Closer To Truth

Most scientists assume that the universe must be populated with innumerable alien intelligences and civilizations—after all, we humans can't be so special. OK, so where are they, these "innumerable alien intelligences and civilizations"? How come there's zero evidence?   Featuring interviews with Jill Tarter, Douglas Vakoch, Frank Drake, Raymond Kurzweil, Francisco Ayala, Steven Dick, and David Br...

Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam, neuroscientists and authors of Journey of the Mind: How Thinking Emerged from Chaos, discuss why consciousness exists, how consciousness works, and their unified theory of the mind. Ogas and Gaddam's book is available for purchase now: https://rb.gy/9st8f Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam both received their PhDs in computational neuroscience from Boston University, where they desig...

Is the multiverse real? What could be more startling than many universes – multiple universes, innumerable universes, perhaps an infinite number of universes? But does the multiverse really exist? Featuring interviews with Max Tegmark, Laura Mersini-Houghton, Paul Davies, Andreas Albrecht, Alan H. Guth, Anthony Aguirre, and Carlo Rovelli. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free at closer...

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku discusses his new book, Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything. He explores how quantum computing may eventually illuminate the deepest mysteries of science and solve some of humanity’s biggest problems, like global warming, world hunger, and incurable disease. Purchase the book today: https://bit.ly/3oT67vi For subscriber-on...

English philosopher Hilary Lawson discusses his book, Closure: A Story of Everything, a text that develops a comprehensive system of non-realist metaphysics. Hilary Lawson is a philosopher and award-winning broadcaster who founded The Institute of Art and Ideas to bring philosophy and intellectual ideas into public discourse. He has been hosting IAI TV’s philosophy and global politics debate stran...

Extra dimensions beyond length, width, height seem the stuff of science fiction. What would extra dimensions be like? Is time the fourth dimension? Could deep reality be so strange? And, anyway, why would we care? This episode features interviews with Lawrence Krauss, Michio Kaku, David Gross, Nima Arkani-Hamed, Juan Maldacena, and Roger Penrose. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free a...

Mathematician Manil Suri talks about about his insightful new book, The Big Bang of Numbers: How to Build the Universe Using Only Math . He explores if math describes the universe or creates it, what "nothing" means to a mathematician, and if all mathematically consistent systems create universes. We also tackle arithmetic, geometry, algebra, patterns, physics, and much more. Manil Suri is a disti...

How does consciousness weave its magical web of inner awareness-appreciating music, enjoying art, feeling love? Even when all mental functions may be explained, the great mystery—what it "feels like" inside—will likely remain. This episode features interviews with Charles Tart, Roger Walsh, Raymond Kurzweil, Hubert Dreyfus, Alva Noë, Henry Stapp, and George Lakoff. For subscriber-only exclusives,...

Scientific Breakthroughs are discoveries or theories that are milestones and touchstones, signposts and short-cuts, surprises and revelations. How to get at the nature or essence of the Breakthrough process? Featuring interviews with Jim Holt, John Horgan, Michio Kaku, David Wallace, and David Chalmers. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free at www.closertotruth.com .

Neuropsychologist Nicholas Humphrey discusses his new book, Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness. He tackles the hard problem, Phenomenal Consciousness vs. Cognitive Consciousness, and Identity Theory, while providing insight into his theory of consciousness and the experiments conducted throughout his career. He also shares his thoughts on if AI will ever be conscious and if consciousness co...

Some scientists take time travel seriously. Should you? What does time travel reveal about the nature of space and time and the laws of physics under extreme conditions? This episode features interviews with Michio Kaku, J. Gott, Kip Thorne, Fred Wolf, and Seth Lloyd. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free at www.closertotruth.com .

Jill Tarter, former Director of the Center for SETI Research, talks to host Robert Lawrence Kuhn about the search for alien life, alien technology and technosignatures, the Fermi Paradox, risks from encountering alien civilizations, and the future of SETI and mankind. Jill Tarter is the former Director of the Center for SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) Research at the SETI Institute...

Science explores how the world works. Breakthroughs drive science, challenging conventional wisdom, changing ways of thinking. Physics is foundational. What are Breakthroughs in Physics? What characterizes Breakthroughs in Physics? Featuring interviews with Robbert Dijkgraaf, Edward Witten, Karen Uhlenbeck, and Sabine Hossenfelder. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free at closertotruth...

Sean Carroll talks about about his terrific new book, The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion . He also dives into the importance of equations in popular science writing, conservation, Noether’s Theorem, the mechanics of space, the nature of time, black holes, gravity, and many other topics. After many years at Caltech, Sean is now at Johns Hopkins University - the Homewood Prof...

Is there life after death? Death is the ultimate defeat. No matter our successes, we are all doomed to suffer the final failure. But some claim that death is not final. Can the defeat be defeated? In this episode, Robert Lawrence Kuhn speaks with Gregory A. Boyd, John Hick, Deepak Chopra, Warren Brown, and Eric Steinhart. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free at closertotruth.com .

Donald Hoffman discusses the nature of reality, what is real, his theory of consciousness, and how this theory affects everything from artificial intelligence to alien life and the Fermi Paradox. Donald D. Hoffman is Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine and author of Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See and coauthor of Observer Mechanics: A For...

What is the world fundamentally, deeply made of? What is life? We are always searching for Scientific Breakthroughs: those leaps in knowledge and jumps in understanding that change how we see the world. Now, we focus on Biology. Featuring interviews with Geoffrey West, Stuart Kauffman, V.S. Ramachandran, Antonio Damasio, and Michio Kaku. Register for free at CloserToTruth.com for subscriber-only e...

Sabine Hossenfelder talks about if the past exists, how the universe began and how it will end, information, math as reality, time, and consciousness. She also discusses her new book, Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions. Order Sabine's new book now from our Bookshop.org shop . Sabine Hossenfelder is an author and theoretical physicist who researches quantum gravity...

How does the subconscious affect us? There is more to our mental lives than the current content of our awareness. Our subconscious affects what we sense, think, feel and do. How does the subconscious work its magic? Featuring interviews with David Eagleman, Elizabeth Loftus, Nicholas Humphrey, Patrick McNamara, and Julia Mossbridge. For subscriber-only exclusives, register for free at www.closerto...

Stephon Alexander, cosmologist and professor of theoretical physics at Brown University, discusses his most recent book, Fear of a Black Universe: An Outsider's Guide to the Future of Physics, an important guide to both science and society. Alexander's book is available for purchase now . Stephon Alexander is a professor, established jazz musician, and an immigrant from Trinidad. He is the 2020 pr...

What is philosophy of biology? Biology has big questions: What is life, language, race, gender, morality, wisdom, religion, extraterrestrial intelligence? A new field of inquiry seeks underlying structure and coherence. Featuring interviews with Michael Ruse, Francisco J. Ayala, Celia Deane-Drummond, and Louis Caruana.

Closer To Truth is proud to present this four-part miniseries with distinguished theoretical linguist, analytic philosopher, and cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky. In our final part, Chomsky offers his thoughts and opinions on Closer To Truth's "big questions": Does God exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? What are the limits of science? What are the major issues in philosophy of mind...

Closer To Truth is proud to present this four-part miniseries with distinguished theoretical linguist, analytic philosopher, and cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky. In Part 3, Chomsky discusses linguistic theories for human sentience and cognition (most notably a Universal Grammar), the evolution of language, and the mystery of consciousness. Often referred to as "the father of modern linguistics”,...

Closer To Truth is proud to present this four-part miniseries with distinguished theoretical linguist, analytic philosopher, and cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky. In Part 2, Chomsky discusses generative and transformational grammar, deep structure paradigm, minimalism, and the relationship between syntax and meaning. Often referred to as "the father of modern linguistics”, Chomsky helped bring abo...

Closer To Truth is proud to present this four-part miniseries with distinguished theoretical linguist, analytic philosopher, cognitive scientist, political critic, and social activist Professor Noam Chomsky. In Part 1, we speak with Chomsky about his initial interest in theoretical linguistics, transformational and universal grammar, his early published works, and his reflections on his discussion...