Preternatural Investigations

Preternatural Investigations

By Sharron KrausSociety & CultureArtsPhilosophy
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Preternatural Investigations episodes

  • EPISODE 12: LIVING IN A PRETERNATURAL WORLD

    In which the main themes that have emerged over the course of this podcast series are drawn out and something is said of what life in the preternatural realm involves.

    Music by Sharron Kraus, with James Street, Neal Heppleston, Nick Jonah Davis, Oliver Parfitt and Harriet Earis.

    REFERENCES

    Richard Dawkins, The Magic of Reality: How we know what’s really true
    Lorraine Daston & Katharine Park, Wonders and the Order of Nature, 1150-1750
    Thomas Nagel, The View From Nowhere
    Roger Lancelyn Green, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table

    31 min
  • Ep. 11: The Quality Of Wildness
    In which the idea of wildness and the relationship between the human and the wild are explored. Some problematic approaches to wildness are flagged up and a path to the heart of the wildwood is traced.
    29 min
  • EPISODE 11: THE QUALITY OF WILDNESS

    In which the idea of wildness and the relationship between the human and the wild are explored. Some problematic approaches to wildness are flagged up and a path to the heart of the wildwood is traced.

    Music by Sharron Kraus, with Simon Lewis, Harriet Earis, Mark Wilden, Gillian Chadwick, Nick Jonah Davis, Oliver Parfitt, Jenny Bliss and Dean Honer

    REFERENCES

    George Monbiot, Feral: Searching for Enchantment on the Frontiers of Rewilding
    Mary Midgley, The Myths We Live By
    William Cronon, The Trouble with Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature
    Edward Said, Orientalism
    Robert Macfarlane, The Wild Places
    Richard Mabey, Nature Cure

    29 min
  • Ep. 10: Art As Alchemy
    In which the role suffering plays in creating art is explored and the idea of the tortured artist is contrasted with that of the artist as alchemist.
    32 min
  • EPISODE 10: ART AS ALCHEMY

    In which the role suffering plays in creating art is explored and the idea of the tortured artist is contrasted with that of the artist as alchemist. The idea of art as alchemy, as a way of transmuting the ‘base materials’ of sadness, loss, depression and darkness into something golden, is shown to be a more optimistic and inspiring model of creativity, and one that gives us a way of understanding why art is so important to us.

    Music by Sharron Kraus, with Neal Heppleston, Guy Whittaker, Nick Jonah Davis, Oliver Parfitt, Jenny Bliss and Harriet Earis

    REFERENCES

    Alan Garner, The Voice That Thunders: Essays and Lectures
    Jeanette Winterson, Art Objects: Essays on Art and Effrontery
    Dez Vylenz, dir., The Mindscape of Alan Moore

    32 min
  • EPISODE 9: THE PERSONIFICATION OF EVIL IN SONG

    In which a number of songs that celebrate evil characters are examined and the question ‘why do good people enjoy songs about bad people?’ is addressed.

    Music by Sharron Kraus, with Tara Burke, Brooke Sietinsons, Harriet Earis, James Street, Neal Heppleston and Guy Whittaker.

    Clips from the following songs:

    Johnny Cash, ‘Folsom Prison Blues’
    Steeleye Span, ‘Long Lankin’
    Skip James, ‘Crow Jane’
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, ‘Stagger Lee’
    The Rolling Stones, ‘Sympathy for the Devil’
    Leonard Cohen, ‘The Future’

    28 min
  • Ep. 8: Weirdness Without, Weirdness Within
    In which the ways the communities we belong to are shown to affect our sense of self and our ability to find magic, meaning and happiness in our own lives. Differences between narrow communities and those that are more open, welcoming and diverse are looked at and what makes us who we are is shown to involve more than the factual aspects of our identity – the self is shown to be preternatural.
    29 min
  • EPISODE 8: WEIRDNESS WITHOUT, WEIRDNESS WITHIN

    In which the ways the communities we belong to are shown to affect our sense of self and our ability to find magic, meaning and happiness in our own lives. Differences between narrow communities and those that are more open, welcoming and diverse are looked at and what makes us who we are is shown to involve more than the factual aspects of our identity – the self is shown to be preternatural.

    Music by Sharron Kraus, with Nick Palmer, Nancy Wallace, Harriet Earis, Oliver Parfitt, Jenny Bliss, Neal Heppleston, Guy Whittaker and Nick Jonah Davis

    REFERENCES

    Harry Smith, Anthology of American Folk Music
    David Olusoga, The James MacTaggart Lecture, Edinburgh TV Festival 2020
    Greil Marcus, Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes
    Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
    Penda’s Fen
    Philip Pullman, ‘Imaginary Friends: Are Stories Anti-Scientific?’

    29 min

About Preternatural Investigations

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A podcast about the marvelous things that lie between the mundane and the miraculous