Galen Strawson, Patricia Churchland and Hilary Lawson debate whether we should rely on the grand metaphysical theories about the nature of reality.

00:00 Introduction
00:47 Patricia Churchland
03:00 Hilary Lawson
05:19 Galen Strawson

06:53 Does science need philosophy in the pursuit of truth?
07:17 Our experience is the closest we can get to understanding reality | Galen Strawson
08:06 Philosophy cannot truly help us understand consciousness | Patricia Churchland
10:16 Science isn't the only way of discovering better ways of intervening in the world | Hilary Lawson

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The twentieth century began with a revolutionary new approach to philosophy. The great arguments about the nature of reality and human experience were deemed empty and meaningless. A new philosophical broom, in the form of analytic philosophy, claimed to sweep away vacuous grand theories and replace them with hard logic and analysis and a close attention to the meaning of the words. Yet, a hundred years on metaphysics is back. Theories of consciousness and the character of reality are once again the topic of debate.

Should we welcome this return to stories about the ultimate character of the world? Or do they risk being empty, conveying little other than the prejudices and desires of their authors? Are grand metaphysical theories about the nature of reality and consciousness vital topics of debate or a set of fairy tales?

Legendary Neurophilosophy pioneer Patricia Churchland, Closure theorist Hilary Lawson and analytic philosopher Galen Strawson lock horns over the future of metaphysics.

#TheoriesOfMetaphysics #AnalyticPhilosophy #UncoveringTheUltimateTruth

Patricia Churchland is a Canadian-American analytical philosopher noted for her contributions to neurophilosophy and the philosophy of mind. She is UC President's Professor of Philosophy Emerita at the University of California, San Diego, where she has taught since 1984.

Hilary Lawson is a philosopher and award-winning broadcaster who has been hosting IAI TV’s philosophy and global politics debate strands since 2010.

Galen Strawson is a Professor of Philosophy at Reading and one of the UK’s leading public intellectuals, his original work on free will and the self has been widely influential.

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