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A course in interdisciplinarity by Mario Veen. In each episode I travel through Plato's Allegory of the Cave together with a guide. Together, we examine the question of what it means to learn, grow and develop in life on earth. We do so from a new perspective every time. You can use this course to study whatever interests you through the lens of philosophy, film, art, physics, spirituality and many more. All you need is the willingness to think things through and the openness to have your preconceived notions challenged.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Plato’s Cave as framework for learning and perspective shifts • philosophy of truth, perception, mind • art/film and image-thinking • science and physics/cosmology • technology, social media, disinformation • climate crisis, ecology, activism • education, medicine, trauma, spiritualityThis podcast uses Plato’s Allegory of the Cave as a recurring framework for interdisciplinary conversations about what it means to learn, change perspective, and make sense of life. Episodes are structured as guided journeys through the allegory with guests from a wide range of fields, including philosophy, arts and media studies, geology, astrophysics, neuroscience, education, political theory, law, psychology, and medicine.
Across the series, the cave becomes a way to examine how people form beliefs and how “truth” can be understood not only as correctness but as processes of revealing, interpretation, and participation. The show frequently connects classical and contemporary philosophy to present-day problems, exploring how images, film, and visual politics shape perception and public life, and how attention can be captured or manipulated in environments such as social media.
Scientific themes recur in discussions of cosmology, physics, biology, climate science, and the philosophy of science, alongside attention to science communication and the challenges of denialism and disinformation. Environmental and climate issues form a major thread, linking deep time and “timefulness” to ecological governance, activism, institutional responsibility, and emerging legal ideas such as rights of nature.
The podcast also addresses human experience more personally and socially through topics like trauma and memory (including Holocaust and intergenerational trauma), racism and Blackness, contemplative practices such as meditation and dance, spirituality in everyday life, and professional judgment in medicine and education. Overall, the content emphasizes using multiple disciplines to unsettle assumptions and develop richer ways of understanding self, society, and planet.
