The Dissenter

Ricardo Lopes

Philosophy

Sex Work

Mental Health

Pornography

Feminism

Nietzsche

Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary Psychology

Ethics

Aging

Economic Inequality

Marxism

Misinformation

Natural Selection

Violence Against Women

Suicide

Antinatalism

Religion

Philosophy Of Death and Dying

Moral Psychology

My name is Ricardo Lopes, and I’m from Portugal. Thank you for visiting my podcast. Over the past few years, I have conducted and released more than 900 interviews and talks with experts and academics from a variety of areas and disciplines, ranging from the Arts and Philosophy to the Social Sciences and Biology. You will certainly find a subject of your interest covered here. New interviews are r... more

189 ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1285	Founded	8 years ago
Number of Listeners		Category	Science

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Latest Episodes

#1291 Christopher Kavanagh & Matthew Browne: Decoding the Gurus

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10 Aug 2026 • 1 hr 41 min

8 and 1/2 Years of The Dissenter: I Need Your Support, Please

The channel/podcast is now 8 and a half years old!

This has been a wonderful journey, and I am extremely grateful to every single guest of the show, and to everyone who has helped me over the years with financial support, suggestions, and words of e... more

8 Aug 2026 • 1 min

#1290 Matthew Lindauer: The Fruitfulness of Normative Concepts

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7 Aug 2026 • 1 hr 23 min

#1289 Wataru Toyokawa: Social Learning, Collective Decision-Making, and the Wisdom/Madness of Crowds

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6 Aug 2026 • 1 hr 13 min

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Recent Guests

Wataru Toyokawa

Unit leader at the Computational Group Dynamics Collaboration Unit, RIKEN CBS, Tokyo

RIKEN CBS

Episode: #1289 Wataru Toyokawa: Social Learning, Collective Decision-Making, and the Wisdom/Madness of Crowds

Audun Dahl

Associate Professor of Psychology at Cornell University

Cornell University

Episode: #1287 Audun Dahl - Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing

Hugo Drochon

Associate Professor in Political Theory, University of Nottingham; author of Elites and Democracy

University of Nottingham

Episode: #1286 Hugo Drochon: Elites and Democracy

Luke Kemp

Research Affiliate at the University of Cambridge, author of Goliath's Curse

University of Cambridge

Episode: #1285 Luke Kemp - Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse

Lars Penke

Dr. Lars Penke, Professor of Biological Personality Psychology at the University of Göttingen

University of Göttingen

Episode: #1284 Lars Penke: Do Women's Mate Preferences Change During Ovulation?

Stijn Vanheule

Clinical psychologist, professor at Ghent University, psychoanalyst

Ghent University

Episode: #1283 Stijn Vanheule: Why Psychosis Is Not So Crazy

Turi Munthe

Journalist, policy analyst, media entrepreneur, and writer

Author of Why We Think What We Think

Episode: #1282 Turi Munthe - Why We Think What We Think: The Unexpected Origins of Our Deepest Beliefs

Francesca Rossi

IBM Fellow and IBM AI Ethics Global Leader

IBM

Episode: #1281 Francesca Rossi: The Benefits and Risks of AI

Rafael Ruiz

PhD student in philosophy at the London School of Economics

London School of Economics

Episode: #1280 Rafael Ruiz: Is "Woke" Good, Actually?

Host

Ricardo Lopes

Host of The Dissenter; known for conducting long-form conversations with experts and academics across disciplines.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 189 ratings

A thoughtful interviewer who can really stick with his more challenging guests.
Despite being outrageously prolific (over 1000 episodes with very serious intellectuals) Ricardo asks questions that as far as I can tell, really break the more complicated subject matter down to its basic principles. How he keeps on top of this much different high level knowledge is beyond me and beyond impressive.
Apple Podcasts
5
Ravin Kanga
Australia2 years ago
Exceptional
Ricardo is a knowledgeable host that clearly loves diving into a wide range of subjects. He’s great at researching the topics being discussed beforehand and asking thoughtful questions that allow for exceptionally interesting and intriguing discussions. Absolutely love this podcast. Do give it a chance. -S
Apple Podcasts
5
NickiSteven
United States2 years ago
Informative and Fascinating
Ricardo gets all kinds of experts on his show to discuss their work in a variety of interesting pioneering scientific efforts. Well worth listening to to stay informed—plus the show is a very enjoyable listen!
Apple Podcasts
5
Optimum length
Canada2 years ago
Conversations with academics from many backgrounds
My favorite podcast. Prolific, diverse subjects and long conversations. Listening to Dissenter made me realize how heavily edited and produced most podcasts are. With Dissenter we’re actually listening to the conversation.
Apple Podcasts
5
Informed0pinion
United States3 years ago
Good
Very interesting podcast.
Apple Podcasts
5
sparkle-heart
Canada3 years ago

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Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, deeply researched conversations that break complex topics down clearly.

Long-form interviews offer more depth than typical podcasts.

Diverse, prolific guests across many fields make it a treasure trove of ideas.

Ricardo asks insightful questions that unlock high-level discussions.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#217	Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts	#161	Indonesia/Science
Apple Podcasts	#200	Israel/Science
Apple Podcasts	#201	Colombia/Science
Apple Podcasts	#209	Norway/Science
Apple Podcasts	#249	Austria/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#1287 Audun Dahl - Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing

Q: Earlier we talked about post-hoc rationalization. Sometimes I have the sense that, for example, moral philosophers already have a conclusion in mind when it comes to a particular moral truth or what a particular moral truth is, and then they just work backwards...

Dahl contends that demanding post-hoc rationalization as a blanket explanation for philosophical reasoning is inaccurate; philosophers engage in deliberate, project-based reasoning to develop and defend arguments, akin to hypothesis testing in science.

#1287 Audun Dahl - Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing

Q: Right. But when moral changes occur, can they occur due to something like selfishness, unconscious effect, or just blind obedience? I mean, do they necessarily need to change through reasoning, or can it be just through those more subconscious processes?

He argues that while incidental factors can influence judgments, the dominant account emphasizes reasoning about how people ought to live, with multiple pathways for change (concerns, connections, coordinations) rather than purely subconscious shifts.

#1287 Audun Dahl - Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing

Q: So, I mean, it's not the first time that I have a moral psychologist on the show, but let me start by asking you this, particularly for people in the audience that might not be familiar with this subject.

Dahl explains the basic approach of moral psychology as understanding why a person holds a view, how it developed, and how it changes, rather than simply judging the view itself.

#1287 Audun Dahl - Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing

Q: So Dr. Dahl, welcome to the show.

The host is setting up the interview and introducing the topic of moral psychology, with Dahl outlining the book's core contrast between fixed moral truths and fickle moral beliefs, and describing how psychology studies moral views by tracing their origins and changes.

#1286 Hugo Drochon: Elites and Democracy

Q: What do political parties represent within a democracy, and what role do they play?

Parties emerged as intermediaries to bring the people into politics, acting as a mediating structure between elites and the public, though their traditional role has weakened today, prompting consideration of new forms of mediation and institutions to sustain democratic representation.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Dissenter

What is The Dissenter about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigor-driven interview show that brings academics and experts from philosophy, psychology, science, and social theory into long-form conversations. Episodes tend to center on big ideas: meaning, ethics, human behavior, culture, and the politics of knowledge, often with a cross-disciplinary lens. Listeners can expect thoughtful, deeply researched discussions that probe contested topics with nuance, frequent references to foundational theories, and practical implications for policy, ethics, and everyday life. A notable strength is the host's ability to pull in high-level scholars for sustained, accessible dialogue, making philosophy and science approachable for well-educated, curious audiences. The format often features extended interviews ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Dissenter?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Dissenter:

1. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
2. Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
3. The Michael Shermer Show
4. Within Reason
5. Philosophy For Our Times

How many episodes of The Dissenter are there?

The Dissenter launched 8 years ago and published 1285 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 The Dissenter?

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What guests have appeared on The Dissenter?

Recent guests on The Dissenter include:

1. Wataru Toyokawa
2. Audun Dahl
3. Hugo Drochon
4. Luke Kemp
5. Lars Penke
6. Stijn Vanheule
7. Turi Munthe
8. Francesca Rossi

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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