Spontaneous Philosophy

Brian New•podcasters.spotify.com

Education

Somewhat prepared but mostly spontaneous philosophical discussion -- with technical rigour, by a published philosopher

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Episodes

When does consciousness first emerge in the world?

The hard problem of consciousness. Is an infant subjectively aware? Can love be a non-conscious relation? How is it that we unwittingly project a mind or 'personhood' into other creatures, including infants; is this projection accurate? Why is 'vantage perception' a better name than 'theory of mind'?

Oct 01, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 4

What is free speech and its limits? Episode 3

In this episode we consider the nature of free speech , reflecting on some of the ideas of John Locke. I look at the First Amendment of the US Constitution (and as I type this I now remember that I forgot to look at the 5th Amendment! Really wanted to explore what that was all about -- have only seen it on films etc. :) Oh, I also explain my theory/brief observation about the nature of honesty in discourse. Thanks for listening Hope you enjoy B...

Aug 03, 2020•1 hr 30 min•Season 1Ep. 3

What is Consciousness? The Philosophy of Mind - episode 1

Hello! Our first spontaneous philosophical discussion of the very heart of ideas, science, and logic themselves: consciousness. In this first episode I read and converse on passages from Nietzsche and Wittgenstein (philosophers), as well as Dr Rita Carter (neuroscientist). I also, in the first part, present my own Philosophy of Mind, a description of how perceptual creatures move through developmental stages towards having (an experiential, subjective, private) consciousness. Thank you for liste...

Jul 19, 2020•1 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 1

The Problem of Suffering

In this spontaneous episode, I discuss the Problem of Evil/Suffering -- that is, the argument against the existence of God/gods due to the undeniable existence of suffering in our world. I think through the nature and logic of suffering itself, distinguishing it from pain, and placing it in relation to conscious volition. Finally, I talk through the Free-Will theodicy (solution to the Problem of Suffering), and then give my own theodicy from a non-religious or non-theological starting point. Tha...

Dec 20, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 2

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