The Plasticity of the Brain

He's a philosopher, a political theorist, a runner, a wine lover, an Ambedkarite -- and he used to be a Dharma Bum. Aakash Singh Rathore joins Amit Varma in episode 340 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his unusual journey and his unconventional insights. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Aakash Singh Rathore on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Amazon, Deccan Herald and his own website. 2. Poorva Paksha -- Aakash Singh Rathore's columns in Deccan Herald. 3. Indian Political Theory: Laying the Groundwork for Svaraj -- Aakash Singh Rathore. 4. Ambedkar's Preamble: A Secret History of the Constitution of India -- Aakash Singh Rathore. 5. Becoming Babasaheb: The Life and Times of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Volume 1): Birth to Mahad (1891-1929) -- Aakash Singh Rathore. 6. Vision for a Nation: Paths and Perspectives -- Edited by Aakash Singh Rathore and Ashis Nandy. 7. A Scientist in the Kitchen — Episode 204 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Krish Ashok). 8. Cathedral — Raymond Carver. 9. Both Sides Now -- Joni Mitchell. 10. Some ancient wisdom for the modern world -- Aakash Singh Rathore. 11. The Three Languages of Politics -- Arnold Kling. 12. The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man -- Marshall McLuhan. 13. Understanding Media -- Marshall McLuhan. 14. Phaedrus -- Plato. 15. Why Are My Episodes so Long? -- Amit Varma. 16. A Meditation on Form -- Amit Varma. 17. Philosophy, Cognition and Writing: A Talk on the Writing Process -- Aakash Singh Rathore. 18. Ghare Baire / Home and the World -- Rabindranath Tagore. 19. Ghare Baire -- Satyajit Ray. 20. Citizen Kane — Orson Welles. 21. A Movable Feast -- Ernest Hemingway. 22. The Life and Times of Jerry Pinto — Episode 314 of The Seen and the Unseen. 23. Murder in Mahim — Jerry Pinto. 24. Eric Weinstein Won’t Toe the Line -- Episode 330 of The Seen and the Unseen. 25. Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas — Natasha Dow Schüll. 26. The Dharma Bums -- Jack Kerouac. 27. The Beat Generation. 28. Kicking Schoolbags -- Amit Varma. 29. The Sex Pistols and Clash. 30. Unsatisfied — The Replacements. 31. Fixing Indian Education — Episode 185 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Karthik Muralidharan). 32. Yukio Mishima on Wikipedia, Britannica and Amazon. 33. The Poetic Feminism of Paromita Vohra -- Episode 339 of The Seen and the Unseen. 34. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Life and Mission -- Dhananjay Keer. 35. CB Khairmode's 12-volume Marathi biography of Ambedkar. 36. The Ferment of Our Founders — Episode 272 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Kapila). 37. India’s Greatest Civil Servant — Episode 167 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Narayani Basu). 38. The First Assault on Our Constitution — Episode 194 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Tripurdaman Singh). 39. Hind Swaraj -- Mohandas Gandhi. 40. Understanding Gandhi: Part 1: Mohandas -- Episode 104 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ram Guha). 41. Understanding Gandhi: Part 2: Mahatma -- Episode 105 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ram Guha). 42. The centre-Left in India is more concerned with dirty politics -- Aakash Singh Rathore interviewed by Caravan. 43. Coriolanus -- William Shakespeare. 44. The Incredible Curiosities of Mukulika Banerjee -- Episode 276 of The Seen and the Unseen. 45. The Pathan Unarmed — Mukulika Banerjee. 46. Josh Felman Tries to Make Sense of the World — Episode 321 of The Seen and the Unseen. 47. Relativity: The Special And The General Theory -- Albert Einstein. 48. I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You) -- Aakash Singh Rathore. 49. Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers -- Jeremy Corbell. 50. The Fermi Paradox. Amit Varma and Ajay Shah have launched a new video podcast. Check out Everything is Everything on YouTube. Check out Amit’s online course, The Art of Clear Writing. And subscribe to The India Uncut Newsletter. It’s free! Episode art: ‘Running to Find the Light’ by Simahina.