Reading Our Times By cover art

Reading Our Times

By: Theos Think Tank
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  • Summary

  • Reading Our Times is the podcast that explores the books and the ideas that are shaping us today. It is hosted by Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at the think tank, Theos. We’re going to be talking to some of the world’s leading authors about issues like meritocracy, justice, populism, human rights, the brain, liberalism, and religion. Above all, we'll be exploring what these books have to say about the times we live in and about the people we are. So listen with us, and we’ll introduce you to authors, books and ideas that illuminate ourselves and our world today. For more information about the people and ideas behind the podcast, visit https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/about/who-we-are or follow us on Twitter @theosthinktank and @theosnick.
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Episodes
  • When will AI evolve a soul? In conversation with Eve Poole

    When will AI evolve a soul? In conversation with Eve Poole
    Apr 30 2024
    AI is taking over the planet - or at least the news agenda! For hardly a day goes by without some AI story in the headlines. Should we believe what we read? Or is it all hype? In particular, should we believe what we are promised - or threatened - about AI become super-intelligent, sentient, conscious, human? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Eve Poole about her book Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity Buy a copy of Robot Souls here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Robot-Souls-Programming-Eve-Poole/dp/1032426624 ***** Like what you see? Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 CONNECT WITH THEOS Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185
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    39 mins
  • What would it mean to discover alien life (or them us)? In conversation with Andrew Davison

    What would it mean to discover alien life (or them us)? In conversation with Andrew Davison
    Apr 23 2024
    Little green men were once a complete fantasy - but the numbers appear to be on their side. The sheer size of the universe, the number of stars and, it seems, the number of potentially inhabitable planets means that alien life is highly probable. What would it mean for us if that were so? If we did ever 'make contact'? What would it mean for our sense of pride, our dignity and in particular for those belief systems that have a particular emphasis on the human species? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Andrew Davison about his book Astrobiology and Christian Doctrine. Buy a copy of Astrobiology and Christian Doctrine here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astrobiology-Christian-Doctrine-Exploring-Implications/dp/1009303155 ***** Like what you see? Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 CONNECT WITH THEOS Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185
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    37 mins
  • Should we really be playing God? In conversation with Nick Spencer

    Should we really be playing God? In conversation with Nick Spencer
    Apr 16 2024
    Every century is different - but the 21st may be seriously different, with our ability to understand, modify and re-create humanity having come on light years in recent decades. Should we? So often, the warning we hear when it comes to the scientific manipulation of the human is that we shouldn't "play God". But what grounding does that actually have? What if we actually are a "playing God" species? Kicking off a new series of Reading our Times, this one dedicated to the overall theme of Playing God, Chine McDonald talks to Nick Spencer about his new book, co-authored with Hannah Waite, Playing God: science, religion and the future of humanity
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    44 mins
Philosophy Social Sciences
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