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Can Mathematics Explain Biology?

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Why do Power Laws Work so Widely?

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Season 22

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Neuroanthropologist and co-chair of the N2 Conference Terrence Deacon discusses the noosphere, biological evolution, and the upcoming N2 conference hosted by scientific...

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Terrence Deacon on the Noosphere

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What is the Deep Meaning of Probability?

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Season 22

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Why are we here? What’s the point of existence? Philosopher and consciousness researcher Philip Goff tackles these questions and more in this discussion of his new...

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Philip Goff on the Purpose of the Universe

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What are Breakthroughs in Mathematics?

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Season 22

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SEASON 22

Mathematical Beauty & Breakthroughs

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Perspective

Humanity’s Quantum Leap: 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics

Host Robert Lawrence Kuhn on the 2023 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics.

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Letter From London: Thoughts from CTT on Location

Host Robert Lawrence Kuhn reflects on an enlightening experience in London while on location.

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Contemplating “Oppenheimer”

Robert Lawrence Kuhn reflects on the life and legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

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Neil Theise: Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being

The following is an excerpt from the book Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being by Neil Theise.

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Nicholas Humphrey: Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness

The following is an excerpt from the book Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness by Nicholas Humphrey.

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Cover image for The Philosophy of the Barbie Universe

The new Barbie movie explores the difficulties and terrors of being human, parallel universes, and questions of life after death. Here, we examine the same big questions of...

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The Philosophy of the Barbie Universe

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9 videos

1:14:52

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In anticipation of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer movie premiere, Closer To Truth has curated this video playlist featuring discussions related to the life and work of...

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Contemplating Oppenheimer

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9 videos

1:34:09

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Explore our vast universe: its size, scope, beginning, expansion, ending. How did it all happen? How does it all work? Where is it all going? We target the mysteries.

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Best of Cosmology

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10 videos

4:27:45

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Push boundaries. Discern the deep essence of existence. Search the foundations of reality. Imagine all that may exist in physical realms beyond current understanding. Seek to...

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Asking Ultimate Questions

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12 videos

1:29:44

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Cover image for Exploring Human Nature: Free Will, Personal Identity, Life after Death

What are the fundamental dispositions and traits of all humans? What sets us apart from animals? Do we really have free will or is it all an illusion? What happens when we...

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Exploring Human Nature: Free Will, Personal Identity, Life after Death

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13 videos

5:54:03

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Everything we know comes from the brain. Are brains our window to reality, showing us what truly exists? How can we know? Can consciousness derive from something beyond the...

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Secrets of Brain and Mind

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5:48:02

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Did the universe have a beginning? What was it like? Will our universe end? How? How big is the cosmos? Does it go on forever, and what would that mean? How many universes...

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Universe: Beginning, Vast Size, End

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5:48:03

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What is real? What is nothing? Why is there “something” rather than “nothing”? Does the nonphysical world exist? These are the ultimate questions of reality, the...

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Ultimate Questions of Existence

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5:21:15

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How can we understand consciousness? Is our consciousness an illusion? Can it be measured scientifically or tied to the brain? Why is consciousness so difficult to explain?

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The Mystery of Consciousness

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Our partners at The Institute of Art and Ideas (IAI) aim to rescue philosophy from technical debates about the meaning of words and return it to big ideas and putting them at...

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Featured Videos from IAI.tv

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Explore philosophical questions that address fundamental issues and beliefs including the meaning of truth; the philosophy of science, cosmology, and biology; metaphysics...

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Philosophical Questions I

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5:48:17

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Explore more philosophical questions that seek insights into the fundamental features of existence including the limits of science, the existence of God, discerning the deep...

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5:48:10

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Questions like:
Why is there something rather than nothing? What exists? How vast is the cosmos? Are there multiple universes (multiverse)?

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Questions like:
What is consciousness? Can brain explain mind? What are persons? Do persons have souls? Life after death? What is free will?

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Questions like:
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Complete Closer To Truth TV episodes as broadcast on PBS stations nationwide in the U.S.

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Collections of the best videos selected by the Closer To Truth team.

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Informal, free-flowing conversations with leading scientists, philosophers, and creative thinkers.

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All seasons of the acclaimed television series.

To seek the foundations of reality we look through the prism of mathematics. Mathematics is the universal language anyone, anywhere, can appreciate. We ask profound...

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Season 22

Season

2:14:20

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Science explores how the world works. Breakthroughs drive science, challenging conventional wisdom, changing ways of thinking. What are Breakthroughs in science?

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Season 21

Season

13 videos

5:48:11

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Art Seeking Understanding: Art delights us, but how and why? Explore art and cognitive science, philosophy, history, theology, and more.

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Season 20

Season

10 videos

4:27:50

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Philosophical inquiries including the anthropic principle; fine-tuning in physics and cosmology; and atonement, salvation, and incarnation.

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Season 19

Season

13 videos

5:48:24

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Are there multiple universes? What is extended mind? What causes consciousness? Challenges of analytic theology? If God, what’s evolution?

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Season 18

Season

13 videos

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How did the universe begin? What exists? What are the risks of scientific knowledge? Can metaphysics discern God, and what or who is God?

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Season 17

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Doomsday argument? Philosophy & science? Consciousness: Brain alone? Brains go bad? Language? Meaning: How miracles? God fallacies?

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Season 16

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Reason? Implications? Consciousness: ESP mean? ESP work? Dualism? Ultimate reality? Meaning: Speculating about God? God intervenes?

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Season 15

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Information? Truth? Multiverse? Consciousness: Science of consciousness? Mind heal body? Meaning: Blame God for evil? God not free?

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Season 14

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Ever end? Ultimate reality? Consciousness: Death final? Free will for moral responsibility? Meaning: What causes religious belief?

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Season 13

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Beginning? What is Nothing? Why anything? Consciousness: Personal identity persist? Sleep? Human uniqueness? Meaning: New atheism?

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Season 12

Season

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Cosmos: What is time? Infinite cosmos? Consciousness: How brains work? Free will illusion? Meaning: Alternative Gods? Resurrection? Hell?

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Season 11

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Religiously ambiguous? General principles? Consciousness: Illusion? Dreams? Belief systems? Meaning: What is God? Arguing God?

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Season 10

Season

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Cosmos: Life inevitable? Inflation? Complexity? Consciousness: Alien intelligence? Meaning: Creator God? God all powerful? God fallacies?

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Season 09

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Cosmos: Beyond physics? Cosmic purpose? Consciousness: ESP clues? Keep identity? Souls? Meaning: God’s nature? Evil necessary? Immortality?

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Season 08

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Cosmos: SpaceTime? Science limits? Consciousness: How brains conscious? Survive death? Meaning: God vs science? Miracles? God & free will?

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Season 07

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Cosmic structure? Quantum strange? Consciousness: ESP spirit? Brain free will? Meaning: God all knowing? Necessary? Agnosticism?

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Season 06

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13 videos

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Cosmos: Far future? Ultimate Questions? Consciousness: Human brains? Mind? Personal identity? Meaning: God a Person? Religion without God?

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Season 05

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Expanding universe? Extra dimensions? Laws? Consciousness: All material? Angels/demons? Meaning: God’s judgment? God create evil?

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Season 04

13 videos

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Cosmos: Something/Nothing? Final Theory? Consciousness: Fundamental? Aliens? Meaning: God knows future? Eternal life? Science-religion?

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Season 03

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: Many universes? Time Travel? Consciousness: Life after death? Mind? Free will? Meaning: Evil disprove God? Time? Arguing Atheism?

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Season 02

Season

13 videos

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Cosmos: How vast? Fine-tuned? Fake? Consciousness: Mystery? Brain structure? Souls? ESP? Meaning: God make sense? Arguing God’s existence?

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Season 01

Season

13 videos

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Cover image for Mind, Art, Transcendence (Part 1)

What is the three-way relationship among mind, art, and transcendence? What is it about art that can elicit the sense of transcendence, going beyond the self, bursting the...

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Mind, Art, Transcendence (Part 1)

Topic Series

6 videos

47:25

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Closer To Truth is highlighting remarkable women in philosophy and physics/cosmology.

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Women in Philosophy and Physics/Cosmology

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11 videos

1:38:00

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Cover image for The Global Philosophy of Religion Project

The Global Philosophy of Religion Project, in partnership with the University of Birmingham, aims to make the philosophy of religion a truly global field by promoting the...

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The Global Philosophy of Religion Project

Project

24 videos

22:46:58

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Push boundaries. Discern the deep essence of existence. Search the foundations of reality. Imagine all that may exist in physical realms beyond current understanding. Seek to...

playlist

Asking Ultimate Questions

Topic Series

12 videos

1:29:44

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Did the universe have a beginning? What was it like? Will our universe end? How? How big is the cosmos? Does it go on forever, and what would that mean? How many universes...

playlist

Universe: Beginning, Vast Size, End

Curated

5:48:03

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Cover image for What is Philosophy of Biology?

We ask the broadest and most fundamental questions about biology, seeking meaning, purpose and implications of biological phenomena and systems. Questions include: life,...

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What is Philosophy of Biology?

Topic Series

5 videos

39:46

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How Brain Scientists Think About Consciousness

Topic Series

9 videos

1:40:08

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Cover image for What are Breakthroughs in Science? (Part 1)

What is the nature of scientific breakthroughs? What are common characteristics among all the sciences? What are specific signs of breakthroughs in physics and biology?...

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What are Breakthroughs in Science? (Part 1)

Topic Series

6 videos

1:01:52

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Cover image for Can Consciousness be Non-Biological? (Part 1)

If consciousness is 100% physical, we would have to conclude that the same kind of consciousness that we experience as humans can be generated by non-biological entities...

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Can Consciousness be Non-Biological? (Part 1)

Topic Series

7 videos

52:31

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Cover image for Quantum Physics of Consciousness

Are quantum events required for consciousness in a very special sense, far beyond the general sense that quantum events are part of all physical systems? What would it take...

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Quantum Physics of Consciousness

Topic Series

10 videos

1:22:52

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Cover image for How are Brains Conscious?

Brains are conscious. The heart is not. What does the brain do that the heart does not do? How does it come to be that brains generate inner subjective experience, the movies...

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How are Brains Conscious?

Topic Series

10 videos

1:29:04

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Cover image for Where Do the Laws of Nature Come From?

What’s real? What’s fundamental? There are regularities in nature, things that are or work the same—always, everywhere, across the universe just like across...

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Where Do the Laws of Nature Come From?

Topic Series

9 videos

1:24:26

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Featured Contributors

Roger Penrose

Nobel Prize in Physics; Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, University of Oxford

Sabine Hossenfelder

Physicist and Science Writer, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy

Sean Carroll

Research Professor of Physics, Caltech

Michio Kaku

Professor of Physics, City College of New York; Futurist; Author

David Chalmers

Professor of Philosophy and Co-director, Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness, New York University

Sarah Coakley

Norris-Hulse Emeritus Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge; Anglican priest

V.S. Ramachandran

Distinguished Professor; Director, Center for Brain and Cognition, UC San Diego

Paul Davies

Regents' Professor, Arizona State University

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Can Mathematics Explain Biology?

Why do Power Laws Work so Widely?

Terrence Deacon on the Noosphere

What is the Deep Meaning of Probability?

Philip Goff on the Purpose of the Universe

What are Breakthroughs in Mathematics?

Mathematical Beauty & Breakthroughs

Recent News

Humanity’s Quantum Leap: 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics

Letter From London: Thoughts from CTT on Location

Contemplating “Oppenheimer”

Closer To Truth Partners with IAI Live for Virtual Debate

Neil Theise: Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being

Nicholas Humphrey: Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness

Curated Playlists

The Philosophy of the Barbie Universe

Contemplating Oppenheimer

Best of Cosmology

Asking Ultimate Questions

Exploring Human Nature: Free Will, Personal Identity, Life after Death

Secrets of Brain and Mind

Universe: Beginning, Vast Size, End

Ultimate Questions of Existence

The Mystery of Consciousness

Featured Videos from IAI.tv

Philosophical Questions I

Philosophical Questions II

What are you interested in?

Which formats do you prefer?

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Featured Topic Series

Mind, Art, Transcendence (Part 1)

Women in Philosophy and Physics/Cosmology

The Global Philosophy of Religion Project

Asking Ultimate Questions

Universe: Beginning, Vast Size, End

What is Philosophy of Biology?

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Deep Laws of Nature

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How Brain Scientists Think About Consciousness

What are Breakthroughs in Science? (Part 1)

Can Consciousness be Non-Biological? (Part 1)