This episode explores whether we can truly understand another person's experience, contrasting Sartre’s view of existential isolation with Baldwin’s belief in deep social connection through empathy and language.
Apr 28
Overcoming evolution | Subrina Smith, Keith Frankish, Simon Baron-Cohen
Is evolutionary psychology merely a way of excusing outdated behaviours? Is it instead culture which really defines how we behave?As with the animal kingdom, we see human behaviour as the product of elemental drives to survive and reproduce. Evolutionary psychology has taken this ... Show More
45m 23s
Apr 14
How they ruined philosophy | Babette Babich, Genia Schönbaumsfeld, and Christoph Schuringa
Did analytic philosophy ruin the entire discipline?For more than a century there has been a divide in Western philosophy between two distinct approaches, often described as analytic and continental philosophy. Analytic philosophy is predominantly based in the English-speaking wor ... Show More
48m 36s
Apr 2025
Krishnamurti on Existence
<p>‘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?’</p>
<p>This episode on Existence has four sections.</p>
<p>The first extract (2:40) is from Krishnamurti’s fifth talk in Bombay ... Show More
1h 7m
Feb 2025
AMOL RAJAN: NOTHING CAN PREPARE YOU FOR THE DEATH OF A PARENT
<p>Amol Rajan is a master of tough conversations - from conducting Phillip Schofield’s first interview to speaking to the likes of Novak Djokovic, Richard Branson and Greta Thunberg. However, I never imagined that I would find my conversation with Amol so challenging for myself, ... Show More
1h 4m
Dec 2018
Episode 52, Existentialism and Romantic Love with Skye Cleary (Part II)
<p>Dr Skye Cleary is a philosopher and author, best known for her work in the field of existentialism. As well as teaching at Columbia, Barnard College and the City College of New York, Skye is also the associate director of the Center for New Narratives in Philosophy at Columbia ... Show More
43m 32s
Nov 2013
Albert Camus - The Outsider
One hundred years after his birth this month’s World Book Club, will be discussing Albert Camus' seminal novel The Outsider with his acclaimed biographer Oliver Todd, and Professor of French at Sheffield University, David Walker. And appropriately the programme comes from the hea ... Show More
53m 21s
Feb 2025
CAT BURNS: AUTISM MADE ME FEEL I WAS DOING LIFE WRONG
<p>Cat Burns released a song on TikTok during lockdown, and quickly rose to becoming one of the UK’s best-selling female artists and a three-time BRIT Award nominee.</p><br><p>At just 24, her success is remarkable, but what struck me most was her wisdom and self-awareness. As som ... Show More
1h 6m
Dec 2018
Episode 52, Existentialism and Romantic Love with Skye Cleary (Part I)
<p>Dr Skye Cleary is a philosopher and author, best known for her work in the field of existentialism. As well as teaching at Columbia, Barnard College and the City College of New York, Skye is also the associate director of the Center for New Narratives in Philosophy at Columbia ... Show More
59m 8s
Aug 2025
JOANNA MACY on the World as Lover and Self⌠HOMAGE⌡ /371
On July 19th, Joanna Macy, beloved teacher and past guest, passed away peacefully at home in Berkeley, California. In honor of her legacy, we are rebroadcasting her episode “The World as Lover and Self,” originally released in 2015 when the show was titled Unlearn and Rewild.In t ... Show More
59m 43s