Peter van Inwagen

Philosopher Peter van Inwagen, a leading mind in metaphysics and the philosophy of religion, dives into the perplexing nature of 'nothingness'. He tackles the bold question of why anything exists at all, referencing Leibniz’s famous inquiry. The discussion unfolds around the intricate relationship between existence and nonexistence, prompting listeners to reflect on necessary versus contingent propositions. Van Inwagen critiques the limitations of both physics and philosophy in fully addressing the essence of being.

Philosophers and physicists discuss the profound question of why there is something instead of nothing, exploring ideas like necessary existence, the role of value, consciousness creating the universe, and ultimate explanations like theism and materialism. Guests include John Leslie, Bede Rundle, Max Tegmark, Simon Blackburn, Quentin Smith, Victor Stenger, Peter van Inwagen, John Polkinghorne, Richard Swinburne, and Paul Davies.

Philosopher Peter van Inwagen explains the consequence argument for incompatibilism and discusses the problem of freedom and determinism. He explores different versions of the consequence argument, challenges the fixity of laws of nature, and explores the complexities of free will and attributing blame. The podcast also touches on the mind argument, the problem of luck, and references Harry Frankfurt's cases.