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Closer To Truth

Closer To Truth
Consciousness
Cosmology
Artificial Intelligence
Philosophy
Quantum Mechanics
Mathematics
Evolution
Neuroscience
Physics
Buddhism
Biology
God
Hinduism
Natural Selection
Philosophy Of Religion
Philosophy Of Biology
Islam
Free Will
Panpsychism
Christianity

Closer To Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions in Cosmos, Life, Consciousness, and Meaning. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Seek your own answers.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes300Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureEducationPhilosophy

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Closer To Truth

Latest Episodes

How do natural laws shape human societies?

In this conversation, Saleem Ali discusses Earthly Order: How Natural Laws Define Human Life, exploring connections between natural systems, social organization, economics, and political order. Ali examines... more

What can Galileo still teach us about science, truth, and discovery?

In this conversation, Mario Livio discusses Galileo’s scientific legacy, the Hubble Space Telescope, science denial, exoplanets, cosmology, and the future of life in the universe. ... more

Do we really have free will?

In this conversation, Gregg Caruso explores the philosophy of free will, moral responsibility, determinism, compatibilism, libertarian free will, and free will skepticism. Discussing themes from Just Deserts: Debating Fr... more

How do we measure the expansion of the universe?

In this conversation, Wendy Freedman discusses the Hubble constant, standard candles, redshift, and the ongoing effort to determine the age, size, and evolution of the universe. Exploring Cepheid vari... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Saleem Ali
Author of Earthly Order, Professor focusing on environmental policy and planning
University of Delaware
Episode: Saleem Ali on Natural Laws and Human Life
Mario Livio
Astrophysicist and author of Galileo and the Science Deniers
University of the Way? (context not explicit in transcript)
Episode: Mario Livio on Galileo, Science Denial, and the Future of the Universe
Gregg Caruso
Philosopher discussing free will and moral responsibility
Episode: Gregg Caruso on Free Will: Philosophy and Moral Responsibility
Wendy Freedman
University Professor at the University of Chicago, prominent cosmologist
University of Chicago
Episode: Wendy Freedman on the Hubble Constant, Standard Candles, and Cosmology
Thomas Hertog
Cosmologist and author of On the Origin of Time
University of Leuven
Episode: Thomas Hertog on the Origin of Time
Anil Seth
Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience
University of Sussex
Episode: Anil Seth on a New Science of Consciousness
John Dupré
Philosopher of biology, proponent of pluralistic metaphysics of science
University of Exeter
Episode: Why Philosophy of Evolutionary Biology?
Dennis Noble
Systems biologist, critic of the modern synthesis
University of Chichester
Episode: Why Philosophy of Evolutionary Biology?
Michael Ruse
Philosopher of biology, historian of science
University of Guelph (context)
Episode: Why Philosophy of Evolutionary Biology?

Host

Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Host of Closer To Truth

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 650 ratings
  • Amazing

    I love this podcast so much and am always looking forward to new episodes - really interesting, insightful thoughtful and intelligent conversations. Find myself wishing episodes lasted 5 hours!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    emineeeeeeeeeeeee
    United Statesa year ago
  • Nothing gets Closer to this Podcast

    Thank you Robert for giving yourself completely to your quest and sharing the process with all of us seekers of the truth. Your program is not only inspirational but a source of knowledge, smarts and great people. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MainiDell
    Argentinaa year ago
  • Strange

    Why doesn’t Philip Goff just say he’s going to church & blindly believing because he wants to feel the sense of belonging? All these words he saying, when it just comes down to this. Kind of like the Mormon sheep. The cultural aspect of Mormonism is extremely strong.

    And then the womens story of justifying the afterlife for a pelican. Try justifying a severely disabled child who has to go through this life suffering and then just HOPING for some grand saving. Rubbish. Why’d god make the child li... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Flameonyou
    United Statesa year ago
  • Ads are ruining me

    This is my absolute fav philosophy podcast but please the pod beam ads have got to go. Maybe an option to pay for ad free?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    nrslv
    Australiaa year ago
  • Great podcast

    Not sure how I found this show, very highly insightful and thought provoking. Asks questions and makes the listener think about subjects such as science, philosophy and our place in the universe. I mainly listen to physics podcasts, but study philosophy and psychology as well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Groucho the man
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many appreciate the respectful, well-structured debates and high-quality questioning.
Audience value the depth and breadth of topics across science, philosophy, and spirituality.
Listeners praise the show's rigorous, open-minded dialogue and thoughtful guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#176
United Kingdom/Education
Apple Podcasts
#155
Australia/Education
Apple Podcasts
#98
Belgium/Education
Apple Podcasts
#227
Argentina/Education
Apple Podcasts
#231
Denmark/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mario Livio on Galileo, Science Denial, and the Future of the Universe
Q: What role might a multiverse play in our understanding of physics?
It remains controversial because testability is challenging, but if predictions emerge that can be observed within our universe, it could become scientifically meaningful.
Mario Livio on Galileo, Science Denial, and the Future of the Universe
Q: Why is science denial still a vital issue today?
Because misunderstanding the nature of science—its provisional status and reliance on data—leads to resistance against evidence, which can have serious consequences for public health and policy.
Mario Livio on Galileo, Science Denial, and the Future of the Universe
Q: What made Galileo one of the founders of modern science?
He championed patient observations and experiments as the path to truth, then used those results to inform theory, a process that underpins the scientific method.
Thomas Hertog on the Origin of Time
Q: What exactly is the no boundary hypothesis and how does it differ from the multiverse approach?
The no boundary hypothesis posits that, when you trace the universe back to its origin, time effectively becomes a spatial dimension and the universe doesn't have a singular beginning in time. This is opposed to the multiverse idea, which posits many universes with varying laws and histories. The no boundary view emphasizes initial conditions and holographic descriptions, reducing reliance on a landscape of separate universes and instead focusing on a single emergent history shaped by boundary conditions.
Michael Ruse on Evolution, Human Exceptionalism, and Philosophy of Biology
Q: Why are you so insistent that values come from within humans and not from the machine model?
Because a purely mechanistic framework does not inherently explain why humans assign value; the existentialist impulse argues that meaning and ethics arise from human choice and social development, not from the laws of physics alone.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Closer To Truth

What is Closer To Truth about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful conversations span science, philosophy, and spirituality, with frequent dives into evolution, consciousness, the nature of reality, and life's big questions. Across episodes, discussions challenge conventional narratives—from the modern synthesis to ideas about mind, matter, and meaning—featuring leading thinkers who push for pluralist, interdisciplinary viewpoints. Noteworthy are multi-guest dialogues that braid rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling, along with explorations of how science, religion, and philosophy intersect to shape our understanding of existence and the future of intelligence and cosmology. The format often centers on probing questions, clear host guidance, and a willingness to entertain provocative po... more

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How many episodes of Closer To Truth are there?

Closer To Truth launched 16 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Closer To Truth?

Recent guests on Closer To Truth include:

1. Saleem Ali
2. Mario Livio
3. Gregg Caruso
4. Wendy Freedman
5. Thomas Hertog
6. Anil Seth
7. John Dupré
8. Dennis Noble

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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