Rephonic
Artwork for Within Reason

Within Reason

Alex J O'Connor
Christianity
Consciousness
Philosophy
Atheism
Gnosticism
Artificial Intelligence
God
Jesus
Neuroscience
Judaism
Democracy
Free Will
Panpsychism
Rene Descartes
Science
Death
Quantum Mechanics
Evolution
Mormonism
Epistemology

For the curious. A philosophy podcast that sometimes flirts with other disciplines, Within Reason has featured guests including Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, William Lane Craig, Peter Singer, Konstantin Kisin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes149Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Within Reason

Latest Episodes

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack.

-

Nate Soares is an American artif... more

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack.Anil Seth is ... more

YouTube

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access.For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: https://www.alexoconnor.com.-John Le... more

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: www.... 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

Nate Soares
AI safety researcher and co-author of If Anyone Builds It, Everybody Dies
Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)
Episode: #153 If Anyone Builds It, EVERYONE Dies - AI Expert on Superintelligence
Anil Seth
Professor of Neuroscience, author
University of Sussex
Episode: #152 Why AI Will Never Be Conscious
Galen Strawson
Philosopher specializing in mind and consciousness
Episode: #150 Materialist AND Panpsychism are True - Galen Strawson
Philip Pullman
Author of His Dark Materials
Author
Episode: #149 My Problem With C.S. Lewis - Philip Pullman
Thomas Metzinger
Philosopher of mind, author of The Elephant and the Blind and The Ego Tunnel
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Episode: #147 What is PURE Consciousness? - Thomas Metzinger
Matthew Cobb
Author and historian of science, focuses on brain history
University/author of The Idea of the Brain
Episode: #146 The Most Complicated Thing in the Universe: What is the Brain?
Aleks O'Connor
Etymologist and cultural critic
Algospeak author; The Etymology Nerd
Episode: #145 The Algorithm is God Now - The Etymology Nerd
John Sellars
Philosopher and author specializing in Stoicism
Episode: #141 Stoicism: Everything You Need to (Actually) Know - John Sellars
Candida Moss
The author of 'The Myth of Persecution, How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom' and a scholar in the field of theology and history.
University of Notre Dame
Episode: #123 Candida Moss - Were Early Christians Really Persecuted by Rome?

Host

Alex O'Connor
Host of Within Reason; he engages with a variety of philosophical topics and guests, bringing a thoughtful approach to complex discussions.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 8.3k ratings
  • John Lennox

    I enjoyed hearing his views. It would be interesting to listen to a thought experiment. Given what we understand about the human experience, allowing that we don’t know everything, imagine that god does not exist. Imagine that humans created god and religion. What are the kinds of ideas, hopes, and fears etc represented in god and religions? How do humans represent themselves in the gods and religions of their own creation?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    #*#^#+
    United States19 days ago
  • Amazing

    Amazing, thought-provoking podcast that refreshes my memory of Philosophy. I like how Alex plays devils advocate but always remains calm, whether he is challenging beliefs or having his beliefs challenged.

    It’s also nice how Alex has a balanced perspective and will give some credence to theories he disagrees with.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MiamiTiesto
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • I have followed Alex since his earliest posts and enjoyed Alex's insights (even his takes on veganism, despite disagreeing) up until a few months ago. His calm analytical personality seems to have suddenly shifted into one wherein he simply invites people onto his show with poorly researched or flat out incorrect information and he just nods along as they spout nonsense. It is not lost on me that this shift has coincided with him seemingly taking on larger, better paying sponsors.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    ScoopisBoopis
    2 months ago
  • Muslims

    I want to say as a Muslim we also believe in Jesus ,Mary , Moses , all (peace be upon them ) we listen to Mohammed (peace be upon him) from the teachings of God.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    jaclyn 11211121
    United States2 months ago
  • Deep and wide…

    … conversations on fascinating topics, and a host that is a great listener and has a lot of knowledge himself, which deepens the conversations considerably. I love this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Queenbusybee
    Sweden3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the thoughtful engagement and depth of discussion, often commending the host's calm and rounded approach.
The podcast is viewed as an exceptional resource for those seeking reasoned discourse on philosophical issues, even amidst critique of its ad insertions.
Some express concern regarding the host's interruptive style, noting it detracts from guest contributions.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#151 John Lennox - What Nearly Dying Taught Me About God
Q: What do you think the New Atheists got right, and what did they get wrong about God?
They captured public imagination and voiced critique of religious abuses, but they misused scientism and sometimes reduced faith to belief without evidence. Lennox argues that faith is more nuanced, involving trust and personal experience, and that science does not exhaust rationality.
#152 Why AI Will Never Be Conscious
Q: What is the difference between intelligence and consciousness?
Intelligence concerns the ability to perform tasks and solve problems, while consciousness concerns subjective experience and what it feels like to be a being. The interview discusses how these can diverge, especially in AI, where systems can be highly capable yet not necessarily conscious.
#150 Materialist AND Panpsychism are True - Galen Strawson
Q: What is the nature of consciousness if everything is physical and consciousness exists?
Consciousness is real as an experience and can be described in terms of neural and neurochemical processes, but its intrinsic nature cannot be fully captured by physics; it may be fundamental or arise from very basic physical stuff without requiring a separate non-physical explainer.
#150 Materialist AND Panpsychism are True - Galen Strawson
Q: Why is it impossible that radical emergence could obtain?
There is no argument for radical emergence here; it would be unintelligible and does not fit with the rest of physics which aims to describe everything in terms of physical constituents and their relations.
#145 The Algorithm is God Now - The Etymology Nerd
Q: So I wanted to ask about this attention stuff. You wrote a piece on your sub stack about how it's called something like, you're literally worshipping your phone. What did you mean by that?
I meant that micro-religious behavior emerges around how we interact with the platform and the dopamine-driven rewards we seek; the ritual of scrolling mirrors religious practices, and attention becomes a form of offering.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Within Reason

What is Within Reason about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This philosophy podcast offers a space for exploring complex and profound questions that often intersect with various disciplines. Episodes frequently engage with topics related to religion, consciousness, ethics, and the nature of reality, showcasing conversations enriched by diverse perspectives from notable guests. The discussions encourage listeners to reflect critically on their own beliefs and the ideas presented, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of philosophical inquiries alongside contemporary issues. The format is noteworthy for its open-minded approach, inviting rigorous debate while maintaining a respectful and thoughtful dialogue.

Where can I find podcast stats for Within Reason?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Within Reason. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Within Reason and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Within Reason get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Within Reason, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Within Reason?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Within Reason, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Within Reason have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Within Reason has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Within Reason are there?

Within Reason launched 7 years ago and published 149 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Within Reason?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Within Reason?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Within Reason from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Within Reason?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Within Reason. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Within Reason?

Recent guests on Within Reason include:

1. Nate Soares
2. Anil Seth
3. Galen Strawson
4. Philip Pullman
5. Thomas Metzinger
6. Matthew Cobb
7. Aleks O'Connor
8. John Sellars

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days