Why Knowing the Past Matters for the Future | Adrian Currie | Associate Professor at the University of Exeter | Season 8 Episode 8 | #131

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 nature of evidence, imagination, and scientific inquiry.
We also explore the idea that knowledge is not a static collection of facts but an evolving, embodied relationship with the world, more akin to love than to utility. Adrian shares his perspective on why wonder is essential — how awe at the immensity of deep time can reshape our imaginations and free us from the narrowness of the present. Along the way, we discuss the institutional challenges facing disciplines like paleontology, the shifting cultural perceptions of intelligence, and why some of the most important knowledge resists simple instrumental justifications. This conversation left me feeling reconnected to the joy of exploration, and I hope it does the same for you.