Description (podcaster-provided):
Coffee table conversations with people thinking about foundational issues. Multiverses explores the limits of knowledge and technology. Does quantum mechanics tell us that our world is one of many? Will AI make us intellectually lazy, or expand our cognitive range? Is time a thing in itself or a measure of change? Join James Robinson as he tries to find out.
Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Foundational issues • AI and consciousness • Philosophy and science • Quantum mechanics • Language evolution • Ethics • Emergent phenomena • Scientific exploration and innovation
This podcast, titled "MULTIVERSES," delves into an array of intellectual frontiers by engaging in coffee table conversations concerning foundational issues across various disciplines. Hosted by James Robinson, the show navigates the boundaries of human knowledge, technology, and philosophical inquiry, frequently pondering the implications of quantum mechanics, artificial intelligence, and the essence of consciousness.
The episodes explore a diverse range of subjects, often weaving theoretical insights with practical implications. Guests include neuroscientists, philosophers, physicists, and futurists, each contributing perspectives from their fields. Common themes involve the exploration of consciousness, the evolution of knowledge through history, and the potential paths of technological advancement. There are recurrent examinations of scientific theories, such as quantum mechanics and theories of time, alongside discussions about the ethical and philosophical aspects of AI and hypercomputation.
Many episodes also focus on the intersection of science with other domains, including language, literature, and music. The podcast occasionally touches on the broader societal impacts of scientific discoveries, considering questions related to climate change, sustainability, and the future of urban development.
Philosophical themes, such as the nature of infinity, the emergence of language, and the ethical dimensions of emotion, appear throughout the series, providing listeners with insights into how abstract ideas shape everyday life. Episodes often highlight the interplay between scientific theories and cultural matters, showcasing the interconnectedness of various fields of knowledge. Overall, "MULTIVERSES" offers listeners an intellectual journey through some of the most intriguing and challenging concepts at the forefront of contemporary thought.
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Episodes:
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Molecules & Mirrors —Vanessa Seifert on the Philosophy of Chemistry
2025-Dec-05
69 minutes
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Consciousness is not Computation — Christof Koch
2025-May-02
62 minutes
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Where Does It End? — Adrian Moore on The Infinite
2025-Mar-14
76 minutes
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37| Mind-Wandering — Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva on the Science of Spontaneous Thought
2025-Jan-31
98 minutes
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36| History of Science: Mythmaking & Contingency — Patricia Fara
2024-Dec-23
89 minutes
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35| Hypercomputation: Why Machines May never Think Like Humans — Selmer Bringsjord
2024-Nov-08
99 minutes
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34| Animal Minds — Kristin Andrews on why assuming consciousness would aid science
2024-Aug-27
74 minutes
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33| Taking Chance Seriously — Alastair Wilson on Quantum Modal Realism
2024-Jul-19
85 minutes
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AI Moonshot — Nell Watson on the Near & Not So Near Future of Intelligence
2024-Jun-21
71 minutes
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Do Electrons Exist? — Céline Henne: Physicist's Views on Scientific Realism & Instrumentalism
2024-Jun-04
98 minutes
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30| Thinking Beyond Language — Anna Ivanova on what LLMs can learn from the brain
2024-May-15
99 minutes
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29 | What are words good for? — Nikhil Krishnan on Ordinary Language Philosophy
2024-Apr-12
97 minutes
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28| Music Evolution & Empirical Aesthetics — Manuel Anglada Tort
2024-Mar-28
96 minutes
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27| Why Knowledge is Not Enough — Jessie Munton
2024-Mar-14
84 minutes
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26| Networks, Heartbeats & the Pace of Cities — Geoffrey West
2024-Feb-29
114 minutes
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25| Peter Nixey — AI: Disruption Ahead
2024-Feb-15
77 minutes
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24| How Philosophy Serves Science — David Papineau
2024-Feb-01
76 minutes
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23| Paulina Sliwa — Moral philosophy as puzzles of daily life
2024-Jan-18
71 minutes
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22| Sean McMahon — Astrobiology: what is life & how to know it when we see it?
2024-Jan-04
80 minutes
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21| How and why do animals play? — Gordon Burghardt
2023-Dec-21
72 minutes
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20| Simon Kirby — Language Evolution & Emergence of Structure
2023-Dec-07
93 minutes
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19| The Meaning of Net Zero — Myles Allen
2023-Nov-16
54 minutes
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18| Feeling Right: Emotions & Ethics — James Hutton
2023-Nov-02
108 minutes
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17| Santiago Bilinkis — Artificial Intelligence: Risks & Rewards
2023-Oct-19
93 minutes
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16| Gábor Domokos — The Gömböc, a shape at the limit of possibility
2023-Oct-05
85 minutes
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15 | Simon Critchley — Philosophical itches & how to scratch
2023-Sep-21
89 minutes
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14| ChatGPT as a Glider — James Intriligator
2023-Sep-07
97 minutes
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13| Phylogeny & The Canterbury Tales — Peter Robinson
2023-Aug-24
68 minutes
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12 | The Long Now — Peter Schwartz
2023-Aug-10
87 minutes
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11| AI, Risk, Fairness & Responsibility — John Zerilli
2023-Jul-20
100 minutes
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10| Plants, Roots, Spirals and Palaeobotany — Sandy Hetherington
2023-Jul-13
82 minutes
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9| The Hunt for Hydrogen — Rūta Karolytė
2023-Jul-06
112 minutes
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8 | Harald Wiltsche — Thought Experiments, Mach, Galileo & Phenomenology
2023-Jun-29
99 minutes
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7| Anna Lewis — Genomics, polygenic risk scores, genetic ancestry, race & ethics
2023-Jun-22
107 minutes
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6| Christian Bök — Poetry, Constraints, DNA & The Xenotext
2023-Jun-15
111 minutes
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5| QBism: The World is Unfinished — Ruediger Schack
2023-Jun-08
93 minutes
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4| Science & Poetry — Sam Illingworth
2023-Jun-01
77 minutes
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3| Julian Barbour — Relational Space and Time
2023-May-25
75 minutes
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2 | David Wallace — The Emergent Multiverse
2023-May-18
87 minutes
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1 | Casey Handmer — Mining the Air
2023-May-11
91 minutes
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