Speaker

,

Author

Helen Beebee

Manchester Professor of Philosophy, Beebee is President of the Aristotelian Society as well as the British Society for the Philosophy of Science. She is the author of Hume on Causation and Metaphysics: The Key Concepts. Beebee is also an advocate for better representation of women in philosophy.

Manchester Professor of Philosophy, Beebee is President of the Aristotelian Society as well as the British Society for the Philosophy of Science. She is the author of Hume on Causation and Metaphysics: The Key Concepts. Beebee is also an advocate for better representation of women in philosophy.

More Videos

A futuristic digital design featuring intricate blue clock gears and patterns, symbolizing the concept of time and technology.

Spacetime and the Structure of Reality

Carlo Rovelli on Loop Quantum Gravity

A man in a wheelchair with short hair and glasses, wearing a blazer, surrounded by books and a desk in a study setting.

Rana Mitter,Mary Midgley,Angie Hobbs,Lawrence Krauss

Philosophy vs Science

On reason and the search for truth

Iain McGilchrist,Shahidha Bari,Beatrix Campbell

The Limits of Logic

Should we embrace the irrational?

An hourglass resting on a bed of smooth pebbles, with blue sand flowing between the two glass bulbs, symbolizing the passage of time.

Eleanor Knox,Tara Shears,Alastair Reynolds,Bryan Roberts

Is Time Travel Just a Fantasy?

Exploring the outer limits of physics

A striking close-up of a water droplet creating ripples, with vibrant colors in the background, emphasizing the beauty of fluid motion.

Gravity minus dark matter

Erik Verlinde offers a new theory of gravitation

A cosmic scene featuring a bright central light surrounded by a field of stars, creating a sense of depth and vastness in the universe.

Rupert Sheldrake,Philip Ball,Tara Shears,Massimo Pigliucci

Missing Evidence

Does physics still need experiment?

Silhouettes depicting the evolution of humans, from ape to modern man, set against a backdrop of green binary code.

Hilary Lawson,Joanna Kavenna,Donald Hoffman,Maria Baghramian

The Reality Illusion

Has perception evolved to trick us?

A surreal digital landscape featuring a grid pattern with glowing lines, three reflective orbs, and a dark background, creating a sense of depth and dimensionality.

Marcus Du Sautoy

What We Cannot Know

What about the universe is left to discover?

A serene, foggy seascape with dark, rippling water extending into a hazy, indistinct horizon.

David Malone,James Ladyman,John Ellis,Laura Mersini-Houghton

Is Nothing an Illusion?

Explaining everything and Nothing

An intricate, circular view of a large scientific instrument, showcasing concentric layers of technology with orange and blue hues, likely from a particle collider or similar device.

David Malone,Laura Mersini-Houghton,Frank Wilczek,Erik Verlinde

Gravity

Why is gravity so elusive?

View from the International Space Station's cupola, showcasing Earth through a circular window with a clear blue sky and visible landmass beneath.

Huw Price,John Ellis,Joanna Kavenna,Robert Rowland Smith

The End of the Theory of Everything

Can we fully describe reality?

A man in a suit sits thoughtfully on a blue chair, with sunflowers and greenery in the background, discussing a topic.

Timothy Williamson,Saul Kripke,Romina Padro

On Language and Logic

Why language dominates philosophy

A swirling vortex of blue water, creating a sense of depth and movement with light reflections and a grid pattern overlay.

Hilary Lawson,Michela Massimi,Julian Barbour,Huw Price

Time, Space and Being

Are space and time real?

A seated thinker sculpture beside a reclining figure on a chaise lounge, symbolizing introspection and reflection in a serene, abstract environment.

Mark Vernon,Angie Hobbs,Adrian Moore,Shahidha Bari

Thinking Dangerously, Living Differently

Can philosophy change how we think?

A vibrant image of the Carina Nebula, showcasing colorful gas and dust clouds illuminated by surrounding stars against a backdrop of deep space.

Don Cupitt,David Malone,John Ellis,Lawrence Krauss

Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing

Can science solve metaphysics' riddle?

A surreal scene featuring a circular stage with red curtains revealing a bright blue sky and ocean, blending reality with illusion.

Jonathan Derbyshire,Joanna Kavenna,Ray Monk,Paul Boghossian

The Word and the World

What are the limits of language?

A mesmerizing art installation featuring numerous glowing lanterns suspended in a dark space, creating an illusion of infinite reflections and depth.

Julian Baggini,Hilary Lawson,Amie Thomasson,Phillip Collins

The New Enlightenment

Can we reclaim objectivity after relativism?

A close-up portrait of a person with dark hair and striking makeup, reflecting futuristic digital graphics on their skin.

Hilary Lawson,George Ellis,Nancy Cartwright,Philip Ball

The Edge of Reality

Where mathematical metaphors meet reality

A downward view of a metal staircase enclosed in a grid pattern, emphasizing its geometric design and depth.

Steve Fuller,Polly Toynbee,Hilary Lawson,Rae Langton

The Future of the Post-Truth World

Is the era of objective truth over?

A surreal scene featuring a large goldfish soaring over a golden field under a starry night sky, with a galaxy visible in the background.

Hilary Lawson,Margaret Heffernan,Stephen Neale,Stanley Fish

Stories to Change the World

On rhetoric, meaning and language

A view looking up at a geometric structure made of reflective glass panels, creating a kaleidoscopic effect with clouds visible above.

Laura Mersini-Houghton,Helen Beebee,David Malone,Gerard 't Hooft

The Laws of the Universe

Are the laws of nature just human constructs?

Stephen Hawking, a renowned theoretical physicist, is depicted in a wheelchair, with a backdrop of a fiery celestial scene.

Steve Fuller,Jonathan Derbyshire,David Malone,Lewis Wolpert

Hawking vs. Philosophy

Has science killed philosophy?

A cartoon depicting several figures in bowler hats running while holding signs that read

Robert Rowland-Smith,Matthew D'Ancona,Hilary Lawson,Hannah Dawson

Post-Truth and Postmodernism

Is truth just a construct?

A reflection in a large puddle on cracked pavement shows a pair of shoes, tall buildings, and an airplane above, creating a surreal urban scene.

Andy Clark,Rufus Duits,Joanna Kavenna,John McWhorter,James Ladyman

Making Sense of Reality

Do we see what they tell us to see?

A close-up of an eye reflecting a detailed image of Earth, symbolizing vision, awareness, and global perspective.

Hilary Lawson,James Garvey,Tara Shears,Alison Milbank

Beyond Experience

What is the nature of reality?

A person sitting in a chair using a laptop, surrounded by a large, vintage clock face with numbers prominently displayed.

Erik Verlinde,Huw Price,Alison Fernandes,James Ladyman

Back from the End of Time

Is the passage of time an illusion?

A blurred image of vibrant, glowing bokeh lights creating an enchanting, festive atmosphere against a dark background.

Cosmic Dreams

Forty years on, what questions has String Theory left unanswered?

A surreal landscape featuring geometric shapes like spheres, cubes, and pyramids in shades of blue, set against a dramatic purple and cloudy sky reflected in water.

Rana Mitter,Hilary Lawson,Hannah Dawson,John Searle

After the End of Truth

Is there such a thing as objective truth?

A historical illustration depicting Confucius seated on a platform, surrounded by his disciples engaged in discussion, symbolizing the importance of education and morality in Confucianism.

Thinking Across the World

Julian Baggini | Non-western philosophy traditions

A single clear marble surrounded by a ring of blue marbles, creating a striking visual contrast.

Robert Rowland Smith,David Malone,Hilary Lawson,John Ellis

The Strangeness of Things

Are things a necessary foundation of reality?

A person wearing a white animal mask stands in a forest, surrounded by vibrant pink smoke, creating an ethereal and mysterious atmosphere.

Mark Salter,Helen Lederer,Jacques Peretti,James Mahon

Lies and Beauty

Is lying somehow essential to our lives?

A flat-topped mountain, or tepui, emerges dramatically from a sea of clouds, showcasing steep cliffs and lush greenery on top.

Robert Rowland Smith,Hilary Lawson,Michael Potter,John Searle

The Limits of My World

Was philosophy's linguistic turn a mistake?

A close-up of a person with a finger over their lips, signaling for silence or secrecy, with a blurred background and a monochrome effect.

Hilary Lawson,Joanna Kavenna,Janne Teller,Stephen Neale

In the Beginning Was the Word

Is the world dependent on language?

A breathtaking view of the Andromeda Galaxy, featuring its spiral shape, bright core, and surrounding stars against a deep blue cosmic background.

Hilary Lawson,Laura Mersini-Houghton,George Ellis,David Wallace

Why The World Exists

In Search of Parallel Universes

A dazzling burst of golden particles and lights radiating outward against a deep blue backdrop, creating a sense of cosmic explosion or star formation.

Laura Mersini-Houghton,Roger Penrose,Sean Carroll,David Malone

Big Bang Creation Myths

Is the Big Bang theory mistaken?

An astronaut floats in space against a backdrop of Earth, showcasing the vastness of the cosmos and the curvature of the planet below.

Massimo Pigliucci

How To Spot Pseudoscience

Separating Fact From Fiction | Massimo Pigliucci

A wall covered in various open book pages, displaying text and illustrations, creating a textured and layered visual effect.

Christopher Hamilton,Hilary Lawson,Nancy Cartwright,Corine Besson

Language and the World

How does language describe the world?

A vibrant plasma ball with glowing filaments of light radiating from a central orb, creating a dynamic and colorful electric effect.

Barry C. Smith,John Dupré,Subir Sarkar,Nancy Cartwright

The End of All Things

What is reality made of?

Two black spheres positioned above a blue grid representing waves, illustrating concepts in physics or spacetime curvature.

Chris Timpson,Gerard 't Hooft,Chiara Marletto,David Malone

Is Reality an Illusion?

Quantum physics, objective and subjective reality

A distorted view from a bicycle ride, showcasing a swirling landscape with trees, streetlights, and a road curving into the horizon under a blue sky.

David Malone,Hilary Lawson,Berit Brogaard,Karl Friston

Down the Rabbit Hole

Confronting the limits of perception.

A vibrant, densely packed globular cluster of stars against a dark cosmic background, showcasing a multitude of colorful stars and interstellar dust.

Erik Verlinde,Catherine Heymans,Sabine Hossenfelder,Jonas Rademacker

The Dark Universe

Are theories of dark matter and dark energy true?

A crystal-clear sphere resting on a pine branch, displaying intricate frost patterns resembling delicate leaves, against a softly blurred background.

Why Does Time Fly?

Bernard Carr | Time and consciousness

Abstract swirling patterns in vibrant colors including orange, purple, and yellow, resembling a fluid, dynamic surface with reflective textures.

Quantum Whispers

Is teleportation close to becoming a reality?

A night sky filled with countless stars, showcasing a vibrant, milky way band stretching across the dark blue backdrop, with a silhouette of treetops at the bottom.

Chiara Marletto

Decoding the Universe

Chiara Marletto | Reality as a string of code

Three black swans with frosty feathers and red beaks swim in a misty water environment, surrounded by several ducks.

James Garvey,Rupert Read,Nassim Nicholas Taleb

How do you solve a problem like uncertainty?

A new paradigm of risk

A vibrant and colorful nebula bursting with stars, showcasing deep reds, purples, and blues, with intricate gas and dust formations against the backdrop of space.

James Ladyman,Lev Vaidman,Philip Ball,George Ellis

Cause and the Universe

The many-worlds of quantum physics

A split image of two men; one looks serious, while the other smiles. Both appear to be well-dressed and are set against contrasting backgrounds.

Hannah Dawson,Stanley Fish,John McWhorter

Limits of Thought: John McWhorter and Stanley Fish

Can we think outside of language?

A close-up view of bubbles rising in clear water, creating a sense of movement and light, with a soft blue background.

Beyond Quantum

Is quantum physics wrong? | Gerard 't Hooft

A dark artistic representation of a skull with wispy, smoky elements in the background, conveying a haunting and eerie atmosphere.

Philip Collins,Gita Sahgal,Sebastian Farquhar,David Owens

The Good, the Bad and the Unknown

Is morality independent of outcome?

A silhouette of a person standing on a rocky outcrop, shining a flashlight toward a star-filled night sky with mountains in the background.

The Poetry of the Universe

Sean Carroll | We are made of stories, not atoms