Within Reason cover

Within Reason

Alex J O'Connor

For the curious. A philosophy podcast that sometimes flirts with other disciplines, Within Reason has featured guests including Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, William Lane Craig, Peter Singer, Konstantin Kisin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

For the curious. A philosophy podcast that sometimes flirts with other disciplines, Within Reason has featured guests including Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, William Lane Craig, Peter Singer, Konstantin Kisin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

#167 There is No Ultimate Reality - Carlo Rovelli

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#167 There is No Ultimate Reality - Carlo Rovelli 18 Oct 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. Come to my North American tour this November: https://www.alexoconnor.com/p/tour.For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. Carlo Rovelli, an Italian theoretical physicist, is known mainly for his contributions to research in the field of quantum gravity. He is a found of loop quantum gravity, and writes extensively on the physics and philosophy of time, quantum mechanics, and ultimate reality.Get On the Equality of All Things: Lessons on Physics and Philosophy. Timestamps: 0:00 - Tour 0:28 - The Ongoing Revolution in Science 3:59 - Interpreting the Quantum World 17:22 - Can a Person Be in Superposition? 27:23 - Everything is Relative 32:01 - The Relational Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics 42:27 - Are Quantum Objects Actually There? 51:53 - Is There a Smallness Bias? 01:07:15 - Is Reality Grounded? 01:13:44 - Does Relativism Kill Morality? 01:22:42 - Buddhism and Quantum Mechanics Connect: My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: @CosmicSkeptic The Within Reason Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489d Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#166 Are Plants Conscious? - Michael Pollan 27 Sep 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. Come to my North American tour this November: https://www.alexoconnor.com/p/tour. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Michael Pollan is an American journalist and the first Lewis K. Chan Arts Lecturer at Harvard University. Get A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) North America Tour (0:20) The Solar Eclipse (2:56) What Is It Like To Be A Plant? (14:52) Are Neurons Overrated? (19:15) Is This All Complete Nonsense? (20:59) The Strange Behaviour of Plants (26:37) Consciousness by Negation (37:31) Does Matter Or Consciousness Come First? (44:09) What Do Humans Have That Plants Don’t? (54:25) Do Plants Feel Pain? (56:52) Is Feeling the Basis of Consciousness? (01:06:45) Is Consciousness Falsifiable? (01:17:41) Where Does Awareness Come From? (01:22:15) Are Psychedelic Experiences Real? (01:24:59) What is Everybody Getting Wrong About Consciousness? CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram TikTok⁠ Twitter Facebook CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#165 Buddhist Emptiness Explained - Jan Westerhoff 31 Aug 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.Come to my North American tour this November: https://www.alexoconnor.com/p/tour.Jan Westerhoff is a German philosopher and orientalist with specific interests in metaphysics and the philosophy of language. He is currently Professor of Buddhist Philosophy in the Faculty of Theology and Religion of the University of Oxford.Get Jan Westerhoff's books here.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Nāgārjuna, The “Second Buddha”6:03 The Middle Way9:16 Ontological Nihilism20:00 Are Madhyamaka Buddhists Nihilists?38:56 How Emptiness Escapes Causal Arguments for God45:40 Preempting Immanuel Kant?50:37 Emptiness1:10:07 How to Escape Suffering1:16:54 Visualising Emptiness1:20:30 Is Consciousness Empty?1:34:28 Reality Without SubstanceCONNECT:My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskepticFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskepticInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskepticTikTok: @CosmicSkepticThe Within Reason Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489dCONTACT:Business email: contact@alexoconnor.comBrand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#164 The Chosen Creator: Putting Words in Jesus' Mouth? 09 Aug 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Dallas Jenkins is an American film and television director, writer and producer. He is best known as the creator, director, co-writer and executive producer of The Chosen, the first multi-season series about the life of Jesus of Nazareth. LINKS: Watch the trailer for season six of The Chosen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nymMxV88QyY&feature=youtu.be Season six premieres November 15th on Prime Video, with three episodes at launch and new episodes weekly through December 6th. And the story doesn't end on streaming — the season finale arrives as a feature film, exclusively in theaters, on March 12th, 2027. Follow The Chosen: https://www.thechosen.tv/en-us https://www.instagram.com/thechosentvseries/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thechosentv?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/InsideTheChosen https://www.youtube.com/@TheChosenSeries Follow Dallas: https://www.facebook.com/DallasJenkinsOfficialhttps://www.instagram.com/dallas.jenkins/https://www.youtube.com/@DallasJenkinsOfficial TIMESTAMPS: (00:21) What is The Chosen’s Purpose? (04:01) Is It Appropriate to Embellish the Story of Jesus? (14:05) Harmonising the Gospel Accounts (36:40) Do Actors Sometimes Theologically Disagree? (48:02) Controversial Additions to the Show (56:14) Why Didn’t Jesus Heal Little James? (01:14:47) Depicting Judas Iscariot (01:33:25) The Women of The Chosen (01:40:37) Stories Left Out of the Show (01:46:58) Watching The Chosen As an Agnostic CONNECT: My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#163 Religion is an Obligation - Ross Douthat 31 Jul 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. VIDEO NOTES: Ross Douthat is an American journalist who is a correspondent for the CBS News program 60 Minutes. Prior to joining CBS, he was a conservative columnist at The New York Times, a senior editor at The Atlantic, and film critic for National Review. He has written on religion, politics, and society.Get "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious": https://amzn.to/4fw2bIJ TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Is Religious Belief An Obligation? (17:44) Pantheism vs Theism (23:35) The Connection Between Mind and Universe (43:32) The Fine-Tuning Argument (49:18) The Problem of Evil (1:06:26) Is Belief in God Enough? (1:20:53) Animal Suffering (1:34:37) Is Heaven Hierarchical? CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram TikTok⁠ Twitter Facebook CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#162 Two Million Subscriber QnA 30 Jul 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) – Intro (0:18) – My YouTube Watch History (01:33) – What Do I Want to Be Remember For? (10:13) – Will I Do a PhD? (13:06) – Warzone (13:28) – How Many Philosophers Does It Take to Screw in a Light Bulb? (14:14) – My Music Channel (14:30) – My Career if I Wasn't a YouTuber (15:49) – Things I Struggle With (17:58) – Favourite Beatles Song? (19:20) – Daily Life and Episode Prep (23:09) – Favourite Debate? (27:17) – Which Country Do I Want to Visit? (27:30) – Which Country Do I Never Want to Visit? (28:09) – Which Person from History Would I Want to Talk To? (31:47) – Who Am I a Fan Of? (32:18) – Favourite Sport and Club? (39:25) – Favourite Dish and Beverage? (40:23) – What Is One Thing You Regret? - CONNECT My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: @CosmicSkeptic The Within Reason Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16wUbvDT95dxzpG2KEhakK?si=3196e07690bb489d - CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co------------------------------------------

#161 What’s the Point of Going Back to the Moon? Chris Hadfield - 15 Jul 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Chris Hadfield is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force colonel, test pilot, and CSA astronaut. As the first Canadian to perform extravehicular activity in outer space, he has flown two Space Shuttle missions and also served as commander of the International Space Station. Get Chris's book Final Orbit. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Have We Lost Interest in Space Travel? (3:56) What Is There To Learn In Space? (12:01) Is Space Exploration National Or Global? (18:00) Will Civilians Need Training To Go To Space? (22:35) The Psychological Challenges of Space Exploration (26:28) Are Astronauts Thrill Seekers? (34:33) Writing Fiction As An Astronaut (42:58) How Chris Became a Novelist (50:32) The Biggest Risk Chris Has Ever Taken (53:09) How Chris Tackles Fear CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram TikTok⁠ Twitter Facebook CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#160 Every Theory of Consciousness - Robert Lawrence Kuhn 02 Jul 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Robert Lawrence Kuhn is an American public intellectual and investment banker. He is also an author, television producer, columnist and commentator, especially on topics related to China. Kuhn is the creator of the PBS series ⁠ @CloserToTruthTV ⁠.View the Landscape of Consciousness Map ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) The Landscape of Consciousness Map (16:32) Materialism (26:58) What Counts As Materialism? (45:12) The Difference Between Panpsychism and Materialism (49:36) What’s the Difference Between Panpsychism and Idealism? (58:12) Idealism and Monism (1:03:51) Do All These “Theories” Really Differ? (1:08:40) Dualism and Property Dualism (1:20:30) Are Psychedelic Experiences Significant? (1:32:02) The “Challenge” Category (1:42:36) Quantum Theories of Consciousness (1:47:57) Integrated Information Theory (2:01:53) Theological Approaches to Consciousness (2:15:33) How Theory of Mind Brings Us Together CONNECT: My Website YouTube Instagram Twitter Facebook ⁠TikTok⁠⁠ CONTACT: Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#159 Aristotle: The World's Greatest Philosopher? 25 Jun 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. John Sellars is a Reader in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, a visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Member of Wolfson College, Oxford. His books include Lessons in Stoicism, The Fourfold Remedy, Aristotle and his work has been translated into over a dozen languages. Get John Sellars' books here. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) What’s So Great About Aristotle? (03:06) Actuality and Potentiality (12:59) Forms: Aristotle vs Plato (20:02) The Four Causes (25:16) Evolution and Final Causation (29:40) Did Aristotle Believe In God? (32:38) The Unmoved Mover (38:58) The Soul (Is Not What You Might Think) (48:51) How Aristotle Invented Formal Logic (55:54) The Nicomachean Ethics (01:15:56) Ethics as Descriptive (01:21:04) Where To Start With Aristotle CONNECT: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ Business Email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#158 Could Consciousness Be an Illusion? 18 Jun 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Keith Frankish is a British philosopher specialising in philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, and philosophy of cognitive science. Read Keith's essay, "Illusionism as a theory of consciousness" (2016). Find Keith's website here. Keith Frankish and Philip Goff co-host a channel 'Mind Chat', where they debate panpsychism versus illusionism, and explore cutting-edge thought on consciousness: / @mindchat TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Is Consciousness An Illusion? (4:02) Do We Have a Private World? (10:00) The Nature of Visual Experience (20:13) Is Awareness Behavioural? (28:17) Isn’t Introspection Itself a Private Experience? (33:04) Philosophical Zombies (43:05) What Motivates Illusionism? (50:02) Psychedelics and the Dissolution of the Self (59:23) Why Are Philosophers Always Categorising? (1:10:31) Does Alex’s Triangle Exist? (1:21:40) Is Pain Just a Reaction to Stimulus? (1:49:05) Is Pain an Emergent Phenomenon? (1:55:52) What Illusion Is Actually Happening? (1:59:07) Can AI Be Conscious? CONNECT My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#157 How a Blind Man Sees the World - Tommy Edison 08 Jun 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. @TommyEdisonXP is a blind YouTuber and radio presenter. He got his start online as the “Blind Film Critic”, reviewing movies despite being unable to see them, and thereby offering a unique angle on their storytelling. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Being a Blind YouTuber (2:03) How Do You Understand Blindness If You Are Blind From Birth? (4:26) Being Blind in School (7:20) Tommy’s Early Life (12:11) Has Life Become More Accessible For the Blind? (19:35) How Vision is Embedded in Our Language (21:35) How Does A Blind Person Watch A Movie? (25:40) What Does Tommy Know About Colour? (27:51) Mary’s Room (32:16) Can A Blind Person Play Video Games? (35:39) The Questions People Are Too Afraid to Ask (41:42) How Does A Blind Person Understand Attractiveness? (44:27) What Can We Make More Accessible? (48:24) Why Electric Cars Aren’t Best For Everyone (51:33) Is Offering Help Patronising? (54:35) What Can Tommy Do That People Think He Can’t? (58:32) Why Tommy Chooses Joy CONNECT My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#156 Mysticism: The Heretics Who Got Too Close to God - Simon Critchley 26 May 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Simon Critchley is a British philosopher, author and professor at The New School in New York. He is best known for his work on existentialism, mysticism, ethics and continental philosophy, and is the author of books including The Book of Dead Philosophers, Faith of the Faithless and Mysticism. Get Simon's book Mysticism ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS: (7:52) What is Mysticism? (18:58) Unification With the Divine (29:58) Mysticism and the Self (40:38) Why Are So Many Mystics Women? (48:41) The Limits of Language (59:54) Was Pascal a Mystic? (01:03:21) Where Does Simon Stand on Mysticism? (01:11:22) Where Should We Start With Learning About Mysticism? (01:15:36) Imagery in Simon’s Book CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#155 AI Music is Not Music - Adam Neely 13 May 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at www.huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. Adam Neely is an American bassist, YouTuber, and jazz musician based in New York City. His YouTube content includes Q&A videos, vlogs about performing music, and video essays about online music culture. As a musician, he performs with groups including the electro-jazz duo Sungazer and the instrumental band Aberdeen.Watch Adam's video on Suno here. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Music and Philosophy(5:17) Can You Cheat in Music?(9:07) What is Suno?(25:20) Can You Use AI Musically?(32:21) Is AI Just the New Sampling?(38:40) AI and Inclusivity(46:21) Is Music Becoming Narcissistic?(57:26) Does Great Art Require Ego?(01:07:04) Are AI Music Tools Inevitable?(01:22:55) How Would Adam Improve Suno?(01:35:44) Are We Removing the Humanity From Music?(01:44:18) Is Jazz the Blueprint? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#154 Happiness: Epicurus' Ancient Guide - Jonny Thomson 04 May 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Jonny Thomson is a philosopher and the founder of ⁠PhilosophyMinis ⁠. He is on the Executive Board for the British Philosophy Association and is a staff writer at Big Think.Get Jonny's upcoming book, ⁠The Art of Enough: The Ancient Epicurean Philosophy of Finding – and Keeping – Happiness⁠ TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Are Epicureans Selfish? (05:30) Why Epicureanism? (10:31) Who Was Epicurus? (16:42) Godless But Not Atheistic (23:21) Epicurus’ Metaphysics (27:24) Why Focus on Pleasure? (35:29) Epicureanism vs Utilitarianism (48:59) What About Immoral Pleasures? (53:02) Could AI be Epicurean? (01:00:50) The Experience Machine (01:10:59) Why Epicurus Didn’t Like Sex (01:16:21) Are Influencers Watering Down Ancient Philosophy? (01:20:06) Are You In Control of Your Happiness? (01:26:33) Epicureanism vs Stoicism (01:32:36) Epicurus on Death (01:36:42) Do We Have a Happiness Crisis? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#153 If Anyone Builds It, EVERYONE Dies - AI Expert on Superintelligence 26 Apr 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Nate Soares is an American artificial intelligence author and researcher known for his work on existential risk from AI. In 2014, Soares co-authored a paper that introduced the term AI alignment, the challenge of making increasingly capable AI’s behave as intended. Nate is the president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, a research nonprofit based in Berkeley, California. Get the book, ⁠If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All⁠. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Is This an Exaggeration? (04:31) What Is Unique About the Threat of AI? (11:28) What is Superintelligence? (21:25) From Chess Computers to Murderous Machines (27:52) What Really Drives AI Systems? (44:29) Evidence AI Is Already Turning Against Us (56:03) How We Are Helping AI Take Over (01:01:21) Why Would AI Seek Power or Control? (01:07:42) Some Worst-Case AI Scenarios (01:18:38) What Do We Do About This Now? (01:32:53) How Has AI Changed in the Last Six Months? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS: Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#152 Why AI Will Never Be Conscious 20 Apr 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at ⁠https://huel.com/alexoconnor ⁠(Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Anil Seth is a British neuroscientist and professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. A proponent of materialist explanations of consciousness, he is currently amongst the most cited scholars on the topics of neuroscience and cognitive science globally. Read Anil's essay, ⁠"The Mythology of Conscious AI"⁠. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) The Difference Between Intelligence and Consciousness (03:55) What’s Stopping the Replication of Consciousness in AI? (17:01) Can You Separate What the Brain Is From What It Does? (22:20) Is Conscious Experience Just Predictions From the Brain? (26:48) Why Do We Project Consciousness Onto LLMs? (37:27) Can Consciousness Exist Without a Body? (42:25) Why We Liken the Brain to a Computer (52:11) Is There An Evolutionary Reason For Consciousness? (56:29) Studying Unconscious Perception? (1:01:21) Is Consciousness Unified? Split-Brain Patients (1:15:10) Attention and Consciousness (1:19:04) What Would a Conscious Chatbot Even Look Like? (1:25:13) Consciousness as a Controlled Hallucination (1:34:19) Do Scientists Actually Study “Consciousness” At All? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#151 John Lennox - What Nearly Dying Taught Me About God 13 Apr 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. John Lennox is a Northern Irish mathematician, bioethicist, and Christian apologist originally from Northern Ireland. He has written many books on religion, ethics, the relationship between science and God, and has had public debates with atheists including Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Exclusive discount: Listeners to my show can get 30% Off John Lennox’s autobiography, My Story when shopping directly from his publishers. Visit https://spckpublishing.co.uk/my-story and enter AOC30 at checkout to get 30% off. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) How Pressure Can Produce the Best Work (02:29) Does the Incarnation Make Sense? (06:22) John’s Richard Dawkins Debate (14:39) What Did the New Atheists Get Wrong About God? (26:21) Science Cannot Explain Everything (31:22) What Did the New Atheists Get Right? (35:18) Why Does God Hide From So Many People? (44:36) Why Does God Allow Arbitrary Suffering? (56:25) Is Faith “Belief Without Evidence”? (1:00:33) How Could God Punish a Mere Lack of Faith? (1:08:14) How Christopher Hitchens Agreed with Jesus (1:13:03) Does Christianity Cause Evil? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#150 Materialist AND Panpsychism are True - Galen Strawson 08 Apr 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Galen Strawson is a British analytic philosopher and literary critic who works primarily on philosophy of mind, metaphysics, John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Is Radical Emergence Possible? (08:15) Can Physics Describe Consciousness? (12:01) Is Everything Made of Consciousness? (18:34) Why Are People Resistant to Panpsychism? (21:19) Can Experience Alone Tell Us What Consciousness Is? (23:50) Does Consciousness Require Complexity? (29:03) Panpsychism vs Idealism: What’s the Difference? (36:08) The Combination Problem (40:03) What is the “Self”? (43:16) Do We Even Need to Explain Consciousness? (48:25) Is Consciousness a Scientific or Philosophical Question? (53:25) Is It Possible for AI to Become Conscious? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#149 My Problem With C.S. Lewis - Philip Pullman 02 Apr 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Philip Pullman is one of England's most cherished and celebrated writers. Author of the popular His Dark Materials series of books (later adapted into a film, The Golden Compass (2007), and a 2019 HBO/BBC drama series), his novels are dripping with philosophical and religious themes. Get Philip Pullman's Books ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) C.S. Lewis Tells Filthy Lies (5:12) Childhood Innocence is Overrated (10:09) Religion in Philip’s Novels (21:26) How to Improve the Story of Jesus and the Gospels (27:43) The Connection Between Music and Fiction (36:24) Books vs Movies (43:38) Consciousness in The Book of Dust (50:05) Should Novelists Go Back and Update Their Books? (56:11) The Omniscient Narrator (1:00:12) How Movies Changed Novels (1:05:49) Why Subtitles Are So Popular Now (1:10:56) The Role of Philosophy in Philip’s Novels (1:13:27) Philip’s Writing Process (1:20:11) The Fear of AI in Creative Industries CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#148 Blaise Pascal: Philosopher, Mathematician, Genius - Graham Tomlin 25 Mar 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Graham Tomlin is a British theologian, author and former Church of England bishop. Get Graham's book, ⁠Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World⁠. Graham's organisation, ⁠Seen and Unseen⁠. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Can Blaise Pascal Be Categorised? (03:05) Who Was Blaise Pascal? (11:12) Pascal’s First Conversion (17:19) Pascal’s “Night of Fire” (21:59) Did Pascal Reject Reason? (31:45) Pascal’s War With Descartes (42:31) Did Pascal Invent the Bus? (45:42) The Heart Has Its Reasons, Of Which Reason Knows Nothing (50:03) How Pascal Invented Probability Theory (52:29) Pascal’s Wager (1:15:35) The Pensées (1:18:30) Pascal’s “Two Minds” (1:22:39) The Importance of Boredom (1:26:58) Why Should Atheists Read Pascal? (1:31:34) What Would Graham Ask Pascal? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#147 What is PURE Consciousness? - Thomas Metzinger 18 Mar 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Thomas Metzinger is a German philosopher and Professor Emeritus of theoretical philosophy at the University of Mainz. His primary research areas include philosophy of mind, philosophy of neuroscience, and applied ethics, particularly focusing on neurotechnology, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. Get The Elephant and the Blind: The Experience of Pure Consciousness: Philosophy, Science, and 500+ Experiential Reports TIMESTAMPS (0:00) The Minimal Phenomenal Experience Project (11:34) Is MPE New Age Meditation? (17:07) Collecting Reports of Pure Consciousness (25:48) Lucid Deep Sleep - Thomas’ Experience (32:19) Does Consciousness Require Complexity? (39:29) The Power of Meditation (45:32) Is Meditation Always a Positive Experience? (53:13) Is a MPE Actually an Experience? (01:11:21) Your Brain is Not Telling You the Truth (01:20:08) Analysing Minimal Conscious Experiences (01:27:26) Is Meditative Enlightenment Unethical? (01:32:37) Western Ignorance of Eastern Tradition (01:40:13) “Coming Home” (01:44:29) The Political Implications of MPE (01:52:40) Should Ketamine Be Legalised? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#146 The Most Complicated Thing in the Universe: What is the Brain? 08 Mar 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Matthew Cobb is a British zoologist and Emeritus professor of zoology at the University of Manchester. Get his book, ⁠The Idea of the Brain: A History⁠, Closer to Truth's Map of Consciousness: ⁠loc.closertotruth.com/map⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) The Minimal Phenomenal Experience Project (11:34) Is MPE New Age Meditation? (17:07) Collecting Reports of Pure Consciousness (25:48) Lucid Deep Sleep - Thomas’ Experience (32:19) Does Consciousness Require Complexity? (39:29) The Power of Meditation (45:32) Is Meditation Always a Positive Experience? (53:13) Is a MPE Actually an Experience? (01:11:21) Your Brain is Not Telling You the Truth (01:20:08) Analysing Minimal Conscious Experiences (01:27:26) Is Meditative Enlightenment Unethical? (01:32:37) Western Ignorance of Eastern Tradition (01:40:13) “Coming Home” (01:44:29) The Political Implications of MPE (01:52:40) Should Ketamine Be Legalised? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#145 The Algorithm is God Now - The Etymology Nerd 04 Mar 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Adam Aleksic, known online as Etymology Nerd, is an American linguist and content creator who produces videos exploring the origins of words. He began exploring word origins in 2016 through his blog. Aleksic studied at Harvard University, where he gained attention for his educational TikTok videos on linguistics and language in 2023. In 2025, he published Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language. Buy "Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language": https://amzn.to/3NcOLpw TIMESTAMPS (0:00) Will Social Media End Local Languages? (7:49) Why Does Language Change? (15:11) What Is Algospeak? (22:33) We Worship Our Phones (27:36) Upcoming Slang to Invest In (33:26) Online Slang That Never Quite Caught On (38:48) Introducing Adam to British Slang (47:13) The Origins of Language (57:22) Punctuation in Text Messaging (1:06:24) The Latin Mass and Hocus Pocus (1:13:44) The Message of Algospeak CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#144 Sam Harris - Spirituality for Atheists. 25 Feb 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher, New York Times best-selling author, host of the Making Sense podcast, and creator of the Waking Up meditation app. Buy the Waking Up book here. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Tour (00:32) Is ‘Spirituality’ a Dirty Word? (04:26) Why Take Reflective Knowledge Seriously? (29:11) What Is the Self? (47:04) Why Are There Distinct Selves? (1:01:22) The Two Hemispheres of the Brain (1:06:47) The Problem of Emergence (1:18:41) What’s the Minimal Amount of Consciousness? (1:34:09) Is AI Lying to Us About Consciousness? (1:39:15) What Is the Present? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#143 Hinduism, Consciousness and Advaita Vedanta - Swami Sarvapriyananda 16 Feb 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Swami Sarvapriyananda is a Hindu monk belonging to the Ramakrishna Order. He is the current resident Swami and Minister in Charge, of the Vedanta Society of New York. TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Tour (00:32) An Intro to Hinduism and Advaita Vedanta (14:31) What Are the Upanishads (22:08) Where Do the Vedas (Scripture) Come From? (29:02) What Does “Upanishad” Mean? (34:36) What Do the Upanishads Teach Us? (47:07) What Is Brahman, or Ultimate Existence? (1:02:52) What Is the True Nature of Consciousness? (1:08:15) Non-Dualism in Advaita Vedanta (1:18:34) Why Isn’t There Just One Big Consciousness? (1:29:06) What Is the Self? (1:36:30) Are Brahman and Atman the Same Thing? (1:45:25) What Does ‘God’ Mean in Hinduism? (1:49:07) Does Hinduism Believe Other Religions Are Incorrect? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

Atheist Slogans You Should Stop Using - Joe Schmid 08 Feb 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack. Joe Schmid is a PhD student in philosophy at Princeton University and creator of the Majesty of Reason YouTube channel. He graduated with a B.A. in philosophy from Purdue University in 2022. He has published articles in metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of time, and the author of books including "Existential Inertia and Classical Theistic Proofs". Felipe Leon’s 200 arguments for atheism: https://exapologist.blogspot.com/2023/03/200-or-so-arguments-for-atheism.html TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Tour (00:32) Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence (07:50) There Is No Evidence for God (25:27) Who Created God? (49:44) Science Flies You to the Moon, Religion Flies You into Buildings (01:02:33) Your Location Determines Your Religion (01:28:33) Claims Are Not Evidence (01:32:50) You Can’t Prove a Negative (01:38:35) What Can Be Asserted Without Evidence Can Be Dismissed Without Evidence (01:43:51) Faith Is Belief Without Evidence (01:54:59) Religion Makes Good People Do Bad Things (01:55:32) Absence of Evidence Is Evidence of Absence (01:56:31) Theism Is Unfalsifiable (02:01:03) Science Books Would Come Back, Religions Would Not (02:12:58) Evolution Disproves God CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#141 Stoicism: Everything You Need to (Actually) Know - John Sellars 03 Feb 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. John Sellars is a Reader in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, a visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Member of Wolfson College, Oxford. His books include Lessons in Stoicism, The Fourfold Remedy, Aristotle and his work has been translated into over a dozen languages. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Tour (00:32) Did Socrates Found Stoicism? (08:03) The Three Eras of Stoicism (17:50) Stoic Logic (26:19) Empiricism: How the Stoics Got Knowledge (34:33) Materialism: Only Physical Things Exist (43:00) How Reason Fundamentally Animates the Universe (48:43) Did the Stoics Believe in God? (59:37) Do the Stoics Contradict Themselves? (01:08:17) Stoic Ethics (01:24:24) How Did the Stoics Deal With Evil? (01:36:32) Can You Choose Your Outcome If Everything Is Determined? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#140 Sean Carroll - The Limits of Scientific Explanation 26 Jan 2026

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Sean Michael Carroll is an American theoretical physicist who specializes in quantum mechanics, cosmology, and the philosophy of science. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Tour 0:32 – Can Science Alone Explain the Universe? 6:08 – The Principle of Sufficient Reason 10:07 – What Are the Laws of Physics? 18:22 – The Fine-Tuning Argument 32:39 – Does the Multiverse Undermine Morality? 36:29 – Free Will and the Multiverse 42:24 – What Is Emergence? 56:21 – What “Stuff” Do Materialists Believe In? 1:02:41 – How Does Consciousness Work on Materialism? 1:17:31 – What Could Move Sean Away from Materialism? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#139 David Bentley Hart - All Things Are Full of Gods 18 Jan 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor - https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase). TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Intro (0:32) Are All Things Full of Gods? (8:51) Subjectivity and the Scientific Third Person (18:56) What is the Materialistic Worldview? (28:45) Consciousness of the Gaps? (38:21) What’s Wrong with Emergence? (1:00:18) Why Panpsychism is False (1:10:25) Is There a Fundamental Unit of Consciousness? (1:23:08) Why Are There Individual Selves? (1:27:43) What’s Special About the Brain? (1:40:35) Where Does the Self Go After Death? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#138 Rhett McLaughlin - How to Save Christianity From Christians 11 Jan 2026

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $75 purchase). Rhett McLaughlin is a comedian best known for creating the internet’s most-watched daily talk show, Good Mythical Morning‬, alongside Link Neal. The pair also host a weekly podcast, ‪Ear Biscuits‬. Timestamps: 0:00 – Tour 0:32 – Did Rhett Break Christianity on Easter Sunday? 6:15 – What About Christianity Needs Rethinking? 12:16 – Christians Should Embrace Faith 23:39 – Christians Should Stop Relying on Evidence 37:01 – Christians Should Stop Relying on Philosophy 49:05 – Christians Should Embrace Truth 55:15 – Why Do Christians Resist Evolution? 1:02:55 – Are Alex and Rhett About to Convert to Christianity? 1:07:49 – Christians Should Embrace Jesus 1:34:30 – Rhett’s New Channel CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#137 Debunking Arguments for God - Graham Oppy 04 Jan 2026

Graham Oppy is Professor of Philosophy and Associate Dean of Research at Monash University. An Australian philosopher of religion, he is often considered one of the most thoughtful and important academic atheists in the world. Buy his book, Arguing About Gods, here. Timestamps: 00:00 - Tour 00:31 - The First Cause Argument 14:14 - Can There be an Infinite Regress? 30:46 - The Modal Fatalism Objection 36:08 - The Kalam Cosmological Argument 51:12 - The Fine Tuning Argument 1:06:15 - The Multiverse 1:10:01 - Are the Constants of the Universe Just Necessary?1:15:37 - Was the Hole Designed for the Puddle? 1:20:20 - Anselm’s Ontological Argument 1:33:59 - The Modal Ontological Argument 1:38:23 - Closing CONNECT My Website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ ⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ ⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#136 Why Did The World Get So Ugly? - Alain de Botton 26 Dec 2025

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com. Alain de Botton is the creator of The School of Life. A Swiss-born British author and public speaker, his books discuss various contemporary subjects and themes, emphasising philosophy's relevance to everyday life. TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Is the World Getting Uglier? (14:32) Is Beauty Right Wing? (28:33) Beauty Needs Context (31:17) How Music Ruins Everything (33:27) Our Taste Reflects What We're Missing in Life (44:34) Is There Such a Thing as "Fake Art"? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#135 Christmas Isn't What You Think - John Nelson 20 Dec 2025

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. John Nelson earned a PhD in New Testament and Christian Origins from the University of Edinburgh in 2023. He writes for the Substack ⁠Behind the Gospels⁠. His ⁠thesis⁠ is the first book-length study of Jesus' physical appearance in the Gospels. He runs a weekly Substack called "Behind the Gospels" which aims to make Biblical studies accessible to all. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) Was Jesus Really Born on Christmas Day? (2:51) Are the Birth Narratives Attempts at History? (6:34) Where Was Jesus Actually Born? (16:19) Were the Birth Narratives Added Later? (22:21) Was Mary Really a Virgin? (34:24) Why Does Nobody Else Mention the Virgin Birth? (39:06) Was Jesus a Product of Adultery? (43:49) Was Jesus Born in a Manger? (49:34) Who Are the Magi? (55:32) Was the Star Really a Star? (1:01:30) Did Herod Really Order a Slaughter of Infants? (1:07:54) Is the Christmas Story Anti-Imperial? (1:14:40) Are Christmas Trees a Pagan Idol? (1:17:39) John’s Book and the Upcoming Tour CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

1.75m QnA - Triangles, Getting Owned by GodLogic, and Douglas Adams' Puddle 19 Dec 2025

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) 1,778,795 Q&A (0:24) How Are You? (5:12) If You Could Choose Your Date of Birth, When Would It Be? (9:36) Survival Tips From Bear Grylls? (10:21) How Do You Remember so Much Stuff? (15:24) What is Your Dream Podcast? (17:01) Doesn’t Consciousness Just… Emerge? (29:26) If You Clean a Vaccum, Are You a Vaccum Cleaner? (35:41) Is Water Wet? (37:26) How Many Holes Are In a Straw? (40:55) Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich? (42:28) Do You Edit Everything By Yourself? (43:23) What Would It Be Like to Observe a Contradiction? (43:33) Which Philosophical Concepts are Often Misunderstood? (50:29) When I Changed My Mind Mid-Debate (01:01:49) Would You Tour? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#133 Hank Green on God, Science, and Consciousness 07 Dec 2025

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Hank Green (⁠@hankschannel⁠) is one of YouTube's most beloved creators. One half of ⁠vlogbrothers⁠, he is also the co-creator and host of ⁠SciShow⁠ and ⁠Crash Course⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) Where Are All the Aliens? (8:02) What Makes Humans So Special? (18:44) Has the US Lost its Cultural Identity? (30:57) Was Martin Luther Wrong About God? (37:52) Is the World an Illusion? (48:16) Should We Believe Our Illusions? (55:22) How Objective is Science? (1:01:03) Does Science Explain Anything? (1:12:28) Could We Explain Cold to an Alien? (1:23:26) The Hard Problem of Consciousness (1:29:06) Will Computers Ever Become Conscious? (1:37:20) Do You Have Two Brains? (1:43:52) Should We Be Worried About TikTok? (1:50:30) Hank’s Video Ideas (2:01:02) What’s it Like Meeting Your Old Heroes? (2:07:14) Being a YouTuber CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#132 Vsauce - Does Anything Exist? 30 Nov 2025

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ⁠https://ground.news/AlexOC⁠ - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Michael Stevens is the creator of ⁠Vsauce⁠, one of YouTube's most popular channels. Alongside Hannah Fry he hosts the newly-launched podcast ⁠The Rest is Science⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) Does Anything Really Exist? (10:32) Is Michael a Mereological Nihilist? (19:42) Are Philosophers Overcomplicating Function Behaviour? (25:24) Do “You” Really Exist? (41:57) Free Will and the Bicameral Mind Theory (50:09) Why the Future Isn’t Changing Like It Used To (59:11) The Scientific Mystery of Torque? (01:17:46) Consciousness CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#131 Toby Ord - Will AI Destroy Humanity? 27 Nov 2025

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Toby Ord is an Australian philosopher. In 2009 he founded Giving What We Can, an international society whose members pledge to donate at least 10% of their income to effective charities, and is a key figure in the effective altruism movement, which promotes using reason and evidence to help the lives of others as much as possible. The Precipice: https://amzn.to/3XdUAEx Ord's Website: https://www.tobyord.com/writings TIMESTAMPS (0:00) What Existential Risks Does AI Pose? (8:57) How AI Systems Lie to Us (26:04) Why We Should Be Worried About AI (33:28) What Does It Mean for AI System to “Want” Something? (43:41) AI Weapons and Nuclear Warfare (48:57) Where Should We Focus Our Resources? (53:35) What Policies Should We Enact? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#130 Philip Goff - Why I'm a Heretical Christian 16 Nov 2025

For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. Philip Goff is a British author, panpsychist philosopher, and professor at Durham University whose research focuses on philosophy of mind and consciousness. Specifically, how consciousness can be part of the scientific worldview. Buy Philip's books here. Timestamps (0:00) Why Philip Became a "Heretical Christian" (7:13) Panpsychism and the Fine-Tuning Argument (18:46) Why God’s Power is Limited (30:10) The Problem of Suffering (42:53) Non-Western Religious Positions (48:34) What is the Role of Jesus in This? (57:35) “Why Aren’t You Just a Hindu?” (01:02:23) What is the Point in the Crucifixion? (01:09:41) The Beautiful Uncertainty of Religion CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#129 Will MacAskill - We're Not Ready for Artificial General Intelligence 09 Nov 2025

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $75 purchase). For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠. William MacAskill is a Scottish philosopher and author, as well as one of the originators of the effective altruism movement. Get his book. What We Owe the Future, ⁠here⁠. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) The World Isn’t Ready for AGI (9:12) What Does AGI Doomsday Look Like? (16:13) Alignment is Not Enough (19:28) How AGI Could Cause Government Coups (27:14) Why Isn’t There More Widespread Panic? (33:55) What Can We Do? (40:11) If We Stop, China Won’t (47:43) What is Currently Being Done to Regulate AGI Growth? (51:03) The Problem of “Value Lock-in” (01:05:03) Is Inaction a Form of Action? (01:08:47) Should Effective Altruists Focus on AGI? CONNECT My Website: ⁠https://www.alexoconnor.com⁠ SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: ⁠http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Facebook: ⁠http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ Instagram: ⁠http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic⁠ CONTACT Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

#128 Bernardo Kastrup - Materialism is Complete Nonsense 02 Nov 2025

Bernardo Kastrup is a Dutch philosopher and computer scientist recognised for his contributions to consciousness studies, notably through his formulation of analytic idealism—a variant of metaphysical idealism rooted in the analytic tradition. Buy his books here. Timestamps: 0:00 - What is the World Really Made Of? 7:11 - Qualities vs Quantities 9:45 - Can Materialism Explain Anything? 25:06 - Is There More Than What We Perceive? 33:57 - Can We Exist Without a Brain? 42:15 - What is Personhood? 48:35 - Consciousness is not the Self 54:46 - Why is Mental Activity Localised? 01:10:39 - Why Panpsychism Doesn’t Make Sense 01:22:20 - Distinguishing Idealism and Panpsychism 01:32:20 - Are There Distinctions Between Material Objects? 01:39:14 - The Illusion of the Self 01:46:16 - The Biggest Misunderstanding of Analytical Idealism

#127 Bear Grylls - Retelling Jesus' Life as a Thriller 26 Oct 2025

Bear Grylls is a British adventurer, writer, television presenter and former SAS trooper who is also a survival expert. Widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild, he was also appointed as The Scout Association’s youngest-ever Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories at the age of 35. His new book, The Greatest Story Ever Told, is a retelling of the life of Jesus through the eyes of five Gospel characters: Mary the mother of Jesus, Thomas, Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Retelling Christianity in the First Person 12:36 - Faith and Doubt Come Together 16:46 - Did Bear’s Research Cause Doubt or Faith? 28:01 - Reconciling the Differences Between the Gospels 39:50 - On Not Putting Words in Jesus’ Mouth 48:59 - Where Alex’s Interest in the Gospels Began 55:24 - Travelling Back to the Time of Jesus: Where Would You Go?

#126 Was Jesus an Ancient Magician? - Religion for Breakfast 19 Oct 2025

Exclusive NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/withinreason. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Andrew Mark Henry is a scholar of religious studies. His research focus is early Christianity and late Roman religion. He earned his PhD at Boston University.His YouTube channel is "Religion for Breakfast", find it here. Timestamps: 0:00 - Was Jesus a Magician? 3:35 - The Origins of ‘Magic’ 10:02 - Celsus, Christianity’s Earliest Critic 16:35 - The Wise Magi 19:59 - Did Jesus Use a Wand? 30:22 - Curses, Rituals, and Magical Formulas 40:43 - What Kind of “Magus” Was Jesus? 43:52 - Was Jesus a Freelance Ritual Expert? 48:34 - Charisma and the Origin of Exorcism 53:03 - Grimoires: The Magic of the Written Word 01:08:40 - The Religion Department

#125 Emily Qureshi-Hurst - Does God Know What Time It Is? 12 Oct 2025

Dr. Qureshi-Hurst is a Philosopher of Religion and Science at the University of Cambridge. Her work focuses on the relationship between physics—and time in particular—and theology. Her forthcoming book, Decoding the Cosmos: God, Physics, and the Search for Deeper Explanation, explores this relationship in depth. Improve your focus with Brain FM with 30 days free: https://www.brain.fm/withinreason. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Does the Bible Predict the Big Bang?2:37 - Scientists and Theologians10:18 - Where Did Biblical Literalism Come From?17:31 - How Does Science Conflict with Theology?23:47 - Does God Experience Time?29:27 - The A, B and C Series of Time38:38 - Timeless God, Timed Universe42:52 - Christianity and the End of the Universe48:35 - Intelligent Design and Modern Science55:58 - Is Biblical Literalism a Plausible Reading?58:32 - Why Emily is an Atheist

#124 Sisyphus 55 - So You're Having an Existential Crisis 05 Oct 2025

Ben Thomas is @Sisyphus55, a YouTuber creating videos about philosophy, existentialism, nihilism, absurdism, and meaning. His new book, So You're Having an Existential Crisis: a Roadmap for Lost Souls, is available now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#123 Candida Moss - Were Early Christians Really Persecuted by Rome? 28 Sep 2025

Candida Moss is a historian of Christianity and author of The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#122 Robert Greene - Near-Death Experiences and the Mind Apart From the Brain 21 Sep 2025

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $75 purchase). Robert Greene is an American author of books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written seven international bestsellers, including The 48 Laws of Power. He is working on a book about the concept of the sublime, and speaks today about its relation to near-death experiences, dreaming, consciousness, and religious belief. Buy his books here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#121 John Cottingham - The Father of Modern Philosophy: René Descartes 16 Sep 2025

John Cottingham (born 1943) is an English philosopher. The focus of his research has been early-modern philosophy (especially Descartes), the philosophy of religion and moral philosophy. He is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Reading, Professorial Research Fellow at Heythrop College, University of London, and Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Oxford. He is also a current Visiting Professor to the Philosophy Department at King's College, London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#120 Brant Pitre - Jesus DID Claim to be God 10 Sep 2025

Brant Pitre is an American New Testament scholar and Distinguished Research Professor of Scripture at the Augustine Institute. He has written extensively on the historical Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Paul the Apostle, the origin of the Eucharist, and the canonical Gospels. His book, Jesus and Divine Christology, is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#119 Jim Al-Khalili - The Strange World of Quantum Physics 01 Sep 2025

Jim Al-Khalili is an Iraqi-British theoretical physicist and science populariser. He is professor of theoretical physics and chair in the public engagement in science at the University of Surrey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#118 Joe Folley - Everything You Need to Know About Logic 24 Aug 2025

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/withinreason Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee Joe Folley runs the YouTube channel Unsolicited Advice. He graduated from Cambridge University in 202with an MPhil in Philosophy, specialising in logic. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - What is Logic? 5:04 - Aristotelian vs Stoic Logic 12:47 - How Logic Provides Clarity 18:42 Ambiguities in Logical Language 29:07 - Validity vs Soundness in a Logical Argument 39:40 Why Anything Follows From a Contradiction 47:42 - The Law of Non-Contradiction 56:27 - What is Truth and Falsity in Logic? 58:36 - Does Your Mum Know You’re Gay? 1:05:05 What is Fuzzy Logic? 01:08:14 - What is Modal Logic? 01:13:40 - Informal Rules of Logic 01:29:15 - Resources to Learn About Logic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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