Intelligence Squared How Philosophy Explains Our World, with Julian Baggini (Part One)
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Dec 28, 2025 
Julian Baggini, a philosopher and author known for his work with The Philosopher's Magazine, explores how philosophy can illuminate modern politics. He discusses the importance of attention in decision-making and critiques groupthink across all ideological spectrums. Baggini emphasizes the need for humility and self-questioning in our thought processes. He challenges the notion of polarization, suggesting it can be nuanced rather than purely negative, and argues that people still value truth despite a crisis of authority.
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Scepticism Can Mislead If Taken Too Far
- Small doses of philosophical scepticism can lead people to conclude truth doesn't exist at all.
- Julian Baggini warns that acknowledging limits doesn't justify abandoning the distinction between truth and falsehood.
Start By Paying Close Attention
- Attend closely to what you're actually thinking about before building arguments.
- Julian Baggini recommends paying attention first because most errors come from not noticing key details.
Think With Others, Not Just Alone
- Think for yourself, but combine your thinking with others to avoid isolated mistakes.
- Julian Baggini's motto: 'Think for yourself, not by yourself' encourages collaborative scrutiny.
