The search for higher states of consciousness | Philosopher Jessica Frazier

The search for higher states of consciousness | Philosopher Jessica Frazier

Author: IAI January 13, 2026 Duration: 38:06
Are we living in the moment? Are we really free? How can we transcend the constant anxieties of our mind? Throughout history, certain people in the West and the East have claimed that the human mind could reach states of so-called higher consciousness. In the twentieth century, several thinkers like Heidegger and Nietzsche returned to this possibility, trying to find the higher regions of the mind. Join Oxford philosopher Jessica Frazier as she explores tales of higher states of mind, and debates whether these experiences are scientific, spiritual, or pure esoteric imagination.Please do email us at podcast@iai.tv with any of your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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: 50

Philosophy For Our Times
Podcast Episodes
Why artists shouldn't fear AI | Jaron Lanier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:25
Jaron Lanier, a visionary computer scientists, composer and futurist, explores what art and creativity will look like in the AI age.
The return of idealism | James Tartaglia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:24
Philosopher James Tartaglia explores the idealist view of consciousness in which experience is divided into the phenomenal and the transcendent.
Reimagining the right | Richard Tice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:44
Richard Tice explains how Reform has disrupted the two-party system and the seemingly contradictory left and right-wing policies behind it.
Is philosophy becoming irrelevant? | Mary Midgley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:37
Does philosophy still matter in today's world? If so, why are students less and less interested in studying in it?In a special episode from the IAI archives, Mary Midgley addresses the declining interest in philosophy am…
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.