Philosophy For Our Times

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.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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