The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast

Jonny Thomson, philosophy communicator and author of The Art of Enough, defends Epicurus with clarity and charm. They debate pleasure as the highest good, the role of friendship and communal life, Epicurean answers to death and the gods, and atomism and free will. Lively back-and-forth explores justice, moral scope, and how a garden philosophy fares in hard times.

Ed Winters (Earthling Ed), a vegan activist and public speaker, joins to debate tensions in vegan philosophy. They tackle whether veganism should cover human exploitation, the moral status of non-animals, and practical problems of billions of farmed animals. Short, lively exchanges explore sacrifice, species boundaries, messaging, and real-world compromises.

Aribiah David Attoe, a Lecturer in philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand who studies African philosophy of religion and life's meaning, explores Yoruba-inspired cluster views on what makes life meaningful. He discusses ancestors and remembrance, communal harmony versus conformity, death and immortality, and how metaphysical ideas shape ethics toward community, environment, and ritual.

Aribiah David Attoe, a lecturer in philosophy focusing on African philosophy of religion and author on life’s meaning, explores meaning through African traditions. He contrasts communal harmony with conformity. He discusses destiny, ancestors, vital force, and personhood as sources of meaning. He also reflects on whether life has ultimate cosmic meaning.

Vid Simoniti, philosopher of aesthetics and ethics, explores how beauty and moral judgment about food interact. She contrasts aesthetic and suffering-based objections to meat. She discusses fish versus mammals, probabilistic reasoning about consciousness, persuasion through art, family compromises, and politics as a route to large-scale ethical change.

Philip Goff, philosopher of mind and panpsychism; Miri Albahari, scholar of Buddhist and Advaita metaphysics; David Godman, author on Ramana Maharshi and modern Advaita. They probe non-dual visions of reality versus classical theism. Conversations move through mystical union, comparative Advaita-Buddhism readings, the ethics of nonduality, devotional paths, and how divine identity relates to consciousness and moral life.

Miri Albahari, scholar of Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta bringing experiential analysis. David Godman, author and Ramana Maharshi specialist offering lived-teacher perspective. Philip Goff, philosopher of consciousness and panpsychism. They debate whether the divine is separate or non-dual, the role of mystical presence, and how suffering, fine-tuning, and religious practice shape competing views of ultimate reality.

José Eduardo Porcher, Assistant Professor researching Afro-Brazilian religions, guides listeners through Candomblé’s enchanted world. He discusses axé as a pervasive life-force. He explains how stones and iron can become literal seats of deities, the role of dance and possession in initiation, and the ethics and practices surrounding sacrifice and respectful treatment of sacred beings.

José Eduardo Porcher, an Assistant Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, dives deep into Afro-Brazilian religions, particularly Candomblé. He discusses the creation myths rooted in African traditions, highlighting a unique view of a non-omnipotent supreme being, Olodumare. José explains the syncretism with Catholicism as a survival strategy and how Candomblé emphasizes rituals over doctrines. He offers insights into the roles of orixás in governance and the fascinating process of incorporation during trance, revealing a rich philosophical landscape.

The hosts dive into the debate of who deserves the dubious title of the world's worst philosopher. They tackle Jean-Paul Sartre's controversial views on consciousness and freedom, questioning the validity of his claims. Epicurus gets critiqued for perceived laziness and an overly simplistic approach to ethics. Personal stories and philosophical legacies come under fire, leading to a humorous discussion on the absurdities of various thinkers. Ultimately, the hosts cast their votes, revealing Sartre as the unfortunate winner of this philosophical roast.