Within Reason

Jason Brennan, an American philosopher and business professor, discusses the faults and flaws of democracy, highlighting the challenges posed by political complexity and individual knowledge limitations. He explores the societal appeal and skepticism towards democracy, delves into the sociological meaning of the right to vote, compares voting to medical practice, and questions the feasibility and competence of democratic systems. The analogy of seat belt laws is used to discuss individual choice and the wider societal consequences of not voting.

French Canadian icon carver Jonathan Pageau discusses the representation of divine figures in art, the perception of brutalist buildings, biases towards old and new architecture, icons and idols, the complex connection between sexuality, religion, and evolutionary biology, and the importance of religious symbols and the misunderstanding of ancient ways of thinking.

Evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins discusses Christianity, the benefits of religion, the success of Darwin's theory, analyzing views on religion and free speech, the privileged status of Christian theology, the nature of debates, and arguments on God's existence.

Ben Thomas, a philosophy YouTuber, explores nihilism, the Manosphere, and loyalty in sports teams. He discusses the purpose and impact of his YouTube channel and explores the intersection of philosophy and the Manosphere. The rising popularity of the Manosphere and its pillars are examined, along with the issues of dehumanization and prejudice. The concept of supporting non-local sports teams and the meaning of loyalty in sports are discussed. The podcast delves into nihilism and its association with existentialism, discussing whether nihilism is a rejection of all options. The relationship between nihilism and depression is explored, along with subjective destitution and embracing change to tackle nihilism and suffering.

New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman explores the history and contradictions surrounding Jesus' birth in the New Testament. They discuss the pagan roots of Christmas and its connection to Saturnalia. The chapter explores the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, highlighting differences and shared themes. The prophetic perfect tense and prophecy fulfillment are explored, as well as contradictions in the birth narratives and a historical contradiction in the gospel. The concept and significance of the virgin birth are discussed, including the possibility of Joseph being Jesus' father.

Edward Feser, American Catholic philosopher and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Pasadena City College, discusses the Aristotelean argument from motion, potentiality and actuality, hierarchical causal series, existence of an actual infinite, causality, essence and existence, and the argument from contingency.

Josh Rasmussen, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Azusa Pacific University discusses the emergence and complexity of consciousness, the challenges of using science to explain it, the philosophical problem of consciousness and unity, the relationship between thoughts and mindless states, and the intricate nature of consciousness.

John Vervaeke, award-winning professor, discusses the meaning crisis and its impact on humanity. Topics include the relationship between wisdom and belonging, the role of narrative in society, video game addiction, decline of religious belief, and finding meaning in death and intrinsic value.

Graham Oppy, a well-known atheist thinker, discusses the definition of atheism, the burden of proof, exploring belief through behavior, perspectives on belief and the concept of God, and the process of selecting theories in this thought-provoking podcast.

This podcast discusses the controversial activist group Just Stop Oil and their disruptive methods of protest. Topics include the ethics of protests, the use of violence in protests, the debate over the term 'genocide' in relation to climate change, democracy and crisis, and challenging misconceptions about the Just Stop Oil movement.