Philosophy For Our Times

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

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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.

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

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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.

Please do email us at podcast@iai.tv with any of 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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