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The mind-body problem, which Buddha, Socrates and many modern scientists have sought to solve, encompasses riddles such as consciousness, free will, morality and the meaning of life. In this podcast, science journalist John Horgan, talks to leading mind-body theorists about their views and often, about their personal lives. The show is an outgrowth of a book of the same title, available for free at mindbodyproblems.com.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ mind-body problem, consciousness theories •quantum mechanics interpretations, information, computing •free will, reality, knowledge limits •philosophy of science, progress, expertise •spirituality, stoicism, psychedelics, paranormal, moralityThis podcast explores classic and contemporary versions of the mind-body problem—how mind relates to matter—through extended conversations between science journalist John Horgan and researchers, philosophers, and writers. Across the episodes, recurring attention is given to consciousness, free will, morality, and what counts as knowledge, often framed by debates about whether science can deliver final explanations or must coexist with uncertainty, interpretation, and even paradox.
A major through-line is quantum mechanics as both a scientific theory and a philosophical provocation. Discussions return to themes such as indeterminism versus determinism, the meaning of “information,” the implications of Bell’s theorem, and competing interpretations of quantum theory (including many-worlds and pilot-wave approaches). The conversations also probe what quantum computing can and cannot reveal, and whether future physics might replace or reinterpret quantum mechanics, alongside broader questions about “reality,” spacetime, and cosmology.
Alongside physics, the show regularly engages theories of consciousness and mind, including integrated information theory, panpsychism, and forms of idealism or “universal consciousness,” weighing how these views handle subjectivity, experience, and ethical implications. Some episodes broaden into philosophy of science—disputes over truth, progress, expertise, and scientific revolutions—while others connect mind-body questions to spirituality, stoicism, psychedelics, mystical experience, and the paranormal as a window into human cognition and culture.
Horgan’s interviews also include personal and intellectual backstories of his guests, linking their life experiences, writing, and scientific work to the larger search for meaning and understanding.