What? Why? When?

In this episode Dr Matt Williams speaks to Jesus students (Amber, 1st year History and Spanish), Angus (2nd year PPE). Together they discuss the opening line of the book 'The Go Between' by LP Hartley which starts, "The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Dr Matt Williams is joined by Jesus College, Oxford students Anabella (1st year PPE) and Ziki (1st year Music) to discuss thinking, and the ways in which thinking can and has 'gone wrong' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams speaks with Oxford students Amy (1st year biology) and Bethan (2nd year Biologist) about 'Intelligence in Plants' from a science perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams speaks with Oxford students Amber (1st year History & Spanish) and Emily (2nd year Economics & Management) to explore the role of stories, what we can learn from them and what can be done about the current reading crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams speaks with Lewis (1st year PPE) and Ruhi (1st year Biology) to talk about problems: what they are, examples from different areas and why they are considered 'problems' in the first place, in the style of an Oxford tutorial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams speaks to Oxford students Amber and Vinay (2nd year Chemists) about 'Absolutely Nothing'. What does it mean for something to be 'nothing', and how do we conceptualise it? Is dark matter 'nothing'? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode Dr Matt Williams speaks to Oxford students Alana (3rd Year Law) and Arav (3rd year Mathematics) about the concepts of happiness and cheerfulness in the style of an Oxford tutorial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode Dr Matt Williams speaks to Oxford students Nick (3rd year PPE) and Sienna (3rd year Biologist) about all things 'Weird and Wonderful' through the lens of biology and philosophy, in the style of an Oxford tutorial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams talks to two Oxford students Brandon and Dorothea about the concepts of beauty, art and taste, in the format of an Oxford tutorial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams speaks to Oxford students Shorief and Skye to unpack the question of 'why countries exist', from a politics, history and law perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to season 2 of the What? Why? When? Podcast from Oxford University hosted by Dr Matt Williams! In this podcast we aim to discuss a range of interesting topics in the format of an Oxford University tutorial to give you a taste of Oxbridge teaching. This episode is all about 'The Amazing You', featuring 2 of our students at Jesus College, Oxford. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

In this episode of the What? Why? When? Podcast, Dr. Matt Williams is joined by Jesus College students Lara (Law, 2nd year) and Charlie (History, 3rd year) for conversation on Human Progress — from pre-civilization societies to the age of AI. From Mesopotamian farming to ChatGPT, this episode dives into philosophy, history, law, and even space exploration in an attempt to answer the question: Have...

In this episode Dr. Matt Williams is joined by first-year PPE student Angus McIntyre for a deep-dive discussion that blends philosophy, politics, law, and a touch of pop culture. Does James Bond really have a license to kill? — listen on for an exploration of state power, natural vs. positive law, morality, policing, and the legitimate use of violence by governments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

In this episode of the What? Why? When? podcast, Dr Matt Williams is joined by Jesus College Oxford students Becky (Medicine) and Joel (PPE) for a deep dive into medical ethics. Starting with a real Oxford interview question — who should receive a life-saving kidney transplant — the conversation explores pressing ethical frameworks: consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, and more. Hosted on...

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams is joined by Oxford medical student Becky and access officer Leah for a discussion on stress – from the neuroscience behind it to modern causes, like exams or even hearing Wham! at Christmas. We explore: - What happens in your brain and body during stress - The role of cortisol, adrenaline, and the autonomic nervous system - How stress evolved (even bacteria exper...

In this episode, Dr Matt Williams speaks with Jubeda (3rd year historian) and Yannick (1st year Physicist) to discuss none other than the meaning of life! Tune in to hear the discussions on; -The meaning OF life vs the meaning IN life -The role of sentience in meaning -The role of religion and community in finding purpose -What makes US? How do we define what we are? -Can life be created synthetic...

Why does Superman wear his underwear over his tights? Why the cape, the bright colours, and the chest logo? In this episode Dr Matt Williams is joined by Oxford history undergraduates Andy and Danny to unravel the surprising historical, cultural, and psychological origins behind Superman’s iconic costume. As well as discussing circus strongmen, Nietzsche's Übermensch, and American patriotism in co...

Why do some people thirst for power, even when it brings stress, scrutiny, and responsibility? Dr Matt Williams is joined by History student Charlie and Digital Access Officer Imaan to explore the psychology, politics, and cultural roots of power. From superhero myths to prime ministers, we explore; What is power — and who decides who gets it? Why are we drawn to powerful figures? Does a desire fo...

Dr. Matt Williams, Imaan (Digital Access Officer and English graduate) and Uzumma (first-year Law student) tackle one of the biggest, most complex questions of all time: What is Intelligence? From Einstein to Mozart, IQ tests to emotional intelligence, and from brain biology to social myths—we explore what makes someone "intelligent," how intelligence is measured (or mismeasured), and whether it’s...

Dr Matt Williams sits down with Geography student Hannah and Access Officer and Geography graduate Leah to tackle one of the most urgent questions of our time: Why is there so little action on climate change, especially from our political leaders? We explore climate denial, political inertia, economic trade-offs, and the social psychology behind inaction—even when the science is clear. We also exp...

In this episode, Dr. Matt Williams is joined by Oxford students, Emily (Economics and Management) and Joel (Philosophy, Politics, Economics), to explore the big question: 'Does democracy cause economic growth'? This episode, we dive into the core of the thought-provoking question, the factors that drive economic growth, and whether there’s a causal link between the two. Along the way, we discuss t...

🎙️ In this episode, Dr Matt Williams is joined by access colleagues Imaan and Leah to dive deep into the power of language: Who invents words? Why does the word literally now mean... not literally? What’s the difference between scone and scone? How do class, culture, colonisation, and even croissants shape the way we speak? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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