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Within Reason

Within Reason

By: Alex J O'Connor
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For the curious. A philosophy podcast that sometimes flirts with other disciplines, Within Reason has featured guests including Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, William Lane Craig, Peter Singer, Konstantin Kisin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.Alex J O'Connor Philosophy Social Sciences
Episodes
  • #158 Could Consciousness Be an Illusion?
    Jun 18 2026

    Get all sides of every story and be better informed at https://ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.


    For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com.


    Keith Frankish is a British philosopher specialising in philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, and philosophy of cognitive science.


    Read Keith's essay, "Illusionism as a theory of consciousness" (2016).

    Find Keith's website here.


    Keith Frankish and Philip Goff co-host a channel 'Mind Chat', where they debate panpsychism versus illusionism, and explore cutting-edge thought on consciousness: / @mindchat

    TIMESTAMPS:

    0:00 - Is Consciousness An Illusion?

    4:02 - Do We Have a Private World?

    10:00 - The Nature of Visual Experience

    20:13 - Is Awareness Behavioural?

    28:17 - Isn’t Introspection Itself a Private Experience?

    33:04 - Philosophical Zombies

    43:05 - What Motivates Illusionism?

    50:02 - Psychedelics and the Dissolution of the Self

    59:23 - Why Are Philosophers Always Categorising?

    1:10:31 - Does Alex’s Triangle Exist?

    1:21:40 - Is Pain Just a Reaction to Stimulus?

    1:49:05 - Is Pain an Emergent Phenomenon?

    1:55:52 - What Illusion Is Actually Happening?

    1:59:07 - Can AI Be Conscious?


    CONNECT

    My Website: https://www.alexoconnor.com


    SOCIAL LINKS:

    Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskeptic

    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskeptic

    Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskeptic

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmicskeptic


    CONTACT

    Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com

    Brand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

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    2 hrs and 7 mins
  • #157 How a Blind Man Sees the World - Tommy Edison
    Jun 8 2026

    For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com.To donate to my PayPal (thank you): http://www.paypal.me/cosmicskeptic.@TommyEdisonXP is a blind YouTuber and radio presenter. He got his start online as the “Blind Film Critic”, reviewing movies despite being unable to see them, and thereby offering a unique angle on their storytelling.TIMESTAMPS:

    0:00 - Being a Blind YouTuber2:03 - How Do You Understand Blindness If You Are Blind From Birth?4:26 - Being Blind in School7:20 - Tommy’s Early Life12:11 - Has Life Become More Accessible For the Blind?19:35 - How Vision is Embedded in Our Language21:35 - How Does A Blind Person Watch A Movie?25:40 - What Does Tommy Know About Colour?27:51 - Mary’s Room32:16 - Can A Blind Person Play Video Games?35:39 - The Questions People Are Too Afraid to Ask41:42 - How Does A Blind Person Understand Attractiveness?44:27 - What Can We Make More Accessible?48:24 - Why Electric Cars Aren’t Best For Everyone51:33 - Is Offering Help Patronising?54:35 - What Can Tommy Do That People Think He Can’t?58:32 - Why Tommy Chooses Joy - CONNECTMy Website: https://www.alexoconnor.comSOCIAL LINKS:Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskepticFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskepticInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskepticTikTok: @CosmicSkeptic - CONTACTBusiness email: contact@alexoconnor.comBrand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • #156 Mysticism: The Heretics Who Got Too Close to God - Simon Critchley
    May 26 2026

    Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com.Simon Critchley is a British philosopher, author and professor at The New School in New York. He is best known for his work on existentialism, mysticism, ethics and continental philosophy, and is the author of books including The Book of Dead Philosophers, Faith of the Faithless and Mysticism.Get Simon's book Mysticism here.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Is Mysticism Always Religious?7:52 - What is Mysticism?18:58 - Unification With the Divine29:58 - Mysticism and the Self40:38 - Why Are So Many Mystics Women?48:41 - The Limits of Language59:54 - Was Pascal a Mystic?01:03:21 - Where Does Simon Stand on Mysticism?01:11:22 - Where Should We Start With Learning About Mysticism?01:15:36 - Imagery in Simon’s Book - CONNECTMy Website: https://www.alexoconnor.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/cosmicskepticFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/cosmicskepticInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosmicskepticTikTok: @CosmicSkeptic - CONTACTBusiness email: contact@alexoconnor.comBrand enquiries: David@modernstoa.co

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    1 hr and 18 mins
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