Podcast
Pomodoro Breaks
Hosted by Panigrahi Nirma · EN
Making a host of powerful literature in science, technology, humanities, business and management available with the help of advanced technology and generative AI tools.
22episodes
Episodes
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The ideological brain
2w ago00:36:56Tap to summarizeCan your politics rewire your cells? In The Ideological Brain, Leor Zmigrod explores the radical science of how dogmas possess us, penetrating the deepest recesses of human biology. By merging neuroscience with philosophy, Zmigrod reveals why some brains are vulnerable to extremism while others remain resiliently flexible. From dopamine influence to split-second perceptions, discover how your convictions sculpt your brain and learn what it truly takes to protect your intellectual freedom and think for yourself.
Transcribe →Layers of scientific explanation
2w ago00:48:33Tap to summarizeWhy does reality come in layers? From the chaotic dance of subatomic particles to the structured complexity of human economies, the universe presents a hierarchy of deep mysteries. Levels of Explanation explores this staggering puzzle, debunking the myth that the best answers always hide in fundamental physics. Delve into a cutting-edge investigation where biology, cognitive science, and metaphysics converge to reveal how higher-level patterns emerge from the buzzing confusion of the microscopic world.
Transcribe →Sufficientarianism
2w ago00:38:40Tap to summarizeIs justice about equality or just having enough? In A New Theory of Sufficientarian Justice, Lasse Nielsen introduces the revolutionary umbel view. This innovative framework focuses on eight critical spheres of life, from health to social status, arguing that absolute deficiency, not inequality, is the real enemy. By prioritizing basic needs and rethinking extreme wealth, Nielsen transforms abstract philosophy into a radical guide for public policy. Discover this bold blueprint for building a truly just society.
Transcribe →Chilling effects of surveillance
2w ago00:36:00Tap to summarizeWe are trapped in a digital matrix where tech giants and governments track every move. In Chilling Effects, Jonathon Penney reveals how surveillance and AI are weaponized to quietly manipulate our identities and control our behavior. This urgent analysis exposes how modern threats force us into a culture of compliance, silencing dissent and eroding democracy. Penney uncovers the invisible forces shaping our lives and provides a vital roadmap for resisting this dark, increasingly repressive future.
Transcribe →What's makes us human
3w ago00:35:34Tap to summarizeStep into the uncanny borderlands where the lines between humans, animals, and machines blur. In Animals, Robots, Gods, Webb Keane takes you on a global journey from AI romances in Shanghai to hunters who morph into their prey in Siberia. Through these gripping stories, we confront a haunting question: What really makes us human? This is a daring exploration of how we imagine our moral world and the strange new beings now inhabiting it.
Transcribe →How we feel time
3w ago00:31:11Tap to summarizeTime is more than a clock’s tick; it is the fabric of our existence. David Gilden, an astrophysicist turned psychologist, takes you on a mind-bending journey through this book to reveal how we actually experience time. By blending music, physics, and Gestalt psychology, Gilden uncovers hidden phase transitions in human consciousness. This unique perspective reveals why the present has a deadline and how your physical body shapes the temporal world you inhabit.
Transcribe →Understanding pure consciousness
3w ago00:39:07Tap to summarizeThe Elephant and the Blind is a groundbreaking exploration into the elusive heart of the human mind: pure consciousness. Drawing on over 500 vivid reports from meditators worldwide, this book strips away thought, time, and even the ego to reveal the simplest state of being. Is consciousness possible without a self? From deep sleep to nondual wakefulness, Metzinger bridges ancient wisdom and modern science to illuminate the profound midnight sun of the mind.
Transcribe →what's in a name?
3w ago00:38:21Tap to summarizeEnter a linguistic revolution with Michael Devitt’s Reference and Beyond. This provocative collection shatters traditional views on how names and thoughts connect to reality. By stripping away abstract Platonic mysteries, Devitt grounds human communication in a gritty, physical, causal world. From the puzzling de se to the shocking idea that meaning is external to the mind, this book boldly redefines the semantic task. Forget what you knew; it is now time to put metaphysics first.
Transcribe →Science of cognitive feelings
3w ago00:38:45Tap to summarizeHave you ever felt a name on the tip of your tongue or experienced a sudden eureka moment? Jerome Dokic reveals that these cognitive feelings are far more than mental quirks. In this fascinating exploration, he argues they are the affective interfaces of the mind—spontaneous signals that evaluate our connection to reality. From déjà vu to the profound awe of beauty, discover how these subtle feelings silently govern your beliefs, memories, and perception.
Transcribe →Who is a stranger?
4w ago00:29:57Tap to summarizePrepare to transform your understanding of humanity with François Laruelle’s Theory of Strangers. This isn't just a book—it’s a radical practice meant to be lived. By pioneering non-philosophy, Laruelle reclaims the human from abstract systems, defining us as the Stranger. This keystone text introduces a science of people, dismantling deep-seated hierarchies in democracy and psychoanalysis. Discover a revolutionary perspective where the Stranger and the Ego are identical, finally offering a thought made truly for man.
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