevolent creator, for these are not necessary for our survival but are gratuitous goods. Yet, says ano
Episode 131, 'In Defence of God's Goodness' with Jack Symes (Part I - Defeating the Evil-God Challenge)
Birds sing joyfully, dogs smile as they fetch their sticks, and philosophers laugh at their own jokes on podcasts. It is a happy world after all. In fact, if we ponder upon such delights for long enough, it is possible to infer – even during our darkest days – that these are gifts bestowed by a benevolent creator, for these are not necessary for our survival but are gratuitous goods. Yet, says ano
Episode 130, 'The Dialectics of Nothingness' with Gregory S. Moss and Takeshi Morisato (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
In the early part of the twentieth century, three thinkers – Nishida Kitarō, Tanabe Hajime, and Nishitani Keiji – founded the Kyoto School of Philosophy, a group of scholars working at the intersection of Japanese and European thought. The Kyoto School, deeply influenced by the German tradition, wrote extensively on the works of Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger exploring themes such as the limits of our
Episode 130, 'The Dialectics of Nothingness' with Gregory S. Moss and Takeshi Morisato (Part I - The Kyoto School)
In the early part of the twentieth century, three thinkers – Nishida Kitarō, Tanabe Hajime, and Nishitani Keiji – founded the Kyoto School of Philosophy, a group of scholars working at the intersection of Japanese and European thought. The Kyoto School, deeply influenced by the German tradition, wrote extensively on the works of Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger exploring themes such as the limits of our
Episode 129, Talking about Existence (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
'The clouds are grey, the sun obscured and you are walking through the countryside in the overcast of winter. Passing from field to woodland, the trees shed coats of frosty bark to celebrate the passing of another icy season. It feels too early for spring, but echoes of swallows in the canopies sing songs of new beginnings. You pause to catch a glimpse of your woodland companions. With effortless
Episode 129, Talking about Existence (Part I - Out of Nothing)
'The clouds are grey, the sun obscured and you are walking through the countryside in the overcast of winter. Passing from field to woodland, the trees shed coats of frosty bark to celebrate the passing of another icy season. It feels too early for spring, but echoes of swallows in the canopies sing songs of new beginnings. You pause to catch a glimpse of your woodland companions. With effortless
Episode 128, 'Domestic Labour' with Paulina Sliwa & Tom McClelland (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
'The kitchen needs cleaning, but only one of us seems to notice. I mean, he looked straight at the dishes in the sink…and just stacked his dish on top of them. How high does this precarious tower of crockery have to be until he decides to wash the dishes or, more likely, they collapse into an unrepairable heap? I suppose I'll have to wash them. They won't get washed otherwise, and I'd rather get t
Episode 128, 'Domestic Labour' with Paulina Sliwa & Tom McClelland (Part I - Affordance Perception)
'The kitchen needs cleaning, but only one of us seems to notice. I mean, he looked straight at the dishes in the sink…and just stacked his dish on top of them. How high does this precarious tower of crockery have to be until he decides to wash the dishes or, more likely, they collapse into an unrepairable heap? I suppose I'll have to wash them. They won't get washed otherwise, and I'd rather get t
Episode 127, 'The Pursuit of Happiness' with Jeffrey Rosen (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Alongside life and liberty, the Declaration of Independence marked the pursuit of happiness as the foundation of American democracy. Yet, as the history of philosophy has taught us, understanding happiness is no easy task. Pursuing happiness as the cessation of desire, a feeling of perpetual pleasure, or as a state of human flourishing are very different projects…so, which conception of happiness
Episode 127, 'The Pursuit of Happiness' with Jeffrey Rosen (Part I - The Founding Fathers)
Alongside life and liberty, the Declaration of Independence marked the pursuit of happiness as the foundation of American democracy. Yet, as the history of philosophy has taught us, understanding happiness is no easy task. Pursuing happiness as the cessation of desire, a feeling of perpetual pleasure, or as a state of human flourishing are very different projects…so, which conception of happiness
Episode 126, 'Playfulness Versus Epistemic Traps' with C. Thi Nguyen (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
There's great pleasure to be found in make-believe. Instantly shifting our perspectives and belief systems gives rise to new possibilities – possibilities that are unavailable to the serious and sober-minded. Yet, as time passes, so does our desire to play. Adults – and, perhaps more so, philosophers – are instructed to 'grow up', to build their lives and views on sensible grounds, and leave their
Episode 126, 'Playfulness Versus Epistemic Traps' with C. Thi Nguyen (Part I - The Ideal Thinker)
There's great pleasure to be found in make-believe. Instantly shifting our perspectives and belief systems gives rise to new possibilities – possibilities that are unavailable to the serious and sober-minded. Yet, as time passes, so does our desire to play. Adults – and, perhaps more so, philosophers – are instructed to 'grow up', to build their lives and views on sensible grounds, and leave their
Episode 125, The Christmas Special (Part III - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Days grow shorter, rain turns to sleet, and nature's creatures are forced into hibernation. Winter is here; when the world wages war on us, through darkness, danger, and impending depression. But from the clouds of winter's despair, therein shines a light: gatherings among families and friends, spirits of fellowship and forgiveness, and scenes of feasts and festivities. It is Christmas, who shephe
Episode 125, The Christmas Special (Part II - The Nativity Continued)
Days grow shorter, rain turns to sleet, and nature's creatures are forced into hibernation. Winter is here; when the world wages war on us, through darkness, danger, and impending depression. But from the clouds of winter's despair, therein shines a light: gatherings among families and friends, spirits of fellowship and forgiveness, and scenes of feasts and festivities. It is Christmas, who shephe
Episode 125, The Christmas Special (Part I - The Nativity)
Days grow shorter, rain turns to sleet, and nature's creatures are forced into hibernation. Winter is here; when the world wages war on us, through darkness, danger, and impending depression. But from the clouds of winter's despair, therein shines a light: gatherings among families and friends, spirits of fellowship and forgiveness, and scenes of feasts and festivities. It is Christmas, who shephe
Episode 124, 'Narrative Critique' with Rachel Fraser (Part II – Further Analysis and Discussion)
Two people can encounter the same state of affairs – a crime, a book, a building – and yet their attention, interests, and emotional responses can be radically different. The perspectives of others are closed off from us, and our perspectives are closed off from them … that is until we share our stories. In recent years, social and political movements have utilised the power of storytelling by enc
Episode 124, 'Narrative Critique' with Rachel Fraser (Part I – Disrupting Ideology)
Two people can encounter the same state of affairs – a crime, a book, a building – and yet their attention, interests, and emotional responses can be radically different. The perspectives of others are closed off from us, and our perspectives are closed off from them … that is until we share our stories. In recent years, social and political movements have utilised the power of storytelling by enc
Episode 123, 'The Building Blocks of Reality' with Donnchadh O'Conaill (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
What is the underlying nature of reality? For Thales, the essence of the world was water; for the Stoics, it was Logos; for Heraclitus, the universe consisted, fundamentally, of fire, life-energy, or the 'thinking faculty'. The search for the building blocks of our world has a rich philosophical history and, today is intertwined with cutting-edge research in the physical sciences. In this episode,
Episode 123, 'The Building Blocks of Reality' with Donnchadh O'Conaill (Part I - Substance)
What is the underlying nature of reality? For Thales, the essence of the world was water; for the Stoics, it was Logos; for Heraclitus, the universe consisted, fundamentally, of fire, life-energy, or the 'thinking faculty'. The search for the building blocks of our world has a rich philosophical history and, today is intertwined with cutting-edge research in the physical sciences. In this episode,
Episode 122, 'Justice for Animals' with Martha Nussbaum (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Whaling, poaching, factory farming: we know they're wrong. Yet, most of us do nothing about them. In fact, for each trip around the sun, we satisfy our collective tastebuds with over seventy billion land animals and seven trillion sea creatures. Still, one might ask, what is it that's wrong with how we treat our fellow creatures? This is the central question of Martha Nussbaum's latest book, Justi
Episode 122, 'Justice for Animals' with Martha Nussbaum (Part I - The Capabilities Approach)
Whaling, poaching, factory farming: we know they're wrong. Yet, most of us do nothing about them. In fact, for each trip around the sun, we satisfy our collective tastebuds with over seventy billion land animals and seven trillion sea creatures. Still, one might ask, what is it that's wrong with how we treat our fellow creatures? This is the central question of Martha Nussbaum's latest book, Justi
Episode 121, The Philosophy of Privacy (Part III - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Introduction 'I was sold a story about the modern world. I was told that I could connect with friends for free and that I could have everything conveniently tailored to my tastes. I was also promised I'd be kept safe from those who wished to attack me and my values. All in all, I was told I would be empowered to live my life as I saw fit. In time, I began to hear another story. I started to hear t
Episode 121, The Philosophy of Privacy (Part II - Privacy in Peril)
Introduction 'I was sold a story about the modern world. I was told that I could connect with friends for free and that I could have everything conveniently tailored to my tastes. I was also promised I'd be kept safe from those who wished to attack me and my values. All in all, I was told I would be empowered to live my life as I saw fit. In time, I began to hear another story. I started to hear t
Episode 121, The Philosophy of Privacy (Part I - Privacy is Power)
Introduction 'I was sold a story about the modern world. I was told that I could connect with friends for free and that I could have everything conveniently tailored to my tastes. I was also promised I'd be kept safe from those who wished to attack me and my values. All in all, I was told I would be empowered to live my life as I saw fit. In time, I began to hear another story. I started to hear t
Episode 120, The Mystery of Existence (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Introduction This episode features Jack Symes in conversation with four of the biggest names in philosophy: Richard Dawkins (representing science and atheism), Jessica Frazier (on Hinduism), Silvia Jonas (speaking on Jewish philosophy), and Richard Swinburne (defending Christianity). With over six-hundred people registering for tickets, we were absolutely overwhelmed by your support; thank you to
Episode 120, The Mystery of Existence (Part I - The Debate)
Introduction This episode features Jack Symes in conversation with four of the biggest names in philosophy: Richard Dawkins (representing science and atheism), Jessica Frazier (on Hinduism), Silvia Jonas (speaking on Jewish philosophy), and Richard Swinburne (defending Christianity). With over six-hundred people registering for tickets, we were absolutely overwhelmed by your support; thank you to
Episode 119, 'Perfect Me' with Heather Widdows (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Beauty is nothing trivial. We get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and ask ourselves: 'How do I look?' The thinner, firmer, smoother, and younger we seem, the better our self-image and prospects. If you are not improving the way that you look, then you're doing something wrong. Do not let yourself go, focus on self-care, and put the work in. The alternative? Be prepared to pay the social and
Episode 119, 'Perfect Me' with Heather Widdows (Part I - The Beauty Ideal)
Beauty is nothing trivial. We get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and ask ourselves: 'How do I look?' The thinner, firmer, smoother, and younger we seem, the better our self-image and prospects. If you are not improving the way that you look, then you're doing something wrong. Do not let yourself go, focus on self-care, and put the work in. The alternative? Be prepared to pay the social and
