logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
19m 10s

The making of reality | Hilary Lawson

Iai
About this episode

Could it be that the world's true essence is beyond our comprehension? And what if this isn't a drawback, but an advantage? Explore this paradox in this interview with Hilary Lawson.

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

We tend to think the world is divided into bits, and we spend time trying to define those bits. But what if this metaphysical approach is false? In this interview, we sit down with the post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson who walks us through his theory of Closure, a non-realist view which describes the world as an open, unreachable 'other', and provides an account of how we enclose the world with our language, thoughts and categories.

Hilary Lawson is a philosopher and a renowned critic of philosophical realism. He is best known for his work on reflexivity and his theory of Closure, which puts forward a non-realist metaphysics arguing that we close the openness of the world with our thought and language.

There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=the-making-of-reality-hilary-lawson

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Oct 6
The language of the unconscious: Pyschoanalysis and AI | Alenka Zupančič
As ChatGPT and AI increase their presence in our lives, have we interrogated enough what this means for, and about, our collective psyche?In one of the most original critiques of ChatGPT, Slovenian Lacanian philosopher Alenka Zupančič interprets large language models as a form of ... Show More
29m 46s
Sep 29
The Enlightenment is racist (and why) | Kehinde Andrews
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 ... Show More
20m 38s
Sep 16
The struggle for the good life | Massimo Pigliucci on ancient philosophy for the modern era
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 cruc ... Show More
29m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 5
Episode 147, ‘Creator or Cosmos’ with Tim Mawson and Asha Lancaster-Thomas (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
Across the world, belief in God continues to be widespread and, among philosophers, has long been considered one solution to the problems of the world’s origin, fine-tuned nature, and purpose. However, in the West, very few people have considered alternative concepts of God credi ... Show More
38m 35s
Jan 2025
The Nature of All Things: Spinoza’s Philosophical Odyssey
Professor of philosophy Colin Bodayle joins Breht to dive into the profound, unique, and almost mystical philosophy of Baruch Spinoza. Together, they discuss the value of philosophy for all of us, Spinoza as a "philosopher's philosopher", his life and death in 17th century wester ... Show More
2h 43m
Jun 2025
Talk Tracks Ep 11: Tom Campbell's Theory of Everything Explains Telepathy
What if consciousness—not matter—is the foundation of reality? In this episode of Talk Tracks, physicist and consciousness researcher Tom Campbell joins Ky Dickens to share his “Big Theory of Everything,” a model that unites quantum physics and spirituality by proposing that we a ... Show More
50m 13s
Sep 24
Part Two: The Rise of Cancel Culture, Distrust in Science & Misinformation: Dr. Steven Pinker Reveals The Hidden Psychology That Threatens Society.
The Rising Risks of Cancel Culture & The Psychology & Language That Built It! In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Steven Pinker (renowned Harvard psychologist and author of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows) joins Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen for a ... Show More
54m 41s
Apr 2025
Krishnamurti on Existence
‘What does it all mean, the existence that we lead? What is the meaning of all the work, misery, confusion, and this sense of meaningless existence?’ This episode on Existence has four sections. The first extract (2:40) is from Krishnamurti’s fifth talk in Bombay 1981, and is tit ... Show More
1h 7m
Jun 2015
Episode Zero – Think Again - Curiouser and Curiouser . . .
You've got 10 minutes with Einstein. What do you talk about? Black holes? Time travel?Why not gambling? The Art of War? Contemporary parenting?Some of the best conversations happen when we find ourselves outside of our comfort zones, thrust into unfamiliar, unexpected territory.S ... Show More
4m 43s
Mar 2025
Are We All Living Different Realities?
🔮 Is Your Reality the Same as Mine? 🤔 Ever argued about the color of that dress? Or remembered something that never happened? Welcome to the mind-bending world of Relativism. In this video, we explore whether we all live in different realities — from the science of perception t ... Show More
9m 31s
Sep 20
(#2) Elise’s Top Ten: You don't actually know what your future self wants | Shankar Vedantam
"You are constantly becoming a new person," says journalist Shankar Vedantam. In a talk full of beautiful storytelling, he explains the profound impact of something he calls the "illusion of continuity" -- the belief that our future selves will share the same views, perspectives ... Show More
16m 4s
Mar 2025
#81 Existence, Life, Society, and Creativity
We often take the wonders of existence for granted—the way we move, think, and create. In this episode, I explore the invisible structures shaping our lives, the interconnectedness of knowledge, and the beauty of human expression across cultures and disciplines. From philosophy t ... Show More
22m 1s
Sep 3
Living stories: art, space and memory
What does it mean to tell stories through the spaces we live in? And how can architecture be a source of memory and repair?In this bonus episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson revisits a powerful conversation with Kabage Karanja, architect, researcher, and co-foun ... Show More
15m 10s