Saul Newman

In this engaging conversation, Dr. Saul Newman, an interdisciplinary researcher from UCL and Oxford, discusses his Ig Nobel-winning work on claims of extraordinary longevity. He reveals how many centenarian claims stem from underreported lifespans and common clerical errors. Dr. Newman debunks the myths surrounding blue zones, arguing that wealth and safety, rather than lifestyle, are more crucial for a long life. He also addresses the inconsistencies in age reporting among supercentenarians and the need for more rigorous demographic studies.

Saul Newman, author of Political Theology: A Critical Introduction and Order, Crisis, and Redemption, discusses Carl Schmitt's concepts of sovereignty and the sovereign exception, his relation to anarchism and Stirner, and explores the relevance of Schmitt's ideas in times of crises, including the rise of right-wing populism and the ecological crisis.