The consciousness test Could an artificial intelligence be capable of genuine conscious experience? Coming from a range of different scientific and philosophical perspectives, Yoshua Bengio, Sabine Hossenfelder, Nick Lane, and Hilary Lawson dive deep into the question of whether artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT could one day become self-aware, and whether they have already achieved this state. Yoshua Bengio is a Turing Award-winning computer scientist. Sabine Hossenfelder is a scienc...
Mar 04, 2025•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Should we sacrifice the present for a better future? Join the team at the IAI for three articles about effective altruism, longtermism, and the complex evolution of moral thought. Written by William MacAskill, James W. Lenman, and Ben Chugg, these three articles pick apart the ethical movement started by Peter Singer, analysing its strengths and weaknesses for both individuals and societies. William MacAskill is a Scottish philosopher and author, best known for writing 2022's "What We Owe the Fu...
Feb 28, 2025•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do we love evil? We may condemn tyrants and abhor serial killers, but we are obsessed with evil and violence. Our news and our entertainment focus on such material. Are we fascinated by evil, violent characters because they make life more exciting? Or because they express our true nature? Should we look to end this morbid obsession, or accept it as a feature of humanity? Join Terry Eagleton, Susan Neiman, and Stephen de Wijze for a debate about why evil is so seductive to modern society. Ter...
Feb 25, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Morality and prejudice Is there such a thing as morality? And, if so, can we know what it is and act on it? Or is morality rather a shield for the powerful and a defence of their interest? The answer may have life-changing consequences... Join a heated debate between three philosophers with three different perspectives on the meaning of morality and the role it should play in our lives: Tommy Curry, Chair of Africana philosophy at Edinburgh and a moral sceptic; Michael Huemer, Professor of Philo...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Humans are not morally superior Is the meat industry a monstrous tyrant? Join YouTuber Alex O'Connor for a thought-provoking talk on the ethics, or lack thereof, of eating meat. From a horrifying look at the practices of the meat industry to provocative analogies and compelling arguments, Alex doesn't hold back as he holds up a mirror to our modern dietary culture. Alex O’Connor, also known by his YouTube alias ‘CosmicSkeptic’, is a prolific philosopher, YouTuber, public speaker and animal welfa...
Feb 14, 2025•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Humanity and the gods of nature Do animals and nature have an ethical life of their own? Must, or should, we extend our morality to non-human entities, or are their limits to notions of ethics? Tune in to hear three world-famous philosophers on ethical issues discuss these questions from their different perspectives: Peter Singer has made a name for himself defending the rights and feelings of all sentient creatures; Slavoj Zizek enjoys turning established ideas on their head; and Nancy Sherman ...
Feb 11, 2025•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Creating the meaning of life Do life's struggles make the search for meaning a hopeless endeavour? Join renowned, continental philosopher Babette Babich as she explains the Nietzschean path to finding purpose, arguing that we must embrace all elements of life - good and bad - in our search for a meaningful existence. Babette is a trailblazing philosopher of technology and science. Known for her exploration of the philosophy, history, and sociology of science, she also works on the philosophy of ...
Feb 04, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast What can ancient philosophers teach you about exercise, economics, and the myth of celebrity? Join the team at the IAI for three articles about life, ideas, and status in ancient Greece. Written by Etienne Helmer, Steve Fuller, and Sabrina B. Little, these articles cover a range of thought-provoking concepts, including; why Plato wants you to go for a run, how Athenian values can improve our current economic predicament, and what we can learn from the (perhaps embellished) stories of Socrates an...
Jan 31, 2025•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast What both religion and stoicism misunderstood Philosophy and religion appear alternatively dry and ascetic. But is that our misunderstanding? What role do the passions play in our intellectual and mystical life? Can it ever be removed? Join former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams (a deeply thoughtful theologian, writer, and poet) as he faces these questions head on, guiding us through his 2024 book Passions of the Soul , which focuses on the Eastern Christian tradition to help illuminate ...
Jan 28, 2025•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Massimo Pigliucci | In-depth Interview How can philosophy play an active role in daily life? How can ancient philosophical traditions like stoicism help us navigate modern challenges? Why does scepticism remain relevant in a world dominated by technology and information overload? In this interview, Massimo Pigliucci explores these questions, advocates stoicism as a philosophy to live by, delves into the enduring value of stoicism, and reflects on the philosophers who have most profoundly influen...
Jan 21, 2025•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stoicism reimagined With the modern revival of stoic philosophy, plenty of ancient wisdom has returned to the modern world - but what ideas have we consigned to history? These days, we think of stoicism as a philosophy that preaches a fearless self-reliance and detachment from the challenges of the world. However, distinguished philosopher Nancy Sherman argues that this is an incomplete understanding of Stoicism, and that the modern Stoic must also focus on cultivating strong relationships in th...
Jan 17, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why is stoicism one of the most well-known and read philosophical strains in the contemporary age? After 2000+ years, what is its continued appeal? Join philosopher Nancy Sherman, an expert in ancient philosophy, as she delves into her attraction to the topic and the ways she believes it applies to the contemporary age. A good introductory episode to the topic for those interested in learning more. To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthel...
Jan 14, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast How to be a Stoic What can Zeno of Citium teach you about going to the movie theatre? Join philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci for part two of a series on the ancient practice of Stoicism, exploring and analysing ideas from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Zeno of Citium. Massimo Pigliucci is an American philosopher and biologist who currently works as professor of philosophy at the City College of New York. He is also the former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and former...
Jan 10, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast How to be a Stoic What can Marcus Aurelius teach you about the iPhone? Join philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci for part one of a series on the ancient practice of Stoicism, exploring and analysing ideas from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Zeno of Citium. Massimo Pigliucci is an American philosopher and biologist who currently works as professor of philosophy at the City College of New York. He is also the former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and former editor-in-chie...
Jan 07, 2025•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Has contemporary philosophy colonised all philosophy with its preference for rationality over feeling, intensity, experience, and love? What can an open conversation about mysticism help us uncover about our philosophical tradition and ourselves? Join maverick Professor of Philosophy Simon Critchley as he talks about his new book On Mysticism and explores some of the mystical characters in the Medieval times, as well as ways in which we can access mysticism in our daily lives. To witness such de...
Dec 31, 2024•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ways to go beyond: Why spiritual journeys draw non-religious people Did pilgrimage go out of fashion or did it simply take on a new form? Join biologist and psychic phenomena researcher Rupert Sheldrake as he analyses the history of pilgrimage, going all the way from its ancient roots in religious ceremony to its modern incarnation of tourism. Rupert Sheldrake is an English scientist whose research into parapsychology and evolution led to the theory of morphic resonance, expounded in the book 'A...
Dec 27, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you ready to discover the true meaning of Christmas? Join the team at the IAI for three Christmas-themed articles, written by James Mahon, Tim O'Keefe, and the IAI editorial team. In this present, you'll find a scathing analysis of the Santa Claus lie, an Epicurean reflection on holiday traditions, and musings about Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and their relationship with Christmas! Tim O'Keefe is professor of philosophy and director of graduate studies at Georgia State University. He is ...
Dec 24, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast In search of oneself Should we see self-knowledge as an aim not only misguided, but actively dangerous? Is self-knowledge in fact impossible for as Nietzsche argued we have to use the self to uncover the self? Or is self-reflection a vital and rewarding activity that uncovers meaning and improves our ability to act well in the world? Joanna Kavenna hosts this debate on how our contemporary culture is influenced, shaped and potentially misinformed by our most recent self-help culture. Joinin...
Dec 18, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Thinking set free Look for part 1 of this episode from earlier this week! Join our panel of speakers (consciousness researcher Stuart Hameroff, evolutionary critic Subrena Smith, and psychologist Paul Bloom) as they explore the limits of rationality, while still defending its importance to how we think and live in the world. Do visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/ You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/ph...
Dec 13, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Thinking set free Is the emphasis our modern society places on rationality well-placed? Does rationality help us think or should we be in tune with other ways of thinking/perceiving the world? Join our diverse panel of speakers as they discuss these questions: Stuart Hameroff, anesthesiologist known for the theory of consciousness he developed with Roger Penrose; Subrena Smith, philosopher and vocal critic of evolutionary explanations of behaviour; and Paul Bloom, professor of psychology and cog...
Dec 10, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can morality be objective? Whether or not moral ideas can be objectively true has divided philosophers for centuries. But can we ever find moral truths? How would we find them? And what can these truths tell us about the world? In this challenging interview, Peter Singer defends his turn to objectivity and argues morality doesn't need religion, that we should resist our intuitions and that the future of the Effective Altruism movement isn't as bleak as it may appear. Peter Singer is a prominent ...
Dec 03, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast What can African philosophers teach us about history, the modern world, and the good life? And can their ideas and teachings cross cultural boundaries? Join the IAI team for a reading of three articles about African philosophy, written by professor of communication Omedi Ochieng and professor of political theory Katrin Flikschuh. From the apparent divide between the philosophies of Africa and the Western world, to advice on how we can lead happier, more fulfilling lives, these articles provide a...
Nov 29, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Land, ownership and hypocrisy with Peter Singer, Dale Turner, Tommy J. Curry and Janne Teller Since Magna Carta, the right to property is seen as universal, yet this principle often favours the strong. While nations like Ukraine are supported in reclaiming invaded land, Indigenous peoples in North America—who lost 99% of their land after European invasion—face severe inequalities and little restitution. Despite the belief in inalienable rights, almost no one advocates returning land to Native Am...
Nov 26, 2024•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Philosophy at the end of the world Is humanity looking at its demise in the face? Has it always been? And how can philosophy help us? Join philosopher Ben Ware, Co-Director of the Centre for Philosophy and Art at King’s College London, as he interrogates how to philosophically, and humanly, confront the end of the world. Ware traces the idea of extinction across many authors - philosophers, writers and the scientists who influenced them - to chart a path to his own ideas of how we can cope with ...
Nov 19, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast The metaphysics of naturalism - PART TWO Have we completely abandoned the idea of the supernatural? Could there still be important truths that lie outside of the natural world? Join philosopher Fiona Ellis as she explains her version of naturalism, arguing that there is still some middle ground to be found between the world of the natural and the realm of the supernatural. Fiona is professor of Philosophy and Religion at University of Roehampton, and also the former president of the British Soci...
Nov 15, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast The metaphysics of naturalism - PART ONE Have we completely abandoned the idea of the supernatural? Could there still be important truths that lie outside of the natural world? Join philosopher Fiona Ellis as she explains her version of naturalism, arguing that there is still some middle ground to be found between the world of the natural and the realm of the supernatural. Fiona is professor of Philosophy and Religion at University of Roehampton, and also the former president of the British Soci...
Nov 12, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Consciousness predates life Did consciousness exist before life? Could such a counter-intuitive idea, in fact, be the answer to the hard problem of consciousness? Join anaesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff as he puts forward his theory that consciousness came before the origin of life on Earth, using quantum mechanics and his research with Sir Roger Penrose to support his claim. Stuart is a professor at the University of Arizona, and he is known for his studies of consciousness and his controversial...
Nov 05, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do audiences across the world love to be scared at the cinema? Why do we have such strong attachments to those who have left this Earth? What can horror tell us about ourselves? Join the team at the IAI for a reading of three Halloween-themed articles, written by historian Thomas Laqueur, and philosophers Noël Carroll and David Livingstone Smith. From the importance of funeral practices to the true meaning of vampires and werewolves, this episode is a spooky journey through all things macabr...
Nov 01, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our human shadow Many have had the experience of an urge to do something wrong just for the hell of it. From walking on grass we're told to keep off to fantasies of violence towards someone we find a minor annoyance. Join Yale psychologist Paul Bloom as he invites us to see the clever, creative and beautiful side of our impulses toward evil. Paul Bloom is a trailblazing Canadian American psychologist, bestselling author and celebrated speaker. He is the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritu...
Oct 29, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast In search of ourselves Is the 'self' a useful category, philosophically, psychologically, in our everyday lives? What might it help us do? And where do we find ourselves? Join our mixed panel of speakers as they approach this question from their different points of view - Australian philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers, English explorer and survivalist Ed Stafford and novelist Joanna Kavenna. Recording of this conversation in 2017 was partly corrupted and the audio has been restore...
Oct 24, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
