Rational Realm (Leslie Allan)

In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she explores the concept of "sin" as it is ever-present in many faiths. The emphasis placed on sin and the dire nature of its consequences can plant a pervasive, nagging or overwhelming fear that often follows people long after leaving a religion. Teachings around sin can also cause people to develop a deep-seated sense of shame around the idea that they are inherently "wrong" or "bad." Caroline discusses the traumatic shame and anxiety that can take root from a focus on sin.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this episode, Leslie Allan shares his early experiences and how they shape his humanist outlook today. He then outlines what he considers to be the three core principles underlying the humanist world view and illustrates their application with historical and contemporary examples. He concludes by drawing upon each of these principles to tease out what it means to live a good life; a life of meaning and purpose.

Progress toward the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has been accelerating in recent times. While much is contested about if and when AGI will be achieved, and even about what it is, its consequences for humanity, should AGI be realised, are profound. Among these consequences are deep questions about intelligence, consciousness, morality, and what it means to be human. In this session, Dr. Tony Carden shares his perspectives on some of the basic premises and history of AGI, progress toward it, and some of the foreseeable risks and benefits it is likely to bring. His address sets the scene for an interactive exploration with participants of the aforementioned philosophical implications of AGI.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Akiva Quinn presents the case for moral progress and the advance of social justice. He offers reflections on historical and contemporary issues from Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, through Apartheid South Africa and Black Lives Matter, Post-Colonialism, LGBTQI+ and First Nations recognition to ongoing conflict, gender, racial and social inequality. Akiva also draws on examples, films and texts such as Selma (2014), Kenan Malik's "The Quest for a Moral Compass", Michael Shermer's "The Moral Arc", Steven Pinker's "Enlightenment Now" and Malcolm Gladwell's "Talking to Strangers".

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this episode, Leslie Allan explores whether human beings can really have free will in a universe in which every thought and action is governed by universal physical laws of nature. The view that human beings do not exercise free will appears for many to be a consequence of a modern, scientific view of the universe and humankind's place in it. It is a view that is popular among humanists, atheists and other freethinkers. Leslie Allan endeavours to show how this myth is based on some fundamental errors of reasoning and an insufficient attention to how 'free will' language is used by ordinary folk. He garners ordinary usage and modern medical and legal practice to develop his '4C theory' of the requirements for acting freely in a world exclusively governed by physical, chemical and biological forces.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we met with Michael Dello-Iacovo, who describes himself as a Sentientist. Our guest gives his Sentientist's perspective on life with participants asking him a variety of questions.

Michael attended a Catholic Jesuit school in Adelaide for most of his schooling and believed in everything associated with the religion. Around the age of 18, he had a rather painful transition from Catholic to outspoken atheist. Michael completed a Bachelor of Science and is currently finishing a PhD in space science. Valuing the application of reason to doing good, he became involved in the effective altruism movement in 2015 and served as CEO of Effective Altruism Australia in 2016. Michael has also been an active member of the Animal Justice Party, including running in several elections, to further the cause of animal protection.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we meet with Leo Brewin, who describes himself as a Rationalist. We'll briefly hear Leo's perspective on life and then get to ask him any question.

Bio: Our guest has enjoyed over 30 years as an academic at Monash University. He felt privileged to teach mathematics to undergraduates while also enjoying an active research program, mostly in developing computational methods for general relativity. Leo has been a member of The Rationalist Society of Australia for many years and has served as vice president of the society. Despite being a Rationalist, he does allow himself the irrational expectation that the St Kilda football team will win another flag.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this episode, Akiva Quinn and Usha Sista examine the notion of "The Good Life" from various viewpoints. We all want our lives to actualise some conception of "The Good Life" where this notion will generally include fulfilment, happiness or wellbeing for ourselves, our family, friends and other people. In addition, for many, to live the good life also entails living with concern for both self and others based on moral and practical or prudential considerations. Is the good life about experiencing lasting pleasure and minimizing suffering as Hedonism suggests? In contrast, Altruism proposes we should do "the most good" we can through our life choices, practical efforts and effective charity while Humanism promotes acting on values and concern for outcomes which respect and support other people and better their opportunities in the world.

In this episode, Martin Coleman and Akiva Quinn debate the extent to which the law ought to limit free speech and free expression in order to prevent significant harms. Martin Coleman puts the case for free speech and free expression that forms the basis for an informed populace. Martin turns to such great writers as Voltaire, Christopher Hitchens, Thomas Paine and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. in defence of the claim that no matter how great or abhorrent an idea is, the ability to share and discuss it is the pinnacle of modern democracy. Alternately, Akiva Quinn argues for restrictions on speech and expression that incite violence and is likely to lead to significant harms. In such cases, he argues, the clear and present dangers from this expression means that such 'free speech' does not warrant protection under the law as the harms to individuals or groups outweighs any benefit from unlimited freedom to express sentiments without regard for the predictable consequences.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

While democracy has widespread appeal, many consider it to be under threat. Dr Vince Giuca will open this discussion by asking what is 'democracy', teasing out the implications of 'rule of the people' — an amorphous concept for some who ask whether it is meaningless and should be abandoned altogether. This will be followed with consideration of where democracy is today with special attention to American politics in the age of Trumpism.

In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she discusses how religious disillusionment can often introduce tension into relationships with friends and family who are still religious. Many people experience a profound loss when they leave a religion from the severed or strained ties with loved ones and communities. For some people, the risk of rejection is so strong that they feel they need to "stay in the closet." Caroline will explore the impact of religious trauma on identity and the ability to create and foster meaningful relationships.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we met with Karyn Robinson, who describes herself as a Pantheist. Our guest gives her Pantheist perspective on life with participants asking her a variety of questions.

Karyn is a New Zealander who studied at University of Waikato and University of NSW. She has a degree in teaching, a Masters in Environmental Management and a Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma. Karyn now lives in Wollongong, NSW. She is a Senior Advisor with Australian Childhood Foundation providing consultation and training in developmental (childhood) trauma due to neglect/abuse/domestic violence. Karyn has been a self-confessed tree hugger and greenie all her life!.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, takes us on an exploration of the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this second presentation, Caroline explores how spiritual ideas and practices are sometimes used to avoid or suppress emotions and the damage this can cause.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

How does one create or pursue "meaning IN life" if there is no cosmic "meaning OF life"? Does the absurdity of suffering and banality of repetitive human activities undermine meaning? Akiva Quinn offers perspectives on life as meaningful based on the projects and purposes we each adopt, drawing on existentialist and absurdist thinkers including Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Martin Buber and Viktor Frankl, among others. Akiva explores the extent to which meaning in life may be achieved through any number of personal choices about "what truly matters" to an individual and the possible role of shared moral values in creating and sustaining a life filled with purpose and meaning.

In this series of sessions, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. Religion has very clear-cut explanations for our purpose on earth and for what happens when we die. When you leave a religion, you are suddenly unmoored from those meaning-making frameworks and are given the tremendous task of finding these answers for yourself. Many people feel lost and alone in this search for meaning. In this session, Caroline explores the challenges that religious trauma can pose in making sense of the world.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

The rise of Donald Trump and the outcome of the Brexit vote indicate that our democratic systems of government are under stress. Leslie Allan outlines the key principles underpinning democracy and some ideas on how to buttress them.

In this episode, Usha Sista explores what neuroscience tells us about ethics—what goes on in the human brain when presented with ethical dilemmas such as the famous trolley problem and how that informs our understanding of ourselves.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she reveals how "purity culture" began as a movement within the American evangelical Christian community, starting in the 90s, and places a strong moral emphasis on abstinence until marriage. Since then, it has spread to several countries and denominations around the world. Caroline will discuss this pervasive form of religious trauma and the impact of its teachings on intimacy, sexual identity and self-esteem.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

This synopsis tracks the story of Henrietta Dugdale, a leading light of the women’s liberation movement in pre-Federation Australia. Throughout the nineteenth century, women were treated as emotional and fragile, unable to govern themselves. In this social setting, Dugdale challenged the suffocating patriarchal structures of the day with her provocative prose and political willpower. She campaigned tirelessly for equality and for the victory of reason over cruel religious dogma. With her fellow suffragists, she changed irrevocably how women were treated within the family and the broader society.

Is artificial superintelligence (ASI) imminent? In this episode, Adam Ford assesses the evidence and ethical importance of artificial intelligence; its opportunities and risks. Drawing on the history of progress in AI and how today it surpasses peak human capability in some domains, he presents forecasts about further progress. Adam also explores the notion of intelligence and what aspects are missing in AI now and how 'understanding' arises in biological intelligence and how it could be realised in AI over the next decade or two. He concludes with takes on ideal AI outcomes and some recommendations for increasing the likelihood of achieving them.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Mental health professionals are increasingly noticing a pattern of symptoms in both those who have left religion and those who are still practicing that mirror the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2011, Dr. Marlene Winell coined the term 'Religious Trauma Syndrome' (RTS) to give a name to the unique trauma that many face from their experiences with religion. Like PTSD, RTS symptoms sometimes fly under the radar or are attributed to other causes, such as major depression or an anxiety disorder. In this podcast, Caroline Winzenried will outline how to identify RTS and the hidden toll that it takes even years after leaving a religion.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Subjectivists about morality say that all of our moral judgments are about nothing more than our personal preferences. Objectivists, on the other hand, claim that our moral valuations are based on a human-independent realm of moral facts. Is there a way to reconcile these two opposing views? In this first part of a two-part series, Leslie Allan will get us thinking about this vexed problem by introducing us to a typical everyday moral argument. He’ll then discuss how four dominant views in moral philosophy seriously misconstrue how ethics can be objective. By properly contrasting different senses of ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’, Leslie will go on to articulate how being objective in moral reasoning does not preclude a necessary subjective element as well.

In this episode, Leslie Allan and Akiva Quinn engage in dialogue in an exploration of the nature and grounding of human rights. Do they exist? If so, what justifies them? How can we best understand the nature and extent of human rights? Is the moral theory of utilitarianism an adequate underpinning of human rights, or are rights justified by ascriptions of human dignity or autonomy? Or something else?

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Subjectivists about morality say that all of our moral judgments are about nothing more than our personal preferences. Objectivists, on the other hand, claim that our moral valuations are based on a human-independent realm of moral facts. Is there a way to reconcile these two opposing views? In this second part of a two-part series, Leslie Allan explains the expressive function of moral language that gives it its subjective character. He’ll then return to filling out the case that ethics is also importantly ‘objective’ by looking at how ‘objective’ is formally defined and how it is used in legal reasoning. Leslie goes on to illustrate how the requirement for impartiality appears centrally in the five most prominent theories of ethics and in the long history of religious thinking on the subject.

In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, takes us on an exploration of the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this first presentation, Caroline examine how religious teachings can shape our emotional understanding by categorising emotions as "good" or "bad" creating implicit rules for how we should listen to, ignore, or even disown them.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Effective Altruism (EA) is a new movement around the not so new idea of combining evidence and reasons with charity and altruism. It focuses on using our limited time and resources to do as much good as we can. In this episode, Michael Dello-Iacovo introduces some of the key concepts of Effective Altruism and discusses some examples and the underlying philosophy. He also considers some of the common objections to aspects of Effective Altruism.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this session, Buddhism expert and PhD candidate, Corey Jackson, explores the intersections between Buddhist practice and the science of mental health. What can 2,500 years of striving for Buddhist enlightenment tell us about mental health in the 21st century? Is there a place for science in the path to enlightenment and a place for Buddhist views in the scientific attempt to understand the mind? Corey enlightens us on why Buddhists still get angry, why psychology can't cure anxiety or depression, and how to strive for long term mental health while still reaping short-term rewards.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this three-part series of talks, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, explores the intricate ties between religious teachings and emotion. In this third and final presentation, Caroline takes us on a journey of healing from spiritual bypassing and making space for our emotions. She shows us how to respond—rather than react—to our emotions by harnessing the power of curiosity, listening to the information our emotions provide with compassion, and putting that information into context.

Bio: Caroline Winzenried is a counsellor in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. She works from an existential-humanistic lens with individuals across the lifespan, from adolescent to older adults, on issues including anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationships. Her areas of special interest include working with religious trauma and grief and loss.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was an Austrian-British philosopher who taught and worked at Cambridge between 1912 and 1947. He is regarded as one of the leading philosophers of the 20th Century, noted for having adopted two very different philosophical stances in his time. Wittgenstein worked primarily in logic and the philosophy of language with an especial focus on language and the world, and secondarily in the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of mathematics and the philosophy of religion. In this podcast, Mark Newbrook presents a linguist's 'take' on his career and consider questions about language, thought and reality from Wittgenstein's two phases, referred to as W1 and W2. W1 was concerned with the logical relationships between propositions and the world; W2 held that the meaning of words is best understood as their use within a given 'language-game'. Can we really grasp the nature of reality in some kind of objective way as W1 claimed? Or do our linguistic structures determine thought, including our view of the structure of 'reality' and thus we cannot grasp the nature of reality in an objective way as W2 argued?

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this first of a two part session, Usha Sista explores an iconic movie trilogy of our generation, The Matrix. The Matrix juxtaposes and synthesises storytelling, philosophy and cognitive science through the cinematic medium. Usha examines some of the philosophical underpinnings of the trilogy. In this first session, she looks at The Matrix through the lens of classical philosophers such as Descartes, Plato, Socrates and others.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Dictionaries often draw a distinction between the modern common meaning of skepticism and its traditional philosophical meaning, which dates from antiquity. The contemporary meaning of 'scientific skepticism' is different again. In this episode, Tim Harding discusses the commonalities and differences between the various meanings. He has a foot in both the scientific and philosophical 'camps'.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this episode, Leslie Allan begins by sharing how his early experiences shape his humanist outlook today. He then outlines what he considers to be the three core principles underlying the humanist world view: reason and evidence, compassion and equality, and autonomy and dignity. Leslie illustrates the application of these principles with historical and contemporary examples. He then draws upon each of these principles to tease out what it means to live a good life; a life of meaning and purpose.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

In this second of a two part session, Usha Sista explores an iconic movie trilogy of our generation, The Matrix. The Matrix juxtaposes and synthesises storytelling, philosophy and cognitive science through the cinematic medium. Usha examines some of the philosophical underpinnings of the trilogy. In this second session, she looks at The Matrix through the lens of contemporary cognitive science and philosophy of mind, such as the brain in the vat argument and simulated reality, free will and freedom.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.

Recently, there has been a plethora of books and articles on the topic of democracy's demise. We find authors who point to a number of countries that are moving towards authoritarian rule (such as America, Hungary, Turkey and the Philippines), while others argue that, despite these exceptions, democracy is alive and well. In particular, Dr Vince Giuca will examine two important threats to democracy. First, populism, where (authoritarian) leaders claim to represent the people and their interests and, yet, introduce anti-pluralistic and anti-liberal measures. Second, digital technology, which is becoming all too pervasive in our lives and has significant implications for political power and civil liberties, and consequently, for democracy itself. Vince will introduce these ideas and ask questions about their ramifications for Australian democracy and whether we need to take action in defending and, perhaps, shoring up aspects of our body politic.

Stoicism has played a major role in shaping ethical considerations for over two millennia, profoundly influencing religious doctrines and renowned philosophers. Despite its frequent misinterpretations and critiques, Stoicism's fundamental principles can guide us to leading a purposeful life. At the heart of Stoic philosophy lies the conviction that our well-being and growth stem from living in accordance with nature and honing our logical skills regardless of our circumstances. In this talk, Joseph Bullock walks us through how pursuing virtue can contribute to human fulfillment and highlights some of the key theories that form the foundation of Stoic practices.

Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.