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 interviews on core philosophy questions • decision theory, instrumental rationality, uncertainty • probability and formal epistemology • quantum mechanics interpretations • philosophy of religion arguments • sensory experience metaphysics • animal sentience • ethics, public policy, pandemic tradeoffsThis podcast presents expert-led conversations that use a single guiding question to introduce listeners to contemporary philosophical debates and the relevant academic literature. Across the episodes, the emphasis often falls on philosophy at the intersection with science and formal methods, especially where uncertainty, evidence, and rational choice are central.
A recurring theme is how to represent and reason with uncertainty: what probabilities are, how probabilistic axioms connect to interpretations of chance and credence, and how decision theory proposes standards for rational choice when outcomes are risky or when information is incomplete. Related discussions probe the requirements of instrumental rationality, including coherence constraints on preferences, classic arguments for consistency, and the gap between idealized rational agents and bounded or imperfect decision-makers. These topics are treated both as technical frameworks—drawing on representation theorems and rationality arguments—and as sources of open questions about real-world deliberation.
The podcast also ventures into foundational issues in physics and the philosophy of science, using quantum mechanics to explore the measurement problem, competing interpretations, and what philosophical analysis contributes to scientific theory choice. Alongside this, it includes work in mind and metaphysics focused on sensory experience, as well as applied and ethical topics such as animal sentience and welfare. Broader debates in philosophy of religion appear through examination of what counts as a successful argument, how theoretical virtues like simplicity and explanatory power figure in evaluation, and what rationality demands in longstanding disputes. Public-facing ethical reasoning is also represented through discussion of balancing health and economic considerations in pandemic policy.
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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 |