In this episode, I talk with Gautam Kaul about how we learn, make decisions, and deal with risk. Gautam, a finance professor at the University of Michigan, has spent much of his career studying markets, uncertainty, and how people respond to them. But what makes his approach unique is the way he frames finance not only as numbers and equations, but as stories about human behavior and responsibility.

We explore why humans often misjudge risk and how education can help people become more thoughtful decision-makers. Gautam explains how teaching finance is less about technical formulas and more about building the ability to understand uncertainty, weigh options, and take responsibility for choices. We also talk about the emotional side of learning and decision-making, and how stories can be just as important as logic in shaping our understanding of the world.

This conversation left me thinking about how education, whether in finance or any fiel,d prepares us for the uncertainties of life itself. Instead of only focusing on outcomes, Gautam argues that we should be paying attention to how we make decisions, what values drive those choices, and how we learn from both successes and failures.

00:00 – Introduction: Meeting Gautam Kaul and his background in finance and education
02:00 – Early life in India and lessons from cultural diversity
05:00 – Adapting between two worlds: India and the United States
08:00 – Academia as a space for intellectual freedom and discovery
11:00 – Differences between Indian and American academic systems
14:00 – How finance became a framework for understanding human behavior
18:00 – The philosophical roots of economics and finance
22:00 – Time, risk, and the power of decision-making under uncertainty
26:00 – How finance can address complex social and environmental problems
30:00 – Profit, purpose, and the moral costs of innovation
34:00 – Markets, inequality, and the moral consequences of freedom
38:00 – What education gets wrong: training versus true learning
43:00 – Why higher education should focus on “why” instead of “how”
47:00 – Money as a technology that shapes human relationships
51:00 – The danger of turning everything into a transaction
56:00 – The illusion of infinite growth and the moral limits of capitalism
1:01:00 – Inequality, sustainability, and the collective good
1:06:00 – What can and cannot be bought: love, happiness, and meaning
1:10:00 – Empathy, community, and what it means to live well
1:14:00 – Final reflections: thinking deeply before acting

In this episode, I sit down with Michael Treadway, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist whose work focuses on how the brain makes decisions about effort and reward. We explore why motivation sometimes feels elusive and how conditions like depression and anxiety can shift the way people weigh costs and benefits. Michael explains how his lab uses tasks and brain imaging to study the decisions we all make about whether something is "worth the effort," and what this tells us about both healthy behavior and mental health challenges.

Our conversation moves between the lab and everyday life—why following through on goals often feels harder than setting them, how motivation is tied to brain circuits that evolved to help us survive, and why mental health struggles can make effort feel overwhelming. Michael also reflects on how understanding the neuroscience of motivation can shape new treatments for depression and anxiety, as well as practical strategies for daily living.

By the end of the discussion, we not only examine the science behind effort and persistence but also look at what it means for education, work, and personal growth. It’s a chance to see how the brain’s decision-making processes influence everything from simple daily choices to long-term goals.

00:00 – Introduction: Welcoming Michael Treadway and his research on motivation and affect
02:00 – From music to neuroscience: the personal journey behind his work
05:00 – What is pleasure? Defining the term through psychology and neuroscience
08:00 – Subjective experience and the philosophy of mind
11:00 – Can we measure pleasure? The challenge of quantifying qualia
14:00 – The hedonic treadmill and the stability of well-being
18:00 – How circumstance and expectation shape the feeling of pleasure
21:00 – The effort paradox: why we avoid and seek effort at the same time
25:00 – Education, technology, and the loss of meaningful struggle
30:00 – Effort as intrinsic reward: how meaning arises through doing
34:00 – Capitalism, reward, and the value of work
38:00 – The neuroscience of effort: why thinking feels tiring
42:00 – Why effort might be biologically rewarding
45:00 – The role of perspective and prediction error in shaping joy
49:00 – Eastern philosophy, mindfulness, and changing the perceiver
53:00 – Passion as a learned skill and the connection to pleasure
57:00 – Depression, dopamine, and the disconnect between wanting and liking
1:00:00 – Behavioral activation and non-drug approaches to well-being
1:04:00 – Closing reflections: redefining pleasure, effort, and meaning

In this episode, I talk with Keith Sawyer about how creativity really works, especially when it happens in groups. We begin by challenging the common image of creativity as the result of a lone genius working in isolation. Keith explains how innovation often grows out of collaboration, improvisation, and the back-and-forth exchange of ideas. Drawing examples from jazz ensembles and brainstorming sessions, we discuss how structure and spontaneity combine to create moments of breakthrough.

We also explore what research tells us about the conditions that help teams become more innovative. Keith shares why diversity of thought matters, how psychological safety fuels risk-taking, and why most brainstorming sessions fail to deliver. He explains that creativity isn’t just about sudden inspiration but about patterns of interaction that can be studied and encouraged.

For anyone interested in education, work, or the arts, this conversation offers practical ways of thinking about collaboration and creativity. It highlights how we can create environments whether in classrooms, offices, or communities that don’t just value ideas but actively nurture the connections that make them possible.

00:00 – Introduction: Meeting Keith Sawyer and his research on creativity and collaboration
02:00 – From jazz piano to psychology: discovering improvisation as a science
06:00 – How group improvisation shaped his philosophy of creativity
10:00 – What creativity really means: newness, intention, and human adaptability
14:00 – Improvisation as a model for life: responding to uncertainty
18:00 – Collaboration, jazz, and how group dynamics create “group genius”
22:00 – The myth of the lone genius and the truth behind collective creativity
27:00 – How culture and education reinforce individualism over collaboration
31:00 – Why creativity must be taught across all subjects, not just the arts
35:00 – Deep knowledge versus superficial knowledge: what schools miss
39:00 – How to teach creativity through project-based and interdisciplinary learning
43:00 – Creativity and early education: why younger classrooms have an advantage
47:00 – Integrating creativity in organizations and interdisciplinary research
50:00 – Generative AI, animals, and what makes human creativity unique
53:00 – Mindsets and practices: how to nurture creativity in any field
55:00 – Closing reflections: improvisation, creativity, and what makes us human

In this episode, I sit down with Georg Northoff to explore the complex relationship between the brain, consciousness, and the self. We start by questioning the assumption that neuroscience alone can fully explain who we are. Georg points out the limitations of reductionist approaches, showing why studying neurons and brain regions in isolation isn’t enough to answer fundamental questions about experience and identity.

Our conversation moves into the idea of the self not as a static object in the brain, but as something that emerges in relation to the body and the world. Georg explains how consciousness might be better understood through the connections between brain, environment, and time, rather than by searching for a single “location” of self. He draws on philosophy as much as neuroscience, stressing that the most important questions often lie between disciplines rather than within one.

Together, we reflect on what it means to be human when science cannot give a final answer to the question of existence. Is the self reducible to neurons firing in the brain? Or is it something that can only be grasped by looking at how life unfolds in context through relationships, history, and lived experience? This conversation invites us to rethink not just what consciousness is, but how we go about asking the question in the first place.

00:00 – Introduction: Welcoming Georg Northoff and his pioneering research in neurophilosophy
02:00 – Living across cultures: how context shapes consciousness and perception
05:00 – The difference in time perception between Eastern and Western thought
08:00 – How Northoff became fascinated with the brain–mind connection
11:00 – What the self is and why it matters for understanding consciousness
14:00 – Do animals have a sense of self? Insights from neuroscience and evolution
17:00 – The relational nature of self and its connection to well-being
21:00 – Where is the self located? From the heart to the space between us
25:00 – The relational self in Heidegger and Eastern philosophy
29:00 – Meditation, non-duality, and what neuroscience reveals about spiritual experience
33:00 – How training and neuroplasticity reshape the sense of self
37:00 – Can two different perceptions of reality both be true?
41:00 – Understanding mental disorders through the speed of the self
45:00 – Personalized therapy and the future of psychiatry
48:00 – Science, mysticism, and the beauty of connection
51:00 – What great science and great spirituality share
53:00 – Closing reflections: consciousness, culture, and the meaning of being

In this episode, I speak with Roger Crisp, Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Oxford, about the role of ethics in our personal lives and society. We start with a discussion of Aristotle’s ideas on human flourishing and compare them with utilitarian approaches that focus on maximizing happiness. Roger explains how different ethical traditions address the question of what it means to live well, and we explore whether it is possible or even desirable to measure happiness.

We also talk about the challenges of applying moral philosophy to real-world decisions, especially when theoretical ideals meet practical constraints. Roger shares examples of how moral reasoning can guide policy, personal choices, and our interactions with others. Along the way, we touch on topics such as virtue, moral motivation, and how philosophical thinking can help navigate life’s complex trade-offs.

This conversation offers an accessible look at how philosophy connects to everyday life, showing that moral theory isn’t just an academic exercise, it’s a tool for understanding ourselves and making better decisions in a complicated world.

00:00 – Introduction: Welcoming Roger Crisp and his work on ethics and well-being
02:00 – Early influences: Plato, Mill, and the origins of moral philosophy
07:00 – Discovering philosophy through classics and the problem of defining “the good”
11:00 – What is well-being? Understanding good for versus good in general
15:00 – The experiential view: Is pleasure all that matters for a good life?
19:00 – Accomplishment, meaning, and the limits of hedonism
23:00 – Why defining the good life matters for how we live
28:00 – Family, culture, and the tension between tradition and questioning
33:00 – Education, parenting, and who defines a “good life” for children
38:00 – Reflecting on philosophy’s impact on personal decision-making
42:00 – The ethics of self-interest and collective well-being
47:00 – Pain, suffering, and the art of finding pleasure in discomfort
52:00 – Buddhism, neuroscience, and the science of pleasure
57:00 – Higher versus lower pleasures and what truly brings happiness
1:01:00 – Education, policy, and the danger of quantifying happiness
1:05:00 – The paradox of hedonism and the importance of indirect joy
1:08:00 – Final reflections: Thinking about well-being as a lifelong practice

Season 9 Summarized: Art, Beauty, & Complexity.

In this episode, I talk with Aaron Meskin, a philosopher of aesthetics whose work spans comics, food, popular culture, and the philosophy of art. We begin by talking about architecture, cultural memory, and the feeling of living in spaces that carry historical weight. From there, we explore what it means to care about beauty in different domains, why some people care deeply about buildings or fashion, while others are drawn to beer, music, or television. Aaron suggests that aesthetics isn't limited to galleries or museums, it’s part of everyday life, and we all engage with it, whether through a shared concert experience or the design of our homes.

We dive deep into comics as an art form, what makes them unique, why it's difficult (and maybe unnecessary) to define them, and how their hybrid structure of text and image creates new forms of narrative and expression. Aaron reflects on how comics offer intimacy, especially when created by a single artist, and why they deserve more philosophical attention. We also touch on food and drink as potential art forms, considering when a cocktail or a carefully prepared dish becomes more than just consumption. Toward the end, we challenge the boundaries of art itself, asking whether conversation and podcasting could be considered artistic forms, and what criteria we use to make that judgment.

Throughout, we explore how aesthetics helps us pay attention, how it’s social, and how it enables new ways of connecting to each other and the world. Whether through a comic, a gourmet meal, or a walk through a 14th-century village, aesthetic experiences are all around us. Sometimes we just need to notice them.

00:00 – Introduction: Meeting Aaron Meskin and his work in aesthetics
02:00 – Cultural observations and reflections from England
05:00 – The continuity of culture and connection through art
07:00 – Why aesthetics matters and what beauty adds to life
10:00 – Aesthetic experience as communication and social connection
13:00 – How culture shapes what we find beautiful
16:00 – Expanding aesthetics: beer, opera, and the value of care
20:00 – Comics as philosophy: how Aaron’s interest began
23:00 – Defining comics and the difficulty of definitions
27:00 – How words and images work together in comics
31:00 – The intimacy of comics: handwriting, art, and narrative
35:00 – Why comics never replaced literature (and why that’s okay)
39:00 – The role of culture, economics, and attention in shaping art forms
42:00 – Everyday aesthetics and the philosophy of the ordinary
47:00 – When food becomes art and the beauty of sensory experience
51:00 – Conversations, creativity, and the question of what counts as art
56:00 – Technology, nostalgia, and the beauty of older forms
1:00:00 – Everyday rituals and aesthetic moments in daily life
1:04:00 – Why ordinary pleasures and aesthetic attention matter
1:07:00 – Closing reflections: the love of wisdom through beauty

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Gilmore professor of philosophy and co-editor of The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism to explore how we experience fiction, art, and museums in ways that often blur the line between imagination and reality. We talk about why fictional stories can feel so emotionally true, and what’s happening in the brain and mind when we respond to imagined worlds. Jonathan shares how the same brain structures light up whether we're imagining lying on a beach or actually experiencing it, and how that overlap plays a big role in why fiction feels real.

We also discuss how museums have changed from elite spaces to more open, accessible places and how their evolving roles influence how we see culture and ourselves. Jonathan reflects on his early visits to the Cleveland Museum of Art, and how that helped spark his path into art and philosophy. Our conversation dives into the question of how narratives—from romantic comedies to sports fandom shape our beliefs, expectations, and even personal values. We touch on the idea of "kitsch" in popular art, and how fiction can both reflect and distort our ideas of love, identity, and what it means to live a meaningful life.

By the end, we examine the limitations and possibilities of art both random and structured—and how a richer understanding of history, context, and intention might help us not just appreciate art more, but also see more clearly how it affects the way we think and live.

In this episode, I talk with Sherri Irvin, a philosopher whose work explores aesthetics, contemporary art, and embodiment. We begin by discussing her entry into the philosophy of art and how artists challenge traditional rules to express new forms of meaning. Sherri explains how rules are not just constraints, but frameworks for communication, and how breaking them intentionally can create powerful experiences. We talk about contemporary artworks that rely on shifting contexts and participation to define what the art even is, and how this flexibility leads to broader questions about authorship and artistic identity.

We then explore the aesthetics of the body how beauty standards are formed, how they change across cultures, and how they shape our perception of others and ourselves. Sherri discusses the link between attraction, social value, and institutional bias, touching on everything from disability and fatphobia to representation in media. Together, we reflect on how we’ve been socially conditioned to see some bodies as beautiful and others as less worthy of attention or care, and we ask what it would take to expand our ability to see beauty in a wider range of human experiences.

The conversation ends with thoughts on individuality, complexity, and the ways group identities shape how people are perceived and treated. We question whether it’s possible or even desirable to break down all categories, and what it would mean to live in a world where everyone’s uniqueness is fully acknowledged. This episode touches on art, identity, stigma, and the everyday politics of how we see and are seen.

00:00 – Who is Sherri Irvin and what does it mean to study the philosophy of art

02:00 – How she discovered contemporary art through real-world puzzles

06:00 – The nature of rules in art and how artists reshape meaning

22:00 – The artist’s role: fabrication versus context and collaboration

26:00 – Sherri’s reflections on identity and what it means to “be an artist”

30:00 – The aesthetics of the body: beauty, attraction, and social power

34:00 – The social hierarchy of attractiveness and its consequences

38:00 – Cultural beauty standards and how they evolve

54:00 – Complexity, individuality, and the challenge of empathy

58:00 – How open-mindedness affects belonging and connection

1:01:00 – Everyday interactions, compliments, and the ethics of recognition

1:03:00 – Closing reflections: valuing difference and reimagining beauty

In this episode, I sat down again with David Goldblatt, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, to talk about how philosophy moves from theory to practice and why that movement often doesn't happen. We reflected on how routine and academic settings can limit our thinking, and why breaking out through travel, art, or even a conversation in a roadside bar can shift our sense of what matters. David shared how he sees philosophy not as an abstract endeavor, but as something that shapes and is shaped by how we live, vote, and act, even when we don’t realize it.

We explored identity, language, and what it means to call something the “self.” Through examples ranging from ventriloquism to tattoos, interpretive dance to jazz, we talked about the ways in which expression both reveals and creates who we are. We also touched on the tensions between personal life and philosophical thinking whether philosophy professors have a responsibility to attend to the impact of the ideas they share, and how theory can subtly or dramatically reshape a life.

This conversation is less about offering conclusions and more about tracing connections between experience, expression, and thought how books, art, and politics all become personal, and how sometimes the question isn’t whether philosophy matters, but whether we’re paying attention to how it already has.

00:00 – Introduction: Welcoming David Goldblatt back to the podcast
01:00 – On travel, breaking routine, and escaping academic provincialism
04:00 – Universities and the danger of believing the “ivory tower” is the whole world
07:00 – On animals, instinct, and seeing ourselves as part of nature
09:00 – Nietzsche, Buddha, and clearing out the self
12:00 – The idea of the “other self” and language as a limitation
15:00 – Wittgenstein and the meaning of words through their use
18:00 – Why people resist philosophical questioning in daily life
21:00 – How philosophy can alienate or awaken depending on how it’s taught
25:00 – The danger of skepticism and why some philosophies confuse students
28:00 – Bringing philosophy into daily conversation
32:00 – On contentment, anxiety, and the limits of intellectual detachment
35:00 – Academic distance versus lived experience in philosophy
39:00 – The classroom as a space of transformation and responsibility
43:00 – Meaning, death, and the search for purpose in an absurd world
47:00 – Philosophy as a lived practice rather than a detached study
50:00 – Art, ventriloquism, and being both creator and creation
54:00 – The aesthetics of everyday life and finding beauty in the ordinary
57:00 – Writing, journaling, and self-reflection as philosophical acts
1:00:00 – Vulnerability, diaries, and the art of recording thought
1:03:00 – Legacy, wisdom, and writing about overlooked art forms
1:06:00 – Aesthetics of bookshelves and the philosophy of ordinary spaces
1:09:00 – Closing reflections: seeing philosophy and art in everything