The existence of God is the most discussed, and perhaps the most important, question in philosophy. For the majority of the world’s population, God provides meaning, morality, metaphysics, and hopefully, salvation. A rich history of scholarship defending God’s existence has meant theism has long been considered to be a reasonable worldview; however, with the rise of secularism and the new atheist movement, a fiery and passionate debate has ensued: one of science vs. religion. Our question: can t...
Dec 05, 2021•36 min
Imagine the smile on your parent’s face as you rush to meet them at the school gates, the soft heat of the sand between your toes on a first holiday, waking up in the haze of a late afternoon after dancing all night, the drop in your stomach when you realize you’ll never hear their voice again. These are conscious experiences. Without them, what is there to life? In this sense, we all know what consciousness is – there’s nothing we know more intimately – yet it remains one of life’s greatest mys...
Nov 21, 2021•49 min
Introduction Imagine the smile on your parent’s face as you rush to meet them at the school gates, the soft heat of the sand between your toes on a first holiday, waking up in the haze of a late afternoon after dancing all night, the drop in your stomach when you realize you’ll never hear their voice again. These are conscious experiences. Without them, what is there to life? In this sense, we all know what consciousness is – there’s nothing we know more intimately – yet it remains one of life’s...
Nov 07, 2021•55 min
The Panpsycast is now five years old. In which time, we have never failed to release a weekly instalment of the show. We’re exceptionally proud of what we’ve accomplished with your support. From our audiobook and upcoming book series to our big interviews and collaborations with leading organisations – it’s incredible that so many of you tune in week in, week out and support us on Patreon . Producing the podcast takes a lot of work, and every project has its peaks and valleys. The beginning of t...
Jul 25, 2021•6 min
A philosophical education can feel like a long and arduous path. Sometimes you think you have seen the light; you think that you have knowledge, only to discover you knew nothing. It is times like this where the learner must examine their blind spots and begin their path to understanding once again while accepting that the next attempt might too end where it began. The philosopher Plato likened this path to the ascent from a dark cave up into the light of the sun. He also said that those who hav...
Jul 18, 2021•1 hr 1 min
A philosophical education can feel like a long and arduous path. Sometimes you think you have seen the light; you think that you have knowledge, only to discover you knew nothing. It is times like this where the learner must examine their blind spots and begin their path to understanding once again while accepting that the next attempt might too end where it began. The philosopher Plato likened this path to the ascent from a dark cave up into the light of the sun. He also said that those who hav...
Jul 11, 2021•1 hr
Introduction It cannot have escaped your attention that there is a small contingent of our nation that poses a threat to our way of life. They want us to stop farming our most prized delicacy on the grounds of their ‘moral concerns’. We must not let them push us around. As you well know, it has always been an important part of our culture. Why should we assume that this small group of radicals have got it right and that our ancestors have all been wrong? Think of all the memories we’ve shared wh...
Jul 04, 2021•49 min
Introduction It cannot have escaped your attention that there is a small contingent of our nation that poses a threat to our way of life. They want us to stop farming our most prized delicacy on the grounds of their ‘moral concerns’. We must not let them push us around. As you well know, it has always been an important part of our culture. Why should we assume that this small group of radicals have got it right and that our ancestors have all been wrong? Think of all the memories we’ve shared wh...
Jun 27, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Introduction It cannot have escaped your attention that there is a small contingent of our nation that poses a threat to our way of life. They want us to stop farming our most prized delicacy on the grounds of their ‘moral concerns’. We must not let them push us around. As you well know, it has always been an important part of our culture. Why should we assume that this small group of radicals have got it right and that our ancestors have all been wrong? Think of all the memories we’ve shared wh...
Jun 20, 2021•1 hr
Introduction It cannot have escaped your attention that there is a small contingent of our nation that poses a threat to our way of life. They want us to stop farming our most prized delicacy on the grounds of their ‘moral concerns’. We must not let them push us around. As you well know, it has always been an important part of our culture. Why should we assume that this small group of radicals have got it right and that our ancestors have all been wrong? Think of all the memories we’ve shared wh...
Jun 13, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Introduction Christianity is the largest religion in the world: with almost 2.5 billion followers across the globe, nearly one in three people have faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Essential to the Christian worldview is the belief that the universe was created by a maximally great God: a being who is invested in the moral lives of his people and offers salvation to all who embrace his teachings. He is a God of three persons, a God of maximal power and intelligence, and a God who loves us al...
Jun 06, 2021•46 min
Introduction Christianity is the largest religion in the world: with almost 2.5 billion followers across the globe, nearly one in three people have faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Essential to the Christian worldview is the belief that the universe was created by a maximally great God: a being who is invested in the moral lives of his people and offers salvation to all who embrace his teachings. He is a God of three persons, a God of maximal power and intelligence, and a God who loves us al...
May 30, 2021•52 min
Introduction Over a year has passed since COVID-19 forced the world to shut its doors. Millions of lives have been lost, and millions more have undergone radical change. At times, many of us have wished to see loved ones, friends, and colleagues; we’ve longed to play sports, attend shows, and travel the world. We’ve hoped that everything can return to normal. But should they? What if this pandemic has highlighted issues in our societies that have been ignored or marginalised for too long? What i...
May 23, 2021•35 min
Introduction Over a year has passed since COVID-19 forced the world to shut its doors. Millions of lives have been lost, and millions more have undergone radical change. At times, many of us have wished to see loved ones, friends, and colleagues; we’ve longed to play sports, attend shows, and travel the world. We’ve hoped that everything can return to normal. But should they? What if this pandemic has highlighted issues in our societies that have been ignored or marginalised for too long? What i...
May 16, 2021•42 min
Introduction If I told you I was a proud and angry person, what would you think of me? Would you conjure up the image of an entitled, arrogant aggressor? The devil’s turn from God was born of pride after all. What if you thought of a person with standards, a person with integrity who wants the best for themselves and others? Would that be a fair assumption? What I’m asking is: are pride and anger virtues or vices? In the right light, emotions seem to lead to a better life… or perhaps they just c...
May 09, 2021•58 min
Introduction If I told you I was a proud and angry person, what would you think of me? Would you conjure up the image of an entitled, arrogant aggressor? The devil’s turn from God was born of pride after all. What if you thought of a person with standards, a person with integrity who wants the best for themselves and others? Would that be a fair assumption? What I’m asking is: are pride and anger virtues or vices? In the right light, emotions seem to lead to a better life… or perhaps they just c...
May 02, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Introduction If I told you I was a proud and angry person, what would you think of me? Would you conjure up the image of an entitled, arrogant aggressor? The devil’s turn from God was born of pride after all. What if you thought of a person with standards, a person with integrity who wants the best for themselves and others? Would that be a fair assumption? What I’m asking is: are pride and anger virtues or vices? In the right light, emotions seem to lead to a better life… or perhaps they just c...
Apr 25, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘see...
Apr 18, 2021•51 min
Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘see...
Apr 11, 2021•1 hr 6 min
Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘see...
Apr 04, 2021•1 hr 6 min
Introduction Western civilisation is the most successful in history. Built on the shoulders of science, industry and democracy, enlightenment philosophy gave birth to the scientific revolution that has increased the quality of life for millions. The Western political drive for democracy has given rise to the largest political representation of people in history, and supranational bodies like the United Nations ensure that inequality and injustice are a thing of the past. Shortly, a Green New Dea...
Mar 28, 2021•36 min
Introduction Western civilisation is the most successful in history. Built on the shoulders of science, industry and democracy, enlightenment philosophy gave birth to the scientific revolution that has increased the quality of life for millions. The Western political drive for democracy has given rise to the largest political representation of people in history, and supranational bodies like the United Nations ensure that inequality and injustice are a thing of the past. Shortly, a Green New Dea...
Mar 21, 2021•34 min
Introduction Hinduism is the world’s oldest living religion, and it won’t be disappearing any time soon. This ancient worldview currently boasts over one billion devotees, making it the third most popular religion in the world. Despite its popularity, scholarship in philosophy of religion continues to ignore its influence, with academic papers on the Abrahamic faiths vastly outnumbering those devoted to Hinduism. Our classrooms don’t paint a prettier picture. In UK schools, Hinduism is scarcely ...
Mar 14, 2021•57 min
Introduction Hinduism is the world’s oldest living religion, and it won’t be disappearing any time soon. This ancient worldview currently boasts over one billion devotees, making it the third most popular religion in the world. Despite its popularity, scholarship in philosophy of religion continues to ignore its influence, with academic papers on the Abrahamic faiths vastly outnumbering those devoted to Hinduism. Our classrooms don’t paint a prettier picture. In UK schools, Hinduism is scarcely ...
Mar 07, 2021•52 min
In Plato’s ideal state, the wisest amongst the populous would be selected to rule. These rulers, who could see beyond the shadows to glimpse the light of truth, would be trusted to make choices to the benefit of all. The gender of these leaders, said Plato, was not to matter – despite him labelling them ‘the philosopher kings’. That ideal was never realised but the conversation started by Plato and his contemporaries inspired what many think of as the birth of ‘Western Philosophy’. The central t...
Feb 28, 2021•45 min
In Plato’s ideal state, the wisest amongst the populous would be selected to rule. These rulers, who could see beyond the shadows to glimpse the light of truth, would be trusted to make choices to the benefit of all. The gender of these leaders, said Plato, was not to matter – despite him labelling them ‘the philosopher kings’. That ideal was never realised but the conversation started by Plato and his contemporaries inspired what many think of as the birth of ‘Western Philosophy’. The central t...
Feb 21, 2021•37 min
‘History has ended, and capitalism is the last man standing. The innovations and freedoms enjoyed by the Global North have shown that the free market is the only viable economic system; it is almost impossible to imagine a coherent alternative.’ This was certainly the view of Margaret Thatcher, who was elected as Prime Minister amidst the turbulence of 1980s’ Britain. For many, unleashed from the shackles of pre-1970s’ economics, Thatcher restored order and long-term prosperity to a country in c...
Feb 14, 2021•27 min
‘History has ended, and capitalism is the last man standing. The innovations and freedoms enjoyed by the Global North have shown that the free market is the only viable economic system; it is almost impossible to imagine a coherent alternative.’ This was certainly the view of Margaret Thatcher, who was elected as Prime Minister amidst the turbulence of 1980s’ Britain. For many, unleashed from the shackles of pre-1970s’ economics, Thatcher restored order and long-term prosperity to a country in c...
Feb 07, 2021•45 min
Introduction I am Ixion, strapped to the burning wheel of fire in the underworld that is my life. A bleak assessment to be sure, but I put it to you that it is the truth. For what is life if not an ever-swinging pendulum of pain and boredom, kept in motion by the insatiable will? I constantly strive for the things that I want, but what I want is never enough; long-term satisfaction is tedium elegantly veiled. This alone is a cruel trick to the individual, but in a world of many, it is the ultima...
Jan 31, 2021•48 min
Introduction I am Ixion, strapped to the burning wheel of fire in the underworld that is my life. A bleak assessment to be sure, but I put it to you that it is the truth. For what is life if not an ever-swinging pendulum of pain and boredom, kept in motion by the insatiable will? I constantly strive for the things that I want, but what I want is never enough; long-term satisfaction is tedium elegantly veiled. This alone is a cruel trick to the individual, but in a world of many, it is the ultima...
Jan 24, 2021•56 min
