Grand Theories

Philosophers of time generally debate whether time is a flowing, fleeting idea, or it is a fixed, static, omnipresent aspect of physical space. Despite the contentiousness, almost all of them agree that time has an arrow, and that the arrow points in a forward direction. C Theorists upend this concept, claiming that time has no flow or direction at all. They propose that time can move in any direction. On this episode we explore what time is and how our objective and subjective experiences...

What does it mean for something to be impossible? In the world of science, some might say that things like time travel or invincibility fall into this category. But in philosophy, bending the laws of physics is fair game. However, there are still some things that are considered philosophically impossible. An emerging class of philosophers takes these ideas to the next level by reasoning about impossible worlds: alternate universes that contain impossible situations and objects. What do these...

Happiness is unarguably considered one of the great aims of life. But finding happiness can be a frustrating and confusing process as there are numbers of philosophical pathways to get there. Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen's Capability Approach cuts through this confusion and offers a single way to ensure well-being for each and every person. On this episode we explore the Capability Approach and consider a way toward implementing it using a challenging philosophical thought...

What exactly "nothing" is has enticed philosophers for quite some time. In 2014, philosopher-mathematician Graham Priest put forward his own two cents on the matter when trying to solve the metaphysical problem of what makes a bunch of parts into a whole. In doing so, he proposes that "nothing" is a crucial linchpin within the nature of everything. But he doesn't stop there. Priest also compares his own solution to a Western philosophical problem with the Eastern doctrine of...

What is the physical nature of humanity's social life? This question may seem odd, but it's legitimate; in a billiard ball world, we should technically be able to explain the physics of the social. But as expected, this question has been largely unexplored. This changed a bit in 2015 when renowned political scientist Alexander Wendt attempted to explain the physicality of the social sciences using the bizarre mechanisms of quantum physics. In doing so, he paints a novel, optimistic and...

Cosmopsychism is a school of thought which argues that the universe possesses a conscious mind. While the idea itself can be traced back many thousands of years, there are arguably very few philosophers who take the idea seriously today. Enter Philip Goff, who in recent years is attempting to take his arguments for a conscious universe to the mainstream. In this episode, we explore the mechanics of consciousness and cosmopsychism, look at modern arguments made by philosopher Philip Goff, and...