In part two of this five part series, Caroline Winzenried will take a deeper dive into the complexity of navigating relationships and identity after leaving religion. Strained or severed ties with loved ones and communities can be one of the most challenging aspects of leaving, and for some people, the risk of rejection is so strong that they feel they need to "stay in the closet". But it isn’t just relationships with others that are affected; leaving religion also has profound impacts on identi...
May 01, 2025•31 min•Season 7Ep. 3
A clear picture has begun to emerge in the field of mental health of the toll that certain harmful, high-control religious practices can take. In 2011, Dr. Marlene Winell coined the term "Religious Trauma Syndrome" to give a name to the unique trauma that many former and current religious adherents face from their experiences. In this podcast, Caroline Winzenried begins to shine a light on the hidden toll of religious trauma that can last even years after leaving a religion. Credit to https://ww...
Apr 02, 2025•28 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Theism is the position that an immensely powerful immaterial mind created and governs the universe. But what is an immaterial mind? In this talk, James Fodor considers this question in the light of cognitive science, considering the various aspects and functions that make up a mind. He argues that it is very difficult to reconcile most of what is currently known about minds with the idea that they can exist without a material substrate, especially when combined with the various traits that theis...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 7Ep. 1
In this podcast, Joe Bullock helps us explore how Stoic philosophy can guide us toward a more compassionate and interconnected world. He focuses on Stoic Cosmopolitanism and the concept of Stoic role ethics to explore how ancient wisdom addresses modern challenges. Joe will also cover how our individual actions relate to the collective good and discuss the historical roots of Cosmopolitanism and where it may be headed in the future. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background mu...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Sam Harris' little book on Free Will was published in 2012, gaining a receptive response from scientifically-minded followers. In this first part of a two part series, Allan will put Harris' two key arguments against the human capacity for free will under the microscope. Harris' first point is that we could not have behaved differently than we in fact did. His second appeals to his introspecting that we are not the conscious source of our choices and actions. Allan’s full critique, 'Sam Harris, ...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 6Ep. 3
In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, explores the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this third and final presentation, Caroline takes us on a journey of healing from spiritual bypassing and making space for our emotions. She shows us how to respond—rather than react—to our emotions by harnessing the power of curiosity, listening to the information our emotions provide with compassion, and putting that information into context....
Apr 10, 2024•36 min•Season 6Ep. 2
In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, takes us on an exploration of the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this second presentation, Caroline explores how spiritual ideas and practices are sometimes used to avoid or suppress emotions and the damage this can cause. Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adol...
Feb 22, 2024•26 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, takes us on an exploration of the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this first presentation, Caroline examine how religious teachings can shape our emotional understanding by categorising emotions as "good" or "bad" creating implicit rules for how we should listen to, ignore, or even disown them. Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an exi...
Oct 05, 2023•31 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Stoicism has played a major role in shaping ethical considerations for over two millennia, profoundly influencing religious doctrines and renowned philosophers. Despite its frequent misinterpretations and critiques, Stoicism's fundamental principles can guide us to leading a purposeful life. At the heart of Stoic philosophy lies the conviction that our well-being and growth stem from living in accordance with nature and honing our logical skills regardless of our circumstances. In this talk, Jos...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Progress toward the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has been accelerating in recent times. While much is contested about if and when AGI will be achieved, and even about what it is, its consequences for humanity, should AGI be realised, are profound. Among these consequences are deep questions about intelligence, consciousness, morality, and what it means to be human. In this session, Dr. Tony Carden shares his perspectives on some of the basic premises and history of AGI, p...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 58 min•Season 5Ep. 1
In this session, Buddhism expert and PhD candidate, Corey Jackson, explores the intersections between Buddhist practice and the science of mental health. What can 2,500 years of striving for Buddhist enlightenment tell us about mental health in the 21st century? Is there a place for science in the path to enlightenment and a place for Buddhist views in the scientific attempt to understand the mind? Corey enlightens us on why Buddhists still get angry, why psychology can't cure anxiety or depress...
May 25, 2022•52 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Effective Altruism (EA) is a new movement around the not so new idea of combining evidence and reasons with charity and altruism. It focuses on using our limited time and resources to do as much good as we can. In this episode, Michael Dello-Iacovo introduces some of the key concepts of Effective Altruism and discusses some examples and the underlying philosophy. He also considers some of the common objections to aspects of Effective Altruism. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the ba...
Apr 12, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 4
In this series of sessions, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. Religion has very clear-cut explanations for our purpose on earth and for what happens when we die. When you leave a religion, you are suddenly unmoored from those meaning-making frameworks and are given the tremendous task of finding these answers for yourself. Many people feel lost and alone in this search for meaning. In this session, Caroline explores the challeng...
Apr 08, 2022•21 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she explores the concept of "sin" as it is ever-present in many faiths. The emphasis placed on sin and the dire nature of its consequences can plant a pervasive, nagging or overwhelming fear that often follows people long after leaving a religion. Teachings around sin can also cause people to develop a deep-seated sense of shame around the idea that t...
Feb 12, 2022•29 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Is artificial superintelligence (ASI) imminent? In this episode, Adam Ford assesses the evidence and ethical importance of artificial intelligence; its opportunities and risks. Drawing on the history of progress in AI and how today it surpasses peak human capability in some domains, he presents forecasts about further progress. Adam also explores the notion of intelligence and what aspects are missing in AI now and how 'understanding' arises in biological intelligence and how it could be realise...
Feb 06, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Dictionaries often draw a distinction between the modern common meaning of skepticism and its traditional philosophical meaning, which dates from antiquity. The contemporary meaning of 'scientific skepticism' is different again. In this episode, Tim Harding discusses the commonalities and differences between the various meanings. He has a foot in both the scientific and philosophical 'camps'. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.
Dec 30, 2021•27 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was an Austrian-British philosopher who taught and worked at Cambridge between 1912 and 1947. He is regarded as one of the leading philosophers of the 20th Century, noted for having adopted two very different philosophical stances in his time. Wittgenstein worked primarily in logic and the philosophy of language with an especial focus on language and the world, and secondarily in the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of mathematics and the philosophy of religion....
Dec 29, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Akiva Quinn presents the case for moral progress and the advance of social justice. He offers reflections on historical and contemporary issues from Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, through Apartheid South Africa and Black Lives Matter, Post-Colonialism, LGBTQI+ and First Nations recognition to ongoing conflict, gender, racial and social inequality. Akiva also draws on examples, films and texts such as Selma (2014), Kenan Malik's "The Quest for a Moral Compass", Michael Sher...
Dec 28, 2021•52 min•Season 3Ep. 14
In this second of a two part session, Usha Sista explores an iconic movie trilogy of our generation, The Matrix. The Matrix juxtaposes and synthesises storytelling, philosophy and cognitive science through the cinematic medium. Usha examines some of the philosophical underpinnings of the trilogy. In this second session, she looks at The Matrix through the lens of contemporary cognitive science and philosophy of mind, such as the brain in the vat argument and simulated reality, free will and free...
Dec 27, 2021•40 min•Season 3Ep. 13
In this first of a two part session, Usha Sista explores an iconic movie trilogy of our generation, The Matrix. The Matrix juxtaposes and synthesises storytelling, philosophy and cognitive science through the cinematic medium. Usha examines some of the philosophical underpinnings of the trilogy. In this first session, she looks at The Matrix through the lens of classical philosophers such as Descartes, Plato, Socrates and others. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music...
Dec 26, 2021•32 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode, Leslie Allan begins by sharing how his early experiences shape his humanist outlook today. He then outlines what he considers to be the three core principles underlying the humanist world view: reason and evidence, compassion and equality, and autonomy and dignity. Leslie illustrates the application of these principles with historical and contemporary examples. He then draws upon each of these principles to tease out what it means to live a good life; a life of meaning and purpo...
Dec 24, 2021•41 min•Season 3Ep. 11
In this episode, Usha Sista explores what neuroscience tells us about ethics—what goes on in the human brain when presented with ethical dilemmas such as the famous trolley problem and how that informs our understanding of ourselves. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.
Dec 20, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this episode, Leslie Allan and Akiva Quinn engage in dialogue in an exploration of the nature and grounding of human rights. Do they exist? If so, what justifies them? How can we best understand the nature and extent of human rights? Is the moral theory of utilitarianism an adequate underpinning of human rights, or are rights justified by ascriptions of human dignity or autonomy? Or something else? Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this episode, Martin Coleman and Akiva Quinn debate the extent to which the law ought to limit free speech and free expression in order to prevent significant harms. Martin Coleman puts the case for free speech and free expression that forms the basis for an informed populace. Martin turns to such great writers as Voltaire, Christopher Hitchens, Thomas Paine and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. in defence of the claim that no matter how great or abhorrent an idea is, the ability to share and discuss...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this episode, Leslie Allan explores whether human beings can really have free will in a universe in which every thought and action is governed by universal physical laws of nature. The view that human beings do not exercise free will appears for many to be a consequence of a modern, scientific view of the universe and humankind's place in it. It is a view that is popular among humanists, atheists and other freethinkers. Leslie Allan endeavours to show how this myth is based on some fundamenta...
Nov 20, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we met with Karyn Robinson, who describes herself as a Pantheist. Our guest gives her Pantheist perspective on life with participants asking her a variety of questio...
Nov 18, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we met with Michael Dello-Iacovo, who describes himself as a Sentientist. Our guest gives his Sentientist's perspective on life with participants asking him a variet...
Nov 17, 2021•54 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we meet with Leo Brewin, who describes himself as a Rationalist. We'll briefly hear Leo's perspective on life and then get to ask him any question. Bio: Our guest ha...
Nov 10, 2021•39 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she discusses how religious disillusionment can often introduce tension into relationships with friends and family who are still religious. Many people experience a profound loss when they leave a religion from the severed or strained ties with loved ones and communities. For some people, the risk of rejection is so strong that they feel they need to ...
Nov 03, 2021•24 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she reveals how "purity culture" began as a movement within the American evangelical Christian community, starting in the 90s, and places a strong moral emphasis on abstinence until marriage. Since then, it has spread to several countries and denominations around the world. Caroline will discuss this pervasive form of religious trauma and the impact o...
Sep 22, 2021•22 min•Season 3Ep. 2
