Closer To Truth

Philosopher and cognitive scientist Paul Thagard discusses animal and artificial intelligence, comparing them to human capabilities. Topics include misinformation, science vs. pseudoscience, defining intelligence and consciousness, comparing animals and machines, ethical considerations in AI development, and exploring consciousness in humans, animals, and AI.

Belgian philosopher Helen De Cruz discusses her book 'Wonderstruck' and the transformative power of wonder and awe in navigating uncertainties. The podcast explores Descartes's views on emotions, neuroscience and magic, cultivating awe in religious and secular contexts, and the role of emotions in scientific decision-making. De Cruz emphasizes the importance of reclaiming awe in modern society and promoting diverse perspectives in science, philosophy, and religion.

Get 20% off tickets to this year's HowtheLightGetsIn Hay Festival with code CTT24 at checkout.   Philosophy of biology has two sides: the process of science and the content of biology. We address key questions. What is the nature of life? How does evolution work and what are its challenges? How to consider race, sex/gender, cognition, culture, morality, healthcare, religion, alien life, and alien intelligences.   Featuring interviews with Michael Ruse, Elliot Sober, Elisabeth Lloyd, Peter Godfrey-Smith, John Dupré, Paul Griffiths, Richard Dawkins, Josh Swamidass, Quayshawn Nigel Julian Spencer, Denis Noble, Alexander Rosenberg, Samir Okasha, Massimo Pigliucci, Alan Love, and Philip Kitcher.

The podcast explores the importance of including human experience in science, challenges in dark matter and galaxy formation, limits of scientific knowledge, humanity's relationship with Earth, blind spots in scientific perspectives, interpretations of quantum mechanics, and philosophical perspectives on the universe's origin.

This podcast explores the perplexing concept of consciousness and delves into novel explanations for its existence. Featuring interviews with prominent experts, it discusses the enigma of consciousness, its essential properties, the interplay with quantum mechanics, and controversial theories surrounding its nature.

The astonishing effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences, especially in physics, borders on the mysterious—and there seems no rational explanation. Our bafflement stimulates novel thinking. How to assess the meaning of math’s “unreasonable effectiveness"?   Featuring interviews with Michio Kaku, David Wallace, Michael Hopkins, Stuart Kauffman, Jim Holt, and Paul Davies.   Register for free on our website to receive subscriber-only exclusives: https://closertotruth.com/register/

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli discusses his book, White Holes, which traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research and outlines some of the most astounding ideas in astrophysics and cosmology. Rovelli investigates whether all black holes could eventually turn into white holes, equally compact objects in which the arrow of time is reversed.   Carlo Rovelli is a physicist and writer. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Research Chair at the Perimeter Institute and core member of the Rotman Institute of Philosophy of Western University.   For subscriber-only benefits, register for a free membership at closertotruth.com.

Innovative theologian and neuroscientist Ilia Delio discusses Teilhard de Chardin, technology and AI, pursuit of extraterrestrial life, roles of evolution, quantum physics, and neuroscience in theology.

If life is a vast space of possibilities, then mathematics can engage with biology. Statistics analyze biological data, and mathematical models improve biological theories and reveal hidden commonalties. But could the mathematics of biology touch fundamental realities?   Featuring interviews with Leon Glass, Martin Nowak, Geoffrey West, Paul Davies, and Robbert Dijkgraaf.   For free subscriber-only exclusives, register today at closertotruth.com.

Roger Penrose, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics, explores fundamental questions about existence, the nature of mathematics, and the cosmos. He discusses the interconnections between physical, mental, and mathematical worlds, the relationship of mathematics with the physical universe, and presents his hypothesis of conformal cyclic cosmology. Penrose challenges the dominant view of pure physicalism and delves into the mystery of the alignment between mathematics, the physical world, and mentality.