Rational Realm

In part two of this five part series, Caroline Winzenried will take a deeper dive into the complexity of navigating relationships and identity after leaving religion. Strained or severed ties with loved ones and communities can be one of the most challenging aspects of leaving, and for some people, the risk of rejection is so strong that they feel they need to "stay in the closet". But i...

A clear picture has begun to emerge in the field of mental health of the toll that certain harmful, high-control religious practices can take. In 2011, Dr. Marlene Winell coined the term "Religious Trauma Syndrome" to give a name to the unique trauma that many former and current religious adherents face from their experiences. In this podcast, Caroline Winzenried begins to shine a light...

Theism is the position that an immensely powerful immaterial mind created and governs the universe. But what is an immaterial mind? In this talk, James Fodor considers this question in the light of cognitive science, considering the various aspects and functions that make up a mind. He argues that it is very difficult to reconcile most of what is currently known about minds with the idea that they...

In this podcast, Joe Bullock helps us explore how Stoic philosophy can guide us toward a more compassionate and interconnected world. He focuses on Stoic Cosmopolitanism and the concept of Stoic role ethics to explore how ancient wisdom addresses modern challenges. Joe will also cover how our individual actions relate to the collective good and discuss the historical roots of Cosmopolitanism and w...

Sam Harris' little book on Free Will was published in 2012, gaining a receptive response from scientifically-minded followers. In this first part of a two part series, Allan will put Harris' two key arguments against the human capacity for free will under the microscope. Harris' first point is that we could not have behaved differently than we in fact did. His second appeals to his introspecting t...

In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, explores the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this third and final presentation, Caroline takes us on a journey of healing from spiritual bypassing and making space for our emotions. She shows us how to respond—rather than react—to our emotions by harnessing the power of curiosity, listening...

In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, takes us on an exploration of the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this second presentation, Caroline explores how spiritual ideas and practices are sometimes used to avoid or suppress emotions and the damage this can cause. Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Aust...

In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, takes us on an exploration of the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this first presentation, Caroline examine how religious teachings can shape our emotional understanding by categorising emotions as "good" or "bad" creating implicit rules for how we should listen to, igno...

Stoicism has played a major role in shaping ethical considerations for over two millennia, profoundly influencing religious doctrines and renowned philosophers. Despite its frequent misinterpretations and critiques, Stoicism's fundamental principles can guide us to leading a purposeful life. At the heart of Stoic philosophy lies the conviction that our well-being and growth stem from living in...

Progress toward the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has been accelerating in recent times. While much is contested about if and when AGI will be achieved, and even about what it is, its consequences for humanity, should AGI be realised, are profound. Among these consequences are deep questions about intelligence, consciousness, morality, and what it means to be human. In this...

In this session, Buddhism expert and PhD candidate, Corey Jackson, explores the intersections between Buddhist practice and the science of mental health. What can 2,500 years of striving for Buddhist enlightenment tell us about mental health in the 21st century? Is there a place for science in the path to enlightenment and a place for Buddhist views in the scientific attempt to understand the mind...

Effective Altruism (EA) is a new movement around the not so new idea of combining evidence and reasons with charity and altruism. It focuses on using our limited time and resources to do as much good as we can. In this episode, Michael Dello-Iacovo introduces some of the key concepts of Effective Altruism and discusses some examples and the underlying philosophy. He also considers some of the comm...

In this series of sessions, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. Religion has very clear-cut explanations for our purpose on earth and for what happens when we die. When you leave a religion, you are suddenly unmoored from those meaning-making frameworks and are given the tremendous task of finding these answers for yourself. Many pe...

In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she explores the concept of "sin" as it is ever-present in many faiths. The emphasis placed on sin and the dire nature of its consequences can plant a pervasive, nagging or overwhelming fear that often follows people long after leaving a religion. Teach...

Is artificial superintelligence (ASI) imminent? In this episode, Adam Ford assesses the evidence and ethical importance of artificial intelligence; its opportunities and risks. Drawing on the history of progress in AI and how today it surpasses peak human capability in some domains, he presents forecasts about further progress. Adam also explores the notion of intelligence and what aspects are mis...

Dictionaries often draw a distinction between the modern common meaning of skepticism and its traditional philosophical meaning, which dates from antiquity. The contemporary meaning of 'scientific skepticism' is different again. In this episode, Tim Harding discusses the commonalities and differences between the various meanings. He has a foot in both the scientific and philosophical 'camps'. Cred...

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was an Austrian-British philosopher who taught and worked at Cambridge between 1912 and 1947. He is regarded as one of the leading philosophers of the 20th Century, noted for having adopted two very different philosophical stances in his time. Wittgenstein worked primarily in logic and the philosophy of language with an especial focus on language and the world, and...

Akiva Quinn presents the case for moral progress and the advance of social justice. He offers reflections on historical and contemporary issues from Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, through Apartheid South Africa and Black Lives Matter, Post-Colonialism, LGBTQI+ and First Nations recognition to ongoing conflict, gender, racial and social inequality. Akiva also draws on example...

In this second of a two part session, Usha Sista explores an iconic movie trilogy of our generation, The Matrix. The Matrix juxtaposes and synthesises storytelling, philosophy and cognitive science through the cinematic medium. Usha examines some of the philosophical underpinnings of the trilogy. In this second session, she looks at The Matrix through the lens of contemporary cognitive science and...

In this first of a two part session, Usha Sista explores an iconic movie trilogy of our generation, The Matrix. The Matrix juxtaposes and synthesises storytelling, philosophy and cognitive science through the cinematic medium. Usha examines some of the philosophical underpinnings of the trilogy. In this first session, she looks at The Matrix through the lens of classical philosophers such as Desca...

In this episode, Leslie Allan begins by sharing how his early experiences shape his humanist outlook today. He then outlines what he considers to be the three core principles underlying the humanist world view: reason and evidence, compassion and equality, and autonomy and dignity. Leslie illustrates the application of these principles with historical and contemporary examples. He then draws upon...

In this episode, Usha Sista explores what neuroscience tells us about ethics—what goes on in the human brain when presented with ethical dilemmas such as the famous trolley problem and how that informs our understanding of ourselves. Credit to https://www. FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this episode, Leslie Allan and Akiva Quinn engage in dialogue in an exploration of the nature and grounding of human rights. Do they exist? If so, what justifies them? How can we best understand the nature and extent of human rights? Is the moral theory of utilitarianism an adequate underpinning of human rights, or are rights justified by ascriptions of human dignity or autonomy? Or something e...

In this episode, Martin Coleman and Akiva Quinn debate the extent to which the law ought to limit free speech and free expression in order to prevent significant harms. Martin Coleman puts the case for free speech and free expression that forms the basis for an informed populace. Martin turns to such great writers as Voltaire, Christopher Hitchens, Thomas Paine and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. in def...

In this episode, Leslie Allan explores whether human beings can really have free will in a universe in which every thought and action is governed by universal physical laws of nature. The view that human beings do not exercise free will appears for many to be a consequence of a modern, scientific view of the universe and humankind's place in it. It is a view that is popular among humanists, atheis...