Wandering Thoughts

wandering thoughts

🎙️ Podcasts with experts in Science, Philosophy & more
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35 episodes
Avg 1 hr 12 min
English

Episodes 35

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July 16 · 1 hr
Animal Minds, Sentience & Our Relationship with Nature | Dr. Carl Safina
In this episode, Dr. Carl Safina and I explore animal minds, sentience, consciousness, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. We discuss how other animals experience the world, what makes humans similar to and different from other species, and whether animals such as insects, worms, birds, mammals, dolphins, and octopuses may be conscious or sentient. Dr. Safina explains animal culture, learning, awareness, emotion, and the difficulty of knowing where consciousness begins in the living world. We also discuss why humans often feel disconnected from nature, how Western ideas and consumer culture have shaped our relationship with the living world, and why environmental destruction requires both personal responsibility and large-scale public policy. Finally, we explore food ethics, animal farming, fishing, ethical consumption, and how we might live with more respect for animals and nature.
July 12 · 1 hr 33 min
God: Arguments For and Against | Prof. Graham Oppy
In this episode, Professor Graham Oppy and I explore arguments for and against the existence of God. We discuss cosmological, design, moral, ontological, and other arguments, as well as naturalism, atheism, agnosticism, and how worldviews are formed. Professor Oppy explains what makes a philosophical argument strong, why disagreements about God are so difficult to resolve, and why he thinks there are no successful arguments on either side that force everyone to agree. We also explore the problem of evil, animal suffering, divine attributes, Pascal’s wager, miracles, the resurrection, religious experience, and whether someone can be a Christian without believing in supernatural claims. Finally, we discuss faith, hope, free will, and what it means to trust in things outside of our control.
July 4 · 31 min
Punished by Rewards | Alfie Kohn
In this episode, Mr Alfie Kohn and I explore why rewards can backfire just as punishment can. We discuss intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, why grades, praise, bonuses, and incentive systems can undermine genuine interest, and why rewards and punishments are ultimately two forms of control. Mr Alfie explains how parents can move away from conditional acceptance and towards working with children to solve problems, while helping them feel loved regardless of their achievements. We also explore how schools could change by moving beyond grades, tests, homework, competition, and rigid curricula. Finally, we discuss authentic assessment, portfolios, conversations with students, student choice, and why education should focus less on memorisation and more on deep thinking, curiosity, collaboration, and real-world understanding.
July 3 · 48 min
Learning Without A Teacher | Prof. Sugata Mitra
In this episode, Professor Sugata Mitra and I explore how education could change in a world shaped by the internet and artificial intelligence. We discuss his famous Hole in the Wall experiment, self-organised learning environments, and why groups of children can often teach themselves when they have access to technology, questions, and one another. Professor Mitra explains why the teacher’s role should shift from delivering answers to guiding students through questions and discovery. We also explore whether using AI and the internet should really be considered cheating, why memorisation-based exams may no longer make sense, and how assessment could focus more on real-world outcomes and the ability to learn, apply, and communicate knowledge. Finally, we discuss curiosity, emergence, the importance of learning in groups, the energy demands of AI, and why philosophy and psychology may be essential for preparing children for an increasingly unpredictable future.
July 1 · 1 hr 4 min
Dementia: Risk Reduction & Management | Prof. Gill Livingston
In this episode, Professor Gill Livingston and I explore dementia: what it is, why it develops, and what can be done to reduce risk and support people living with it. We discuss Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, amyloid plaques, tau tangles, cognitive reserve, and why diagnosis can be complex. Professor Livingston explains the major modifiable risk factors for dementia, including smoking, alcohol, hearing loss, vision loss, physical inactivity, social isolation, depression, air pollution, and poor cardiovascular health. We also explore the emotional impact of dementia on patients and caregivers, practical strategies for families, and how healthcare systems could better support people living with dementia. Finally, we discuss public health policy, assisted dying, screen time, and why social connection may be crucial for brain health.
June 28 · 1 hr 28 min
Empire, Colonialism, the EU & Russia | Prof. Anthony Pagden
In this episode, Professor Anthony Pagden and I explore empire, colonialism, nationalism, and the political history of Europe. We discuss what an empire is, why empires expand, and how colonialism and imperialism differ from one another. Professor Pagden explains how nationalism emerged from the decline of larger imperial structures, why political identities remain fragile, and how these questions continue to shape Cyprus today. We also examine whether the United States should be considered an empire, the case for European unity and federalism, and why a common European defence remains so difficult to create. Finally, we discuss Russia’s ambiguous relationship with Europe, Peter the Great’s legacy, and the role that empire continues to play in contemporary politics.
June 25 · 1 hr 22 min
The Free Energy Principle: Consciousness, AI & Why We Predict | Karl Friston
In this episode, Professor Karl Friston and I explore the free energy principle: what it is, why it matters, and how it connects to neuroscience, consciousness, evolution, and artificial intelligence. We discuss Markov blankets, self-organisation, prediction error, active inference, and why living systems can be understood as trying to minimise surprise. Professor Friston explains how action, perception, and prediction work together, using examples from cells, eye movements, reflexes, and robotics. We also explore consciousness in humans and animals, whether AI could ever be conscious, why large language models lack intentions, and the importance of embodiment, scale, and mortal computation. Finally, we discuss why consciousness may depend on complexity, selfhood, and our relationships with others.
June 22 · 53 min
Spinoza: God, Nature, Free Will & The Good Life | Prof. Steven Nadler
In this episode, Professor Steven Nadler and I explore the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza: his views on God, nature, free will, religion, and the good life. We discuss why Spinoza identified God with Nature, why this made him such a controversial figure, and whether he should be considered an atheist. Professor Nadler explains why Spinoza denied free will, yet still believed that human beings can become freer through reason and understanding. We also explore Spinoza’s account of happiness, virtue, death, immortality, and what it means to live well. Finally, we discuss his critique of organised religion, miracles, and the political importance of freedom of thought.
June 19 · 1 hr 18 min
How the Brain Predicts the Future | Prof. Reza Shadmehr
In this episode, Prof. Reza Shadmehr and I discuss how the brain predicts the future and why prediction may be one of its most fundamental functions. We explore the cerebellum, its evolutionary origins, and its role in movement, learning, error correction, and social behaviour. Prof. Shadmehr explains how ideas from engineering, robotics, and optimal control theory have shaped modern neuroscience, and how concepts such as internal models, reinforcement learning, and dopamine help us understand the brain. We also discuss mossy fibers, climbing fibers, ataxia, neural recording techniques, and why damage to the cerebellum affects both movement and thought. Finally, we explore the relationship between neuroscience and artificial intelligence, current research on how the brain learns, and the implications of AI for our understanding of human intelligence. Music: Without A Trace Music licensed through Soundstripe. License code: XFXCHV8GG8DTGRXY
June 18 · 2 hr 4 min
How Does The Brain Process Language? | Prof. David Poeppel
In this episode, Prof. David Poeppel and I discuss the Dual Stream Model of Language and how the brain processes speech. We explore the roles of the dorsal and ventral language pathways, the concept of efference copy, neural oscillations, and brain-stimulation techniques such as TMS. We also discuss neural sampling rates and neuroimaging methods such as EEG and MEG. Prof. Poeppel explains spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution, asymmetric oscillatory sampling, and how language processing may differ in neurodivergent individuals. Finally, we explore how the brain processes music, what it means to store words in our heads, and how babies learn language.
May 26 · 1 hr 3 min
How Do You Transcend Nihilism? | Dr Nolen Gertz
In this episode, Dr. Nolen Gertz and I discuss nihilism, technology, meaning, and the modern human condition. We explore the difference between passive and active nihilism, and how technology can make distraction and escapism easier, pushing us away from confronting reality and deeper questions of meaning. We also discuss Heidegger’s philosophy of technology, existentialism, AI, religion, and the search for meaning in an increasingly technological world.
May 19 · 55 min
Evidence-based Medicine | Dr Gordon Guyatt
In this episode, Gordon Guyatt & I discuss evidence-based medicine, a term and movement he helped create and develop. We explore what evidence-based medicine actually means, the hierarchy of evidence, randomised controlled trials, bias in research, and how evidence can be systematically summarised to improve clinical decision-making. We also discuss the origins and evolution of evidence-based medicine, communicating risks and benefits effectively to patients, making decisions consistent with patient values and preferences, balancing research with clinical work, building intellectually stimulating teams, and what determines success in research.
May 18 · 1 hr 11 min
When Will We Go Beyond Morphine? | Prof. Allan Basbaum
In this episode, Prof. Allan Basbaum and I discuss the neuroscience of pain and humanity’s attempts to discover a drug beyond morphine that is effective but with minimal side effects. We talk about nociceptors, pain pathways, and different types of pain, alongside recent developments in drug design and emerging imaging technologies. We end the podcast with Prof. Allan’s advice for young aspiring scientists, including why research that appears less clinically relevant can still lead to major breakthroughs.
May 18 · 1 hr 17 min
Beyond Procedure: A Model For Effective Learning | Michael Eleftheriou
In this episode, Michael Eleftheriou and I explore how to achieve deep, genuine understanding and what it truly means to learn effectively beyond memorisation and mechanical procedure. We discuss Michael’s 4-step model for effective learning — order, structure, procedure, and depth — and why modern education often rewards shallow repetition instead of curiosity, creativity, and understanding.We explore the difference between mechanical and curiosity-based learning, the role teachers and human relationships play in education, and how assessments could be redesigned to better reflect real understanding. Throughout the episode, we apply these ideas to mathematics and everyday life, discussing concepts such as arithmetic series, the Monty Hall problem, the Birthday problem, geometric constructions, and Euler’s number to show how deep understanding develops through exploration rather than rote memorisation.
May 4 · 1 hr 5 min
Postmodernism VS Objective Truth | Dr Stephen Hicks
In this episode, Dr. Stephen Hicks and I discuss postmodernism and its relationship to truth, meaning, and culture. We explore what postmodernism really is, its connection to nihilism, and how these ideas shape society from the top down and bottom up. We dive into poststructuralism, Jacques Derrida, and how writing styles reflect the philosophies they are trying to express. We also touch on impressionism and expressionism, before tackling the central question: is there objective truth? Finally, we discuss the human search for meaning, and the importance of engaging with philosophical ideas from a young age.

Showing 21–35 of 35 episodes