Phil Zuckerman is a professor of Secular Studies at Pitzer College. Phil describes what the Secular Studies program entails from philosophical, political, and sociological perspectives. Phil is the author of What It Means to be Moral, and he and Leslie discuss how leading an ethical life does not require a religious foundation. Phil is the Executive Director of Humanist Global Charity, and you can read his most recent articles and essays on OnlySky.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Lee Shields, Zack Dumont, and Martin Zielinski. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.

Leslie Rosenblood

Podcast for Inquiry has just wrapped its first year, and what a year it’s been! Here’s a sample of what we’ve accomplished:

• Big names on the podcast: Steven Pinker, Julie Bindel, Jonathan Kay, and William Davis;
• Tackled some challenging and controversial topics: Bill 21 (both sides), free speech, and artificial intelligence;
• Fascinating conversations with amazing people: Catherine Nixey on her book The Darkening Age, Emma Allen-Vercoe on microbes, and David Good on the Yanomami;
• Troubling and dark subjects: the state of democracy with Miriam Mufti; the early life of dictators with Brandon Gauthier, and human rights abuses in North Korea with Sandra Fahy;
• Sheer intellectual joys to explore: government no longer being defined by territory with Eric Schnurer; futures studies with Joseph Voros; and Chinese philosophy with Bryan Van Norden.

And it’s just going to get better.

The first episode of our 2023 season will be phenomenal. I talk with Phil Zuckerman about his book What It Means to be Moral, and he pulls no punches. If you want a full-throated, no-holds-barred attack on the foundation of religious “morality” that is worthy of any of the Four Horsemen of Atheism, you’ll want to listen to our next show (to be published January 4). 

I’m so incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished, and humbly thank you for giving me the opportunity to be Podcast for Inquiry’s host. It has been, and remains, my passion project.

I want to give special thanks to Matt Payne, who has been our editor and producer from the start. He made every episode look and sound professional, even at the beginning when I was using my laptop’s internal microphone to record my voice. He made sure every episode was edited, produced, and published on time, and has always been on hand to address any issues that arise. We couldn’t have done it with you, Matt. Thank you so very much. 

For those that haven’t yet listened to Podcast for Inquiry, you’re missing out on a great conversation, every two weeks. For those who have subscribed, thank you — and let me know (podcast@centreforinquiry.ca) what you like and where we can improve. 

It’s been a fantastic year, and I’m very excited for everything we have planned for 2023.

Bryan Van Norden (@BryanVanNorden) is a professor of Chinese philosophy. He and Leslie discuss the six titans of Chinese philosophical schools, along the parallels and differences with various Western philosophies. Bryan makes the case for studying Chinese philosophy in a world full of fascinating topics to learn about, and argues for incorporating a more diverse set of philosophical thought into the core canon. For those interested in a deeper understanding than was discussed in this episode, Bryan has compiled a bibliography of less commonly taught philosophies, written several books, and has a YouTube lecture series on Chinese Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism, from Confucius to Xi Jinping. 

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne, Lee Shields, Zack Dumont and Martin Zielinski. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.

David Robert Grimes (@drg1985) is a scientist and author of Good Thinking (The Irrational Ape in Europe and UK). David and Leslie talk about the centrality of critical thinking to human flourishing, and the many, many ways intuitive heuristics can mislead us. And yet, with training and diligence, we can overcome our biases, motivated reasoning, and logical fallacies to create the technologies that are part of modern life. David describes how and when to apply one’s critical faculties, and why doing so can save the world. 

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.

Dr. Joseph Voros has been a professional futurist for over two decades. He and Leslie discuss what futures studies is, and the challenges in recognizing successful efforts that prevent catastrophes. Dr. Voros describes the difference between probable, plausible, and possible futures, how to classify them and what we can do to increase the probability of bringing about a future that we (and our descendents) will want to live in. This episode is audio-only to respect Dr. Voros’ privacy.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.

Jasveen Brar is the Executive Director of Youth Climate Lab, a “non-profit organization of youth mobilizing youth to create just, climate-resilient futures.” Jasveen explains why her organization focuses on people under 30, their accomplishments to date, and what they are planning for the future. She and Leslie also talk about the role of the individual, municipalities, and governments around the world in mitigating the effects of the climate emergency.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.