Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
The Portgual Street Philosophy Podcast is the official podcast of the LSE SU Philosophy Society. Each episode, we take a deep dive into a particular philosophy topic, in conversation with leading experts on the subject. By having focused explorations of these topics, we hope to provide accessible introductions and a pathway into the philosophical literature for interested students of all backgrounds.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Expert-led deep dives in philosophy • decision theory, instrumental rationality, uncertainty • probability and formal epistemology • quantum mechanics interpretations • philosophy of religion arguments • metaphysics of perception • animal sentience and welfare • ethics, public policy, pandemic tradeoffsThis podcast, produced by the LSE Students’ Union Philosophy Society, features extended conversations with academic philosophers and related experts that aim to introduce major philosophical questions and connect them to contemporary research and literature. Across the episodes, the show often focuses on philosophy that engages closely with formal methods and the sciences, using tools from logic, probability theory, decision theory, and the foundations of physics to clarify concepts such as rationality, uncertainty, and explanation.
A recurring theme is how agents should form beliefs and make choices when outcomes are uncertain. Discussions examine competing interpretations of probability, the relationship between subjective credences and objective chances, and classic arguments about rational coherence. The podcast also explores normative and descriptive approaches to decision-making, including expected utility theory, representation theorems, and challenges posed by idealizations, bounded rationality, unawareness, and evaluative uncertainty. These topics are treated both as technical frameworks and as accounts of what practical rationality requires.
Another strand connects philosophical analysis to broader debates in science and metaphysics, including questions in quantum mechanics about measurement, realism, and competing interpretations, as well as issues in the metaphysics of perception. The range of subject matter also extends into applied and ethically charged domains, such as how to weigh public health and economic considerations during a pandemic, and how to understand animal sentience and welfare. There is also attention to philosophical theology and the standards by which arguments for and against the existence of God should be evaluated, including theory choice and theoretical virtues.
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9. Sean Carroll | What is the correct interpretation of quantum mechanics? 2021-Jun-27 61 minutes |
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8. Anna Mahtani | What are probabilities? 2021-Jun-27 51 minutes |
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7. Richard Bradley | How should we make decisions under uncertainty? 2021-Jun-27 59 minutes |
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6. Johanna Thoma | What are the requirements of instrumental rationality? 2021-Jun-27 72 minutes |
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5. Graham Oppy | Are there any successful arguments for or against the existence of God? 2021-Jun-27 60 minutes |
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4. David Papineau | The Metaphysics of Sensory Experience 2021-Feb-06 53 minutes |
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3. Jonathan Birch | Animal Sentience 2021-Feb-04 48 minutes |
2. Laurenz Hudetz | Mathematical Philosophy: Blessing or Curse?2021-Feb-03 56 minutes |
1. Alex Voorhoeve | How to Balance Lives and Livelihoods in the Face of a Pandemic2021-Feb-03 29 minutes |