Closer To Truth

In this podcast, philosopher and consciousness researcher Philip Goff discusses his book on the purpose of the universe. He challenges traditional religious and atheistic views and argues for cosmic purpose. The topics covered include fine-tuning in the universe, the multiverse theory, the problem of evil, and the relationship between cosmocytism and morality. Goff explores the origins of a conscious universe and different possibilities for its existence.

Mathematical physicists and cosmologists discuss the truth and beauty of mathematics, exploring topics such as the rigor of mathematical proofs, the cultural relativity of mathematics, the interplay of truth and beauty in mathematics, and the role of beauty in physics and as a clue to scientific validity.

Guests include Charles Tart, Richard Swinburne, Robert Park, James Tabor, and Keith Ward. They discuss topics such as consciousness, scientific tests, skepticism, religious perspectives, the afterlife in Judaism and Christianity, contrasting views on the afterlife, and different religious conceptions of the afterlife.

Art experts and artists explore the connection between creativity and art. They discuss the creative process in art, the power of solitude in creativity, collective creativity in film, and the meaning of creativity in the arts.

Neuroscientists, neurologists, and cognitive scientists explore the nature of consciousness and its relationship with the brain. They discuss the role of the thalamus, the mind-body problem, brain lesions, social behavior, and the limitations of brain science in understanding subjective experience.

Philosopher and cognitive scientist, Dan Dennett, discusses the mysteries of the mind in his memoir. Topics include language, evolution, logic, religion, free will, consciousness, and AI. Insights on Cartesian Materialism, Intentional Stance, and Darwinism. The illusion of reality and the concept of illusionism. Determinism, unpredictability, and the potential dangers of AI. Analyzing religion as a natural phenomenon. Humor, evolution, and consciousness.

Cosmologist and physics professor Will Kinney discusses his latest book exploring the origin of structure in the cosmos and the possibility of an infinite number of hidden universes. Topics include cosmic inflation, supermassive black holes, and alternatives to inflation like bouncing universes. The chapter on the origins of inflation and the initial singularity explores the connection between black hole and universe horizons. The podcast reflects on the limitations of science in unraveling the mystery of the universe's origin.

Physicist Max Tegmark, J. Gott, Juan Maldacena, Fotini Markopoulou, and philosopher John Leslie explore the interconnectedness of space and time as part of the same entity. They discuss the challenges of reconciling quantum theory with the continuous nature of space in general relativity. The podcast also delves into the cosmic particle smashing nature of the early universe, challenges the notion of the disappearing past, and contemplates the intricate relationship between space and time as active participants in reality.

Samuel Lebens, an academic philosopher and ordained Orthodox rabbi, discusses the existence of God in Jewish philosophy. Topics include the Problem of Evil, attributes of God, whether all religions worship the same God, metaphysical puzzles, God as a person, creation theories, universalism and punishment, altering the past, and multi-universe concepts.

Physicists and philosophers discuss the fundamental categories of existence, including the universe as a quantum mechanical wave function, the concept and origins of the wave function in quantum mechanics, the pollution of Biscayne Bay and its relation to consciousness, and the interplay between physical and non-physical entities in understanding existence.