Feasts of Reason

Matt Ward
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Philosophy

Lively, respectful discussions even when, especially when, there's disagreement. No shouting, no talking over each other, no straw man or ad hoc arguments. Reason baby, it's what's for dinner! To learn more about New Atenism please visit our website,

  1. 6h ago

    What Comes After Iran's Regime? Zolal Habibi on the NCRI, Pahlavi & a Democratic Future for Iran

    What happens if Iran's current regime falls — and who gets to decide what comes next? Iranian human rights activist Zolal Habibi joins me to discuss her remarkable personal story, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Reza Pahlavi — son and grandson of Iran's last two shahs and a would-be shah himself — and competing visions for Iran's political future. We explore a question that's easy to ask but much harder to answer: How can Iranians — and outsiders like me — determine which path offers the best chance of producing a genuine liberal democracy? We also discuss the difficulty of knowing what Iranians actually want, competing polling and evidence, the NCRI's proposed transition to democratic elections, the role of the United States, and a crucial democratic test: If free elections produced an outcome the NCRI strongly opposed, would it accept the result? For more information on the Iranian resistance: https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ https://oiac.org/ https://www.maryam-rajavi.com/ Outside the US: https://iranfreedom.org/en/ #Iran #NCRI #RezaPahlavi #IranianResistance #Democracy #HumanRights #ZolalHabibi #FeastsOfReason

  2. Sep 29

    Money, Power & Freedom with Author James Keena

    How do we find truth without simply trading one ideology for another? Author and former business executive James Keena joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about capitalism, socialism, free markets, institutional power, and the systems humans have built to cooperate on an enormous scale. James argues that political and economic “isms” can become self-reinforcing dogmas, and that increasingly powerful institutions have weakened individual freedom and concentrated control in the hands of what he calls “the elites.” We explore what he means by socialism, why he sees free markets as one of humanity's most powerful systems of cooperation, and whether science, democracy, and markets succeed because they contain mechanisms for finding and correcting their own mistakes. Things get particularly lively when we turn to banking and the Federal Reserve. James argues that private banks have been given extraordinary power to create money and questions whether we need the Federal Reserve, or even banking in its current form, at all. I push back, and we find an interesting fork between his preference for replacing the existing system and my inclination to reform it. We finish where Feasts of Reason so often ends up: How do we recognize when our own beliefs might be wrong—and what does it take to change our minds? For more information about Jim, his blog and his books go to: https://jameskeena.com/

  3. Sep 22

    The Fixer: Finding Truth in the Middle East | Amjad Tadros

    For more than three decades, Amjad Tadros had a front-row seat to history as a Middle East field producer—known in the business as a “fixer”—for CBS News and 60 Minutes. He helped arrange Dan Rather's interview with Saddam Hussein, reported from wars and revolutions across the Middle East, interviewed Osama bin Laden's former bodyguard, and helped investigate one of the most consequential intelligence failures of the Iraq War: the Iraqi defector code-named “Curveball.” Curveball's claims about mobile biological-weapons laboratories became an important part of the WMD case presented by Colin Powell at the United Nations. Years later, Amjad finally sat across the table from Curveball himself. But this conversation is about much more than Iraq. Amjad and I talk about how journalists decide whom to believe when everyone has an agenda; how 60 Minutes tried to verify stories before putting them on the air; whether journalists should ever stop being observers and intervene; how atrocities can be used to manipulate public opinion; why important stories like Yemen are so often ignored; and what more than 30 years behind the scenes taught him about which news sources to trust. We also talk about Amjad's remarkable book, The Fixer: A Journalist's Accidental Journey Through the Middle East—part memoir, part history, and part behind-the-scenes look at how journalism actually works. Feasts of Reason is about a simple question: Why do we believe what we believe? Few stories demonstrate the consequences of that question more dramatically than Curveball. For more information on Amjad and "The Fixer" go to https://www.amjadtadros.com/ Chapters 00:00 Becoming the Fixer02:23 The Role of a Fixer04:11 Investigative Journalism and Collaboration07:24 Ethical Challenges in Reporting10:50 The Story of Curveball23:21 Journalistic Integrity and Neutrality25:46 The Power of Storytelling26:42 The Significance of Overlooked Global Issues28:36 Reporting from Conflict Zones37:11 Determining the Credibility of a Story43:47 Impact of Historical Context on Current Events

  4. Sep 14

    Herman Forwood's "What If" Fiction Will Make You Think Differently

    The conversation delves into the exploration of alternate histories, the process of crafting fictional worlds, character development and plotting, the impact of HOA mentality on society, and the examination of beliefs and free speech. The guest, Herman Forwood, shares insights from his experience as a fiction author and the thought-provoking themes in his novels. The conversation delves into the importance of rethinking the status quo, challenging boundaries and quick fixes, the power of fiction to evoke thought, the dangers of bias in writing, balancing creativity and responsibility, exploring complex societal issues, the need for critical thinking, the complexity of government and laws, the impact of AI and lack of attention, the erosion of reason and complexity, and the author's desired impact of his books. Takeaways Alternate histories offer valuable insights into the potential impact of pivotal events.Crafting fictional worlds involves balancing plot and character development.The HOA mentality and societal structures can have far-reaching consequences.Beliefs and free speech are complex topics that require critical examination. The importance of critical thinking in addressing complex societal issuesThe need to challenge quick fixes and consider the broader impact of decisions To learn more about Herman and his work go to: https://www.hermanforwood.com/ Chapters 00:00 Exploring Alternate Histories03:03 Crafting Fictional Worlds06:07 Character Development and Plotting09:11 HOA Mentality and Societal Impact19:14 Beliefs and Free Speech23:52 Rethinking the Status Quo24:13 Challenging Boundaries and Quick Fixes25:21 The Power of Fiction to Evoke Thought27:01 The Dangers of Bias in Writing28:20 Balancing Creativity and Responsibility29:07 Exploring Complex Societal Issues30:18 The Need for Critical Thinking38:47 The Complexity of Government and Laws40:44 The Impact of AI and Lack of Attention41:22 The Erosion of Reason and Complexity43:58 The Desired Impact of the Books

  5. Sep 8

    A Trial Lawyer, A Social Worker And A Meditation Teacher Walk Into A Podcast...

    No, this isn't the start of a joke, it's the resume of this week's guest. Bob Martin, a former trial lawyer, social worker, and meditation teacher, shares insights into the human condition and the intersection of his diverse experiences. He discusses the nature of truth, the adversarial legal process, and the importance of understanding and empathy in social work and law. His journey reflects the complexity of human behavior and the impact of listening, understanding, and advocacy. The conversation covers topics related to addiction, mindfulness, and legal services. Bob Martin shares insights on addiction, the challenges of being heard, and the impact of mindfulness on empathy. He also discusses his new legal service approach and the importance of helpfulness over truth. Takeaways Human behavior is complexUnderstanding and empathy are crucial in social work and law Addiction rationalizationMindfulness and empathyHelpfulness over truth To learn more about Bob and his work go to: https://theflowmedia.com/ Chapters 00:00 The Three Bobs02:29 Transactional Analysis and Natural Child05:18 Adversarial Legal Process08:23 Assessing Probabilities and Ethical Dilemmas21:07 The Role of a Lawyer and Social Worker26:24 Understanding Addiction and Being Heard32:03 The Impact of Mindfulness on Empathy43:53 The Shift from Truth to Helpful

  6. Aug 17

    Can We Really Think for Ourselves? | Damien Dubose

    Can We Really Think for Ourselves? | Damien Dubose How much of what we believe comes from independent thought—and how much is shaped by personality, culture, institutions, and the people around us? Damien Dubose, author of America’s Ethical Archetype and host of the iNTv podcast, joins me to explore the relationship between personality, philosophy, and individualism. Drawing on Carl Jung, Ayn Rand, and theories of adult development, Damien argues for a society built around rational, self-directed individuals. We explore Jung and personality types, the limits of individual reasoning, the difference between consensus and collective knowledge, the role of education, individual rights and government, and whether stronger individuals or stronger institutions are ultimately the better path to human progress. Along the way, we find some real areas of agreement—and some important differences over just how much faith we should place in our ability to reason for ourselves. For information about Damien go to https://damientdubose.com/

  7. Aug 3

    How Did Matter Learn to Care? | Jeremy Sherman on Consciousness, Meaning & Emergence

    If the universe is just matter and energy, where do meaning, purpose, and consciousness come from? In this episode of Feasts of Reason, biophilosopher Jeremy Sherman joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about one of philosophy and science's biggest questions: how "mattering" emerges from matter. We explore the origins of interpretation, the nature of the self, free will, consciousness, religion, and why humans are so remarkably good at fooling themselves. Rather than debating slogans, we examine where the evidence ends, where interpretation begins, and what it means to live thoughtfully in a world still full of unanswered questions. Topics include: How meaning emerges from chemistryConsciousness and the hard problemMaterialism vs. panpsychismFree will and the nature of the selfThe role of religion in a scientific ageWhy intelligent people fool themselvesThe importance of intellectual humility Jeremy Sherman is the author of Neither Ghost Nor Machine and has written more than 1,000 articles for Psychology Today. His work explores how life, meaning, and interpretation emerge through entirely natural processes. You can learn more about Jeremy and his work at: FaceBook; https://www.facebook.com/jeremysherm YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@jeremyshermanPhD His Website; https://jeremysherman.com/ If you enjoy thoughtful conversations that value curiosity over certainty, please like, subscribe, and share the episode. #FeastsOfReason #JeremySherman #Consciousness #Philosophy #Biology #Emergence #Materialism #Meaning #FreeWill #Religion #CriticalThinking #Science #Epistemology #KnowledgeFork #NewAtenism

  8. Jul 24

    Can Science Fully Explain the Self?

    The conversation delves into the topics of consciousness, personal identity, and the nature of the self, exploring the relationship between these concepts and their philosophical implications. The discussion also touches on the role of science and philosophy in understanding these complex phenomena. The conversation delves into the philosophical exploration of consciousness, epistemology, and the unseen realm, emphasizing the foundational nature of first-person experience and the implications for understanding the world. The discussion also touches on the impact of technology on perception and the significance of consciousness in the context of AI. To learn more about Dr. Farris work, where you can buy his book and find him on social media, visit https://soulscienceministries.com/ Key Takeaways Consciousness as a foundational aspect of personal identityThe intersection of philosophy and science in understanding consciousness and the self Consciousness as a foundational aspect of human experienceThe significance of first-person experience in understanding the world Chapters 00:00 Defining Consciousness05:41 The Self and Consciousness16:12 The Soul and Personal Identity25:54 Science, Philosophy, and Understanding38:52 The Nature of Consciousness40:13 Epistemic Relationship and Panpsychism41:20 First-Person Experience and Epistemology01:01:50 Unseen Realms and the Meaning of Consciousness

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Lively, respectful discussions even when, especially when, there's disagreement. No shouting, no talking over each other, no straw man or ad hoc arguments. Reason baby, it's what's for dinner! To learn more about New Atenism please visit our website,

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Ward
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Matt Ward