Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
The Portgual Street Philosophy Podcast is the official podcast of the LSE SU Philosophy Society. Each episode, we take a deep dive into a particular philosophy topic, in conversation with leading experts on the subject. By having focused explorations of these topics, we hope to provide accessible introductions and a pathway into the philosophical literature for interested students of all backgrounds.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Expert-led philosophy deep dives • decision theory, instrumental rationality, uncertainty • probability interpretations, bounded rationality • quantum mechanics foundations and many-worlds • arguments about God • sensory experience metaphysics • animal sentience • mathematical philosophy • ethics, justice, pandemic policyThis podcast, produced by the LSE Students’ Union Philosophy Society, features long-form conversations with academic philosophers and closely related scholars that use a single guiding question to introduce a topic and map key debates and concepts. Across the episodes, a recurring focus is the philosophy of rationality under uncertainty: how to understand probability, how decision theory connects descriptive models with normative claims about what rational agents should do, and what coherence requirements—such as consistency of preferences—might be justified, including where idealized assumptions about evidence, awareness, and bounded rationality break down.
The show also frequently connects formal tools to broader philosophical problems. Discussions draw on axiomatic approaches to probability, representation theorems in decision theory, and methodological questions about the role of argument, theoretical virtues, and trade-offs like simplicity versus explanatory power. Several conversations sit at the intersection of philosophy and the sciences, including foundational issues in physics—especially how to interpret quantum mechanics and address problems about measurement, reality, and probability—and more general questions about mathematical methods in philosophy and scientific theorizing.
Alongside these formal and scientific themes, the podcast explores substantive issues in ethics and mind. Topics include how to weigh competing values in public policy during a pandemic, what animal sentience implies for cognition and welfare, and metaphysical questions about the nature of sensory experience. Overall, listeners can expect accessible but detailed pathways into contemporary philosophical literature, guided by experts and framed around central questions that connect theory, methodology, and real-world implications.
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9. Sean Carroll | What is the correct interpretation of quantum mechanics? 2021-Jun-27 61 minutes |
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8. Anna Mahtani | What are probabilities? 2021-Jun-27 51 minutes |
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7. Richard Bradley | How should we make decisions under uncertainty? 2021-Jun-27 59 minutes |
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6. Johanna Thoma | What are the requirements of instrumental rationality? 2021-Jun-27 72 minutes |
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5. Graham Oppy | Are there any successful arguments for or against the existence of God? 2021-Jun-27 60 minutes |
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4. David Papineau | The Metaphysics of Sensory Experience 2021-Feb-06 53 minutes |
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3. Jonathan Birch | Animal Sentience 2021-Feb-04 48 minutes |
2. Laurenz Hudetz | Mathematical Philosophy: Blessing or Curse?2021-Feb-03 56 minutes |
1. Alex Voorhoeve | How to Balance Lives and Livelihoods in the Face of a Pandemic2021-Feb-03 29 minutes |