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Within Reason

Alex J O'Connor

For the curious.

A philosophy podcast that sometimes flirts with other disciplines, Within Reason has featured guests including Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, William Lane Craig, Peter Singer, Konstantin Kisin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

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  • 24 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 1 hr 37 min
  • English

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  • Sunday · 1 hr 38 min

    #167 There is No Ultimate Reality - Carlo Rovelli

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. Come to my North American tour this November: https://www.alexoconnor.com/p/tour.For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. Carlo Rovelli, an Italian theoretical physicist, is known mainly for his contributions to research in the field of quantum gravity. He is a found of loop quantum gravity, and writes extensively on the physics and philosophy of time, quantum mechanics, and ultimate reality.Get On the Equality of All Things: Lessons on Physics and Philosophy. Timestamps: 0:00 - Tour 0:28 - The Ongoing Revolution in Science 3:59 - Interpreting the Quantum World 17:22 - Can a Person Be in Superposition? 27:23 - Everything is Relative 32:01 - The Relational Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics 42:27 - Are Quantum Objects Actually There? 51:53 - Is There a Smallness Bias? 01:07:15 - Is Reality Grounded? 01:13:44 - Does Relativism Kill Morality? 01:22:42 - Buddhism and Quantum Mechanics Connect: My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: @CosmicSkeptic The Within Reason Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489d Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • September 27 · 1 hr 29 min

    #166 Are Plants Conscious? - Michael Pollan

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. Come to my North American tour this November: https://www.alexoconnor.com/p/tour. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Michael Pollan is an American journalist and the first Lewis K. Chan Arts Lecturer at Harvard University. Get A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) North America Tour (0:20) The Solar Eclipse (2:56) What Is It Like To Be A Plant? (14:52) Are Neurons Overrated? (19:15) Is This All Complete Nonsense? (20:59) The Strange Behaviour of Plants (26:37) Consciousness by Negation (37:31) Does Matter Or Consciousness Come First? (44:09) What Do Humans Have That Plants Don’t? (54:25) Do Plants Feel Pain? (56:52) Is Feeling the Basis of Consciousness? (01:06:45) Is Consciousness Falsifiable? (01:17:41) Where Does Awareness Come From? (01:22:15) Are Psychedelic Experiences Real? (01:24:59) What is Everybody Getting Wrong About Consciousness? CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram TikTok⁠ Twitter Facebook CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • August 31 · 1 hr 44 min

    #165 Buddhist Emptiness Explained - Jan Westerhoff

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.Come to my North American tour this November: https://www.alexoconnor.com/p/tour.Jan Westerhoff is a German philosopher and orientalist with specific interests in metaphysics and the philosophy of language. He is currently Professor of Buddhist Philosophy in the Faculty of Theology and Religion of the University of Oxford.Get Jan Westerhoff's books here.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Nāgārjuna, The “Second Buddha”6:03 The Middle Way9:16 Ontological Nihilism20:00 Are Madhyamaka Buddhists Nihilists?38:56 How Emptiness Escapes Causal Arguments for God45:40 Preempting Immanuel Kant?50:37 Emptiness1:10:07 How to Escape Suffering1:16:54 Visualising Emptiness1:20:30 Is Consciousness Empty?1:34:28 Reality Without SubstanceCONNECT:My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskepticFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskepticInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskepticTikTok: @CosmicSkepticThe Within Reason Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489dCONTACT:Business email: contact@alexoconnor.comBrand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • August 9 · 2 hr 14 min

    #164 The Chosen Creator: Putting Words in Jesus' Mouth?

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Dallas Jenkins is an American film and television director, writer and producer. He is best known as the creator, director, co-writer and executive producer of The Chosen, the first multi-season series about the life of Jesus of Nazareth. LINKS: Watch the trailer for season six of The Chosen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymMxV88QyY&feature=youtu.be Season six premieres November 15th on Prime Video, with three episodes at launch and new episodes weekly through December 6th. And the story doesn't end on streaming — the season finale arrives as a feature film, exclusively in theaters, on March 12th, 2027. Follow The Chosen: https://www.thechosen.tv/en-us https://www.instagram.com/thechosentvseries/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thechosentv?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/InsideTheChosen https://www.youtube.com/@TheChosenSeries Follow Dallas: https://www.facebook.com/DallasJenkinsOfficialhttps://www.instagram.com/dallas.jenkins/https://www.youtube.com/@DallasJenkinsOfficial TIMESTAMPS: (00:21) What is The Chosen’s Purpose? (04:01) Is It Appropriate to Embellish the Story of Jesus? (14:05) Harmonising the Gospel Accounts (36:40) Do Actors Sometimes Theologically Disagree? (48:02) Controversial Additions to the Show (56:14) Why Didn’t Jesus Heal Little James? (01:14:47) Depicting Judas Iscariot (01:33:25) The Women of The Chosen (01:40:37) Stories Left Out of the Show (01:46:58) Watching The Chosen As an Agnostic CONNECT: My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • July 31 · 1 hr 48 min

    #163 Religion is an Obligation - Ross Douthat

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. VIDEO NOTES: Ross Douthat is an American journalist who is a correspondent for the CBS News program 60 Minutes. Prior to joining CBS, he was a conservative columnist at The New York Times, a senior editor at The Atlantic, and film critic for National Review. He has written on religion, politics, and society.Get "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious": https://amzn.to/4fw2bIJ TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Is Religious Belief An Obligation? (17:44) Pantheism vs Theism (23:35) The Connection Between Mind and Universe (43:32) The Fine-Tuning Argument (49:18) The Problem of Evil (1:06:26) Is Belief in God Enough? (1:20:53) Animal Suffering (1:34:37) Is Heaven Hierarchical? CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram TikTok⁠ Twitter Facebook CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • July 30 · 51 min

    #162 Two Million Subscriber QnA

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) – Intro (0:18) – My YouTube Watch History (01:33) – What Do I Want to Be Remember For? (10:13) – Will I Do a PhD? (13:06) – Warzone (13:28) – How Many Philosophers Does It Take to Screw in a Light Bulb? (14:14) – My Music Channel (14:30) – My Career if I Wasn't a YouTuber (15:49) – Things I Struggle With (17:58) – Favourite Beatles Song? (19:20) – Daily Life and Episode Prep (23:09) – Favourite Debate? (27:17) – Which Country Do I Want to Visit? (27:30) – Which Country Do I Never Want to Visit? (28:09) – Which Person from History Would I Want to Talk To? (31:47) – Who Am I a Fan Of? (32:18) – Favourite Sport and Club? (39:25) – Favourite Dish and Beverage? (40:23) – What Is One Thing You Regret? - CONNECT My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: @CosmicSkeptic The Within Reason Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489d - CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co------------------------------------------

  • July 15 · 57 min

    #161 What’s the Point of Going Back to the Moon? Chris Hadfield -

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Chris Hadfield is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force colonel, test pilot, and CSA astronaut. As the first Canadian to perform extravehicular activity in outer space, he has flown two Space Shuttle missions and also served as commander of the International Space Station. Get Chris's book Final Orbit. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Have We Lost Interest in Space Travel? (3:56) What Is There To Learn In Space? (12:01) Is Space Exploration National Or Global? (18:00) Will Civilians Need Training To Go To Space? (22:35) The Psychological Challenges of Space Exploration (26:28) Are Astronauts Thrill Seekers? (34:33) Writing Fiction As An Astronaut (42:58) How Chris Became a Novelist (50:32) The Biggest Risk Chris Has Ever Taken (53:09) How Chris Tackles Fear CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram TikTok⁠ Twitter Facebook CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • July 2 · 2 hr 20 min

    #160 Every Theory of Consciousness - Robert Lawrence Kuhn

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Robert Lawrence Kuhn is an American public intellectual and investment banker. He is also an author, television producer, columnist and commentator, especially on topics related to China. Kuhn is the creator of the PBS series ⁠ @CloserToTruthTV ⁠.View the Landscape of Consciousness Map ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) The Landscape of Consciousness Map (16:32) Materialism (26:58) What Counts As Materialism? (45:12) The Difference Between Panpsychism and Materialism (49:36) What’s the Difference Between Panpsychism and Idealism? (58:12) Idealism and Monism (1:03:51) Do All These “Theories” Really Differ? (1:08:40) Dualism and Property Dualism (1:20:30) Are Psychedelic Experiences Significant? (1:32:02) The “Challenge” Category (1:42:36) Quantum Theories of Consciousness (1:47:57) Integrated Information Theory (2:01:53) Theological Approaches to Consciousness (2:15:33) How Theory of Mind Brings Us Together CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram Twitter Facebook ⁠TikTok⁠⁠ CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • June 25 · 1 hr 24 min

    #159 Aristotle: The World's Greatest Philosopher?

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. John Sellars is a Reader in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, a visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Member of Wolfson College, Oxford. His books include Lessons in Stoicism, The Fourfold Remedy, Aristotle and his work has been translated into over a dozen languages. Get John Sellars' books here. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) What’s So Great About Aristotle? (03:06) Actuality and Potentiality (12:59) Forms: Aristotle vs Plato (20:02) The Four Causes (25:16) Evolution and Final Causation (29:40) Did Aristotle Believe In God? (32:38) The Unmoved Mover (38:58) The Soul (Is Not What You Might Think) (48:51) How Aristotle Invented Formal Logic (55:54) The Nicomachean Ethics (01:15:56) Ethics as Descriptive (01:21:04) Where To Start With Aristotle CONNECT: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ Business Email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • June 18 · 2 hr 7 min

    #158 Could Consciousness Be an Illusion?

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Keith Frankish is a British philosopher specialising in philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, and philosophy of cognitive science. Read Keith's essay, "Illusionism as a theory of consciousness" (2016). Find Keith's website here. Keith Frankish and Philip Goff co-host a channel 'Mind Chat', where they debate panpsychism versus illusionism, and explore cutting-edge thought on consciousness: / @mindchat TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Is Consciousness An Illusion? (4:02) Do We Have a Private World? (10:00) The Nature of Visual Experience (20:13) Is Awareness Behavioural? (28:17) Isn’t Introspection Itself a Private Experience? (33:04) Philosophical Zombies (43:05) What Motivates Illusionism? (50:02) Psychedelics and the Dissolution of the Self (59:23) Why Are Philosophers Always Categorising? (1:10:31) Does Alex’s Triangle Exist? (1:21:40) Is Pain Just a Reaction to Stimulus? (1:49:05) Is Pain an Emergent Phenomenon? (1:55:52) What Illusion Is Actually Happening? (1:59:07) Can AI Be Conscious? CONNECT My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • June 8 · 1 hr 4 min

    #157 How a Blind Man Sees the World - Tommy Edison

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. @TommyEdisonXP is a blind YouTuber and radio presenter. He got his start online as the “Blind Film Critic”, reviewing movies despite being unable to see them, and thereby offering a unique angle on their storytelling. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Being a Blind YouTuber (2:03) How Do You Understand Blindness If You Are Blind From Birth? (4:26) Being Blind in School (7:20) Tommy’s Early Life (12:11) Has Life Become More Accessible For the Blind? (19:35) How Vision is Embedded in Our Language (21:35) How Does A Blind Person Watch A Movie? (25:40) What Does Tommy Know About Colour? (27:51) Mary’s Room (32:16) Can A Blind Person Play Video Games? (35:39) The Questions People Are Too Afraid to Ask (41:42) How Does A Blind Person Understand Attractiveness? (44:27) What Can We Make More Accessible? (48:24) Why Electric Cars Aren’t Best For Everyone (51:33) Is Offering Help Patronising? (54:35) What Can Tommy Do That People Think He Can’t? (58:32) Why Tommy Chooses Joy CONNECT My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • May 26 · 1 hr 17 min

    #156 Mysticism: The Heretics Who Got Too Close to God - Simon Critchley

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Simon Critchley is a British philosopher, author and professor at The New School in New York. He is best known for his work on existentialism, mysticism, ethics and continental philosophy, and is the author of books including The Book of Dead Philosophers, Faith of the Faithless and Mysticism. Get Simon's book Mysticism ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS: (7:52) What is Mysticism? (18:58) Unification With the Divine (29:58) Mysticism and the Self (40:38) Why Are So Many Mystics Women? (48:41) The Limits of Language (59:54) Was Pascal a Mystic? (01:03:21) Where Does Simon Stand on Mysticism? (01:11:22) Where Should We Start With Learning About Mysticism? (01:15:36) Imagery in Simon’s Book CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • May 13 · 1 hr 57 min

    #155 AI Music is Not Music - Adam Neely

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at www.huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. Adam Neely is an American bassist, YouTuber, and jazz musician based in New York City. His YouTube content includes Q&A videos, vlogs about performing music, and video essays about online music culture. As a musician, he performs with groups including the electro-jazz duo Sungazer and the instrumental band Aberdeen.Watch Adam's video on Suno here. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Music and Philosophy(5:17) Can You Cheat in Music?(9:07) What is Suno?(25:20) Can You Use AI Musically?(32:21) Is AI Just the New Sampling?(38:40) AI and Inclusivity(46:21) Is Music Becoming Narcissistic?(57:26) Does Great Art Require Ego?(01:07:04) Are AI Music Tools Inevitable?(01:22:55) How Would Adam Improve Suno?(01:35:44) Are We Removing the Humanity From Music?(01:44:18) Is Jazz the Blueprint? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • May 4 · 1 hr 48 min

    #154 Happiness: Epicurus' Ancient Guide - Jonny Thomson

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Jonny Thomson is a philosopher and the founder of ⁠PhilosophyMinis ⁠. He is on the Executive Board for the British Philosophy Association and is a staff writer at Big Think.Get Jonny's upcoming book, ⁠The Art of Enough: The Ancient Epicurean Philosophy of Finding – and Keeping – Happiness⁠ TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Are Epicureans Selfish? (05:30) Why Epicureanism? (10:31) Who Was Epicurus? (16:42) Godless But Not Atheistic (23:21) Epicurus’ Metaphysics (27:24) Why Focus on Pleasure? (35:29) Epicureanism vs Utilitarianism (48:59) What About Immoral Pleasures? (53:02) Could AI be Epicurean? (01:00:50) The Experience Machine (01:10:59) Why Epicurus Didn’t Like Sex (01:16:21) Are Influencers Watering Down Ancient Philosophy? (01:20:06) Are You In Control of Your Happiness? (01:26:33) Epicureanism vs Stoicism (01:32:36) Epicurus on Death (01:36:42) Do We Have a Happiness Crisis? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • April 26 · 1 hr 35 min

    #153 If Anyone Builds It, EVERYONE Dies - AI Expert on Superintelligence

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Nate Soares is an American artificial intelligence author and researcher known for his work on existential risk from AI. In 2014, Soares co-authored a paper that introduced the term AI alignment, the challenge of making increasingly capable AI’s behave as intended. Nate is the president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, a research nonprofit based in Berkeley, California. Get the book, ⁠If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All⁠. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Is This an Exaggeration? (04:31) What Is Unique About the Threat of AI? (11:28) What is Superintelligence? (21:25) From Chess Computers to Murderous Machines (27:52) What Really Drives AI Systems? (44:29) Evidence AI Is Already Turning Against Us (56:03) How We Are Helping AI Take Over (01:01:21) Why Would AI Seek Power or Control? (01:07:42) Some Worst-Case AI Scenarios (01:18:38) What Do We Do About This Now? (01:32:53) How Has AI Changed in the Last Six Months? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • April 20 · 1 hr 41 min

    #152 Why AI Will Never Be Conscious

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at ⁠https://huel.com/alexoconnor ⁠(Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Anil Seth is a British neuroscientist and professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. A proponent of materialist explanations of consciousness, he is currently amongst the most cited scholars on the topics of neuroscience and cognitive science globally. Read Anil's essay, ⁠"The Mythology of Conscious AI"⁠. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) The Difference Between Intelligence and Consciousness (03:55) What’s Stopping the Replication of Consciousness in AI? (17:01) Can You Separate What the Brain Is From What It Does? (22:20) Is Conscious Experience Just Predictions From the Brain? (26:48) Why Do We Project Consciousness Onto LLMs? (37:27) Can Consciousness Exist Without a Body? (42:25) Why We Liken the Brain to a Computer (52:11) Is There An Evolutionary Reason For Consciousness? (56:29) Studying Unconscious Perception? (1:01:21) Is Consciousness Unified? Split-Brain Patients (1:15:10) Attention and Consciousness (1:19:04) What Would a Conscious Chatbot Even Look Like? (1:25:13) Consciousness as a Controlled Hallucination (1:34:19) Do Scientists Actually Study “Consciousness” At All? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • April 13 · 1 hr 18 min

    #151 John Lennox - What Nearly Dying Taught Me About God

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. John Lennox is a Northern Irish mathematician, bioethicist, and Christian apologist originally from Northern Ireland. He has written many books on religion, ethics, the relationship between science and God, and has had public debates with atheists including Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Exclusive discount: Listeners to my show can get 30% Off John Lennox’s autobiography, My Story when shopping directly from his publishers. Visit https://spckpublishing.co.uk/my-story and enter AOC30 at checkout to get 30% off. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) How Pressure Can Produce the Best Work (02:29) Does the Incarnation Make Sense? (06:22) John’s Richard Dawkins Debate (14:39) What Did the New Atheists Get Wrong About God? (26:21) Science Cannot Explain Everything (31:22) What Did the New Atheists Get Right? (35:18) Why Does God Hide From So Many People? (44:36) Why Does God Allow Arbitrary Suffering? (56:25) Is Faith “Belief Without Evidence”? (1:00:33) How Could God Punish a Mere Lack of Faith? (1:08:14) How Christopher Hitchens Agreed with Jesus (1:13:03) Does Christianity Cause Evil? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • April 8 · 57 min

    #150 Materialist AND Panpsychism are True - Galen Strawson

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Galen Strawson is a British analytic philosopher and literary critic who works primarily on philosophy of mind, metaphysics, John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Is Radical Emergence Possible? (08:15) Can Physics Describe Consciousness? (12:01) Is Everything Made of Consciousness? (18:34) Why Are People Resistant to Panpsychism? (21:19) Can Experience Alone Tell Us What Consciousness Is? (23:50) Does Consciousness Require Complexity? (29:03) Panpsychism vs Idealism: What’s the Difference? (36:08) The Combination Problem (40:03) What is the “Self”? (43:16) Do We Even Need to Explain Consciousness? (48:25) Is Consciousness a Scientific or Philosophical Question? (53:25) Is It Possible for AI to Become Conscious? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • April 2 · 1 hr 27 min

    #149 My Problem With C.S. Lewis - Philip Pullman

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Philip Pullman is one of England's most cherished and celebrated writers. Author of the popular His Dark Materials series of books (later adapted into a film, The Golden Compass (2007), and a 2019 HBO/BBC drama series), his novels are dripping with philosophical and religious themes. Get Philip Pullman's Books ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) C.S. Lewis Tells Filthy Lies (5:12) Childhood Innocence is Overrated (10:09) Religion in Philip’s Novels (21:26) How to Improve the Story of Jesus and the Gospels (27:43) The Connection Between Music and Fiction (36:24) Books vs Movies (43:38) Consciousness in The Book of Dust (50:05) Should Novelists Go Back and Update Their Books? (56:11) The Omniscient Narrator (1:00:12) How Movies Changed Novels (1:05:49) Why Subtitles Are So Popular Now (1:10:56) The Role of Philosophy in Philip’s Novels (1:13:27) Philip’s Writing Process (1:20:11) The Fear of AI in Creative Industries CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

  • March 25 · 1 hr 34 min

    #148 Blaise Pascal: Philosopher, Mathematician, Genius - Graham Tomlin

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Graham Tomlin is a British theologian, author and former Church of England bishop. Get Graham's book, ⁠Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World⁠. Graham's organisation, ⁠Seen and Unseen⁠. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Can Blaise Pascal Be Categorised? (03:05) Who Was Blaise Pascal? (11:12) Pascal’s First Conversion (17:19) Pascal’s “Night of Fire” (21:59) Did Pascal Reject Reason? (31:45) Pascal’s War With Descartes (42:31) Did Pascal Invent the Bus? (45:42) The Heart Has Its Reasons, Of Which Reason Knows Nothing (50:03) How Pascal Invented Probability Theory (52:29) Pascal’s Wager (1:15:35) The Pensées (1:18:30) Pascal’s “Two Minds” (1:22:39) The Importance of Boredom (1:26:58) Why Should Atheists Read Pascal? (1:31:34) What Would Graham Ask Pascal? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

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