Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
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 and consciousness theories • Quantum mechanics foundations, interpretations, information, computing • Free will, morality, meaning of life • Philosophy of science, realism, skepticism • Spirituality, mysticism, psychedelics, paranormal • Science, literature, personal intellectual journeysThis podcast explores the mind–body problem through long-form conversations between science journalist John Horgan and thinkers who approach questions about consciousness, reality, and human meaning from multiple angles. Across the episodes, the discussions repeatedly return to how (or whether) mind can be explained in physical terms, what counts as an adequate explanation, and what limits physics, neuroscience, and philosophy may face when confronting subjective experience.
A substantial portion of the podcast engages with quantum mechanics as both a technical scientific framework and a source of broader metaphysical puzzles. Guests discuss interpretation disputes, the role of information, nonlocality and entanglement, the relationship between mathematics and understanding, and whether future theories or quantum computing might clarify what quantum theory says about “reality.” These scientific themes are often connected to classic philosophical issues such as determinism, free will, and whether existence has any deep necessity or is fundamentally arbitrary.
Alongside physics-focused conversations, the show features debates within philosophy of mind, including panpsychism, idealism, and other proposals that treat consciousness as basic or pervasive in nature. The podcast also addresses how scientific knowledge relates to the humanities, how skepticism and philosophical doubt function within scientific practice, and how historical and sociological accounts of science affect claims about truth and progress.
Personal biography and intellectual development are woven into the content: guests discuss how they came to their views as scientists, philosophers, writers, or filmmakers, and how experiences such as psychedelics, spiritual practice, parenthood, depression, or encounters with death have shaped their thinking. Some conversations expand into spirituality, morality, and “paranormal” claims—not primarily as endorsements, but as case studies for what unusual experiences and beliefs might reveal about the human mind and the boundaries of acceptable explanation. Overall, the podcast is a cross-disciplinary examination of consciousness and reality that mixes technical ideas, philosophical argument, and reflective autobiography.