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The mind-body problem, which Buddha, Socrates and many modern scientists have sought to solve, encompasses riddles such as consciousness, free will, morality and the meaning of life. In this podcast, science journalist John Horgan, talks to leading mind-body theorists about their views and often, about their personal lives. The show is an outgrowth of a book of the same title, available for free at mindbodyproblems.com.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Mind-body problem, consciousness theories • Quantum mechanics foundations, interpretations, information, computing • Free will, reality, knowledge limits • Philosophy of science, progress, expertise • Spirituality, Buddhism, Stoicism, psychedelics, paranormal, moralityThis podcast explores the mind–body problem through extended conversations between science journalist John Horgan and researchers, philosophers, and writers whose work touches consciousness, reality, and how (or whether) mind fits into a scientific picture of the world. Across discussions, the show repeatedly returns to foundational questions about what counts as knowledge, how confident we should be in scientific explanations, and where uncertainty or mystery remains—especially around free will, morality, and meaning.
A major throughline is modern physics, with frequent attention to quantum mechanics and its competing interpretations. Guests revisit classic puzzles such as superposition, Bell’s theorem, entanglement, and the status of “information,” while also considering what quantum computing can and can’t resolve. These physics-focused conversations often broaden into philosophical debates about realism, determinism, and whether a “final” theory is possible.
Another core theme is consciousness and metaphysics. The podcast stages debates over panpsychism, idealism, and related proposals that treat mind or experience as fundamental, alongside neuroscientific perspectives and theories aimed at explaining how consciousness could arise from matter. Several conversations also connect these ideas to personal history, spirituality, psychedelic experience, and altered states, probing what such experiences imply (or don’t imply) about the nature of reality.
Running through the series is reflection on science as a human enterprise: its relationship to the humanities, the role of expertise, the allure of progress narratives, and disputes in the philosophy and history of science. The overall effect is an inquiry into how we make sense of existence when the deepest questions sit at the intersection of physics, mind, and culture.