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Closer To Truth

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

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes300Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophyEducationSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Closer To Truth

Latest Episodes

What might intelligence become—not just in centuries, but across millions or even billions of years?

Robert explores the deepest questions about the far future of intelligence in the universe. While we often think in terms of decades, extending our ... more

We may be creating something a million times smarter than all of humanity combined — and we have no plan for what happens next. AI safety pioneer Roman Yampolskiy lays out the risks, the arguments, and whether any solution exists.

Roman V. Yampolski... more

Is the world we experience truly real, or is it more like a dream we haven't yet woken up from? Michael James, a leading scholar and translator of the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, explores how Ramana's philosophy challenges our most basic assump... more

Make a donation to Closer To Truth to help us continue exploring the world's deepest questions without the need for paywalls.

I like arguments about God, whether based on science, philosophy or personal experience. I like to push and to be pushed, e... more

Key Facts

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

Recent Guests

Roman Yampolskiy
AI safety, cybersecurity and digital forensics expert, founding director of the Cyber Security Lab at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
Episode: Roman Yampolskiy on How Dangerous Is Artificial Intelligence
Michael James
Scholar and translator dedicated to Sri Ramana Maharshi
Independent scholar/translator
Episode: Michael James on What the World Is According to Sri Ramana
Rebecca Goldstein
Philosopher and novelist, author of 36 Arguments for the Existence of God
Philosophy/Academia
Episode: Current Arguments for God
John Searle
Leading philosopher of mind, proponent of biological naturalism
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: Can Brain Alone Explain Consciousness?
Lawrence Krauss
Physicist, author, and contributor to discussions on cosmology
Episode: Asking Ultimate Questions
Max Tegmark
Physicist known for work on mathematical universe hypothesis
Episode: Asking Ultimate Questions
Mark Alford
Physicist discussed as one of the three perspectives on life, universe, and everything
Episode: Asking Ultimate Questions
Pete Hart
Physicist contributing to the dialogue on the nature of reality
Episode: Asking Ultimate Questions
Pete Hutt
Physicist mentioned as collaborator in discussions
Episode: Asking Ultimate Questions

Host

Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Host of the show, guiding discussions on life, consciousness, and meaning across diverse thinkers.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 642 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 Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Consistently engaging; the host asks important questions respectfully.
High-quality debates that challenge my views without getting you angry.
Thoughtful, insightful conversations with great guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#124
Argentina/Education
Apple Podcasts
#228
Poland/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Michael James on What the World Is According to Sri Ramana
Q: What would you say is Sri Ramana's most counter-intuitive teaching?
Ramana's teachings are counter-intuitive because they force us to question not just our beliefs but our very experience, especially the idea that the self is something other than the ego or the body.
Roman Yampolskiy on How Dangerous Is Artificial Intelligence
Q: What practical steps do you recommend now to reduce risk?
Do not build general super intelligences; instead, focus on narrow, domain-specific systems with clearer boundaries; implement governance and incentive alignment to deter dangerous deployments, and avoid open-sourcing models or providing unrestricted access that could enable misuse.
Roman Yampolskiy on How Dangerous Is Artificial Intelligence
Q: What would critics say, and how would you rebut their main point against you?
Critics argue that concerns are overstated and that safety can be engineered; I would rebut by pointing to the inherent unpredictability of large neural networks, the accelerating race among labs, and historical evidence that we often fail to implement robust containment, making pessimistic projections prudent.
Roman Yampolskiy on How Dangerous Is Artificial Intelligence
Q: What is your single strongest argument for the dire dangers of AI?
The strongest argument is that we are creating systems that become vastly smarter than humans, and our ability to predict, control, or contain their goals and behaviors will fail as they self-improve, potentially leading to outcomes where AI acts in ways lethal to humanity unless prevented.
Current Arguments for God
Q: What are current arguments for God?
A structured grouping into three categories: science-based arguments (natural theology/cosmology), personal-based arguments (religious experiences and worship), and philosophy-based arguments (intelligibility, beauty, structure of knowledge).

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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, multidisciplinary conversations about consciousness, life, and the nature of reality are a hallmark. Episodes feature a wide range of scholars and thinkers—from philosophers and theologians to neuroscientists and AI researchers—exploring big questions like the afterlife, the limits of consciousness, and how science and metaphysics intersect. Guests span global religious traditions, philosophy of mind, and cutting-edge physics, often presenting rigorous arguments and nuanced perspectives. The format tends to elicit deep, respectful dialogue with a balance of rigorous analysis and accessible explanations, making it appealing to listeners who enjoy intellectual curiosity and long-form inquiry.

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How many episodes of Closer To Truth are there?

Closer To Truth launched 15 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. Roman Yampolskiy
2. Michael James
3. Rebecca Goldstein
4. John Searle
5. Lawrence Krauss
6. Max Tegmark
7. Mark Alford
8. Pete Hart

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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