Within Reason

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com.

Alain de Botton is the creator of The School of Life. A Swiss-born British author and public speaker, his books discuss various contemporary subjects and themes, emphasising philosophy's relevance to everyday life.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Is the World Getting Uglier?
(14:32) Is Beauty Right Wing?
(28:33) Beauty Needs Context
(31:17) How Music Ruins Everything
(33:27) Our Taste Reflects What We're Missing in Life
(44:34) Is There Such a Thing as "Fake Art"?

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

John Nelson earned a PhD in New Testament and Christian Origins from the University of Edinburgh in 2023. He writes for the Substack ⁠Behind the Gospels⁠.

His ⁠thesis⁠ is the first book-length study of Jesus' physical appearance in the Gospels. He runs a weekly Substack called "Behind the Gospels" which aims to make Biblical studies accessible to all.

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Was Jesus Really Born on Christmas Day?

(2:51) Are the Birth Narratives Attempts at History?

(6:34) Where Was Jesus Actually Born?

(16:19) Were the Birth Narratives Added Later?

(22:21) Was Mary Really a Virgin?

(34:24) Why Does Nobody Else Mention the Virgin Birth?

(39:06) Was Jesus a Product of Adultery?

(43:49) Was Jesus Born in a Manger?

(49:34) Who Are the Magi?

(55:32) Was the Star Really a Star?

(1:01:30) Did Herod Really Order a Slaughter of Infants?

(1:07:54) Is the Christmas Story Anti-Imperial?

(1:14:40) Are Christmas Trees a Pagan Idol?

(1:17:39) John’s Book and the Upcoming Tour

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) 1,778,795 Q&A

(0:24) How Are You?

(5:12) If You Could Choose Your Date of Birth, When Would It Be?

(9:36) Survival Tips From Bear Grylls?

(10:21) How Do You Remember so Much Stuff?

(15:24) What is Your Dream Podcast?

(17:01) Doesn’t Consciousness Just… Emerge?

(29:26) If You Clean a Vaccum, Are You a Vaccum Cleaner?

(35:41) Is Water Wet?

(37:26) How Many Holes Are In a Straw?

(40:55) Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich?

(42:28) Do You Edit Everything By Yourself?

(43:23) What Would It Be Like to Observe a Contradiction?

(43:33) Which Philosophical Concepts are Often Misunderstood?

(50:29) When I Changed My Mind Mid-Debate

(01:01:49) Would You Tour?

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

Hank Green (⁠@hankschannel⁠) is one of YouTube's most beloved creators. One half of ⁠vlogbrothers⁠, he is also the co-creator and host of ⁠SciShow⁠ and ⁠Crash Course⁠.

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Where Are All the Aliens?

(8:02) What Makes Humans So Special?

(18:44) Has the US Lost its Cultural Identity?

(30:57) Was Martin Luther Wrong About God?

(37:52) Is the World an Illusion?

(48:16) Should We Believe Our Illusions?

(55:22) How Objective is Science?

(1:01:03) Does Science Explain Anything?

(1:12:28) Could We Explain Cold to an Alien?

(1:23:26) The Hard Problem of Consciousness

(1:29:06) Will Computers Ever Become Conscious?

(1:37:20) Do You Have Two Brains?

(1:43:52) Should We Be Worried About TikTok?

(1:50:30) Hank’s Video Ideas

(2:01:02) What’s it Like Meeting Your Old Heroes?

(2:07:14) Being a YouTuber

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

Michael Stevens is the creator of ⁠Vsauce⁠, one of YouTube's most popular channels. Alongside Hannah Fry he hosts the newly-launched podcast ⁠The Rest is Science⁠.

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Does Anything Really Exist?

(10:32) Is Michael a Mereological Nihilist?

(19:42) Are Philosophers Overcomplicating Function Behaviour?

(25:24) Do “You” Really Exist?

(41:57) Free Will and the Bicameral Mind Theory

(50:09) Why the Future Isn’t Changing Like It Used To

(59:11) The Scientific Mystery of Torque?

(01:17:46) Consciousness

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

Toby Ord is an Australian philosopher. In 2009 he founded Giving What We Can, an international society whose members pledge to donate at least 10% of their income to effective charities, and is a key figure in the effective altruism movement, which promotes using reason and evidence to help the lives of others as much as possible.

The Precipice: https://amzn.to/3XdUAEx

Ord's Website: https://www.tobyord.com/writings

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) What Existential Risks Does AI Pose?

(8:57) How AI Systems Lie to Us

(26:04) Why We Should Be Worried About AI

(33:28) What Does It Mean for AI System to “Want” Something?

(43:41) AI Weapons and Nuclear Warfare

(48:57) Where Should We Focus Our Resources?

(53:35) What Policies Should We Enact?

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

Philip Goff is a British author, panpsychist philosopher, and professor at Durham University whose research focuses on philosophy of mind and consciousness. Specifically, how consciousness can be part of the scientific worldview.

Buy Philip's books here.

Timestamps

(0:00) Why Philip Became a "Heretical Christian"
(7:13) Panpsychism and the Fine-Tuning Argument
(18:46) Why God’s Power is Limited
(30:10) The Problem of Suffering
(42:53) Non-Western Religious Positions
(48:34) What is the Role of Jesus in This?
(57:35) “Why Aren’t You Just a Hindu?”
(01:02:23) What is the Point in the Crucifixion?
(01:09:41) The Beautiful Uncertainty of Religion

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $75 purchase).

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠.

William MacAskill is a Scottish philosopher and author, as well as one of the originators of the effective altruism movement. Get his book. What We Owe the Future, ⁠here⁠.

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) The World Isn’t Ready for AGI

(9:12) What Does AGI Doomsday Look Like?

(16:13) Alignment is Not Enough

(19:28) How AGI Could Cause Government Coups

(27:14) Why Isn’t There More Widespread Panic?

(33:55) What Can We Do?

(40:11) If We Stop, China Won’t

(47:43) What is Currently Being Done to Regulate AGI Growth?

(51:03) The Problem of “Value Lock-in”

(01:05:03) Is Inaction a Form of Action?

(01:08:47) Should Effective Altruists Focus on AGI?

CONNECT

My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠

SOCIAL LINKS

Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠

CONTACT

Business email: [email protected]

Brand enquiries: [email protected]

Bernardo Kastrup is a Dutch philosopher and computer scientist recognised for his contributions to consciousness studies, notably through his formulation of analytic idealism—a variant of metaphysical idealism rooted in the analytic tradition.

Buy his books here.

Timestamps:

0:00 - What is the World Really Made Of?
7:11 - Qualities vs Quantities
9:45 - Can Materialism Explain Anything?
25:06 - Is There More Than What We Perceive?
33:57 - Can We Exist Without a Brain?
42:15 - What is Personhood?
48:35 - Consciousness is not the Self
54:46 - Why is Mental Activity Localised?
01:10:39 - Why Panpsychism Doesn’t Make Sense
01:22:20 - Distinguishing Idealism and Panpsychism
01:32:20 - Are There Distinctions Between Material Objects?
01:39:14 - The Illusion of the Self
01:46:16 - The Biggest Misunderstanding of Analytical Idealism

Bear Grylls is a British adventurer, writer, television presenter and former SAS trooper who is also a survival expert. Widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild, he was also appointed as The Scout Association’s youngest-ever Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories at the age of 35. His new book, The Greatest Story Ever Told, is a retelling of the life of Jesus through the eyes of five Gospel characters: Mary the mother of Jesus, Thomas, Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Retelling Christianity in the First Person
12:36 - Faith and Doubt Come Together
16:46 - Did Bear’s Research Cause Doubt or Faith?
28:01 - Reconciling the Differences Between the Gospels
39:50 - On Not Putting Words in Jesus’ Mouth
48:59 - Where Alex’s Interest in the Gospels Began
55:24 - Travelling Back to the Time of Jesus: Where Would You Go?