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 ...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 9Ep. 13
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 ...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 9Ep. 12
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—ho...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 9Ep. 11
In this episode, I speak with David Goldblatt, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Denison University, who has spent decades redefining how we think about aesthetics and art. Unlike traditional philosophers who primarily focus on "high art," David has expanded the boundaries of aesthetics to include overlooked yet culturally significant areas such as sports, ventriloquism, and jazz music. Our conversation opens with a lively debate about what truly qualifies as art, questioning why certain forms...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 9Ep. 10
In this enriching episode, I sit down with Mohan Matthen, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and an esteemed figure in contemporary philosophy of perception, aesthetics, and the nature of time. Our conversation takes us from his personal journey transitioning from mathematics and physics into philosophy, highlighting his unique cross-disciplinary approach and his deep exploration of sense perception. Mohan and I delve into fascinating discussions about how our senses—s...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 9Ep. 9
In this enlightening episode, I speak with Bence Nanay, Professor of Philosophy and BOF Research Professor at the University of Antwerp, and Director of the Centre for Philosophical Psychology. Bence shares his intriguing journey from film criticism to philosophy, highlighting his interest in understanding why we appreciate certain artworks and not others, and how our perceptual systems shape our aesthetic experiences. We delve into the nuanced concept of aesthetic experiences, exploring how the...
Jun 16, 2025•48 min•Season 9Ep. 8
In this profound conversation with philosopher Rachael Wiseman, I dive deep into the intricate worlds of imagination, fantasy, and human understanding. Drawing from the philosophical insights of Iris Murdoch, we explore a transformative way of perceiving ourselves and others that goes beyond our ego-driven fantasies. Wiseman introduces a compelling distinction between fantasy - our tendency to project our own fears and anxieties onto the world - and imagination, which involves a genuine, creativ...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 9Ep. 7
In this deeply introspective conversation, I dive into the profound world of artistic expression with Richard Eldridge, a distinguished philosopher who challenges our understanding of art, creativity, and human experience. We explore the rich historical origins of art, tracing its roots from religious rituals to modern creative practices, and unpack the complex ways art helps us understand ourselves and our world. Our discussion traverses fascinating philosophical territories, examining how art ...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 9Ep. 6
In this conversation, I explore the fascinating world of collective film experience with Julian Hanich, a professor of film studies at the University of Groningen who specializes in the emotional and social dimensions of cinema. We dive deep into what Hanich calls the "paradox of pleasurable fear," why we seek out emotions in movie theaters that we'd normally avoid in real life, and how the presence of others fundamentally transforms these experiences. From his childhood ban on movies due to the...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 9Ep. 5
In this conversation, I explore the thorny question of artistic value with philosopher James Young from the University of Victoria, who makes a compelling case that we can indeed distinguish between great art and mere entertainment. Young argues that while we may no longer have a coherent definition of what constitutes "art" in our post-conceptual, post-abstract world, we can still meaningfully discuss what makes some artistic works superior to others. Using the provocative example of Bach versu...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 9Ep. 4
In this conversation, I explore the profound nature of aesthetic experience with philosopher James Shelley, who argues that beauty represents a fundamental value that cannot and should not be reduced to mere pleasure or utility. We begin with his transformative childhood encounter with classical music an experience so vast and mysterious that it felt larger than the world he knew and discuss how truly beautiful things always maintain an element that escapes our complete understanding. Shelley ma...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 3
In this conversation, I explore the fascinating intersection of fiction, emotion, and ethics with philosopher Derek Matravers from the Open University and Cambridge. We begin by discussing how The Great Gatsby fundamentally changed his relationship with literature through its complex narrative structure and multiple perspectives, before diving into one of philosophy's most puzzling questions: why do we feel genuine emotions toward fictional characters when we know they're not real? Matravers off...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 2
In this conversation, I sit down with 93-year-old philosopher Dr. Arnold Berleant, Professor Emeritus at Long Island University and one of the most influential voices in contemporary aesthetics. We dive deep into his revolutionary concept of "aesthetic engagement" – a radical departure from traditional art appreciation that challenges Kant's classical notion of "disinterested contemplation." Instead of standing back and observing art from a distance, Berleant argues that true aesthetic experienc...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 1
In this solo reflection, I wrestle with one of the deepest questions I've encountered—not just on this podcast, but in my life: Why should humanity continue at all? What started as pre-travel anxiety before a flight to Peru led me to reflect on the season’s central thread. Throughout Season 8, I’ve spoken with anthropologists, philosophers, educators, and spiritual thinkers, asking them one question that underlies all others: Why educate? The more people I spoke to, the clearer it became—there i...
May 14, 2025•28 min
In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Jessica Thompson, a paleoanthropologist whose work explores the evolution of early humans and the environments that shaped them. We began our conversation by grounding ourselves in the vast timescales of human evolution—discussing milestones like upright walking, brain expansion, and the emergence of symbolic behavior. Jessica’s ability to place cultural shifts, like the invention of fire or the expansion of human cooperation, into their ...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 8 min
In this episode, I talk with David Raichlen, an evolutionary anthropologist whose research explores the intersection of movement, brain health, and human evolution. We unpack how our species’ deep history of physical activity—from hunting and foraging to long-distance migration—has shaped the structure and function of our brains. David walks us through his findings on why aerobic exercise is so strongly linked to improved cognitive function and how these effects may have evolved as adaptations i...
May 05, 2025•47 min•Season 8Ep. 11
In this conversation with Dr. Sachi Edwards, we dive deep into the complexities of how religion shows up—seen and unseen—in education systems, particularly in the United States. Sachi, a lecturer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, walks us through the journey that led her to explore religious diversity, from her early experiences in college to her frustration with how religious topics are often excluded or mishandled in diversity discourse. She helps us examine the Christian-normative assump...
May 02, 2025•59 min•Season 8Ep. 10
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. SJ Beard, a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, to explore the ethical, philosophical, and deeply human questions behind our most pressing global threats. We begin with SJ’s journey from philosophy to public policy and how a thought experiment called "The Repugnant Conclusion" unexpectedly shaped their career. From there, we dive into how philosophers play a crucial role in public discourse—not by offering easy answers, ...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 8Ep. 9
In this episode, I sit down with Adrian Currie, Associate Professor at the University of Exeter, whose work explores the philosophy of historical sciences like paleontology and geology. We dive into what it means to "know" something, particularly when our evidence from the deep past is fragmentary and seemingly impoverished. Adrian unpacks how paleontologists can create rich narratives about ancient life from the tiniest fossils — sometimes just a single molar — and what this reveals about the n...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 8Ep. 8
In this episode, I sit down with Anders Sandberg, a researcher, futurist, and transhumanist, to explore the evolving nature of humanity and the future we're actively creating. We dive into how Anders' early curiosity led him into the world of science fiction, philosophy, and long-term future studies, and how what some might call "academic ADHD" actually became a strength in a world that rewards cross-disciplinary thinking. Together, we talk about the need for more imagination when thinking about...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 8Ep. 7
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Patrick McNamara, a pioneering neuroscientist studying the intersection of religion, mystical experience, and the human brain. We start with the question of why something as central to human history and culture as religion hasn’t traditionally been studied through a scientific lens—and what happens when it is. Patrick walks me through how religious rituals engage specific brain networks, and how our beliefs—whether they open us up to awe or close us off in dogma...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 8Ep. 6
What can ancient tools, symbols, and writing systems tell us about the evolution of human thought? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Karenleigh A. Overmann, a cognitive archaeologist, to explore how our ancestors' interactions with the material world fundamentally shaped the way we think. From the earliest stone tools to the development of writing, we discuss how changes in human behavior reflect changes in cognition—and how these interactions continue to shape us today. We dive into fascinat...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 8Ep. 5
In this episode, I sit down with Tanya Keggin to explore her incredible transformation from lawyer to artist and the deep self-reflection that led her there. She shares how societal expectations and the pursuit of success once kept her in the legal profession, despite her underlying passion for creativity. We discuss the fears that held her back—fear of failure, of judgment, of creating something "garbage"—and how she overcame them through faith in herself and the artistic process. Tanya’s story...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 8Ep. 4
In this episode, I share a deeply personal journey that kicked off my 2025 with an unexpected challenge and plenty of travel adventures. While sitting at a familiar Starbucks in Pattaya, Thailand, I struck up a conversation with a fascinating Canadian businessman that lasted for hours. Our dialogue—filled with reflections on life, the fear of not fully living, and the pursuit of passion—ignited an idea that would reshape my approach for the year. He challenged me to record an episode a day for 2...
Mar 01, 2025•45 min
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Celine Benoit, an assistant professor in sociology at the University of Nottingham, to discuss a topic that often gets overlooked—how children themselves perceive education, autonomy, and the systems designed for their growth. We dive into the sociological constructs of childhood, exploring how cultural, historical, and societal norms shape our understanding of what it means to be a child. Dr. Benoit sheds light on why it’s crucial to involve young voices in ...
Feb 24, 2025•58 min•Season 8Ep. 3
In this episode, I sit down with Marcel Parent, a lecturer in the Religions and Cultures program at Concordia University, to explore the deep structures that shape how we think about the world. We dive into postcolonial theory, the ways in which colonial history still influences modern knowledge systems, and the biases we unknowingly inherit. Marcel unpacks how Western thought has constructed the idea of "the East" and how these ideological frameworks continue to shape global perspectives on cul...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Season 8Ep. 2
In this episode, we dive into the profound intersection of education, philosophy, technology, and religion with Dr. David Lewin, a senior lecturer in philosophy of education at the University of Strathclyde. Our conversation explores the fundamental questions underpinning education: What is it? What is it good for? How do we distinguish between education and other forms of influence, such as indoctrination or manipulation? These questions guide us through an exploration of what makes education d...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 8Ep. 1
In this episode, I reflect on my three-month journey through Japan—a trip that felt both like a lucid dream and one of the most emotionally intense experiences of my life. I explore the stark contrasts of living in Japan, from its unparalleled cleanliness and safety to the deep sense of isolation and disconnection I felt as a traveler. I unpack how my understanding of fear transformed during a late-night bike ride through a jungle, how the strict adherence to rules shaped my perception of order ...
Feb 03, 2025•56 min
In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Keller, a junior researcher at the University of Zurich specializing in sustainability and its intersections with science, society, and policy. Sarah’s unique journey started with an unconventional childhood spent traveling across the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures and gaining firsthand experience in anthropology long before she knew the term. From her early participant observation in local communities to her academic focus on sustainability, ...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 14
In this episode, I have a conversation with Naveen about personal and professional transitions, the concept of elderhood, and the power of intergenerational activism. We explore the transformative role of elders in shaping narratives and fostering a sense of responsibility within communities. Naveen shares personal stories of discovering the impact of being seen as an elder and how stepping into that role has deepened her sense of purpose. Together, we reflect on the importance of integrating ol...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 7Ep. 13
