Crisis in the academy | Yaron Brook, Eric Kaufmann, Catherine Liu

Crisis in the academy | Yaron Brook, Eric Kaufmann, Catherine Liu

Author: IAI March 31, 2026 Duration: 46:43
Yaron Brook, Catherine Liu, and Eric Kaufmann debate whether universities have lost their purpose amid concerns over academic freedom, value, and rising costs, and consider whether education and research should be radically reformed or replaced.

Each week, Philosophy For Our Times opens up a space for genuine conversation, moving beyond headlines to examine the deeper questions shaping our world. Produced by the IAI, this podcast naturally draws on a global roster of philosophers, scientists, and cultural critics who don't just offer answers but engage in substantive debates. You'll hear discussions that feel urgent and relevant, whether they're untangling the ethics of new technology, probing the tensions in contemporary politics, or exploring what art tells us about society. The aim is to apply rigorous thought to the issues that dominate the news and our personal lives, making complex ideas accessible without losing their depth. Tuning into this podcast is like having a front-row seat to the conversations that define our moment, delivered with the clarity and nuance that thoughtful examination requires. It’s a weekly invitation to pause and reflect, using philosophy not as a remote discipline but as a vital tool for understanding.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Philosophy For Our Times
Podcast Episodes
Human perception is imagination | Nadine Dijkstra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:22
Nadine Dijkstra is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Neurology at UCL. Her research in Imaging Neuroscience explores how the brain generates mental images and differentiates them from actual perception. Utiliz…
The brain filters consciousness | Alex Gomez-Marin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:16
Neuroscientist and theoretical physicist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that the brain may not produce consciousness, but instead may filter or permit it.
Slavoj Žižek on quantum history and the end of the past [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:10
Slavoj Žižek explores how quantum mechanics challenges our understanding of the past, arguing that reality’s inherent incompleteness reshapes how we think about history, politics, and power today.
A new theory of ethics | Martha Nussbaum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:28
Join philosopher and ethicist Martha Nussbaum as she argues for a brand new theory of animal ethics in which 'suffering' is not simply a question of pain.
On the nature of reality | Rowan Williams and Iain McGilchrist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:53
Join Rowan Williams and Iain McGilchrist as they tackle the ever-elusive matter of knowledge, referencing language, the Romantic poets and the Coronavirus pandemic as a means of uncovering the truth about truth.