Best Kevin Rucker Podcasts (2025)

1
The Enlightenment is racist (and why) | Kehinde Andrews 20:38

Play Pause

20h ago20:38

20:38

The Enlightenment has faced a lot of criticism in recent years - its defenders and detractors often come head to head, scrambling to articulate its ultimate value or lack thereof to contemporary society. This podcast contributes to this wider debate and question facing all those interested in philosophy and politics: Are Enlightenment ideas salvage…

1
The struggle for the good life | Massimo Pigliucci on ancient philosophy for the modern era 29:29

14d ago29:29

29:29

We all want to live the good life. But how many of us can claim to be truly content? Join philosopher and evolutionary biologist Massimo Pigliucci as he argues that pleasure, character, and a healthy dose of doubt, form the basis of the good life, and that purpose in life is crucial to realising our potential. Massimo Pigliucci is a renowned philos…

1
Psychedelics and the structure of reality | Julian Baggini, Eileen Hall, and James Rucker 46:51

18d ago46:51

46:51

Truth, delusion and psychedelic reality Do psychedelics reveal hidden layers of reality, or are we simply tripping? Psychedelics are back in the cultural zeitgeist, this time as a treatment for mental health issues. However, critics argue that psychedelics only work by replacing mental illness with a distorted view of reality - but, is this an accu…

1
The unconscious mind: Is the unconscious real? 48:58

21d ago48:58

48:58

The unconscious has become a well-known feature of our human lived experience since Freud. We often refer to unwanted impulses, suppressed thoughts, unconscious desires, and the like. But what IS the unconscious? Is it just an easy excuse for our behaviour? Or is it a necessary piece of what it means to be human? Join our diverse and rich panel as …

1
A landscape of consciousness | Robert Lawrence Kuhn and Hilary Lawson 41:19

28d ago41:19

41:19

Will we ever reach a conclusive, agreed-upon theory of consciousness? Over the millennia of recorded history, countless stories, theories, and arguments have emerged to explain the origins of consciousness. And yet, here we are in 2025 - post-Plato, post-Descartes, post-scientific revolution - and still we don't understand the phenomenon of conscio…

1
Will psychedelics revolutionize mental health treatment? | Matthew Johnson, Shayla Love, and Kevin Sabet 49:34

1M ago49:34

49:34

The psychedelic revolution Will LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine treatments live up to the hype? For decades, psychedelics were derided as dangerous recreational drugs; now many claim they have the potential to revolutionise the treatment of mental health. With hundreds of clinical trials now taking place, the psychedelic therapeutic market is p…

1
The illusion of separation | Jessica Frazier on the Monism of Hindu philosophy 24:39

1M ago24:39

24:39

Indian philosophy and the search for unity In our everyday lives we act as though we are all separate individuals, but is this really the case? Jessica Frazer argues that reality is ultimately unified, and that this shift in perspective can change the way we live our lives. It can help you lose your isolated ego and escape feelings of alienation fr…

1
The limits of nothingness | Peter van Inwagen 27:44

1M ago27:44

27:44

From philosophy to science, metaphysics to psychology, the idea of 'nothing' is central to the universe, existence and experience as a whole. But the nature of 'nothing' is even more bewildering than we might first imagine. Parmenides argued that non-being is impossible because thinking about nothing is still something. Join philosopher Peter van I…

1
Is free will an illusion? The chemistry of freedom | Patrick Haggard, George Ellis, Jennifer Hornsby 40:10

2M ago40:10

40:10

The question of free will - and whether we have it or not - is age-old across philosophy, religion, and human thought in general. Having free will allows us to have meaning, responsibility, reward and punishment. Yet discoveries in neuroscience have put our ability to choose, outside of a set of neuronal reactions, in question. Do we have free will…

1
Has the world gone to Hell? | Slavoj Žižek on fascism, shame, and dirty jokes 41:11

2M ago41:11

41:11

Žižek: "Trump did what The Left couldn't" As we look around at the state of the modern world, it's very easy to get disheartened - and that's putting it lightly! From pointless wars and endless suffering to the decline of social bonds and trustworthy institutions, there really is a lot to get you down. Fortunately, maverick philosopher Slavoj Žižek…

1
Video games and the meaning of life | James Tartaglia 27:49

2M ago27:49

27:49

Video games are changing how we think. Many are so realistic that some argue they are becoming reality. In this talk by philosopher James Tartaglia, he uncovers the relationship between games and reality. James Tartaglia is Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Keele University. His latest book is Inner Space Philosophy: Why the Next Stage of Hum…

1
The philosophy of literature SPECIAL | George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Aldous Huxley, and more 44:01

2M ago44:01

44:01

How literature helps us to understand morality, totalitarian politics, and the life of Jesus Christ. Join the team at the IAI for four articles about great, classic literature, covering world-renowned authors such as George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Clarice Lispector, to name but a few. These articles were written by Michael Marder, Emrah Atasoy, …

1
How other species challenge our idea of consciousness | Peter Godfrey-Smith 21:13

2M ago21:13

21:13

In this IAI Studio interview, philosopher and science writer Peter Godfrey-Smith explores the evolution of consciousness and the enduring mystery of the mind–body problem. Drawing on his work with octopuses and other animals, he argues that consciousness emerged gradually through increasingly complex forms of sensory-motor interaction, rather than …

1
Utopia and human nature | Paul Bloom 27:15

3M ago27:15

27:15

Human nature and the possibility of utopia The idea of utopia - of a perfect society devoid of suffering and inequality - is planted firmly in the human imagination and psyche. From pre-biblical times to Thomas More and communism and beyond, widely disparate groups have attempted to plan or create a utopia. But is it achievable? And if not, why not…

1
More choice means less freedom | Psychologist Barry Schwartz 18:32

3M ago18:32

18:32

Why more is less We're surrounded by choice - an endless sea of possible paths we might take. However, does the overwhelming range of choices leave us better off or worse? In general, we tend to think that more is better, but Barry Schwartz, author of the ground-breaking book 'The Paradox of Choice', argues that this view is mistaken. More can lead…

1
The limits of logic: Should we embrace the irrational? |Iain McGilchrist, Beatrix Campbell, Simon Blackburn 43:28

3M ago43:28

43:28

Our culture prizes logic and rationality, if not above all else, as two of the most fundamental social traits. But are we missing out by overlooking the irrational? Can logic explain everything, or what is it missing? And is it possible to live (and enjoy) a life led by logic? Logic, in philosophy and beyond, seems to always to be self-evidently ri…

1
Consciousness begins in the body | Antonio Damasio 30:56

3M ago30:56

30:56

We tend to believe consciousness is purely mental. And since Descartes' "I think therefore I am", we've privileged the mind as the centrepiece of thought and consciousness. But such a view is mistaken argues award-winning neuroscientist Antonio Damasio. Feelings, long dismissed as secondary to thinking, are where consciousness begins, and are deepl…

Kevin Rucker Podcasts

1
Baltsheviks

Kevin Rucker, Robert Hansen, Andrew McClymont

1
Philosophy For Our Times

IAI

1
The Enlightenment is racist (and why) | Kehinde Andrews 20:38

1
The struggle for the good life | Massimo Pigliucci on ancient philosophy for the modern era 29:29

1
Psychedelics and the structure of reality | Julian Baggini, Eileen Hall, and James Rucker 46:51

1
The unconscious mind: Is the unconscious real? 48:58

1
A landscape of consciousness | Robert Lawrence Kuhn and Hilary Lawson 41:19

1
Will psychedelics revolutionize mental health treatment? | Matthew Johnson, Shayla Love, and Kevin Sabet 49:34

1
The illusion of separation | Jessica Frazier on the Monism of Hindu philosophy 24:39

1
The limits of nothingness | Peter van Inwagen 27:44

1
Is free will an illusion? The chemistry of freedom | Patrick Haggard, George Ellis, Jennifer Hornsby 40:10

1
Has the world gone to Hell? | Slavoj Žižek on fascism, shame, and dirty jokes 41:11

1
Video games and the meaning of life | James Tartaglia 27:49

1
The philosophy of literature SPECIAL | George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Aldous Huxley, and more 44:01

1
How other species challenge our idea of consciousness | Peter Godfrey-Smith 21:13

1
Utopia and human nature | Paul Bloom 27:15

1
More choice means less freedom | Psychologist Barry Schwartz 18:32

1
The limits of logic: Should we embrace the irrational? |Iain McGilchrist, Beatrix Campbell, Simon Blackburn 43:28

1
Consciousness begins in the body | Antonio Damasio 30:56