The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Are we living in a simulation?

Listen Later

Sean Illing talks with philosopher David Chalmers about virtual worlds and the nature of reality, and other topics that stem from Chalmers's new book Reality+. In this far-reaching discussion, Sean and Prof. Chalmers get into the makeup of human consciousness, the question of whether we're living in a computer simulation, and — of course — The Matrix. Are digital worlds genuine realities, or will their proliferation lead to a troublesome turning away from the physical world?

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: David Chalmers, University Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science, NYU; co-director, Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness

References: 

  • Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David J. Chalmers (Norton; 2022)
  • Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes (1641)
  • "Are You Living In a Computer Simulation?" by Nick Bostrom (Philosophical Quarterly vol. 53 (211); 2003)
  • The Matrix (1999), dir. by The Wachowskis; The Matrix Resurrections (2021), dir. by Lana Wachowski
  • Free Guy (2021), dir. by Shawn Levy
  • Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (1992)
  • Anarchy, State, and Utopia by Robert Nozick (1974)


    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

    Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

    This episode was made by: 

    • Producer: Erikk Geannikis
    • Editor: Amy Drozdowska
    • Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
    • Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      The Gray Area with Sean IllingBy Vox
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      10,590 ratings

      More shows like The Gray Area with Sean Illing

      View all
      The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

      The New Yorker Radio Hour

      6,780 Listeners

      The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

      The Political Scene | The New Yorker

      4,044 Listeners

      Explain It to Me by Vox

      Explain It to Me

      7,858 Listeners

      Switched on Pop by Vulture

      Switched on Pop

      2,683 Listeners

      Pivot by New York Magazine

      Pivot

      9,501 Listeners

      Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

      Gastropod

      3,667 Listeners

      Decoder with Nilay Patel by The Verge

      Decoder with Nilay Patel

      3,144 Listeners

      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      112,049 Listeners

      Good One by Vulture

      Good One

      1,484 Listeners

      Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

      Radio Atlantic

      2,275 Listeners

      The Atlantic Interview by The Atlantic

      The Atlantic Interview

      2,136 Listeners

      Today, Explained by Vox

      Today, Explained

      10,203 Listeners

      Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

      Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

      7,226 Listeners

      Throughline by NPR

      Throughline

      16,363 Listeners

      Land of the Giants by Vulture

      Land of the Giants

      2,166 Listeners

      Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

      5,985 Listeners

      Unlocking Us with Brené Brown by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Unlocking Us with Brené Brown

      23,583 Listeners

      A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe by Vox Media Podcast Network

      A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe

      728 Listeners

      Hard Fork by The New York Times

      Hard Fork

      5,511 Listeners

      Good Noticings by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Good Noticings

      6,477 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      15,845 Listeners

      Unexplainable by Vox

      Unexplainable

      2,316 Listeners

      Cover Story by New York Magazine

      Cover Story

      1,220 Listeners

      The Interview by The New York Times

      The Interview

      1,587 Listeners

      Not Just Football with Cam Heyward by Cam Heyward

      Not Just Football with Cam Heyward

      152 Listeners

      On with Kara Swisher by Vox Media

      On with Kara Swisher

      3,537 Listeners

      Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF by Vivian Tu

      Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

      1,747 Listeners

      Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Prof G Markets

      1,431 Listeners

      The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

      The Opinions

      618 Listeners

      Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird by Sue Bird

      Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird

      440 Listeners

      Solutions with Henry Blodget by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Solutions with Henry Blodget

      31 Listeners