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 [email protected] with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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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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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 [email protected] with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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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”. 

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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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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 [email protected] with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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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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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 [email protected] 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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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 [email protected] with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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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.

Do you agree with the speakers - is irrationality a key element of life? Email us at [email protected] with your thoughts or questions on the episode!

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