Episode 76, René Descartes (Part III - Meditations on First Philosophy, 3-4)

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Welcome to 'Episode 76 (Part III of V)', where we’ll be discussing Descartes’ third and fourth meditations.

All my life, I have been fed apples from that tree. I was told it was the only tree worth eating from. Every day, whether it was in school or in the church, someone would arrive with a basket, and I would take what they offered. Today a similar basket lays in front of me, full of apples I've been saving so to take a closer inspection.

Check those apples for me would you? Why so worried? Surely if they are good, there is nothing to worry about. You've heard of the Italian who was punished for checking, you say? I understand. I will do it myself.

There are too many in there to check one by one. I shall take them all out and only place back in the basket the ones that are certifiably good! I think the Italian might have been onto something, they all look rotten! I must check closer. I refuse to accept that they are all bad!

Ah, there is one. That will do. Perhaps the seeds can be used to grow more good apples...

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/dreams of melons

Contents

Part I. The Life of René Descartes.

Part II. Meditations on First Philosophy, 1-2.

Part III. Meditations on First Philosophy, 3-4.

Part IV. Meditations on First Philosophy, 5-6.

Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 76, René Descartes (Part II - Meditations on First Philosophy, 1-2)

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Welcome to 'Episode 76 (Part II of V)', where we’ll be exploring the first and second of Descartes’ meditations.

All my life, I have been fed apples from that tree. I was told it was the only tree worth eating from. Every day, whether it was in school or in the church, someone would arrive with a basket, and I would take what they offered. Today a similar basket lays in front of me, full of apples I've been saving so to take a closer inspection.

Check those apples for me would you? Why so worried? Surely if they are good, there is nothing to worry about. You've heard of the Italian who was punished for checking, you say? I understand. I will do it myself.

There are too many in there to check one by one. I shall take them all out and only place back in the basket the ones that are certifiably good! I think the Italian might have been onto something, they all look rotten! I must check closer. I refuse to accept that they are all bad!

Ah, there is one. That will do. Perhaps the seeds can be used to grow more good apples...

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/dreams of melons

Contents

Part I. The Life of René Descartes.

Part II. Meditations on First Philosophy, 1-2.

Part III. Meditations on First Philosophy, 3-4.

Part IV. Meditations on First Philosophy, 5-6.

Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 76, René Descartes (Part I - The Life of René Descartes)

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Welcome to 'Episode 76 (Part I of V)', where we’ll be discussing the life of René Descartes.

All my life, I have been fed apples from that tree. I was told it was the only tree worth eating from. Every day, whether it was in school or in the church, someone would arrive with a basket, and I would take what they offered. Today a similar basket lays in front of me, full of apples I've been saving so to take a closer inspection.

Check those apples for me would you? Why so worried? Surely if they are good, there is nothing to worry about. You've heard of the Italian who was punished for checking, you say? I understand. I will do it myself.

There are too many in there to check one by one. I shall take them all out and only place back in the basket the ones that are certifiably good! I think the Italian might have been onto something, they all look rotten! I must check closer. I refuse to accept that they are all bad!

Ah, there is one. That will do. Perhaps the seeds can be used to grow more good apples...

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/dreams of melons

Contents

Part I. The Life of René Descartes.

Part II. Meditations on First Philosophy, 1-2.

Part III. Meditations on First Philosophy, 3-4.

Part IV. Meditations on First Philosophy, 5-6.

Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo: The Death of Socrates (Part IV - The Death of Socrates, Further Analysis and Discussion)

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Welcome to 'Episode 73 (Part IV of IV)', where we'll be bringing our series to an end with Socrates’ death, and some further analysis and discussion.

Let me tell you about the day Socrates drank the poison. You must be aware of his trial and apology? The Athenians have not stopped talking about it since Meletus and the others condemned him. Do not worry, he did not die in fear and nor is he truly gone. He argued his case much like he always had. He died the philosopher’s death, having practiced for it his entire life.

What does this mean? Socrates spoke persuasively about matters concerning the immortality of the soul. He said the life of a true philosopher helps the prisoner, chained hand and foot in their body, to escape from the dark cave of ignorance and into the light of wisdom. This, in turn, provides the soul with the perfect means to release itself from the body after death.

When the hour arrived, and Socrates finally took the hemlock, he did not flinch. Those of us who bore witness could not help but shed a tear – we were not as brave as the wise man who lay before us. What? You would like to hear more? Are you not convinced of the immortality that Socrates proposed? Come, take a seat, I will tell you the full story…

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/prepares for death

Contents

Part I. The Soul and Body

Part II. Arguments for the Soul’s Immortality

Part III. In Defence of Immortality

Part IV. The Death of Socrates, Further Analysis and Discussion

Attributions

Thank you to the following creators for allowing us to use their work in this episode.

Tri-Tachyon: https://soundcloud.com/tri-tachyon/albums.

PSOVOD: https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/sounds/416057.

All other music and sound effects used in Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo (Parts I-IV) are fully licensed. To request certificates, please contact jack@thepanpsycast.com.

Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo: The Death of Socrates (Part III - In Defence of Immortality)

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Welcome to 'Episode 73 (Part III of IV)', where we'll be reading and analysing the arguments against the soul’s immortality.

Let me tell you about the day Socrates drank the poison. You must be aware of his trial and apology? The Athenians have not stopped talking about it since Meletus and the others condemned him. Do not worry, he did not die in fear and nor is he truly gone. He argued his case much like he always had. He died the philosopher’s death, having practiced for it his entire life.

What does this mean? Socrates spoke persuasively about matters concerning the immortality of the soul. He said the life of a true philosopher helps the prisoner, chained hand and foot in their body, to escape from the dark cave of ignorance and into the light of wisdom. This, in turn, provides the soul with the perfect means to release itself from the body after death.

When the hour arrived, and Socrates finally took the hemlock, he did not flinch. Those of us who bore witness could not help but shed a tear – we were not as brave as the wise man who lay before us. What? You would like to hear more? Are you not convinced of the immortality that Socrates proposed? Come, take a seat, I will tell you the full story…

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/prepares for death

Contents

Part I. The Soul and Body

Part II. Arguments for the Soul’s Immortality

Part III. In Defence of Immortality

Part IV. The Death of Socrates, Further Analysis and Discussion

Attributions

Thank you to the following creators for allowing us to use their work in this episode.

Tri-Tachyon: https://soundcloud.com/tri-tachyon/albums.

PSOVOD: https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/sounds/416057.

All other music and sound effects used in Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo (Parts I-IV) are fully licensed. To request certificates, please contact jack@thepanpsycast.com.

Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo: The Death of Socrates (Part II - Arguments for the Soul’s Immortality)

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Welcome to 'Episode 73 (Part II of IV)', where we'll be unpacking three arguments for the soul’s immortality.

Let me tell you about the day Socrates drank the poison. You must be aware of his trial and apology? The Athenians have not stopped talking about it since Meletus and the others condemned him. Do not worry, he did not die in fear and nor is he truly gone. He argued his case much like he always had. He died the philosopher’s death, having practiced for it his entire life.

What does this mean? Socrates spoke persuasively about matters concerning the immortality of the soul. He said the life of a true philosopher helps the prisoner, chained hand and foot in their body, to escape from the dark cave of ignorance and into the light of wisdom. This, in turn, provides the soul with the perfect means to release itself from the body after death.

When the hour arrived, and Socrates finally took the hemlock, he did not flinch. Those of us who bore witness could not help but shed a tear – we were not as brave as the wise man who lay before us. What? You would like to hear more? Are you not convinced of the immortality that Socrates proposed? Come, take a seat, I will tell you the full story…

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/prepares for death

Contents

Part I. The Soul and Body

Part II. Arguments for the Soul’s Immortality

Part III. In Defence of Immortality

Part IV. The Death of Socrates, Further Analysis and Discussion

Attributions

Thank you to the following creators for allowing us to use their work in this episode.

Tri-Tachyon: https://soundcloud.com/tri-tachyon/albums.

PSOVOD: https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/sounds/416057.

All other music and sound effects used in Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo (Parts I-IV) are fully licensed. To request certificates, please contact jack@thepanpsycast.com.

Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo: The Death of Socrates (Part I - The Soul and Body)

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Welcome to 'Episode 73 (Part I of IV)', where we'll be giving our first reading and analysis of Plato’s Phaedo.

Let me tell you about the day Socrates drank the poison. You must be aware of his trial and apology? The Athenians have not stopped talking about it since Meletus and the others condemned him. Do not worry, he did not die in fear and nor is he truly gone. He argued his case much like he always had. He died the philosopher’s death, having practiced for it his entire life.

What does this mean? Socrates spoke persuasively about matters concerning the immortality of the soul. He said the life of a true philosopher helps the prisoner, chained hand and foot in their body, to escape from the dark cave of ignorance and into the light of wisdom. This, in turn, provides the soul with the perfect means to release itself from the body after death.

When the hour arrived, and Socrates finally took the hemlock, he did not flinch. Those of us who bore witness could not help but shed a tear – we were not as brave as the wise man who lay before us. What? You would like to hear more? Are you not convinced of the immortality that Socrates proposed? Come, take a seat, I will tell you the full story…

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/prepares for death

Contents

Part I. The Soul and Body

Part II. Arguments for the Soul’s Immortality

Part III. In Defence of Immortality

Part IV. The Death of Socrates, Further Analysis and Discussion

Attributions

Thank you to the following creators for allowing us to use their work in this episode.

Tri-Tachyon: https://soundcloud.com/tri-tachyon/albums.

PSOVOD: https://freesound.org/people/PSOVOD/sounds/416057.

All other music and sound effects used in Episode 73, Plato’s Phaedo (Parts I-IV) are fully licensed. To request certificates, please contact jack@thepanpsycast.com.

Episode 69, ‘Galileo's Error’ with Philip Goff (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)

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Welcome to 'Episode 69 (Part II of II)', where we'll be be discussing the ethical implications of panpsychism with returning guest, Philip Goff.

Galileo Galilei is widely considered to be the father of modern science and one of the greatest philosophers to have lived. Galileo played a pivotal role in the developments of the scientific revolution, overturning key tenets of Aristotelian physics and most significantly, advocating mathematics as the language of science. For Galileo, the physics of the past was plagued with unhelpful sensory qualities like colours, tastes, smells and sounds; for science to make progress, he thought, ‘the book of the universe’ must be written in a purely quantitative language.

For Durham University’s Philip Goff, this was Galileo’s Error. The hard problem of consciousness was born when Galileo stripped consciousness away from the scientific picture. Somehow, we must find a way back. We must lay the foundations for a new science - a new science of consciousness.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/combines lots of little minds to form one big mind
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This episode is proudly sponsored by Gaston Luga backpacks.

Head over to www.gastonluga.com and get 15% off any purchase with the discount code PANPSY15.

Contents

Part I. Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion

Episode 69, ‘Galileo's Error’ with Philip Goff (Part I - Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness)

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Welcome to 'Episode 69 (Part I of II)', where we'll be talking to returning guest Philip Goff about his latest book, Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness.

Galileo Galilei is widely considered to be the father of modern science and one of the greatest philosophers to have lived. Galileo played a pivotal role in the developments of the scientific revolution, overturning key tenets of Aristotelian physics and most significantly, advocating mathematics as the language of science. For Galileo, the physics of the past was plagued with unhelpful sensory qualities like colours, tastes, smells and sounds; for science to make progress, he thought, ‘the book of the universe’ must be written in a purely quantitative language.

For Durham University’s Philip Goff, this was Galileo’s Error. The hard problem of consciousness was born when Galileo stripped consciousness away from the scientific picture. Somehow, we must find a way back. We must lay the foundations for a new science - a new science of consciousness.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/combines lots of little minds to form one big mind
Gaston Luga Panpsycast.jpg

This episode is proudly sponsored by Gaston Luga backpacks.

Head over to www.gastonluga.com and get 15% off any purchase with the discount code PANPSY15.

Contents

Part I. Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion

Episode 64, 'The Given - Experience and its Content' with Michelle Montague (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)

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Welcome to 'Episode 64 (Part II of II)', where we'll be engaging in some further analysis and discussion.

Michelle Montague is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. As well as publishing extensively in phenomenology and philosophy of mind, Michelle is also the author of Non-Propositional Intentionality, Cognitive Phenomenology, and our focus for this episode, her 2016 book, The Given: Experience and its Content.

This episode is all about what some philosophers have called ‘the given’, that is, what is given to us in our immediate experience. From Aristotle to Hume, philosophers have tried to account for the categories, types, and distinctions within the mind. Michelle’s work continues in this tradition, however it takes a new and exciting turn away from the orthodox positions in philosophy of mind - she thinks that phenomenology comes first, that phenomenology is responsible for our mind’s ability to represent the world, and that there are many more types of phenomenology than we’ve currently admitted.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/undergoes a non-sensory, cognitive experience

Contents

Part I. The Given.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 64, 'The Given - Experience and its Content' with Michelle Montague (Part I - The Given)

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Welcome to 'Episode 64 (Part I of II)', where we'll be discussing phenomenology with Michelle Montague.

Michelle Montague is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. As well as publishing extensively in phenomenology and philosophy of mind, Michelle is also the author of Non-Propositional Intentionality, Cognitive Phenomenology, and our focus for this episode, her 2016 book, The Given: Experience and its Content.

This episode is all about what some philosophers have called ‘the given’, that is, what is given to us in our immediate experience. From Aristotle to Hume, philosophers have tried to account for the categories, types, and distinctions within the mind. Michelle’s work continues in this tradition, however it takes a new and exciting turn away from the orthodox positions in philosophy of mind - she thinks that phenomenology comes first, that phenomenology is responsible for our mind’s ability to represent the world, and that there are many more types of phenomenology than we’ve currently admitted.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/undergoes a non-sensory, cognitive experience

Contents

Part I. The Given.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 63, 'Pantheism and Panentheism' with Andrei Buckareff (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)

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Welcome to 'Episode 63 (Part II of II)', where we'll be engaging in some further analysis and discussion.

Andrei Buckareff is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Co-Director of the Cognitive Science Program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and Associate Editor of the journal Science, Religion, and Culture. Andrei’s work focuses on a range of fascinating topics, from metaphysics, philosophy of mind, epistemology and the philosophy of action, to philosophy of religion, the afterlife, pantheism, and alternative concepts of God. Andrei is a prolific writer, publishing extensively in these fields, and his influence cannot be overstated. Alongside Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Andrei is also the co-leader of the ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which will form our focus for today.

In this episode, we’ll be speaking to Andrei about alternative concepts of God; more specifically, on Andrei’s recent work surrounding pantheism and panentheism. In a word, Andrei argues that if we are to understand God as ‘acting in space-time’, we should be inclined to believe that this God exists within time and space, at all spatial locations. Moreover, if we are inclined to think that God is omniscient, then we should also believe that God ‘is the universe’ – that is, God and the universe are essentially made of the same stuff, with God being either identical with or constituted by the cosmos.

Andrei’s work calls the orthodox theist to radically reconceptualise their understanding of God, in the light of a more philosophically plausible philosophy. Our question, if we are theists, do we need to change the way we think about God?

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/allows itself to be realised in God's mind

This episode is produced in partnership with ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which is led by Andrei Buckareff and Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Contents

Part I. The Divine Mind.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 63, ‘Pantheism and Panentheism’ with Andrei Buckareff (Part I - The Divine Mind)

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Welcome to 'Episode 63 (Part I of II)', where we'll be discussing ‘the divine of mind’ with Andrei Buckareff.

Andrei Buckareff is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Co-Director of the Cognitive Science Program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and Associate Editor of the journal Science, Religion, and Culture. Andrei’s work focuses on a range of fascinating topics, from metaphysics, philosophy of mind, epistemology and the philosophy of action, to philosophy of religion, the afterlife, pantheism, and alternative concepts of God. Andrei is a prolific writer, publishing extensively in these fields, and his influence cannot be overstated. Alongside Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Andrei is also the co-leader of the ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which will form our focus for today.

In this episode, we’ll be speaking to Andrei about alternative concepts of God; more specifically, on Andrei’s recent work surrounding pantheism and panentheism. In a word, Andrei argues that if we are to understand God as ‘acting in space-time’, we should be inclined to believe that this God exists within time and space, at all spatial locations. Moreover, if we are inclined to think that God is omniscient, then we should also believe that God ‘is the universe’ – that is, God and the universe are essentially made of the same stuff, with God being either identical with or constituted by the cosmos.

Andrei’s work calls the orthodox theist to radically reconceptualise their understanding of God, in the light of a more philosophically plausible philosophy. Our question, if we are theists, do we need to change the way we think about God?

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/allows itself to be realised in God's mind

This episode is produced in partnership with ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which is led by Andrei Buckareff and Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Contents

Part I. The Divine Mind.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 58, ‘The Idealism and Pantheism of May Sinclair’ with Emily Thomas (Part II)

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Welcome to 'Episode 58 (Part II)', where we'll be engaging in some further analysis and discussion.

Emily Thomas is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at Durham University; whose work focuses primarily on the history of metaphysics and the metaphysics of space and time. Thomas’ work in these areas has had a great impact, most notably, through her 2018 books Absolute Time: Rifts in Early Modern British Metaphysics and Early Modern Women on Metaphysics.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing Emily Thomas’ forthcoming work on The Idealism and Pantheism of May Sinclair. Born in 1863, May Sinclair was a prolific novelist, as well as a deeply influential poet, translator, critic and philosopher. It Is this last field, philosophy, which perhaps she is least well known for her work. Amongst her many great novels, short stories and poems, May Sinclair published her philosophical treatise in A Defence of Idealism in 1917, and The New Idealism in 1922, which both form the focus of today’s discussion. Sinclair’s unusual take on questions concerning space and time, god, and classic philosophical problems such as Zeno’s paradox, provide us with a refreshing and exciting approach to our understanding of the universe. Combined with her great passion, wit, and her breathtaking writing style, it is no stretch to say that May Sinclair is one of the 20th-centuries most underrated philosophers.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/moves through time

This episode is produced in partnership with ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which is led by Andrei Buckareff and Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Contents

Part I. The Idealism and Pantheism of May Sinclair.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 58, ‘The Idealism and Pantheism of May Sinclair’ with Emily Thomas (Part I)

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Welcome to 'Episode 58 (Part I)', where we'll be discussing the philosophy of May Sinclair with Dr Emily Thomas.

Emily Thomas is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at Durham University; whose work focuses primarily on the history of metaphysics and the metaphysics of space and time. Thomas’ work in these areas has had a great impact, most notably, through her 2018 books Absolute Time: Rifts in Early Modern British Metaphysics and Early Modern Women on Metaphysics.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing Emily Thomas’ forthcoming work on The Idealism and Pantheism of May Sinclair. Born in 1863, May Sinclair was a prolific novelist, as well as a deeply influential poet, translator, critic and philosopher. It Is this last field, philosophy, which perhaps she is least well known for her work. Amongst her many great novels, short stories and poems, May Sinclair published her philosophical treatise in A Defence of Idealism in 1917, and The New Idealism in 1922, which both form the focus of today’s discussion. Sinclair’s unusual take on questions concerning space and time, god, and classic philosophical problems such as Zeno’s paradox, provide us with a refreshing and exciting approach to our understanding of the universe. Combined with her great passion, wit, and her breathtaking writing style, it is no stretch to say that May Sinclair is one of the 20th-centuries most underrated philosophers.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/moves through time

This episode is produced in partnership with ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which is led by Andrei Buckareff and Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Contents

Part I. The Idealism and Pantheism of May Sinclair.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 57, ‘Pantheism: Personhood, Consciousness and God’ with Sam Coleman (Part II)

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Welcome to 'Episode 57 (Part II)', where we'll be discussing pantheism, as well as engaging in some further analysis and discussion.

Specialising in philosophy of mind, Sam Coleman is a reader in philosophy at the University of Hertfordshire. Coleman’s main work centres around questions concerning consciousness, predominantly, on what has come to be known as ‘the hard problem of consciousness’. To paraphrase Colin McGinn, the problem can be summarised as follows: how does soggy grey matter give rise to vivid technicolour experience?

In this episode, we’re going to be focusing on Coleman’s views concerning ‘Personhood, Consciousness and God’, specifically relating to pantheism. In a word, pantheism is the view that God is identical with the universe, as the pantheist slogan goes, “God is everything and everything is God.” If we are to think of personal identity as a stream of uninterrupted consciousness, Coleman argues that pantheism runs into significant problems. Instead, Coleman suggests an alternative theory of personhood which leaves open the possibility of a personal God, which is identical with the universe. As we will find, Coleman’s view bridges fascinating philosophical questions concerning personal identity, metaphysics of consciousness and God, into an original and exciting pantheist theory.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/illuminates its unconscious qualia

This episode is produced in partnership with ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which is led by Andrei Buckareff and Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Contents

Part I. Personhood and Consciousness.

Part II. God, Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 57, ‘Pantheism: Personhood, Consciousness and God’ with Sam Coleman (Part I)

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Welcome to 'Episode 57 (Part I)', where we'll be discussing personhood and consciousness with Sam Coleman.

Specialising in philosophy of mind, Sam Coleman is a reader in philosophy at the University of Hertfordshire. Coleman’s main work centres around questions concerning consciousness, predominantly, on what has come to be known as ‘the hard problem of consciousness’. To paraphrase Colin McGinn, the problem can be summarised as follows: how does soggy grey matter give rise to vivid technicolour experience?

In this episode, we’re going to be focusing on Coleman’s views concerning ‘Personhood, Consciousness and God’, specifically relating to pantheism. In a word, pantheism is the view that God is identical with the universe, as the pantheist slogan goes, “God is everything and everything is God.” If we are to think of personal identity as a stream of uninterrupted consciousness, Coleman argues that pantheism runs into significant problems. Instead, Coleman suggests an alternative theory of personhood which leaves open the possibility of a personal God, which is identical with the universe. As we will find, Coleman’s view bridges fascinating philosophical questions concerning personal identity, metaphysics of consciousness and God, into an original and exciting pantheist theory.

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/illuminates its unconscious qualia

This episode is produced in partnership with ‘the Pantheism and Panentheism Project’, which is led by Andrei Buckareff and Yujin Nagasawa and funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Contents

Part I. Personhood and Consciousness.

Part II. God, Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 47, Hedda Hassel Mørch: Consciousness and Integrated Information Theory (Part II)

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Welcome to 'Episode 47, Hedda Hassel Mørch: Consciousness and Integrated Information Theory (Part II)', where we'll be asking some listener questions, and engaging in some further analysis and discussion.

Hedda Hassel Mørch is a philosopher and post-doc at the University of Oslo, previously at The Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at New York University. Dr Mørch’s research focuses on panpsychism, neutral monism and liberal conceptions of physicalism. More specifically, how such views can respond to problems in philosophy of mind and metaphysics, such as the hard problem of consciousness (namely, how does soggy grey matter give rise to technicolour experience), the problem of mental causation (how can the mind interact the world), and the metaphysics of causation (what does it really mean for one event to ‘cause’ another).

In this episode, we’re going to be discussing these topics with Hedda, but focus more specifically, on her views on consciousness and Integrated Information Theory. In Hedda’s own words:

"The nature of consciousness seems to be unique among scientific puzzles. Not only do neuroscientists have no fundamental explanation for how it arises from physical states of the brain, we are not even sure whether we ever will."

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/integrates

Episodes 47-50 are proudly supported by New College of the Humanities. To find out more about the college and their philosophy programmes, please click here. 

Contents

Part I. Integrated Information Theory.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 47, Hedda Hassel Mørch: Consciousness and Integrated Information Theory (Part I)

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Welcome to 'Episode 47, Hedda Hassel Mørch: Consciousness and Integrated Information Theory (Part I)', where we'll be discussing Information Integration Theory and the hard problem of consciousness.

Hedda Hassel Mørch is a philosopher and post-doc at the University of Oslo, previously at The Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at New York University. Dr Mørch’s research focuses on panpsychism, neutral monism and liberal conceptions of physicalism. More specifically, how such views can respond to problems in philosophy of mind and metaphysics, such as the hard problem of consciousness (namely, how does soggy grey matter give rise to technicolour experience), the problem of mental causation (how can the mind interact the world), and the metaphysics of causation (what does it really mean for one event to ‘cause’ another).

In this episode, we’re going to be discussing these topics with Hedda, but focus more specifically, on her views on consciousness and Integrated Information Theory. In Hedda’s own words:

"The nature of consciousness seems to be unique among scientific puzzles. Not only do neuroscientists have no fundamental explanation for how it arises from physical states of the brain, we are not even sure whether we ever will."

The file size is large, please be patient whilst the podcast buffers/downloads/integrates

Episodes 47-50 are proudly supported by New College of the Humanities. To find out more about the college and their philosophy programmes, please click here. 

Contents

Part I. Integrated Information Theory.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Episode 43, The Galen Strawson Interview (Part II)

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Welcome to Episode 43 (Part II of II), where we'll be talking philosophy of religion, as well as engaging in some further analysis and discussion, with Professor Galen Strawson. 

Galen Strawson is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. Amongst countless papers in metaphysics and philosophy of mind, Galen is the author of Freedom and Belief, The Subject of Experience, Consciousness and Its Place in Nature and most recently, Things That Bother Me: Death, Freedom, the Self, Etc. 

The widespread impact of these works cannot be understated. In the words of Stephen Fry:

Galen Strawson has a marvellous gift for untangling even the most complex lines in philosophical thinking and laying them straight. He writes with humour, clarity and always from a recognizably human place. Even the most complex and controversial areas in modern philosophy come into the light when you are in his benign company…. He opens windows and finds light-switches like no other philosopher writing today.
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Part I. Death, Freedom, the Self and Consciousness
Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion