Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
Here, I interview some of the leading thinkers in modern natural philosophy. I'm your host, Dr. Siddharth Muthukrishnan. I originally trained in theoretical physics, before deciding that my interests were more conceptual and foundational, and switched to philosophy. Conversations will span science and philosophy and perhaps other topics as well.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ interviews on natural philosophy • quantum metaphysics, Everett/many-worlds, modal realism • emergent quantum spacetime, entanglement, decoherence, AdS/CFT, string theory • black holes, thermodynamics, information paradox • consciousness, animal cognition, evolutionThis podcast features long-form interviews with researchers working at the intersection of physics and philosophy, with a particular emphasis on conceptual and foundational questions in contemporary science. Across conversations, the host draws on his background in theoretical physics and philosophy to explore how modern physical theories inform—or are informed by—metaphysical and epistemological commitments.
A recurring theme is the interpretation of quantum mechanics and its broader implications for reality and possibility, including discussion of many-worlds-style pictures and how they might reshape modal notions such as contingency. Another central thread concerns the nature of spacetime and gravity in a quantum context, treating familiar spacetime as potentially emergent from underlying quantum structures. Related topics include entanglement, decoherence, black holes, string-theoretic ideas, and holographic dualities, with attention to how these technical developments connect to philosophical debates about reduction versus emergence and whether spacetime should be understood as fundamentally relational or substance-like.
The podcast also extends beyond physics into philosophy of mind and biology, examining consciousness in non-human animals alongside broader issues about cognition, learning, and evolutionary explanations. Overall, the episodes aim to clarify what current science suggests about the structure of the world and how best to frame those findings within a coherent philosophical worldview.
| Episodes: |
Alastair Wilson on Quantum Modal Realism2020-Sep-16 109 minutes |
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Sean Carroll on Quantum Spacetime 2020-Sep-02 113 minutes |
David Wallace on Black Holes2020-Sep-02 120 minutes |
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Colin Allen on Animal Consciousness 2020-Sep-02 119 minutes |