66 episodes
Reading Our Times Theos Think Tank
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- Society & Culture
Reading Our Times is the podcast that explores the books and the ideas that are shaping us today. It is hosted by Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at the think tank, Theos.
We’re going to be talking to some of the world’s leading authors about issues like meritocracy, justice, populism, human rights, the brain, liberalism, and religion.
Above all, we'll be exploring what these books have to say about the times we live in and about the people we are.
So listen with us, and we’ll introduce you to authors, books and ideas that illuminate ourselves and our world today.
For more information about the people and ideas behind the podcast, visit https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/about/who-we-are or follow us on Twitter @theosthinktank and @theosnick.
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How Can You Truly Know A Person? In conversation with David Brooks
This series of Reading our Times has looked at a number of scientific issues that have cast questions of, and sometimes shadows on, human personhood. So, in our final episode this series, we are asking specifically about that personhood.
What does it means to be a human person? And how do we come to know that personhood - not philosophically, not empirically but, well, personally. In an age in which technology threatens to remake us, even despite our intentions, how can we come to know and honour our deepest existence?
In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to David Brooks about his book How To Know a Person.
You can buy a copy of David's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Know-Person-Seeing-Others/dp/0241670292
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CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/
Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108
Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185 -
What is a Life Worth? In conversation with Jenny Kleeman
The question 'what is a life worth?' feels wrong; heretical even. Humans are infinitely valuable, we say. You can't put a price on a life. And yet we do, every day: for healthcare, for philanthropy, for insurance, for criminal compensation... Indeed, arguably, if we actually care for life, we must.
So, how do we do it? What are we willing to pay for life? How do we calcualate it? Who decides, and on what basis? And what does all this tell us about our (in)humanity?
In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Jenny Kleeman about her book The Price of Life.
Buy a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Price-Life-Search-Worth-Decides/dp/1035004968/ref=asc_df_1035004968/
*****
Like what you see?
Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464
CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/
Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108
Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185 -
Why is Mental Health so Bad Among the Young? In conversation with Abigail Shrier
Pretty much every index for the mental health of young people in Britain and the US in particular is pointing in the wrong direction. More anxiety, more depression, more therapy, more medication, more suicide.
Why? What is going on here? And why is it that the vast increase in spending on mental health - on counselling, therapy and drugs over recent decades seems to have made no difference whatsoever?
In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Abigail Shrier about her book Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up
Buy a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Therapy-Kids-Arent-Growing/dp/1800754132/ref=asc_df_1800754132/
*****
Like what you see?
Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464
CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/
Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108
Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185 -
Can Animals be Persons? In conversation with Mark Rowlands
The idea that non-human animals should be recognised as legal persons has gained traction over recent years, and is the subject of numerous court cases. But underlying the legal and indeed empirical questions here, are some pretty deep philosophical ones.
What actually is a person? What role does rationality or consciousness or language play? And depending on our answers to those questions, could a non-human animal ever qualify as a person?
In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Mark Rowlands about his book Can Animals be Persons?
Buy a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Can-Animals-Persons-Mark-Rowlands/dp/0190846038
*****
Like what you see?
Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464
CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/
Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108
Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185 -
Should You Choose to Live Forever? In conversation with Stephen Cave
Once upon a time, it was religions that promised eternal life. Now its science, with the possibility of immortality - whether bionic, cellular, genetic, or virtual - being the subject of big Silicon Valley dollars.
Is this something we want? Who actually want to live forever? And, perhaps more importantly, should we?
In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Stephen Cave about his book Should You Choose to Live Forever?
Buy a copy of Stephen's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CMF7YW3M?ref=KC_GS_GB_GB
*****
Like what you see?
Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464
CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/
Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108
Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185 -
When will AI evolve a soul? In conversation with Eve Poole
AI is taking over the planet - or at least the news agenda! For hardly a day goes by without some AI story in the headlines. Should we believe what we read? Or is it all hype?
In particular, should we believe what we are promised - or threatened - about AI become super-intelligent, sentient, conscious, human?
In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Eve Poole about her book Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity
Buy a copy of Robot Souls here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Robot-Souls-Programming-Eve-Poole/dp/1032426624
*****
Like what you see?
Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464
CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/
Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108
Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185