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Philosophers’ work and philosophers’ lives, both inside and outside of philosophy. Brought to you by the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, the Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, LSE, and the Forum for Philosophy.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Philosophers’ research and lives • philosophy of mind and consciousness • perception and olfaction • epistemology and self-knowledge • phenomenology and Heidegger • philosophy of science, causation, quantum mechanics • ethics, public policy, bioethics, expertise, AIDS denialismThis podcast presents conversational interviews that connect philosophers’ intellectual work with the contours of their lives in and beyond academia. Episodes typically center on a single philosopher, drawing out both the themes of their research and the personal interests, experiences, and cultural touchstones that shape how they think. The tone suggested by the descriptions is informal and wide-ranging, mixing core philosophical questions with anecdotes and references to everyday life, hobbies, and popular culture.
Across the conversations, a recurring focus is philosophy of mind and perception, including how we understand self-knowledge, consciousness, and the senses. Topics include the nature of perceptual experience, the possibility of illusion, and what it might mean to encounter the world through a different kind of sensory apparatus. The podcast also explores the philosophy of science, with attention to how scientists and philosophers interpret evidence, disentangle causation from correlation, and approach foundational questions raised by contemporary physics.
Ethics and public policy appear as another strand, especially where philosophical analysis meets real-world controversies and social norms. The show highlights issues such as expertise and denialism in public health, questions about human choice and standards of beauty, and the ways utopian thinking and bioethics can inform broader debates. Alongside these themes, phenomenology features as a method for examining lived experience, and several discussions gesture toward how philosophical frameworks translate into practical or cultural contexts.
Overall, listeners can expect portraits of working philosophers that balance accessible explanations of specialized areas—epistemology, bioethics, global ethics, perception, and philosophy of science—with biographical detail, humor, and the occasional detour into music, literature, photography, or other personal pursuits.
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Out of the Vat #10 – Ann-Sophie Barwich 2021-Nov-10 41 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #9 – Lucy Campbell 2021-Aug-10 37 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #8 – David Papineau 2020-Nov-10 45 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #7 – Philip Goff 2020-Jun-26 31 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #6 – Mahon O’Brien 2020-Apr-07 35 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #5 – Heather Widdows 2020-Feb-04 17 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #4 – Brian Glenney 2019-Nov-12 32 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #3 – Katherine Furman 2019-Sep-03 17 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #2 – Richard Ashcroft 2019-Jun-25 32 minutes |
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Out of the Vat #1 – Steven French 2019-May-07 28 minutes |